By Marie Leotta
I was once told this was not a results-oriented society and I have to agree. Instead of writing about what is being done to stop the hemorrhaging of the dogs from the South, all I read about was how wonderful it is to adopt from two specific rescues. Well, I have three dog rescues and two cat rescues (from Texas) and the one I had for 14 years recently passed. What I had hoped to accomplish was suggestions as to a way to stop this flow of unwanted, neglected and abused dogs.
Here are some ideas, some borrowed and some of mine.
1. Anyone posting in a newspaper or Craigslist or any other form of media may only do so if they also post a verifiable tax ID# in order for it to go to print.
2. Asking southern veterinarians to hold free spay and neuter clinic days once a month.
3. Asking local veterinarian school students to work in their communities educating and helping to raise donations for free or drastically reduced spay and neuter clinics.
4. Offer rewards to indigent families (especially the children in local schools), a reward of $25 to $50 to bring in their dogs or cats to be spayed and neutered.
5. Offer a huge reward for turning in a puppy mill or a dog-fighting ring.
There are many people out there, me included, that are more than willing to donate for such a cause. Please do not write back and ask where the money is coming from to pay people for bringing their pets in. If you have to ask, well you know. (I remember when there was a police organization in a certain state that offered money for guns!)
So, although I certainly appreciate the rescue groups, I once again ask “Is this all we can do?” Is rescuing them from the southern horrors to bring them to a state with fewer adopters and veterinarians than from whence they came the only solution?
No one mentioned no-kill shelters which harbor dogs and cats for months and even years in cages. Not one person addressed this situation. Perhaps because a clean cage is still better than death and all you want to do is brag on the fact you rescued two dogs?
There is an organization I personally know of in Mexico that does the free spay and neuter clinics and the veterinarian sometimes does over a hundred operations a day. The people there are mostly European volunteers that often run benefits to help pay for their medical supplies. So, if anyone is ever traveling to Playa del Carmen, I would ask that if you would bring supplies to them or make a donation (PayPal) and even visit them to support their efforts they would be thrilled. You can also visit them on Facebook. Just type in Coco’s Cat Rescue, Playa del Carmen, MX. They do dogs too!
A rescue organization has much more clout than an individual, and I feel it is a responsibility that all of us should get on board with. Volunteer, foster, adopt and donate. Thank you.
Leotta lives in Waitsfield and is the Waitsfield dog warden.
