Post by Brooke on Mar 28, 2004 23:13:55 GMT -5
March 22, 2004
Dogs euthanized as adoption rate is abysmal
Missouri City Animal Control Supervisor Juan Acevedo is pictured outside of the shelter with a dog he picked up. - Photo by Andrea Cashiola
When it comes time for Fort Bend families to get a pet, they will likely take a trip to the pet store or the Humane Society. What they may not know is that healthy, adoptable pets are being destroyed daily in their own cities and county.
At the Missouri City animal shelter last year, out of 838 impounded animals, mostly dogs, only 35 were adopted. 641 animals were euthanized, and only 32 of these were bite cases.
Juan Acevedo, the city's animal control supervisor, says the shelter has eight kennels, and can hold up to 20 dogs, depending on size and breed. Unfortunately, he says, the difference between a city facility and a non profit shelter like the Humane Society is the amount of time that animals can be held.
Acevedo says that they can only hold the animal from three to five days. "We do hold on to adoptable animals as long as we can, and we do our best to find them homes," he says, but there is a capacity issue. "We've held dogs up to two weeks, as long as we have room," he says.
Acevedo, who has worked for the city for 11 years and previously worked for the Humane Society, says that when he gets in an animal that is adoptable, he tries his best to find it a home. "When a cute dog comes in, I let everyone know about it. Almost everyone who works for the city has adopted."
But, he says, there is only so much the three animal control officers can do. "Healthy, adoptable pets are euthanized daily," he says.
Also, the Missouri City animal control office is covered with flyers for lost or missing pets. So, if they pick up somebody's animal, they will be able to easily contact them.
One explanation for the small number of adoptions may be the shelter's lack of visibility. It is located behind the Missouri City City Hall and library at what is currently a dead end. So, many residents just don't know about the shelter.
"I have neighbors who have no idea there is a shelter in Missouri City," says resident Cynde Chaney. "If people knew about it, maybe there would be more adoptions."
However, Acevedo says, the city is working on a road in front of the shelter that will bring traffic by and hopefully cause some awareness of its existence, he says.
Also, while the shelter can't accept donations, residents are welcome to volunteer to help adopt out the animals, says Acevedo.
At one time, he says, there was a volunteer who arranged adoptions during city events, but no one else has come forward.
Missouri City resident Logan Johnson, a golf pro, says she would be willing to set up a golf tournament to raise funds for volunteers. "Somebody needs to do something," says Johnson.
In a recent bond election, Missouri City voters approved funds to improve the city's animal control department, which Acevedo says will go towards expanding the facility. This could help with the capacity issues, but it may not affect the number of animals being adopted.
The Fort Bend County animal shelter recently built a new facility with more room, but assistant supervisor Debbie Horrocks says that it has not made much of a difference in the amount of adoptions.
"Only about 1 percent of the animals that go through here are put up for adoption," she says.
Horrocks says there is not enough awareness of the smaller shelters, and she does not see a solution to the problem except through the government passing laws requiring animals to be spayed or neutered.
She says the shelter has tried programs to raise awareness of the animals, including a low cost rabies clinic, but it has not been well attended. The next clinic will be on April 17, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Horrocks says another hurdle that the county department faces is that there is not a veterinarian on staff, so there really is no way of knowing for sure if the animals are healthy. "If I see a family come in with young kids, I will send them to another facility that can adopt them a healthy animal, because you don't want them to get attached and the pet dies two weeks later," says Horrocks.
The Sugar Land animal control department also has a low number of adoptions, says the city's animal control supervisor Kathi Sutton, but she is hopeful about the city's plan to expand and improve their facilities, which are currently outdoors.
"The city is going to build a new shelter, which will have an adoption facility where people can come and see the animals," she says. In the meantime, the staff is trying to make the current facility more user friendly until the new shelter is built in 2008.
Also, Sutton says, while the city does have a low number of adoptions, the city does not perform euthanasia. Animals are either sent to pure breed rescue services or the Humane Society.
The Missouri City animal shelter is located at 1923 Scanlin Road, next to City Hall. Adoptions are by appointment only, which are available during the week and weekends. To contact the department or to schedule an appointment, call (281) 261-4248.
The Fort Bend County animal shelter is at 1210 Bloom Road in Rosenberg, and can be reached at (281) 342-1512. The adoption center is open Monday through Friday.
The Sugar Land animal control department can be reached at (281) 275-2500.
Dogs euthanized as adoption rate is abysmal
Missouri City Animal Control Supervisor Juan Acevedo is pictured outside of the shelter with a dog he picked up. - Photo by Andrea Cashiola
When it comes time for Fort Bend families to get a pet, they will likely take a trip to the pet store or the Humane Society. What they may not know is that healthy, adoptable pets are being destroyed daily in their own cities and county.
At the Missouri City animal shelter last year, out of 838 impounded animals, mostly dogs, only 35 were adopted. 641 animals were euthanized, and only 32 of these were bite cases.
Juan Acevedo, the city's animal control supervisor, says the shelter has eight kennels, and can hold up to 20 dogs, depending on size and breed. Unfortunately, he says, the difference between a city facility and a non profit shelter like the Humane Society is the amount of time that animals can be held.
Acevedo says that they can only hold the animal from three to five days. "We do hold on to adoptable animals as long as we can, and we do our best to find them homes," he says, but there is a capacity issue. "We've held dogs up to two weeks, as long as we have room," he says.
Acevedo, who has worked for the city for 11 years and previously worked for the Humane Society, says that when he gets in an animal that is adoptable, he tries his best to find it a home. "When a cute dog comes in, I let everyone know about it. Almost everyone who works for the city has adopted."
But, he says, there is only so much the three animal control officers can do. "Healthy, adoptable pets are euthanized daily," he says.
Also, the Missouri City animal control office is covered with flyers for lost or missing pets. So, if they pick up somebody's animal, they will be able to easily contact them.
One explanation for the small number of adoptions may be the shelter's lack of visibility. It is located behind the Missouri City City Hall and library at what is currently a dead end. So, many residents just don't know about the shelter.
"I have neighbors who have no idea there is a shelter in Missouri City," says resident Cynde Chaney. "If people knew about it, maybe there would be more adoptions."
However, Acevedo says, the city is working on a road in front of the shelter that will bring traffic by and hopefully cause some awareness of its existence, he says.
Also, while the shelter can't accept donations, residents are welcome to volunteer to help adopt out the animals, says Acevedo.
At one time, he says, there was a volunteer who arranged adoptions during city events, but no one else has come forward.
Missouri City resident Logan Johnson, a golf pro, says she would be willing to set up a golf tournament to raise funds for volunteers. "Somebody needs to do something," says Johnson.
In a recent bond election, Missouri City voters approved funds to improve the city's animal control department, which Acevedo says will go towards expanding the facility. This could help with the capacity issues, but it may not affect the number of animals being adopted.
The Fort Bend County animal shelter recently built a new facility with more room, but assistant supervisor Debbie Horrocks says that it has not made much of a difference in the amount of adoptions.
"Only about 1 percent of the animals that go through here are put up for adoption," she says.
Horrocks says there is not enough awareness of the smaller shelters, and she does not see a solution to the problem except through the government passing laws requiring animals to be spayed or neutered.
She says the shelter has tried programs to raise awareness of the animals, including a low cost rabies clinic, but it has not been well attended. The next clinic will be on April 17, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Horrocks says another hurdle that the county department faces is that there is not a veterinarian on staff, so there really is no way of knowing for sure if the animals are healthy. "If I see a family come in with young kids, I will send them to another facility that can adopt them a healthy animal, because you don't want them to get attached and the pet dies two weeks later," says Horrocks.
The Sugar Land animal control department also has a low number of adoptions, says the city's animal control supervisor Kathi Sutton, but she is hopeful about the city's plan to expand and improve their facilities, which are currently outdoors.
"The city is going to build a new shelter, which will have an adoption facility where people can come and see the animals," she says. In the meantime, the staff is trying to make the current facility more user friendly until the new shelter is built in 2008.
Also, Sutton says, while the city does have a low number of adoptions, the city does not perform euthanasia. Animals are either sent to pure breed rescue services or the Humane Society.
The Missouri City animal shelter is located at 1923 Scanlin Road, next to City Hall. Adoptions are by appointment only, which are available during the week and weekends. To contact the department or to schedule an appointment, call (281) 261-4248.
The Fort Bend County animal shelter is at 1210 Bloom Road in Rosenberg, and can be reached at (281) 342-1512. The adoption center is open Monday through Friday.
The Sugar Land animal control department can be reached at (281) 275-2500.