|
Find a friend for life at the Animal Shelter by Sandy Beck
During the last few weeks, my classes collected hundreds of pounds of aluminum cans, which the Tallahassee-Leon Community Animal Service Center (AKA, The Animal Shelter or TLC) recycles for operating funds, as well as food, towels, and blankets for the animals. Students also studied the grim statistics: In our country, due to the uncontrolled breeding of pets, more than 70,000 puppies and kittens are born each day. When these figures are compared to the 10,000 humans born daily in the United States, the problem is obvious. In fact, for every contented, pampered pet, another four are hungry and homeless. As for the dogs and cats that end up in America's shelters, an estimated 7.5 million are destroyed each year. In August, approximately two thirds of the nearly 1,000 cats and dogs brought to the Tallahassee-Leon Community Animal Service Center were euthanized. The students brainstormed possible solutions to this disturbing problem and began their own public education campaign, making buttons and posters and writing letters. Last week, they visited the Animal Service Center. When we arrived, Jan Collier, who does a superb job as Humane Educator and Volunteer Coordinator, thanked them for their work. "If you help even one animal, your efforts have been worthwhile," she said. Then she advised them to "screw themselves down tight" because they were about to tour the kennels and catteries. These kids know the facts: Every animal has five days to put his best paw forward to convince a human to give him a second chance. They understand why most of them are there. Yes, too many people fail to spay or neuter their pets, for all the wrong reasons. But there's more. In the fall, college students, who are away from home for the first time, get a little lonely. Some think the answer would be a cute kitten or puppy. Their intentions are good, but at the end of the year, a variety of unforeseen circumstances (moving back home or new rental agreements) send hundreds of not-as-adoptable cats and dogs to the Animal Shelter. Then there's the family who buys the cute Lab puppy. This puppy needs lots of exercise, love, and attention. And, just like little humans, he needs to be taught good manners. But Mom and Dad work hard, and the kids are busy with ballet and soccer. So the growing puppy, who desperately wants to be part of the family (remember, he is, by nature, a highly socialized pack animal), is left in the backyard. Lonely, bored, unschooled, and with energy to burn, he teaches himself bad habits: digging, barking, destructive chewing, and excitedly jumping on anyone who shows him a little attention. This dog needs a good friend with whom to attend an obedience class. He needs to run in the the park with the kids. And he needs to sleep next to their beds. "Someone with a big farm will adopt him," the kids are reassured, as they leave the dog at the Animal Service Center. My students knew it would be hard to look each one of these disappointed animals in eye. But most of them chose to take the tour. So they "screwed themselves down tight." For those of you who remember the old Shelter, this one is on a different planet. It's modern, cheery as possible, and squeaky clean. Two kennels separate small dogs from larger ones. Cats have their own room; kittens and bunnies are in another. Volunteer obedience trainers walked dogs outside, teaching them not to tug at the leash so they could make a better impression on visitors. "It's amazing how quickly this big Doberman is learning," a volunteer beamed. Dogs are never too old to learn. In fact, if you don't have the time or energy to go through the puppy stage, an older, very appreciative dog may be your best choice. With love, patience, and a few weeks of obedience school (I can't stress professional schooling enough), there's a good chance you may wind up with your dream dog. An older cat, already litter-trained and so grateful for regular meals and a warm lap, is another alternative. Inside the Shelter, each dog has his own indoor kennel and outdoor run, fresh food and water, and a card on his door. The card indicates his breed, approximate age, comments ("sweet dog"), date of admission, and date of availability if he was a stray (owners are given five days to claim their pets). Each kennel also has a number. "If you see a dog or cat you absolutely must have," I quietly advised my students, "remember his number." More than half the dogs we saw were Labs, retrievers, chows, and mixtures of all three. There were lots of puppies, but most were about a year old. Madison, a quiet fifth grade girl, stopped in front of cage number 76. He was a one-year old Lab mix with the biggest, soft brown eyes she had ever seen. He sat very straight and still, looking up at her, tail noisily brushing the cement floor as it wagged back and forth. I put my arm around her and said, "He's
a
wonderful dog, isn't he?" I hope Madison has convinced her parents to take a look at number 76. One look is all they'll need.
|
