Please help your local animal shelter

**rudyumans** · 06-16-2010, 04:30 PM

Last Monday I volunteered to take identification pictures of dogs for the website of one of the local “no kill” animal rescue organizations here in Miami. This is their link: http://www.friendsforeverrescue.com/

There were 119 dogs in all shapes and sizes and I took pictures of about 90 of them. That is a lot of dogs. The thing is that these 119 dogs were in the “overflow”. They were not even in the actual shelter, but in a separate area where they keep the dogs that have a hard time getting adopted. Some of these dogs will stay there for the rest of their lives.

This particular rescue organization has probably about 175 dogs total (minus the one dog we adopted) and this is only one organization here in Miami. I know of at least four other ones.

My question is that if you happen to have some spare time or you have old dog toys that your dog doesn’t play with anymore, please think about your local shelter. Money is always good of course, but if money is tight there are plenty of other ways you can help. You cannot believe how much work is involved in this.

They have kids to help out who have to complete community service for one reason or another. However, these kids are a lot of work too. They need a lot of guidance. This organization "Friend Forever Rescue" does double good, they help animals and kids that need help being accepted in society.

So, if you would like to do something this summer, helping your local shelter might be an idea.

**BENESSE** · 06-16-2010, 05:15 PM

Thanks for letting us know, Rudy.
Turns out I do have lots of toys, pet beds, etc. that my 18+ yr. old cat lost interest in. I'll take them over to the shelter.

**hunter63** · 06-16-2010, 05:40 PM

Rudy, good subject....thanks for the reminder.....we try hard.

Two of our Labs are "rescue dogs", and three are special needs dogs, then there is Gunner, the baby guy (not so small anymore).

If I had the room I woud have several more........

BTW, There are no such things as "old dog toys", just pieces at our place.

Food and cash for meds are what is most needed.

**finallyME** · 06-16-2010, 05:53 PM

I admire your concern and dedication. Your heart is in the right place. But, I will never support the local shelter or SPCA or Humane Society or other animal shelter groups. I don't know, maybe friends forever rescue is different. Many people blame the dog breeders for the high population of unwanted pets. Yes, there are irresponsible breeders out there, but I blame the shelters. Actually I blame the stupid pet owners first, but the shelters make the problem much worse. When it is hard to adopt a pet from a shelter and easy to get rid of one, the natural result is overcrowded shelters and people who want animals going to breeders to get one. I don't know how hard it is to adopt from your organization, but by looking at the application, it doesn't look that easy.
http://www.friendsforeverrescue.com/...pplication.pdf

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/articles...ddyspcadog.htm

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/articles/spca.htm

Another problem I have with shelters is that they have almost no oversight. It is the same problem I have with CPS (child protective services). If the director of the shelter makes a bad call consistently, or just sucks at the job, there is no one in place to fire them, or reprimand them.

Well, enough of my soap box. I know that this is only my small little opinion, and I know a lot of people disagree. That is fine. To each their own.

Oh yeah, I got our dog free from looking at classified adds online. She was 4 yrs old and already spayed. If you want a hassless way of saving an animal, get them before the pound.

**rudyumans** · 06-16-2010, 07:35 PM

Thanks everybody in behalf of the shelters. They sure can use every little bit of help they can get.

Helping out made me feel good, but it also made me feel sad and a little frustrated that I couldn't adopt more. ( I wasn't really there to feel good anyway, I was there to make them feel good. I just took pictures)

Most of the dogs they have there are discarded dogs. They are just dumped because people do not want them anymore because too much work, the little toddlers threw a temper tantrum with Christmas and that wore off, so the dog has to go, or they got a big German Sheppard or something as a puppy in a one bedroom apartment that became a "problem". It's sad.

@ FinallyMe

I understand your frustration! Believe me. But also believe me it is not the shelters fault. Most of the shelters I know really do not want to do what they do. They do it because they love animals and there is sadly enough a big need for them. Of course there are some shelters with less than honorable motives (like with any other not-for-profit), but most are very sincere in what they try to accomplish. Please don't make the good ones pay for the bad.
You are right about the owners. At least where I live. For that reason, the adoption procedure is a little strict sometimes. The shelter's first interest is with the animal and they want to be as sure as they can that the animal ends up in a loving and caring home. Many people get turned down because they are afraid the dog will either come back to the shelter sooner or later or that something worse might happen. Sad, but true.

There is also nothing wrong with getting a dog from the newspaper. Another dog saved and that is what it is all about anyway.

**BENESSE** · 06-16-2010, 07:50 PM

We donate $$ regularly but I haven't volunteered--it would be beyond painful. Anyone who does, is a saint. One can pretty much judge a person's character by how they behave toward animals. So far it has never proven to be wrong.

**rudyumans** · 06-16-2010, 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by BENESSE

We donate $$ regularly but I haven't volunteered--it would be beyond painful. Anyone who does, is a saint. One can pretty much judge a person's character by how they behave toward animals. So far it has never proven to be wrong.

I understand where you are coming from. My sister in law wanted to volunteer so badly, but her husband didn't let her ( I mean, talked her out of it. LOL) She understood. They would have ended up with dozens of dogs in no time. Like me (and you?) she is a sucker for these things.

**Trabitha** · 06-16-2010, 09:08 PM

I try and bring old towels and blankets to our shelter throughout the year and when I get a good price on dog/cat food sometimes I get double and drop a bag off there. I've used the shelter for pets often...and wish I could take them ALL home.

**rudyumans** · 06-16-2010, 09:21 PM

Originally Posted by sjj

The few animal friends I've gotten have all come for the local government run shelter. They do put animals down that aren't adopted and that no other organization will take, particulary cats. I have visited the shelter probably once a week for many years since its close - and am well enough known that they allow me to "assist" with feeding the cats. I never ask what happened to the animals that are gone - just hoping they were adopted. Every visit is painful and depressing. I am not looking to adopt and I can't explain why I keep torturing myself. My guess is that I assume animals live mostly for the moment and I can make a moment more pleasant.

The way I got connected with Survival Kitty is a little unusual. He was dropped off as a discard at about 6 months old. He had cigarette burns on the back of his neck that weren't healing - making him difficult to place despite his good looks

It may have been noticed that I spent a little extra time with him when I visited because I got a call from one of the shelter folks I knew and was told he was on the "list". I picked him up that evening and he has run my home since.

Survival Kitty sounds like a great cat!

**rudyumans** · 06-16-2010, 09:24 PM

Originally Posted by Trabitha

I try and bring old towels and blankets to our shelter throughout the year and when I get a good price on dog/cat food sometimes I get double and drop a bag off there. I've used the shelter for pets often...and wish I could take them ALL home.

Thank you and I hear you loud and clear about wanting to take them all home. Wish I could

**grizz** · 06-24-2010, 01:18 PM

My wife and I get all our little buddies from shelters or the pound. Can't help but love the little guys. About 10 years ago i went to the cities pound for an alarm sounding. turns out they were just steam cleaning the pens down and set the alarm off. When i went walking through the building, what i saw just broke my heart. It was the day of the week to put down the unwanted dogs. there was a pile of dead puppies in the corner. 200 or so, and the adult dogs were covering the rest of the floor. 100 or so. It just broke my heart to see this. I asked how often they do this and they said once a week. The day before they thinned out the cats. And this was a small city of 7000 or so people.I can only imagine what happens in the large cities across america. Damn sad if you ask me!

**Rick** · 06-24-2010, 01:50 PM

A good reminder to spay or neuter you animal and to install a chip in them so they can be returned if lost or stolen.

**rudyumans** · 06-24-2010, 02:03 PM

No matter how much I care and feel for "no kill" shelters, I think more needs to be done on prevention. It all starts with irresponsible breeders, puppy mills in particular, the laws that cover these enterprises, pet shops, potential buyers and pet owners. The local shelters I know, do nothing or very little in this regard. I am not just talking about it, but I am actually trying to come up with a plan. Any marketing guru's here(or anybody for that matter) with good ideas? (for a shoestring budget.)

Spaying and neutering is a great start. It saves animals.

**roar-k** · 06-24-2010, 04:03 PM

My wife and I adopted our pups from an animal shelter. I will agree that the adoption process was a hassle, and I asked the lady in charge of the shelter we adopted at why it was so, and she said it was to weed out those people that are on the fence with their decision. She said if you really want a pet and are truly going to take care of it the adoption process will not be a bother. I can see the logic here and can accept it.

Well, we finally decided to adopt and I think we paid $200 for both pups and the fee covered microchips, neutering, month supply of food, and all their puppy shots. I thought it was a great deal. One of our pups, Aris, is blind in one eye and I just wondered what would have happened if we would not have adopted him along with his brother.

I try to send donations, but sometimes I just forget or can't. I am one of those that cannot take the animal commercials when they come on TV or anything with animal cruelty, it just tears me up.

If you ever want to get a puppy for your kids or yourself adoption is the only way to go in my book. Mutts are better than purebreds in my book.