bark collar: Humane Society inundated with pets
The Kootenai Humane Society shelter is severely overpopulated, inundated with pets acquired by kids who are now back in school.
The Hayden shelter now has 93 dogs and 151 cats - roughly 30 percent more animals than it is designed to handle. About one out of four animals taken in are eventually euthanized.
Joann Ingwerson, shelter director, said the reasons pets arrive are varied. For some, the signs on their cages make clear their crimes: "Wife didn't like dog" or "Neighbor didn't like dog."
The yearly back-to-school influx is an unfortunate pattern seen every year.
"We, as a society, are a disposable society. We get tired of something, and we dispose of it," Ingwerson said. "Our animals are no different."
Ingwerson suggests people try to fix pet problems before getting rid of them, such as buying a bark collar for a noisy dog.
If a pet truly needs a new home, she suggests placing a newspaper ad. This not only may save an animal's life, but helps new owners find compatible pets.
If you must bring your animal to the shelter, she said, call first. There may not be room.
"I like the shelter to be considered a last resort, not a first resort," Ingwerson said.
Coeur d'Alene resident Allison Shevalier recently adopted a springer spaniel. Junior has been a delight to the family of five.
Prior to adopting Junior, Shevalier said her family had a young golden retriever. Adopted as a puppy, he turned out to be too much dog for the family to handle. But Shevalier never considered taking him to the pound.
"I couldn't bear to think about him sitting in a cage all alone, wondering where we were," Shevalier said. After placing an ad and spreading the word, she eventually found a perfect home for the dog on a large farm near Rose Lake.
She said it saddened her to see all the animals caged at the shelter. She went there for one reason. "I wanted to save an animal's life."
Many shelters, including the Kootenai Humane Society, require that adopted pets be sterilized. It offers reduced costs for spaying and neutering. The result has been a decline in the number of animals euthanized.
The Kootenai Humane Society requires that adopted animals be spayed or neutered within six weeks of leaving the shelter.
Lakeland Litter Control in Rathdrum is one area spay and neuter clinic that performs the service. Veterinarian Sherron McKelvey said sterilization ideally would occur before an animal even leaves the shelter.
It's the only way to truly guarantee success," McKelvey said.
The public can help the animal shelter this busy time of year by providing foster care for animals or donating supplies, such as towels, blankets, cat litter, food, and cleaning supplies.
Kootenai Humane Society has also reduced the adoption rate by $10 for each animal in an effort to find more homes for more animals.
This sidebar appeared with the story:
Fast facts
Nationwide, as many as 10 million cats and dogs end up in animal shelters each year. About half are euthanized.
One fertile female cat can produce up to three litters in a year, with roughly four to six kittens per litter.
A fertile female dog can produce slightly less, having roughly two litters per year with six to 10 pups.
For more information on spaying or neutering, call your veterinarian or the Kootenai Humane Society at 772-4019.
Copyright 2002 Cowles Publishing Company
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.
The Hayden shelter now has 93 dogs and 151 cats - roughly 30 percent more animals than it is designed to handle. About one out of four animals taken in are eventually euthanized.
Joann Ingwerson, shelter director, said the reasons pets arrive are varied. For some, the signs on their cages make clear their crimes: "Wife didn't like dog" or "Neighbor didn't like dog."
The yearly back-to-school influx is an unfortunate pattern seen every year.
"We, as a society, are a disposable society. We get tired of something, and we dispose of it," Ingwerson said. "Our animals are no different."
Ingwerson suggests people try to fix pet problems before getting rid of them, such as buying a bark collar for a noisy dog.
If a pet truly needs a new home, she suggests placing a newspaper ad. This not only may save an animal's life, but helps new owners find compatible pets.
If you must bring your animal to the shelter, she said, call first. There may not be room.
"I like the shelter to be considered a last resort, not a first resort," Ingwerson said.
Coeur d'Alene resident Allison Shevalier recently adopted a springer spaniel. Junior has been a delight to the family of five.
Prior to adopting Junior, Shevalier said her family had a young golden retriever. Adopted as a puppy, he turned out to be too much dog for the family to handle. But Shevalier never considered taking him to the pound.
"I couldn't bear to think about him sitting in a cage all alone, wondering where we were," Shevalier said. After placing an ad and spreading the word, she eventually found a perfect home for the dog on a large farm near Rose Lake.
She said it saddened her to see all the animals caged at the shelter. She went there for one reason. "I wanted to save an animal's life."
Many shelters, including the Kootenai Humane Society, require that adopted pets be sterilized. It offers reduced costs for spaying and neutering. The result has been a decline in the number of animals euthanized.
The Kootenai Humane Society requires that adopted animals be spayed or neutered within six weeks of leaving the shelter.
Lakeland Litter Control in Rathdrum is one area spay and neuter clinic that performs the service. Veterinarian Sherron McKelvey said sterilization ideally would occur before an animal even leaves the shelter.
It's the only way to truly guarantee success," McKelvey said.
The public can help the animal shelter this busy time of year by providing foster care for animals or donating supplies, such as towels, blankets, cat litter, food, and cleaning supplies.
Kootenai Humane Society has also reduced the adoption rate by $10 for each animal in an effort to find more homes for more animals.
This sidebar appeared with the story:
Fast facts
Nationwide, as many as 10 million cats and dogs end up in animal shelters each year. About half are euthanized.
One fertile female cat can produce up to three litters in a year, with roughly four to six kittens per litter.
A fertile female dog can produce slightly less, having roughly two litters per year with six to 10 pups.
For more information on spaying or neutering, call your veterinarian or the Kootenai Humane Society at 772-4019.
Copyright 2002 Cowles Publishing Company
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.
