Help shelter animals!!!

Dancing Paws started this discussion · 6/5/2012

I don't normally post things like this, but it is something that is unbelievable important to me. I posted it on my faecbook as well, but I know there are a lot of animal lovers here who should know about this. Gov. Jerry Brown wants to decrease an animals stay at animal shelters in CA to only 72 hours before being euthanized, as a way to "save money." For those not familiar with shelters, that is a time frame that makes it impossible for an animal to find a home. Most people look for their pets on the weekend, so if an animal goes to the shelter early in the week, under this law they will have no chance, and will be dead before families arrive. In fact, it takes more than a week on average for an animal to get it's forever home. If this law existed where I live, my Griffy would be dead. He was at the humane society for 3 weeks before I took him home (because he is an excited little man who hops for fun.) Please take some time to sign this peition. You don't even have to display your name. Thanks! https://theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/clickToGive/campaign.faces?siteId=3&campaign=CAShelterStay&ThirdPartyClicks=ETA_060512_CAShelterStay_F

The Animal Rescue SiteThe Animal Rescue Site Click To Give | Free Ways to Help Feed Rescue AnimalsWhen you click, The Animal Rescue Site funds food, supplies, and support for shelter pets - and it's free to you!

20 replies

Dancing Paws · 6/5/2012
Sorry, the link didn't work. Here it is again: https://theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/clickToGive/campaign.faces?siteId=3&campaign=CAShelterStay
The Animal Rescue SiteThe Animal Rescue Site Click To Give | Free Ways to Help Feed Rescue AnimalsWhen you click, The Animal Rescue Site funds food, supplies, and support for shelter pets - and it's free to you!
Dancing Paws · 6/5/2012
ARRRG! Not sure why the direct link won't work. Click this link, then search "forever." The title of the petition is "All animals deserve a forever home." https://theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/clickToGive/takeaction.faces?siteId=3
The Animal Rescue SiteThe Animal Rescue Site Click To Give | Free Ways to Help Feed Rescue AnimalsWhen you click, The Animal Rescue Site funds food, supplies, and support for shelter pets - and it's free to you!
poletrickster · 6/5/2012
Done!🙁
Dancing Paws · 6/5/2012
Thanks doll. It makes me want to cry to think about this happening.
SexyRockStarsWifeNowWidow · 6/5/2012
Done
chipandchar · 6/5/2012
Already did this :) I have the peta app. I send emails to all of them!
HyperHorsegirl · 6/5/2012
I am a huge animal advocate and have volunteered at shelters for over almost five years. This is not an uncommon law. In Texas, it is mandatory for all public animal shelters to hold strays (not surrendered animals) for 72 hours. Many, of course, are held much longer than this. at the cost of the organization running it. A dog I adopted from the City of Houston's municipal shelter was there for almost 60 days even with this law in effect. Just because they CAN euthanize after 72 hour hold doesn't mean they WILL, at least, not for all animals. The sick, mangey, behaviorally challenged, or hard to place animals would probably be the ones to go at the end of the 72 hour hold. The others would likely be held as long as room could be made for them and they remained healthy. After all, it's not like people who work in shelters want to euthanize animals needlessly. Houston's BARC is probably the worst shelter I've ever seen (well, maybe except the Harris County shelter) and they still have dogs that stay there 30 or even 45+ days. They see on average over 130 animals in intake EVERY DAY and euthanize almost 1,200 animals a month. About 55% of animals never make it out. That's staggering. BARC even goes beyond the 72 hour minimum and holds most strays for 5 days. There is a big controversy right now at BARC because they put an animal down within one day and people came back for it after raising the money to treat him at a vet. They claim "veteranary discretion" in their decision, and the whole thing was documented in a video (http://www.examiner.com/article/apathy-while-killing). Now, THAT is sickening. I'm not saying that it isn't a good thing to fight this. Animals do need every opportunity they can get. Still, this practice is not uncommon and it does not condemn every animal to die after 72 hours. So, don't feel SOOOO sad. It's still sad, but it could be worse. My other adopted dog (from another Houston shelter) was there for over a year, from April 2009 to June 2010, and had been returned three times before I became his fourth and final adopter. He is my heart dog. I understand that some animals need much longer than three days to find a home. I think the most important thing regarding animal shelters that do euthanize is education. Educate the public of the laws and let them know that it is UNLIKELY for any animal surrendered to a kill shelter to make it out alive. You'd be surprised how many people really think that their animal will find a good home by leaving them there. Education about the truth of shelters, education about how to care for animals, and education about sterilizing animals is so important in trying to make a difference at in any city or state.
Dancing Paws · 6/5/2012
I know it's not a guarantee, but it still isn't right. Also, LA county kills such a huge number of animals already. They don't need a reason to kill more of them.
Dancing Paws · 6/5/2012
I volunteered at the local humane society. They get so many large transfers of dogs from CA. Sooooo many chihuahua's. Unfortunately people in CA think chihuahuas are accessories, then give them up when they realize how much work they are. Same with pits. I am glad there are humane societies to rescue these dogs. I do my best to educate people on breeding and sterilization. I've met several people who refuse to neuter their dogs and they breed their dogs. It really bothers me.
HyperHorsegirl · 6/5/2012
I'm sure LA County does see a lot of animals, but I know the Houston area does too. It is possible for these areas to go no-kill, but it takes the support from the politicians and the public. Houston's city leadership is too worried about money to take the steps they've already been recommended to make by a no-kill expert. In fact, BARC is funded under the Health budget, which is also responsible for human healthcare. Guess what gets most of the funds? Of course, the human healthcare, and rightfully so. But there's no separate entity that budgets for animal control and those that run it are more interested in other things. There are FIVE, yes, FIVE, kill shelters in Houston alone, not to mention the shelters of nearby independent cities. BARC is just one of them. In 2011, BARC alone killed over 13,000 animals. Imagine what the total would be including the other five. Imagine what the total would be including Harris County's other numerous city shelters. Our Humane Society is a kill shelter, not a no-kill rescue. That's another thing that many people don't realize. Just because it says Humane Society or SPCA, doesn't mean that it's no-kill. Rescue groups here are overrun and there are so many strays, it's ridiculous. In the bad areas of Houston, packs of dogs roam the streets. One of my boyfriend's friends said he was going to breed his dog, which he (disappointingly) got from a breeder. I think I have convinced him not to, but she still isn't spayed. Last week when we went to the dog park, there was a whole family of Australian Shepherds there that were clearly poorly bred. They were trying to sell the 7 week old pups at the dog park, where young puppies without resistance to many diseases can get seriously ill and die. Their front legs were noticably shorter than the back ones, making them look like they were always walking downhill and the dad had such a bad leg, he almost drowned multiple times trying to retrieve a frisbee from the pond. I don't understand why people do this. As you can tell, I'm very passionate about this subject. I've been to many shelters over the years, as I volunteer with a rescue group evaluating dogs also. I did sign the petition. I wish that shelters had the funding and support needed to save more animals, but sadly, it's just not a priority to those making the budgets and laws.
darling dearest · 6/5/2012
Is the link correct? I tried to click it and all I got was this message: "Sorry, but we couldn't find the campaign you requested. Please visit the https://theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/clickToGive/takeaction.faces?siteId=3 for The Animal Rescue Site."
The Animal Rescue SiteThe Animal Rescue Site Click To Give | Free Ways to Help Feed Rescue AnimalsWhen you click, The Animal Rescue Site funds food, supplies, and support for shelter pets - and it's free to you!
Dancing Paws · 6/5/2012
Go to my third post and find the one titled: "All animals deserve a forever home." For some reason the direct link won't work. Not sure why.
SophieP · 6/6/2012
Done! I agree with you guys, 72 hrs is not enough! But even worst than that, this weekend i went fishing and came back home with a kitten, someone had left him to die in the woods! he was extremely skinny and he was sick. I took him to the vet, they gave him a shot and antibiotics. he had blood coming out of his nose, his respiratory system took a hit, he would of died within no time if we would'nt have found him (eaten or blocked airway) . He is now doing much better and quickly took a liking to our dogs. I didn't have the heart to bring him to a shelter knowing they would of probably put him down. 🙁
Dancing Paws · 6/6/2012
Poor kitty! I'm glad you were able to do something.
SophieP · 6/6/2012
me too! I thought for sure he wasn't gonna make it when he started sneezing blood! We called him Lucky lol
Dancing Paws · 6/6/2012
I would have cried. We have so many feral cats here, it's sad.
SophieP · 6/6/2012
I posted pictures of him sleeping with our dogs ;)
Amandak · 6/6/2012
Done! It just breaks my heart to see this! I get newsletters the the Animal Rescue Site and it's so hard to see all of the petitions that need signatures...I've always said that someone who can be cruel to an animal can be cruel to a person just as easily. I used to volunteer at a shelter and we had a litter of kittens come in that someone had rescued when they saw a group of teenage boys kicking them over a football goal...it just made me sick! Let's hope that this petition brings awareness to the fact that so very very many perfectly wonderful animals get put down because some people don't have the sense to spay/neuter their animals and then wonder why their dog or cat has half a dozen or more babies every year. :/
Amandak · 6/6/2012
SophieP, that was so sweet of you to help that little kitty! I wish there were more people out there like you! The world would be a much better place! :)
SophieP · 6/6/2012
Thank you! :)