Shelter Destroying all animals before Christmas

Meg I know how this sort of thing can make you feel so helpless and heartbroken but.........  You or any one person can't save them all and if you will direct your feelings into doing something for the ones that you can help it will go a long way toward helping your own peace of mind.  You can't blame people for wanting a certain dog or breed of dog and therefore blame them for the dogs that die in shelters.  It's like saying to someone that they can't have a biological child of their own but must adopt a child becuase there are children who need loving homes.  Help where you can but don't let your feelings overcome your good common sense.  One of the reasons that I rarely look at petfinders or any of the other sites with animals to adopt is that I know I can't do much for these animals.  What I can do is help at local shelters and adopt from a local shelter.  I often have a little voice go off in my head when I see that someone has adopted a dog from a location far from their home and the voice says" don't you have any dogs or cats that need homes in the shelters near you?"  According to some people there are areas with a shortage of pets to adopt but not in my area. 

Don't be discouraged, make some of your soon to be famous dog cookies and drop them off at a shelter near you.

jenn52 - a lot of people in my community are TRYING. but most of the people dont want help. there are 2 or 3 low- to free-spay/neuter clinics(one of which I will be using and then volenteering with after Christmas). Seeing as I live/grew up here, I feel I have the right to say this....it's all these idiot, back woods, redneck hicks that WONT spay/neuter and all these no-education, wanna-be thugs that WONT spay/neuter.

Heck, we had Taz neutered even thou the Techs at out office wanted us to breed him ONE time so they could have puppies as cute as him(seriously, I've never seen a dog 'look' like a puppy for so long). Nope, we got him neutered. No puppies.

The people in this area will not take the initive to get there pets spayed/neutered. AND then they COMPLAIN about having to build a new AC office every 10-15 years because the old one ran out of space!(at the old AC office, they only gave dogs/cats 3 days after the stray hold to find homes...now its 7 at the new place)

People DO need to make it a priority. But they DONT. And then chain female dogs in un-fenced yards....and OPS every 6months or so, another 6-12 puppies. They dont contain the pups, most get hit by cars, or killed by birds/other dogs/wild animals the ones that do live either turn feral or get picked up by AC.

It's so sickening.

AND, the people that want to turn dogs in to no-kill places wont because they have a crazy owner turn in fee.

Jackie - I know I can't help much(especially now). I also cant blame people for going to a breeder because I would like to go to a breeder for my pets too, but my bleeding heart that is worn on my sleeve says "Save a LIFE!"(lol). I know blaming the people that go to breeders will do no good....but I dont see why some people go to a breeder and buy a 6-month old pup, when there are 100 6-month old pups in shelters that dont have a home and may die because of it. Especially the people who want pitties, there are 4 in CCAC right now, under 2 years old, in great health. I just dont see how some people would want to NOT help them.

The Robeson Co animal cshelter had another shelter from MAryland take some dogs. I guess its different in other areas, but our AC(and most in rural areas) are over-flowing with dogs and cats. Maybe oneday I can do transport for dogs to a place that has a 'shortage'....

Thanks, but I dont think my dog cookies are THAT good! LOL!

ETA - I should probably clairify this before someone chews me out....

I have no problem with someone going to a breeder and buying a dog that will be used to IMPROVE the breed and its reputation. I do, however, have a problem with people going to a breeder and getting a pet that will be just that, a pet. Save a life if you want a pet dog. PLEASE!

misstrouble

Jackie - I know I can't help much(especially now). I also cant blame people for going to a breeder because I would like to go to a breeder for my pets too, but my bleeding heart that is worn on my sleeve says "Save a LIFE!"(lol). I know blaming the people that go to breeders will do no good....but I dont see why some people go to a breeder and buy a 6-month old pup, when there are 100 6-month old pups in shelters that dont have a home and may die because of it. Especially the people who want pitties, there are 4 in CCAC right now, under 2 years old, in great health. I just dont see how some people would want to NOT help them.

The Robeson Co animal cshelter had another shelter from MAryland take some dogs. I guess its different in other areas, but our AC(and most in rural areas) are over-flowing with dogs and cats. Maybe oneday I can do transport for dogs to a place that has a 'shortage'....

Thanks, but I dont think my dog cookies are THAT good! LOL!

ETA - I should probably clairify this before someone chews me out....

I have no problem with someone going to a breeder and buying a dog that will be used to IMPROVE the breed and its reputation. I do, however, have a problem with people going to a breeder and getting a pet that will be just that, a pet. Save a life if you want a pet dog. PLEASE!

I've bolded your statement which is why I went to a breeder for Nikon.  I wanted a male out of one of a few German males I liked.  I have met the mother, seen her work, heard good things about her from people who have been in the breed for decades.  If I hadn't got Nikon from a breeder, I would not have gotten a dog from a shelter either.  On one hand I simply love dogs and animals, but on the other hand I'm also a German shepherd dog fancier and do believe in breed preservation, so I have to balance both.  Four of my six pets are from a rescue or a shelter, as well as previous pets I've had/pulled/fostered.

My advice to you based on this thread and other threads is to develop a focus so you don't burn out.  I used to volunteer several times a week at a local shelter and it was intense.  The dogs were out of control, there wasn't the greates communication or organization among volunteers and shelter staff...it was so chaotic and stressful I was beginning to resent it, for reasons having nothing to do with the poor dogs.  Since then I have narrowed my focus to German Shepherd dogs.  I will *not* let one be euthanized if there is anything I can do about it.  I stay active on their boards and watch all the local rescue threads.  I am pre-approved by my state's rescue and receive all e-mails about available dogs.  I've helped match people to dogs, do home visits on my side of the state, pull dogs from shelters and hold them or pay to board them until the sponsoring rescue can pick them up, etc.  But since I have narrowed my focus to one breed in a localized area, I feel more positive about it and less burned out.

Liesje - I'm sort of lost at this....why not adopt a GSD from a shelter? Sorry if you stated it already....maybe I just over looked it?

Burn out is probably going to be my killer - I burnt myself out on horses, thou I still love horses deeply, I just would rather look from a distance then dive in like I did.

GSD's are 'your' breed thou....as much as I love BC's there not 'my' breed....I haven't found 'my' breed.....maybe I will once I get on my own. I can understand how you want to help your breed, and everytime I see a BC in a shelter it kills me a little, but IDK....I'm the type of person who always wants to help. Always. IDK why, its just how I am. And it hurts me a lot when I cant help any. But, that it life. I know my personal limit for keeping dogs is 2. My Mom's dog Taz isnt really 'mine' thou I do feed him and all that. When I leave hoome, it'll be me and Sam...then I might be able to foster.

misstrouble

Liesje - I'm sort of lost at this....why not adopt a GSD from a shelter? Sorry if you stated it already....maybe I just over looked it?

Burn out is probably going to be my killer - I burnt myself out on horses, thou I still love horses deeply, I just would rather look from a distance then dive in like I did.

GSD's are 'your' breed thou....as much as I love BC's there not 'my' breed....I haven't found 'my' breed.....maybe I will once I get on my own. I can understand how you want to help your breed, and everytime I see a BC in a shelter it kills me a little, but IDK....I'm the type of person who always wants to help. Always. IDK why, its just how I am. And it hurts me a lot when I cant help any. But, that it life. I know my personal limit for keeping dogs is 2. My Mom's dog Taz isnt really 'mine' thou I do feed him and all that. When I leave hoome, it'll be me and Sam...then I might be able to foster.

Because shelter dogs are not appropriate for breed preservation.  As I said, I researched for several years and finally had a short list of studs/lines I wanted a dog from.  I ultimately chose Nikon because he is a combination of three dogs/lines that I liked (Quenn v. Loeher Weg, Kirschental, and Kevin v. Murrtal).  You can't find these dogs in a shelter, and even if you could, the shelters here neuter everything 8 weeks or older. Dogs being given the highest show ratings and working titles should be very selective.  I would rather my dogs not make the cut than change the standard to allow for dogs of unknown or questionable breeding to be included.  The thing with breed preservation is that it I can't get emotional about it, it serves no purpose.  Breed preservation is no about saving dogs and including shelter dogs in shows and trials, it's about maintaining and bettering the breed.  Millions of pets are not in shelters because fanciers did not adopt them.  Like I said, if I had not found a puppy I wanted from a breeder I would NOT have gotten another dog, period.  In the past, this country did not have such an insane population of unwanted animals yet there have always been people showing, training, and competing with purebred dogs.  The blame is being put in the wrong spot.  Blame careless owners, not breed fanciers.  It's almost two different worlds, and while they don't really overlap, for me they are not mutually exclusive.  In the past I was far more involved in shelter/rescue than I am with trialing and showing my dogs now.  Right now I'm more extensively involved in showing dogs.  I don't have the means to foster dogs right now, mainly for space but also financially.  I won't commit to pull or foster any dog I would not commit to keeping forever if I had to, and right now I can't do that, but I don't think I have to hold my other dogs back either.  One of the reasons I had to distance myself from the shelter where I volunteered was that there was this stigma toward anyone who had a purebred dog and did things with their dog beyond basic obedience.

There are lots of ways to help and be involved other than pulling dogs and fostering.  It helps to get involved with one or two organizations who can ask for your help and point you in the right direction.  You don't necessarily have to find a breed, but sign up for a shelter or a rescue and start from there.  You can walk dogs, handle dogs for adoption events, do application counselling, even small stuff like doing the dogs' laundry, cleaning the runs, helping answer e-mail or update web sites.  Doing it all on your own is very stressful and often counter productive.  Our society is so litigious these days, it's good to have a credible organization behind your back.  It can be cheaper too.  When I pulled a dog that was going to be euth'd I did not have to pay the fee because I had a rescue with 503(c) papers backing the pull.  While you may be "rescuing" the dog, doing it on your own doesn't count as a rescue.  Like Karissa said in the other thread, it's basically adopting a dog with the intent to rehome it.  Also a lot of people want to adopt from an established rescue or shelter and not just a person, if that makes sense.  When we were ready to adopt a dog I went to a local rescue I got a cat from years ago because I agree with their policies and how their fosters are treated.  It wasn't just about "saving" a dog, I wanted to make sure that the GOOD rescues/people were the ones I went to first because those people deserve success for their hard work.  There are so many fake "rescues" around I honestly am picky about where I adopt pets from because I don't want to pay a $250 "adoption" fee to some hoarder.

JackieG

Meg I know how this sort of thing can make you feel so helpless and heartbroken but.........  You or any one person can't save them all and if you will direct your feelings into doing something for the ones that you can help it will go a long way toward helping your own peace of mind.  You can't blame people for wanting a certain dog or breed of dog and therefore blame them for the dogs that die in shelters.  It's like saying to someone that they can't have a biological child of their own but must adopt a child becuase there are children who need loving homes.  Help where you can but don't let your feelings overcome your good common sense.  One of the reasons that I rarely look at petfinders or any of the other sites with animals to adopt is that I know I can't do much for these animals.  What I can do is help at local shelters and adopt from a local shelter.  I often have a little voice go off in my head when I see that someone has adopted a dog from a location far from their home and the voice says" don't you have any dogs or cats that need homes in the shelters near you?"  According to some people there are areas with a shortage of pets to adopt but not in my area. 

Don't be discouraged, make some of your soon to be famous dog cookies and drop them off at a shelter near you.

Up here in New England some shelters are doing their best to get some of the dogs out of those high kill shelters in the south.  We seem to have a better spay/neuter rate up here, so what you find in our shelters are the Pit, Rott, Shep, Chow mixes, and sadly, they are not often adopted by families.  The dogs from the south tend to be hound mixes, herding mixes, or spaniel mixes and the sporting dogs are viewed as less aggressive and more adoptable.  There is a trend toward smaller dogs here, too, so a lot of rescues are taking the little terrier mixes, or poodle mixes, and they fly out the door as fast as they get here, usually. 

My sense is that in order to change the situation in the southern shelters, you have to change the southern attitude about dogs that says they remain intact, aren't leashed, are often chained, and live outdoors.  I know that many of the southerners on this forum don't act that way, but you sure as heck know what I'm talking about.  Just as MADD made it unfashionable to drink and drive, you have to apply social pressure on people to be humane.  Saving this pup or that pup is admirable, but what needs to happen is more global - get political!!!!

Moonlight, thanks for adopting a kitty, pulling the pup (she is very cute; I know you will find a great home for her) and updating on the situation. I keep my fingers crossed that a lot of the other ones find a way out today either thru adoption or pulling by rescue.

Meg,

I understand how you feel because I've been deeply disturbed by our AC shelter end-of-the year euthanization stats (almost 85% of the intakes which translates into 7420 euthanizations). Yes, it is one of those factory like high kill public operations that is both overwhelmed and not optimally run. It is also a rather secretive organization where things like what's happening close to you could happen easily. Like Spiritdogs said, it is a whole mentality that needs changing.

The only little ray of hope for me on the same day the numbers got out was the fact that the last two dogs that AC let us bring off-site for an adoption event this year were adopted. Two that would not have to go back there, a small victory but one nevertheless. I cannot foster, I work full-time and my husband is not too much in favor of my involvement in animal welfare so I have to reconcile myself to the fact that doing what I can do -some of the little things Liesje and Callie were talking about- is better than doing nothing. If you are not 18, you will probably have a harder time finding an organization that will let you volunteer directly with the animals (mine would not, neither would the AC shelter because of liability) but I am sure if you contact several places, there will be things for you to do somewhere.

Can someone involve the media?  i just find it unbelievable that the staff can go home for the holidays knowing so many animals will die.  I guess you just get to a point that you're numb to it.  How sad.

Tashmoo5454

Can someone involve the media?  i just find it unbelievable that the staff can go home for the holidays knowing so many animals will die.  I guess you just get to a point that you're numb to it.  How sad.

How can they go home knowing they killed all those animals is more of the question.

Everyone(sorry, I can't remember EVERYONES user name at once) - thank you all for the advice....sometimes I get a 'little' ahead of myself with all this, especailly when my bleeding heart gets in the way. You guys are very, very, very right. And, pulling ONE animal by myself is probably going to do more harm then good. And as for the fake rescue groups - we have 2 what I would consider fake Pit Bull organizations within our county....I'm not 100% on that thou. And, I must agree - I too would rather adopt from a reputable orgainization then someone on CL who 'pulled' a dog(I'm using the term loosely because I know some people say that to get people to adopt there own pets). I'll sit quitely and suffer until I turn 18 and can do some real help.

Liesje(I think) said something about how all the rescue groups are anti-purebreds/showing/ect....most of the people aroung here are like that. As I said(maybe not clearly enough) I have no problem with BETTERING a breed via showing or whatever you like to do to better your dogs breed. But, I'm still partial to rescue. Thou, if I were ever to decide on showing, I of course, would go thru the best breeder I could.

Most of the reason I DONT want to work with these rescue groups is due to that mentaility. It's closed-mindedness that I can't stand.

Just updating, they both went to the vet today.  They received their first shots, first worming, first heartworm, and first flea treatments.  They are suprisingly healthy if thin.

That's good news!  Glad you were able to save those two.  There's a thread in polls about BSL you may have seen and the starfish story reminds me of the two you saved.  Did you see it?

Moonlight

Just updating, they both went to the vet today.  They received their first shots, first worming, first heartworm, and first flea treatments.  They are suprisingly healthy if thin.

This is great news. Hats off to you for going out of your way to save them.

Thank you for your support.  I took this picture of the pup today, I thought it was too sweet:

Well, isn't that the cutest puppy!  How is he doing?  He looks much more content and relaxed now that he's had a chance to settle in a little.