Private animal shelters often are built near public shelters to do the job that the tax-payer funded shelter is not. They literally rescue dogs from the public shelter. Why is more not expected from a government run shelter? Why do citizens pay for two shelters – one with their taxes and the other with their donations (and hearts)? And why, pray tell, do we allow this to go on?
This is not a sustainable situation, but it is one that we encounter almost everywhere we go: Incredible heroes (mostly middle-aged and older women) sacrificing everything to save the animals, and counties who count on them with no plan for what happens when they can no longer continue to rescue (or the rescue connections dry up).
I asked Leonika how we solve this, and she shook her head. She said
@OPENARMSAnimalShelter
@Lawrencecountyhumanesociety-LouisaKY
A week from now we will be on shelter tour, hitting seven shelters in six states.
Imagine a shelter where, instead of cages, the dogs live in bedrooms with their buddies. Where they get to play in enormous play yards with pools and obstacles and Astro-turf (which is really good for itching your back).
In this tiny county, ALL of the dogs are being saved because of one VOLUNTEER rescue coordinator — is this a sustainable solution?
Private animal shelters often are built near public shelters to do the job that the tax-payer funded shelter is not. They literally rescue dogs from the public shelter. Why is more not expected from a government run shelter? Why do citizens pay for two shelters – one with their taxes and the other with their donations (and hearts)? And why, pray tell, do we allow this to go on?
“I’ll do anything to save an animal.” Those were the words of Remi, the founder of Paws 4 the Cause in Lexington, Kentucky. We’d just met up with him as a last minute addition to our shelter tour after that morning’s originally planned visit had canceled. It was sheer luck that we happened upon Paws…
Now that Who Will Let the Dogs Out (otherwise known as Waldo) is official, we need YOU. You knew this was coming, right? After all, I did warn you in my previous post.
We have BIG news! Read all about it….
Fact: Rescue is hard.
What’s even harder? Rescuing pit bulls.
