[News] A new leash on life!
 

Malasia Johnson was 15 feet away from abandoning her dog.
The teen rubbed her eyes, puffy and red from 12 hours of crying, squeezed her beloved Yorkie/Maltese mix, Karter, and inched toward the counter at the city's East 110th Street animal shelter.
"I don't want to give him up, but I don't have a choice," Johnson, 17, said, as she neared the front desk. "He barks all day long and the building management has been complaining, so my mom said I have to bring him here."
But Jenny Olsen, a volunteer who sits at a TV table in the middle of the shelter, was determined not to let Johnson reach the front desk - at least not without a fight.
Olsen runs the Safety Net program, which aims to help New Yorkers keep their pets by offering free food and heavily discounted veterinary, training and legal services to the ever-increasing ranks of the financially distressed.
Calls to Safety Net's hot line are up 50 percent since the economy imploded in September.
Olsen puts already-heartbroken pet owners on the spot, questioning their motives in an impromptu trial on the animal's behalf. Aside from the offers of assistance, she uses any means necessary, including large servings of guilt, to get owners to reconsider abandoning their pets and giving them a possible death sentence.
In Johnson's case - as in many others - it didn't take much to change her mind.
"This all sounds very manageable - we can have a professional trainer come to your home and work with you and Karter," Olsen told the girl.
"You mean you can make him stop barking?" Johnson asked. "You mean I can keep my dog? Thank you."






A NEW LEASH ON LIFE - New York Post

How wonderful! Thanks for sharing

One good story :)

Yay for New York!!!!:bravo:I wish more shelters could impliment this program. I know that their stretched thin as it is. But, would'nt it be wonderful if they could?? Wonderful story with a happy ending....Thank-You for posting it!!! :number1ri:goodpost:

How nice of her to offer those services.

Pets have angels to

What a great story! Thanks for sharing it.

aww no problem Patti!

i think so too! hehe

i know i wish the same! so many people are having to give up their pets and love one due to the economy....i wish it didn't have to be this way!

that was very sweet...and you can see the look on the little girls face how happy she is!

it sure looks like they do....now if only i could find my angel...hehe..

it wasn't a problem at all...i love happy endings and i want to share it with everything...the economy right now is really bad...and something like this makes and gives you another reason to believe!

hehehe me too! me too!

That is amazing they offer financial help for food and training. There are so many animals abandoned because of the lack of money for food and help. What a great program!

:D Grrrreat story to read! Thank you for sharing!

:animal-paYES! ALL PAWS UP FOR THAT PROGRAM..:animal-pa

sweet but
 

what if that puppy is harmed at home? or lashed out on? guilting someone into keeping an animal that may be abused rather than finding it a new home??????

=) aw that's a very touching story! I'm so glad she got to keep her dog.

Awww...so glad he didn't hve to go through the whole Pound experience..and I'm thrilled she got to keep her fuzzy baby. I wish Every city had programs like that..they should, the government should fund things like that instead of some of the stuff they Do fund. Good for them and thanks for a real heartwarmer.

yeah........ she gets to keep her dog, that is great, I love good news

That was a wonderful story with a happy ending. It's nice to know that there are still caring people and shlters out there committed to helping pet owners keep their pets in this terrible economic time. :goodpost: :bravo:

As wonderful as it is to offer financial assistance, training, and veterinary care, I'm not sure you should guilt-trip people surrendering their pets... it seems to me that could encourage people to simply abandon their animals. It's a great thing to do for people who want to be able to keep their pets though.

:thumbup: Hmmmm...maybe we should all add petfood to the foodbanks? Or better yet just start our own " :aimeeyork Petfood banks" . :lovewings

I agree wholeheartedly! Well said =)