Articles & Viewpoints

No one's going to 'rescue' you from duty to pet!

By Cindy Wolff

wolff@gomemphis.com

One of the most frustrating parts of writing a pet column is the phone calls from people wanting me to find a home for their pets. They're getting a divorce. They're moving in with someone who won't allow pets. They are having a baby. They're tired of their pet. The dog is barking too much. It can't be housebroken. The cat won't use the litter box.

Excuses, excuses, excuses.

The caller is sometimes sad about breaking the bond they have with their pet. But, oh well. It has to go. They don't want to hear solutions or suggestions. They don't want to spend $20 for a dog trainer. They don't want to look for another place to live that will accept their pet. They want to hurt the soon-to-be-ex-spouse. They want a place to dump their pet that will help them feel a little less creepy about their decision.

The first question they typically ask: Is there a rescue group I can give my dog to? No. There isn't. There's not one rescue group calling around asking for pets to take in. At least none are calling here. They're up to their armpits in dogs and cats. Every spare penny of their paycheck goes to take care of them. Any free time is spent caring for them. Dozens of tireless, animal-loving volunteers work full-time jobs and then go home to take care of a house full of foster pets. Their own animals get some attention, too. They go to the shelter and try to save some of the cats and dogs from the trauma of the noise and commotion or the sadness that comes with being abandoned by an owner. Or they find strays on the street, former pets roaming the neighborhoods looking for a friendly face to save them.

These rescuers spend hundreds of their own money to rehabilitate these animals and then keep them in their home for months searching for a permanent home. Some people balk at spending $65 or more to adopt one of these rescued animals. But the price doesn't touch what is actually spent on the pets. It's just a figure that covers part of the expense while giving the animal a monetary value. Some people treat things they pay for better than things they get for free.

Here's the easiest way to never have to put yourself in the position to find a home for your pet.

Don't get one unless you are absolutely committed to taking care of it for its entire life. It's not an impulse purchase. It's not a possession that gets tossed out in the divorce. It's a deal breaker when you're looking for a place to live. It's your responsibility, no matter what. Don't kid yourself that the pet you dump at a shelter will find a home. Remember, no one is looking for it. The shelter doesn't have to hold it for three working days in hopes that an owner will retrieve it. If the cages are full, which they typically are, chances are your pet, the one that gave you unconditional love and companionship, will be marched straight back to the euthanasia room. No second chance. No better home. No owner to rescue it. Just an undeserved ending because someone didn't think ahead before adopting it.

Part of being a responsible human being is acknowledging that you aren't capable of being a responsible pet owner. There's no shame in admitting that. Some people don't like pets. They don't want the responsibility or expense of pet ownership. They don't want to make a 12-year commitment. It's much better to find these things out before you adopt a pet than it is to call me.

If you call me, here's what I'll tell you. Make up some cute fliers that feature all your pet's good qualities. State whether the pet is housebroken or not. Don't lie. You aren't doing your pet a favor by misleading a new owner. Run an ad in the newspaper. Screen people. Ask them why they want your pet. Do they have other pets? Do they have a fenced backyard? Will the cat stay indoors? Charge an adoption fee of $30 or so. You can always waive it after you spend some time with the potential owners. But the fee may weed out some unsavory people who only want a noisemaker in their backyard.

If you have an ounce of decency, you will, at the very least, keep your pet until you find it a good home. No matter how long it takes. It's the least you can do for something that loves you unconditionally.

How Much Do You Love Your Dog?

I ask this question for a reason...because, no matter how much you love your dog, chances are you are going to be the one who lets them down just when they need you most. That got your attention didn't it? Let me explain. I am not discussing any medical problems. I am talking about...what happens to Fluffy if you die? Have you made plans and prepared for this? I am sure you have for your "two-legged" family! You know where the kids will go if you die and if you have parents needing help and you are responsible for them, you know who will continue to care for them after you are gone! So...what about Fluffy?

Do you think your kids love her as much as you do? And if the children are small, you die and they must live with Auntie Em who has 3 cats? If you think every dog in a pound, shelter or rescue is some half bred, street cur you had better think again! There are JUST as many purebred dogs there and just as many family pets as there are strays of questionable lineage! It breaks my heart when ever I go to a shelter to rescue...because there is kennel after kennel of terrified, pampered puppies! Not just the poor ones owned by 'pet owners" and not animal people. You know, the ones who move and toss the dog because it will be easier to get a new one at the new place than care for the one they have had for 5 years?

No, as sad as they are, there is a group which breaks my heart even more. These are the ones who have been much loved, spoiled and pampered by people who have loved them truly and well. Who have seen to it they never were hungry or cold or in pain. And then, for some reason, this beloved owner has died. The pet is grieving over this loss as much if not more than any family member ever could. And there is no one there to help them get through it. No one to hold them, comfort them, cuddle them. And chances are...they will, in a very short period if time, find themselves in a very cold, loud shelter with dogs of all shapes and sizes. Alone, in mourning, no blankets or favorite chew toys or Mommy...and more than likely...they will also die there. That is their ending for their love and devotion to you. I am not stretching for these words...3 of my past 7 rescues have been because of this and in talking with other rescuers I have discovered this is common...

We consider our dogs part of our family and we simply assume that they will be cared for when we are gone. If I reach even one person this article will have done what I hoped...if you love your dog...YOU keep them safe. YOU see they are protected if you die. Do it today. Do it now...right after you hug your pet.

I wrote this editorial just yesterday 6/8/01. I went out and when I came home I had a message on my answering machine from the receptionist at my vets office. It was to late to return the call and she isn't in this morning so I will be calling her first thing Monday morning. She was calling me because one of their clients mother had just died and the woman wanted to know if they knew of anyone who might take the mother's Chihuahua. They (of course) thought of me! I am keeping my fingers crossed that this lady will wait and not just give the dog away to anyone. Please...make arrangements for your pets just as you would the rest of your family. They have loved you their whole life. Please don't let them down at the end of yours.

Choosing The Right Dog...Books To Help!

The Encyclopedia of the Dog
Bruce Fogle/Hardcover/1995
Save That Dog : Everything You Need to Know About Adopting a Purebred Rescue Dog
Liz Palika/Paperback/1997
Your Purebred Puppy : A Buyers Guide
Michele Lowell/Paperback/1991
Celebration of Rare Breeds/V002
Cathy Flamholtz/Hardcover/1991
A Celebration of Rare Breeds
Cathy J. Flamholtz/Hardcover/1986
Second Start; Creative Rehoming for Dogs
Jacqueline F. O'Neil /Hardcover/1997
Dogsmart : The Ultimate Guide for Finding the Dog You Want and Keeping the Dog You Find
Myrna M. Milani/Hardcover/1998
The Complete Dog Book for Kids
American Kennel Club/Paperback/1996
Dog Adoption : A Guide to Choosing the Perfect 'Preowned' Dog from Breeders, Dog Tracks, Purebred Rescue Organizations & Shelters
Joan Hustace Walker/Paperback/1997
Legacy of the Dog : The Ultimate Illustrated Guide to over 200 Breeds
Tetsu Yamazaki, Toyoharu Kojima/Paperback/1995
Your Purebred Puppy : A Buyer's Guide (2nd Ed)
Michele Welton /Paperback/2000
The Art of Raising a Puppy
New Skete Monks/Hardcover/1991
The Right Dog for You
Daniel Tortora/Paperback/1983
The Perfect Match : A Dog Buyer's Guide
Chris Walkowicz/Paperback/1996
Choosing a Dog : A Guide to Picking the Perfect Breed
Nancy Baer, et al/Paperback/1995

Los Angeles Times

July 13, 2001

Commentary

Cruel Slaughter of Food Hits a Nerve

By John Balzar

First it was McDonald's. Then Burger King. Now it's one of the titans of the U.S. Senate. Suddenly, mainstream America is beginning to show sympathy for the animals in our food chain. The humane movement, too often ridiculed for its overwrought emotionalism and scattershot priorities, has begun chalking up solid, sensible gains against the unimaginable cruelty inflicted on chickens, cattle and pigs by the nation's industrial food producers.

In the words of Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W. Va.), "I believe the American people are concerned and are becoming increasingly sensitive to the treatment of animals. Reports of cruelty to animals through improper livestock production and slaughter practices have hit a nerve."

It's about high time.

No issue in the human-animal relationship, as I see it, cries out for righting as much as society's disregard for the mistreatment and suffering of food producing creatures. If you believe, as I do, that one important measure of our humanity is our regard for other living beings, then the grisly practices of industrial ranching are immoral. I'm speaking of what is hidden from sight: such horrors as the butchering of live steers, the periodic starving of chickens to stimulate greater egg production and the rigid confinement of animals in cages where they can hardly move for the entirety of their lives. Some of these commonplace practices occur in regular defiance of federal law; others are not regulated. All are done in the name of efficiency. For many years, the animal rights movement addressed the problem chiefly by urging people to eat vegetarian. Other issues consumed their day-to-day energy. They protested fur. They complained about puppy mills. They vilified hunting.

They left many sympathizers uncomfortably on the sidelines. Me among them. I still eat meat, wear leather shoes and support ethical hunting. Yes, I allow that sacrificing animals to sustain ourselves is cause for debate and reflection in an advanced society. But there is nothing whatsoever worthy of debate about raising pigs in crates too small for them to turn around in. I have long believed that humane organizations overlooked potential areas where they could broaden their consensus, even as they pursued their lofty goals. Many thoughtful hunters, for instance, share the vegan's revulsion when they learn about a slaughterhouse that cuts the hooves off live cattle.

In the late 1990s, animal rights activists changed their priorities. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, challenged McDonald's. Not so much for serving meat but for being party to a system of cruelty. In August 2000, McDonald's capitulated and agreed to only buy meat from suppliers that could ensure minimum humane treatment of livestock. On June 28, PETA secured even grander promises from Burger King. Now, Wendy's is feeling the pressure. I have disagreed with PETA in the past. But in this case, I say bravo. PETA is not just the most raucous of the big humane groups, but it deserves the trophy right now for doing the most for the largest number of animals--those that feed us.

As a result of McDonald's new policies, the cages that hold 5 million egg-laying hens will be doubled in size. To better its rival, Burger King said it would insist that its suppliers provide even more space for chickens. Both companies said they would not buy from egg producers that withheld food from animals for days at a time to promote molting and increased egg production. The chain-reaction success of these activist campaigns and the purchasing clout of the fast-food giants may add up to nothing less than a revolution in American ranching. Some activist leaders say that it's only a matter of time before most ranchers and slaughterhouses are brought into line.

As remarkable as these developments have been, they still didn't prepare some in the humane movement for the moment this week when Byrd rose on the Senate floor to pay tribute to animals and to join in denouncing the cruelties of industrial livestock handling. At Byrd's urging, the Senate approved $3 million for the Department of Agriculture to increase enforcement of humane laws and to research methods to ease the suffering of food animals. "Never has a senator taken to the floor like this, and nobody of his stature has ever said these things," explained Wayne Pacelle, vice president of the nation's largest animal-rights organization, the Humane Society of the United States. One by one, Byrd denounced the various ways in which farm animals are tortured. "It is sickening. It is infuriating. Barbaric treatment of helpless, defenseless creatures must not be tolerated even if these animals are being raised for food. . . . Oh, these are animals, yes, but they, too, feel pain."

I could not have said it better myself," said Sean Gifford, spokesman for PETA. Me either

Senator Byrd's statements are especially powerful because he is President Pro Tem of the Senate and Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and they mark one of the first instances when a U.S. Senator has publicly acknowledged that all animals, including farm animals, "suffer pain just as we humans suffer pain," calling for "respect for life, all life, and for humane treatment of all creatures. " His speech preceded his actions to amend the Supplemental Appropriations bill, providing an extra $3 million for enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act and the Humane Slaughter Act.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Contact Senator Byrd and THANK him for taking a strong stance to protect all animals. Let him know that his compassionate stance is meaningful to Americans, and urge him to pursue his commitment to ending cruelty against
animals.

Senator Byrd can be reached by writing to:

The Honorable Robert Byrd, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC 20510 (202)224-3954
email: senator_byrd@byrd.senate.gov

Traveling With Your Pet

There are a lot of pros and cons on traveling with pets. Since my world revolves so closely with my canines I rarely if ever (read never) plan anything that I cannot take them along as well. But we are not talking about the road trip experience itself right now. I am talking about traveling safety. I believe in crates. I believe STRONGLY in crates and here is why...

A few years ago I was making trips from where I currently live to the coast 3 1/2 hours away. I was doing this because there was an illness in the family. I had left my home and made the trip with no problem and at the very end of it I was turning into a lot with a cinderblock building. I had gunned it a bit to get across a major highway. Imagine my surprise when I hit the brakes...and there were none. My seatbelt held only partially and suffered injuries. Nothing major, but no one likes to be pulling slivers of glass from their scalp for weeks. It was by God's grace alone I survived, but the story gets better!

I was traveling with my little Chihuahua Nina. Up until this trip she had snuggled in a blanket in the passenger seat of the car. For some reason unknown to me I was compelled to put her in her tiny little crate with her snuggle blanket. I then attached the seatbelt around the crate. This happened three years ago. If she had traveled as she had in the past she would have been hurled against the dash and been crushed. But, because she was snug in her crate she came out if it without a scratch.

The point I am trying to make is this: we never plan an auto accident. Yet they happen all the time and we are fooling ourselves to think it will not happen to us. Your pet in a crate is their best bet of survival! It is NOT cruel. It is necessary. If you are in an accident and you are injured you would not want your pet injured any more than your child or any other passenger. They depend on you to care and protect them. It is your responsibility and duty to keep that trust to the best of your ability.

Whenever traveling your pet should always wear tags with your phone and your vets...these are the numbers which will be called for the animal if you have to go to the hospital. More on identification is below so now I am simply concentrating on preparedness. If you should be unconscious, your wallet and glove compartment will be where the authorities will be going for info. So...have handy a list of numbers for emergencies in your wallet and in the car. Always have I.D. on your pet. I cannot stress this enough. There is no such thing as overkill here. MUCH better to be safe than sorry!

Pet Identification

The recent accidental loss of a friends dog, and questions/notes I have received have made me realize not only how fragile our connections are to our beloved pets, but also how little most of us know in regards to trying to find them once they become lost. Since our four legged friends depend on us not only for love and care, but protection as well, it is our responsibility as their owners to do as much as possible to do just that.

The majority of us know the basics of course...to put an ad in the paper, walk the neighborhood etc. Many also know to call the area shelters. In larger communities the newspapers usually have a free lost & found pet section. Also, making flyers with pictures of the animal and passing them out in the area the animal has been lost if common.

However, there is much more which can be done and not only applies to losing a dog, but what you can do if you find one as well. And this is a point that is overlooked al too often. Do remember that whenever you find a pet, especially if it is in good health and not a stray, someone is out there trying to find it...just as you would look for your on pet.

Any pet should have identification. A collar with a name tag is the most common form of identification, All of my animals have collars with three different tags on them. None of them have their names on them. Instead, I have a tag which gives my name and phone number as well as my vet's. There is a rabies tag. And finally, a tag which has the info from their tattoos and their chips on them.

All of my dogs, right down to Nina the Chihuahua have tattoos on their inner thighs and have Home Again chips in the tissue between their shoulder blades. Should any of these animals ever be lost or stolen this info is an added protection for them. Every day more shelters are getting hand scanners able to check for chips and tattoos will normally keep your pet from ending up in some research testing lab. No one is going to chance using an animal with a tattoo.

I use to have my social security number tattooed on them. However, I have decided the way to go in this form of id. is to actually have the chip number tattooed there. This way, if the animal slips their collar, there is still the chip number available. I am so committed to this that I am having this number tattooed on the animal along with the other. Ultimately this will be the number I will have tattooed on all future pets.

The tattoo and the chip are the best, most permanent identification of your pet. When an animal is lost, if it has it's name on a collar, it is much more likely to adapt to new people and surroundings. Ultimately, when you find a lost animal, it may have decided it likes the new home better and if the name is the only way to identify the pet, then ownership is harder to show. Chips and tattoos cannot be removed.

Now, let's say that your pet has a collar, but the only thing on it is the rabies tag. All pets are required to have a rabies vaccine every 1-3 years (depending on type). These tags are suppose to be on the animal. All pets who have been vaccinated get tags and a small piece of paper with the name, breed info, tag number etc. on it. This is just one copy of a form which has another copy which is sent to rabies control. All vaccinated pets are listed there along with owner info. Anyone who finds/picks up an animal with one of these tags can call the area rabies control office and find out the name and phone number of the owner of the animal so that you can get up with them to give them back their pet!

The rabies tag is the cheapest form of id available. The average cost of a single tattoo is $25 and chips are around $45. So, for $60-$75 dollars you can have a lifetime of identification...so, do the math. Even pet quality puppies cost a couple of hundred dollars these days. Adopting a pet from the pound can cost as well. A pet is part of your family and deserves the best care and protection possible. In the scheme of things this really is just a drop on the bucked for the added security and piece of mind of knowing you have done all you possibly can to protect the four-legged family members!

Why Support Your Local Shelters?

Animal Shelters are as varied as the animals which stay there. They go by many different names: Animal Shelter, Humane Society, Animal Control and Pound are just a few. Like the names, many of these places have different rules as well. For every shelter where the animals are kept until placed, there are many more who keep the animals for a limited time and then the animals are killed to make room for others. Sometimes this is not even the case. Older animals, pets with handicaps or are sick or have other "special needs" are often killed simply because the expense of care is great, the medical treatment too expensive or any of a vast other possibilities.

More and more you see concerned animal lovers who dedicate their time, money and love to help these animals. These are the people of animal rescue. While some of these people help large numbers of animals regardless of what they are...t here are also the smaller concerns who offer rescue services small scale. This is usually a breed they have themselves or had at some point or simply love. Depending on their abilities these people "foster" rescued animals. Paying out of their own pockets medical bills, training and socializing, rehabilitation of animals on a one on one basis in the hopes of reintroducing the animal into a normal home.

More and more you see shelters working with these rescue groups...allowing them to take animals of the breeds they are working with, thus saving the shelter space, time and money on an animal and giving yet another one a better chance of being placed. Many rescue groups organize different "fund raisers" to help cushion the money they are putting into an animals care...allowing them to "break even" as it were.

The unfortunate truth however is that there are also many shelters who will not turn an animal over to a rescue! Not even when the animal is due to die. They actually will kill the animal before releasing it.

Groups like animal rescues, the ASPCA and the Humane Society are non-profit organizations. They are supported by contributions from concerned animal lovers who believe that every animal, whether it is one they could love or not, deserves the chance to be loved by someone! There are many ways to help your shelter and rescue organizations...through donations of money, placing food stuffs in those baskets at the grocery stores and volunteering time are just a few of the many ways to show you care. Remember, these are the people who, one day, just might be responsible for your pet should they become lost. Something which is often not thought of is stuff. I am using this as a catch-all term for all the things animals need which are not vet and food oriented...leashes, collars, crates, brushes, toenail clippers etc. are all things pets need and must be acquired. Beds, bowls, towels, bottles for babies...formula...just about anything and everything. Take a moment and just think of all the things you have for the care and happiness of your beloved pet. Even toys and snacks...which are luxury items most of us pick up at the store on a weekly basis...without even thinking of it. IF, you are like me (someone with a horde...) you buy in bulk from wholesale catalogs. I have several I regularly order from. My favorite is RC Steele. The only downfall is that to get the good prices you need to buy at least $50.00 worth of things...something I can easily do and with 8 I can get even more savings by buying several of the same thing. How much harder is it to buy a couple of extra for someone else? For these places anything you want to give is much appreciated!

The SPCA of Wake County
OFFICE 219-B Garner Business Ct. Garner, NC 27529 (919) 772-2326 FAX (919) 772-2482	ADOPTION CENTER 327 Highway 70 East Garner, NC 27529 (919) 772-3203 FAX (919) 772-8968

North Carolina Veterinary Medical Foundation, Inc.
    NC State University College of Veterinary Medicine
    Box 8401
    Raleigh, NC   27695-8401
    (919) 513-6660

Updated 01-11-04