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05-22-2006, 09:28 AM | #1 |
YT 6000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 6,238
| [News] Pet Rescuers Filling Void of Animal Shelters in Rural Areas Puppies abandoned in a box placed in a driveway. A dog wandering in a hospital parking lot. A mama dog and her puppies struggling in a drainage ditch. More malnourished dogs roaming the highways. Pat Lowrey, of the Holly community in north DeSoto Parish, gets calls about them all. And she goes to pick them up, no matter the hour. Her desire to aid abandoned animals prompted her months ago to start what she calls Pat's Pitched Out Pets. It didn't take long, however, for Lowrey and her husband, Claude, to realize they could barely keep up with the volume of abandoned pets needing rescuing. Such is the life of a growing number of individuals and groups that bill themselves as pet rescuers. It's common for individuals to shell out thousands of their own dollars, put in long uncompensated hours and travel for miles all hours of the day and night in an attempt to fill a void found in most northwest Louisiana parishes without taxpayer-funded animal control. "I've rescued pets all of my life, but as you can see, we're getting overwhelmed," Lowrey said of the 21 puppies and dogs scattered in kennels and in the fenced yard of the Lowrey's home on state Highway 175. Calls now come from the DeSoto Parish sheriff's office, Mansfield Police Department and even the state highway department asking Lowrey for help in rescuing or housing stray dogs and sometimes cats. "I don't mind taking the calls or taking care of the dogs, but it's got to the point where I've got to have some help. We have people supporting us, but we need a lot more," Lowrey said. Fortunately, Lowrey has found an "angel" in Shreveporter Linda Shemwell, president and founder of Pet Savers. Shemwell two months ago included Lowrey on the nonprofit group's board of directors, and has committed to helping Lowrey -- and DeSoto Parish -- as much as possible. Shemwell's dream is to see all of the area's pet rescue groups work together to establish a shelter large enough to house 200 animals, along with an aggressive adoption program. She envisions a multiuse shelter with boarding, grooming, education and veterinary care. "Our hope is to build a shelter for all of us," said Shemwell, hinting that inquiries are already being made along those lines. "We just can't go on much longer like we are." Parishes' shelters lacking Similar plans for animal shelters in neighboring parishes have not been successful so far. The Webster Parish Police Jury in April asked voters to approve a property tax that would have funded construction of an animal shelter and addressed mosquito control. Voters turned thumbs down, with some citing too many unanswered questions such as the Police Jury's failure to pinpoint a location. The Sabine Humane Society continues to search inside the Many corporate limits for a suitable site for a proposed shelter. A $50,000 grant to aid with construction is in hand, and annual fundraisers, such as the May 29 raffle of a lawn mower, help to add to the building fund, in addition to paying the approximate $20,000 annual veterinary bill that comes with caring for rescued pets. About five years ago, an effort to encourage support of an animal shelter for DeSoto Parish was begun. The DeSoto Parish Police Jury even appointed a committee of parish residents to formulate a plan, but the group never submitted a proposal. There is no state or federal mandate requiring parish governments to provide an animal housing facility, said Bob Plummer, first assistant district attorney for DeSoto and Sabine parishes. "Without a facility, it is very difficult to enforce laws dealing with animals," Plummer said. The DeSoto Parish Economic Development Corp. has attempted to drum up interest, but found that its first piece of donated property for a proposed shelter site met with disapproval from neighing residents. No location and no funding brought plans to a halt, said Chairman Bryan Norwood. He's still not given up on researching what grant funds would be available. And hearing that Lowrey and Shemwell are pursuing the idea of a shelter to benefit DeSoto and Caddo parishes is heartening. "The same ol' story with everything is funding," Norwood said. Rescue groups are necessary Lowrey is concerned that a recent television broadcast reporting that an average of 70 animals a day are euthanized at the Caddo Animal Control are causing more people to abandon dogs and cats in rural areas. She's had an increase in calls in recent weeks. Judy Teague, of Springhill, said every day since the Webster Parish tax failed she's received a call from someone asking her to pick up animals. Thirteen strays were taken to the office of veterinarian Wayne McMahen just last week, she said. Teague, who along with Linda Harkins, runs Ju-Li's A Second Chance, a pet rescue group that has found some success in finding homes for dogs with breed rescue groups in Northern and Eastern states where spay/neuter laws, licenses and numbers of animals per household are more strictly enforced. "Rescue groups are absolutely necessary, but we can't cure the problem and everyone's funds are limited. Most of it comes out of our own pockets. Our group is paying for a dog to be transported out of state so he can have a good life with people who will love him and care for him, instead of being euthanized or dying on the streets because there is no place for him to go. People must wake up and realize this is a problem for everyone, not just animal lovers," Teague said. Ellen Abington, president of the Sabine Humane Society, also has been successful in finding homes for specific breeds of dogs. For example, a black Labrador that was going to be put down in Natchitoches has a new owner in Maine, and a yellow Labrador has a new home in Connecticut. The Sabine group, which has found new support from retirees living along Toledo Bend Reservoir, has made a positive impact in the parish's animal problem, Abington said. The volunteers even have a system worked out with the sheriff's office and a livestock brand agent to document and report animal cruelty cases. Plenty of animals are available for adoption, and Abington is in need of more foster homes. But overall, she said, "We've got a lot of caring people here." Animal Allies of North Louisiana Inc. is a group that was started in March by animal rescuers and animal lovers from Caddo, Bossier and Webster parishes. The volunteers, who are seeking nonprofit status for their organization, are focusing on the rescue of special needs dogs and cats that are facing euthanasia. Many are companion animals whose adoption is complicated by medical or behavioral problems, said founding member Dee Tharpe, of Minden. The most common problem for most of the animals is heartworms, which are a preventable and treatable. Tharpe and others are championing an educational process to get out the word that dogs with heartworms don't have to be "dumped at animal control" to die. Tharpe can rattle off some of their animals, such as a blue-eyed Great Dane named Allie who is ready for a new home, or a deaf boxer called Dixie, who responds to hand signals and eye contact. There's a 2-year-old Greyhound mix, a fence-climbing German shepherd named Zach and a 12-year-old pug/snorkie (schnauzer and Yorkie), who is "beyond adorable." "We provide each rescued animal with the necessary medical care and behavioral training to ensure a successful adoption," Tharpe noted. More help is needed Whether it's pet food, pens, kennels, toys or cash, donations of any kind are welcomed by all of the pet rescue groups in the area. Shemwell estimates that Pet Savers has about 100 animals -- more than any other rescue group -- housed at Southern Hills Animal Hospital, South Shreveport Animal Hospital, her home, her ex-husband's home, her rent house, friends' houses and at Lowrey's home. Boarding, heartworm treatment and neutering/spaying cost ran up an $18,000 vet bill over the past six weeks. People are donating money, but it's not "near enough to cover all of the bills," Shemwell and Lowrey agree. Added Shemwell, "I do it because it's my mission, but I need help with my mission." Lowrey said it would be a big help if people donated their time, in addition to their money. She and her husband find it difficult to go out of town because of their commitment to the dogs they are fostering. And then there are the phone calls. "We get calls all day long," Shemwell added. Shemwell has a list of suggestions for people to help, such as making posters for pets for adoption, following up on adoptions, preparing a newsletter, assisting with grant writing, keeping up with a database of members, donors and adopters for mailings, helping with pet adoption days or exercising the fostered pets. Rat terriers, beagles, lab mixes, a Basset hound and other breeds of dogs are available for adoption. "As you can see, we have plenty for people to do who are willing to help," Shemwell said. http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/...WS01/605220309 |
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05-22-2006, 09:29 AM | #2 |
YT 6000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 6,238
| To help A number of animal rescue groups exist in northwest Louisiana, with most having their nonprofit 501(c)(3) status, making all monetary donations tax deductible. For more information on pets for adoption or how you can help, contact one of the following: Pet Savers Inc., 632 Dudley Drive, Shreveport, LA 71104, (318) 861-2020, www.petsaversshreveport.org. Pat's Pitched Out Pets, (318) 872-5755. Ju-Li Second Chance Rescue, 1580 Machen Drive, Springhill, LA 71075, (318) 539-4089, djt66@centurtel.net, www.petfinder.com. Animal Welfare Inc., P.O. Box 4797, Shreveport, LA 71134, (318) 221-0053, awi@softdisk.com, www.animalwelfare.org. Animal Allies of North Louisiana Inc., P.O. Box 597, Minden, LA 71058, (318) 371-9613, deetharpe@aol.com, www.petfinder.com. Webster Humane Association Inc., P.O. Box 218, Minden, LA 71058, (318) 377-7433, wha218@yahoo.com, www.petfinder.com. Sabine Humane Society, P.O. Box 1451, Many, LA 71449, (318) 256-2275. Humane Association of Northwest Louisiana, P.O. Box 52442, Shreveport, LA 71135, (318) 219-PETS, info@hsnwla.org, www.hsnwla.org. |
05-22-2006, 09:37 AM | #3 |
Mommy To 3 Poochies Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: New York
Posts: 8,287
| What a great article.
__________________ Mommy Loves Codie, Tia & Baby Cali RIP My Precious Katie - I Love You |
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