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
Our last stop on our January shelter tour was a tiny animal control facility beside the wastewater treatment plant in Live Oak, Florida. Mary, the sole ACO for Live Oak city shelter, was in the yard with a dog whose…
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?
Even in a nice town, with a brand new facility and a dedicated rescue coordinator, it seems impossible to save all the dogs. #FloydCounty #RomeGeorgia
Intentional shelter practices can make all the difference in the world for the dogs and for the community. @HumaneSocietyofBlueRidge
After visiting nearly 80 shelters and rescues, I can tell a lot about a shelter just by walking through their kennels. At Gaston County Animal Care and Enforcement, it's pretty peaceful in their kennel rooms....
After nearly two weeks in Georgia and Florida (with one quick stop in NC), we are home and I’m sifting through all that we learned. The chorus of too many dogs and not enough adopters, resources, or rescues were variations…
One remarkable woman is fixing things in Simpson County Kentucky in more ways than one and proving that we can save (and spay/neuter) all of the animals even in a struggling rural southern county. @TheFixFoundation @SimpsonCountyAnimalShelter