Eww,, I don't think i like that.. I mean i understand they need the $ but is a person that would drop off an animal understand or pay it?

I think you are going to have less dropped off animals in your area... at least to that shelter.

That really stinks!

 

Unfortunately, I think you are right........this will result in more abandoned animals. :evil: It is awful...I know shelters are struggling for money, and they probably don't have a choice, but someone who is going to get rid of their pet in the first place will probably think it is a waste of 20 bucks :evil: GRRRRRRRRRRR thinking about unwanted animals makes me SO MAD :twisted:

 

The Hawaiian Humane Society charges $25 to surrender an animal...and they put down all kittens brought in that weigh less than 1.5lbs. I just found that out. I searched online and found a weight chart. It only went up so far and placed a 5 week old kitten at 1lb. I would guess that means a 7ish week old kitten would weigh 1.5lbs...so any kittens under this age are automatically put to sleep. How heart breaking!! I know that isn't the subject of this thread but I learned both bits of info yesterday and can't get over either one. What to do...what to do...

 

Oh my goodness...*tears* While we are on the subject, The shelters around here are so overflowing...it is heartwrenching. Animals turned into either of the 2 shelters have 3 days to be adopted, regardless of age...I thought it was 5, but I just checked. And they get in several hundred each day....*more tears*

 

Thankfully, my local shelter doesn't charge a fee. I'm not so sure that's a good idea.

One thing they do have is a heated/cooled drop off room that's open 24/7. There are people that are ashamed to take their pet to the shelter so they have the option of taking them to this room afterhours. It's sad, but I bet it helps.

 

For liability reasons our shelter does not do such things. You have to fill out this long sheet about your pet and giving up all ownership rights. It sounds like a good idea in theory, but then what happens when someone turns in the next-door neighbor's dog that barks all the time! It could leave some troublesome doors open...

Ianthe: Hundreds a day?? Only 3 days for adoption! Oh, how sad The overpopulation problem seems so overwhelming. I've been contemplating the idea of a non-profit rescue organization...but things like this make it seem hopeless. I am soooooo sooooo glad that Zoë did not give birth to any kittens. Although I was being a responsible owner and following vet advice...I still don't think I could have forgiven myself.

 

Yes........it is a crisis out here......but nobody is doing anything

 

I suppose, but I live in a small town... things like that are less likely.

 

Our local shelter has a $25 fee to surrender your animal....

 

I think having to give a fee for an animal is terrible! You have to remember - not everyone is giving up their animal because they don't care about it - there are other reasons to bring animals in - if I found a stray and couldn't take care of it - I would like to think I could take it to a pound or a no-kill shelter without being charged for it.

I think if they start asking for fees we're going to have a lot more people droping off cats and dogs - or just plain not caring if they find a stray in their yard.

While I've got to say - dumping off animals at a shelter sucks... I DO have respect for them because they are trying to do the right thing - whether they know it or not. They could be throwing them out the window while they drive off, putting them in a bag and dumping them in a lake, or just plain leaving them somewhere to die. If the cats or dogs are killed in the shelter - at least they were fed and kept out of the elements. I'd rather think of a cat being put to sleep (a bit more peacefully) rather than drowing or starving to death... or die from injuries. *Shiver*

 

True, they ARE fed and watered, but the shelters around here are appalling. The cat cages are so small the cats cannot even stand all the way up. When I adopted Prince, he walked funny for several weeks because of this. They are cold metal cages and the shelters are NOT adequately ventilated. The dogs are just as bad......teeny cages, WAY too many dogs crammed together, dogs fighting amongst each other in cages, and the ceilling in one of them is so leaky, the floor is soaked when it rains. It is pathetic. Howie was shivering on the cold floor in he front of a cage crammed with other dogs that were barking at him. Also, I knew someone who worked n one of them, and their deaths are not as peaceful as you would like to think. The shelters purchase the cheapest euthanol (the medicine they use) and it often causes convulsions, etc, and can take up to 20 minutes to kill the animal. Writing this brings tears to my eyes, I HATE it. It is SO ROTTEN. And even worse, this is the best they can do....there are just so many animals, and so little money

 

wow...reading these things gets me sad. I went to my shelter the other day and they seemed to take good care of the animals but i still couldnt help but get sad :/ the dogs eahc had their own cage that were a good size and the cats had their own rooms with cages and some were out playin the room..i died when i went in that room :? so many cute cats! someone is adopting a kitten there so it was good ..i dont think the shelter charges though.. isnt there any way for shelters to recieve more $?

 

Well I’ve been running a lil rescue operation at my house, I was actually thinking of taking like 12 to the pound in hopes that they could help find owners, but I wouldn’t pay that type of few id rather keep them cause I really cant afford to feed them but I definitely cant afford to pay the pound to try selling them.

 

Well, the shelters here are funded by the state.....and we all know how Arnie feels about shelters :evil: The only way they get more money is through donations.......and there just aren't many

This message is on the web page of one of the shelters:

Cats at the shelter are available for adoption four business days after they come in. If they are brought in by their owner, they have less time to find a new home - only two days. Many are euthanized the day after they become available for adoption. If you are interested in any of these wonderful cats, please remember their stay here is very short. Please come find your adorable, spunky cat or kitten at the shelter. Their time is short and many more kittens and cats arrive daily.

Look at this cat that s there:

Here are some more:

And there are hundreds more.

They also post a list of some animals in the shelter......look at what they wrote about cats......

RESCUE CANDIDATES – JULY 8 2004

DOGS
Breed Animal ID Location Age Gender Available Date if Passes Behavior Potential Euthanasia Date Behavior Evaluation Result Comments
Jack Russell Terrier, Hound 354989 Adult Female 5/22/2004 5/23/2004
Chow Chow 357489 A1 Adult Male 5/28/04 5/29/04 Pass
Chow Chow 357490 A1 Adult Male 5/28/04 5/29/04 Pass
Shepherd Mix 357979 Pen 3? Young Adult Male 6/3/04 6/4/04 FAIL Tried to bite
German Shepherd 359658 Pen #12 Adult Male 6/23/04 6/24/04 FAIL Mouthy/Dominant (seems very friendly in pen) Not Altered
German Shepherd 360513 Pen #3 Adult Male 7/7/04 7/8/04 Stray Hold Altered
German Shepherd 358547 Pen 46 Adult Female 6/11/4 Pass
Lab 358582 Sick – 21 Young adult Female 6/12/4 Pass Sweet girl – at off-site vet having fractured leg repaired
Border Collie 358713 Sick 3 Puppy Male 6/12/4 Waiting for Test Great puppy – had lots of ticks



CATS

Breed Animal ID Location Age Gender Available to Rescue Only On Potential Euthanasia Date Behavior Evaluation Result Comments
WAY TOO MANY CATS TO LIST – EUTHANIZING FOR SPACE DAILY

It makes me sick.

 

Ahh man I want that red mackerel tabby in the cage. They dident kill him did they? is he still there?

 

He is cute, isn't he? He looks like my cat Gaylord when he was a baby............it said he is scheduled to be euthanized tomorrow It is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SAD.

 

I hate it! Of the cats that come into the shelter here, 87% are put down.

Taunt: I think this shelter has a "consignment" program. However, I believe they charge for it. I don't know if other shelter's do this also.

My Non-Profit: Maybe I should start a new thread for this...I'll mention it here first. So I've been thinking about all the cats without homes. My idea is to place cats in unconventional homes like dorm rooms, nursing homes, hospital wards, YMCA's, after-school programs, etc. My goal would be to find the cats a home and also give those who can't have pets access to a pet. I know there are rules/laws/health dept. regulations that would have to be overcome. I saw an episode on TV about a program placing cats in nursing homes...I guess that's where the idea came from. This would be a way to find older cats a home as well. While a dorm full of college students might enjoy a kitten, I think a hospital ward or a nursing home would be better suited for an older, calmer kitty. The funding for the non-profit is a whole different can of worm. My thought was to start an online kitty-product store to help raise funds. Wouldn't you rather buy your toys, brushes, and everything else your kitty needs from a store where all the profits go to help other cats? I haven't looked into grants yet but I'm sure they're out there. I already have a grant writing how-to book.
So what do you think???

 

I say go for it! I think that is a wonderful idea, and I would definately buy products for something like that.........yes, do it!!!

 

I think that's a great idea adavis! I wish there were resident cats in hospitals (of course not in ICU, or anything) and nursing homes, because pets often contribute greatly to healing.

 

There are quiet a few hospitals that have cats and dogs, back 5 years ago I had surgery at Saint Joseph's hospital in Tampa Florida they didn’t allow them into the rooms or in the ICU or anything but they allowed them in the convention room, but there is obvious reasons they shouldn’t be in the ICU, for one there monitoring people who are deathly ill or just got out of surgery and they cant just let them run free, because the kids who are allergic could get sick after surgery. But the best of it was if the kids became attached to the animals they could actually keep them, if there parents consented.

 

Aww... those pets would be just like guardian angels that helped them through their sick times.

 

Taunt: In addition to Saint Joseph's, do you know of the other hospitals in your area that allow animals? I would like to contact them and find out more about their programs. The fact that the kids can take them home is something I never even thought of! That's even better See, this is what I need you guys for!!!

 

Thats so sad I just applied to be a foster mom because the local shelter is having to put down kittens on the day after they arrive due to lack of space. Its a small drop in the bucket, but every little bit helps. Wierd sidenote: to volunteer you must agree not to adopt any animals from them for 3 months, and foster parents are not allowed to adopt any animals they foster***f?

 

Funny you should mention that. I just filled out the paper work to start volunteering at my humane society, with the intention of fostering. About not adopting for 3 months...can't figure that one out. Maybe they are saving you from falling in love over and over again! If you know you aren't allowed to adopt them then you won't start thinking about "maybe just this one." I can't think of any other reason.
I haven't heard back yet from my shelter (just did it last week), but from what the lady at the desk said, you have to be a regular volunteer at the shelter for so long before they'll allow you to become a foster parent. Is this standard? It makes sense that they want to know you or be able to trust you. But if they need people or else little kittens die...you would think they would be a little more eager.
Either way, I feel like I need to become more involved in the programs that are already in place so that I'll be more in tune with what is needed. Hopefully I'll hear back from them soon and find out more then.

 

Ianthe, those pictures break my heart. The top one looks like Stormy and those bottom kittens are adorable also.
A side note for anyone that cares...we were talking about apathy in Sunday School yesterday. The leader told us a quote from...well, shoot, I don't remember where, "Let your heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God". In other words, it is good that we feel so much pain hearing these stories of shelters and the fates that await these animals...that means we are likely to take action because of it! I know each of us will try in our own way to do something to help all the animals that are out there that need us.