Dog Pound Woes

One of my greatest passions in life is animal rescue. It's something that God pushed into my soul from the time I was born. We're all here for different jobs, and this is definitely one of mine.

One way I am able to help animals is by working with the Humane Society and organizing adoptions of dogs from our local dog pound. Like many 'shelters' it is a kill shelter. Once there for "too long," no matter how much space is available, the dogs are killed. Can I just whine a minute?

Once again, the euthanasias are about to occur. Monday morning many dogs will be loaded into a cage on the back of the dog catcher's truck and taken to the vet. They will be held down and injected with medication that kills them. Why? Because no one will help them. No one will foster them. No one will adopt them. These are amazing dogs - especially this particular group. From Boxers to labs... they are beautiful dogs that anyone should be proud to own. Knowing that the next time I go to visit them, they might all be dead.. well, it's draining. It's depressing. It makes me ridiculously sad.

I've had people tell me that they can't even stand to look at our website because it breaks their hearts. Good. It should. I get to see these dogs in person. I get to love on them, give them treats, walk them, and then put them back into their jail cells in hopes that someone will see them as worthy to live as I do. That someone will choose to adopt rather than purchase a pedigree dog. Then, I have to write "soon to be euthanized" in bright red letters over their pictures on our website - praying it will push someone right on the edge to adopt. Usually, I then have to go back and change it to a bright red "euthanized" once they've been killed. Does anyone else care? What else can I possibly do?

We need foster homes like crazy. We need adoptive homes as well. We need our city to stand up and stop letting dogs leave the pound without being spayed and neutered. We need people to stop breeding irresponsibly. We need more dogs in this town like we need more mosquitoes. We need our city to rally together and say "enough!" No more loveable, healthy, social dogs being killed. These animals did not choose to be brought into this world. They did not choose to grow up bigger than what their owner thought they would grow to be, or choose to be a barker, or choose to be a digger. They did not choose to be abused, neglected, and dumped. Yet, they are the ones that pay the price. Not their owners - for we typically never know who they were. Not the city - for what's not seen is forgotten. Just them.

I just had to have a vent fest. I am so frustrated. No matter how much we do, it is just never enough. Until people wise up and start taking advantage of our FREE spay and neuter program and stop letting unwanted litters of puppies be created, then it will just always be this way. It will always be an uphill battle. We have to PREVENT. Euthanizing dogs should not be our means of pet population control. Adoption is not the answer, either. Prevention is.

If you are in Drew County or surrounding areas and you want a free spay or neuter, PLEASE, call Ruby Burton at 367-3377. Let us help you! We would LOVE to!

I do want to make a quick plug for how awesome so many people have been. I have soo many friends that have chosen adoption when they could MORE than afford to buy whatever dog they want. Recently, Hank and Susan Hollinger chose to adopt when their hearts were yearning for another cuttie-pie Jack Russell. I've had many friends adopt NUMEROUS dogs from the pound or from my selection of foster dogs. Amazing, amazing people. :)

 There are purebreds being euthanized EVERY SINGLE DAY. I know.. I rescue many of them. Whatever dog you could possibly want, we can find it for you. You can then not only get the breed you want, but the amazing peace that comes from rescue. Give it a try! Let me help!