Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Animal Control Or Humane Society ?
Alabama News:
"The city of Birmingham and Jefferson County pay just over $1 million a year to the shelter to round up nearly 12,000 lost dogs, cats, and neglected animals, viscous or sick strays and take in unwanted pets. The money also pays to run the shelter, covering a full-time veterinarian, funding equipment like trucks, and providing care for the animals, Smith explains.
“There's just a misunderstanding. A lot of people don't know the difference between a humane society and an animal control program. And they expect control programs to operate like a humane society. We get a totally different kind of animals in here. We get animals that are neglected, abused, abandoned, they're sick, injured, they're in every possible condition you can imagine, as to where most animals in a humane shelter are brought in sitting beside somebody in a car," Smith says.
He believes it's partly that misunderstanding which sometimes draws fire from local animal rescue groups."
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
This article was very informative. Not many of us really know the difference between animal control shelters and humane societies. Thank you for shedding light on the difference.
I'd hate to say it, but when you have a publicly funded service of any kind - you are at the mercy of the lawmakers and the voting public. And if a profit is what's necessary to justify having this shelter remain open, then those are the parameters which need to be worked within. If the alternative is that the shelter is closed altogether or that it just becomes a place to have the animals gassed without any attempt at adoption - all because it goes over budget or doesn't make a profit, I think people would start singing a different tune. They are what they are. And it's up to the citizens within each municipality to go forward and create an alternative, or to become politically active.
Thank you both for commenting.
Wolfie, I'm glad you liked it.
Heidi,
Being at the mercy of lawmakers and voters is a big question mark. I agree that we all need to get more involved.
Post a Comment