Kudos and Ideas to Save the Animals

There are a few local businesses and others who are to be commended for recognizing the misery that has been forced upon pets by irresponsible people, and for offering to help tackle animal homelessness created by the public in our very own communities.

Christopher Snyder, the store manager of Walgreens at Magnolia and Coldwater Canyon, did not wait for someone to contact him about the crisis in our animal shelters.  He contacted The Pet Press, a free monthly magazine with a wealth of information for pet lovers, and advertised his store as a place animal shelters and rescue organizations could hold pet adoptions and provide literature about anything animal.  A few weeks ago, Walgreens hosted its first pet adoption out in the parking lot and I recently met with Chris to find out how it went.  He told me it was very successful, and he and his wife adopted one of the dogs as a companion for their dog at home.  His employees, too, are animal lovers and willing to volunteer at events when they have time.


Papyrus, Wasteland, and Pier 1 Imports in Studio City on Ventura Boulevard just west of Laurel Canyon deserve gratitude for permitting dog adoptions to be held outside their storefronts.  Every Saturday kinder4rescue (www.kinder4rescue.org) sets up a tent, tables, and pet enclosures for dogs the organization has rescued from the shelters and in abandoned homes and to meet potential adopters.  Despite the occasional barking by the dogs vying for attention, the shops’ employees know the rescue organization is out there for a purpose and are very welcoming.

And in case you do not get the Daily News, you probably missed the June 23 article about a young girl named Katharine who, for her seventh birthday party, asked her invited guests to bring gifts that she could give to the dogs and cats at the East Valley Animal Shelter in Van Nuys.  Katharine and her father often visit the shelter, and she wanted the animals “serving time for the crime of living with the wrong people” to have bags of treats and toys to play with “while they wait and hope they’re cute enough to be bailed out.”  Kudos to Katharine for her compassion and generosity towards homeless animals!


So how is it that there are so many more people who are not aware of the numbers of abused, neglected, and deaths of innocent pets in communities everywhere.  Make it your mission to end the necessity to kill healthy and behaviorally sound animals.
 Seldom do any of us ignore our neighborhood streets when they start to deteriorate and potholes form, when sidewalks crack from tree roots, and when crimes are committed close to home, to name just a few issues.  We will go door-to-door to gather those neighbors who have a stake in our community and want to see conditions improved.  In numbers, there is strength.

But potholes could be filled, trees could be uplifted, and criminals could be nabbed.  Dead is dead, however, and unless compassionate people, entire neighborhoods, and businesses are willing to join a coalition against pet overpopulation, hundreds upon hundreds will continue to die daily, simply for lack of space, in our animal shelters, which are a part of our communities and which we support with our tax dollars.  We have the ability and the resources to teach respect for all living things and to help alleviate the suffering of the defenseless.  You do not have to have pets or especially like them to acknowledge that treating them cruelly is unconscionable.


Let young Katharine, Chris Snyder, and others like them inspire you to get involved and strive for a better world for animals.  Consider these few ideas, below, but also impress upon your children and everyone you know that there are myriad opportunities to make a difference.  Think outside the box.

• Talk to family, friends, and neighbors, including local businesses, about getting involved, and ask them to do the same.  For those having a July 4th block party, for instance, have a donation jar on hand and pick a rescue organization that you would like to present the money to.  Many non-profit rescue organizations take in animals that require medical care and rely on donations for getting the animals treated.  (And please keep your pets indoors on July 4th.  Fireworks may scare them and they may try to escape a yard in search of a place to hide.)

• Microchip your pets so if they do get out of your house, you can be quickly reunited.

• Instead of asking for birthday or holiday gifts, request that donations be made to a local animal rescue organization.  Many groups would also be very appreciative to receive bedding, blankets, food bowls, crates, food, etc.

• If you know any neighbors or family members with pets, who might be in some financial despair and feel they can no longer take care of the pet, offer to bring dog food and/or other items to help them get through the tough times.  If they must move, know that there are pet-friendly apartment buildings and homes.  Do not wait until the last minute to search for them.

• If you hear about pets being left behind in a foreclosed home, please try contacting rescue organizations to help rehoming them before taking them to the pound.  A senior pet in an overcrowded pound will likely be put down in a matter of days.

• If you know of someone mistreating their pet, including leaving it outdoors 24/7, chaining it up for any length of time, and not caring for it responsibly, either contact the Animal Cruelty Task Force or try speaking to them nicely to find out if they need assistance.

• If you or someone you know has not yet spayed/neutered a pet, please go to a clinic immediately to get that done.  Litters, whether planned or not, are killing the animals waiting in the shelters for homes.

• If you are a business owner or know someone who is, consider offering discounts for some products they sell when people bring in pet food to be donated to a rescue organization or animal shelter.  The media should stay on top of the numbers of animals dying senselessly and saturate the public with the information.

• Leaders of the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts might consider offering a class about responsible pet ownership, and suggest doing some community service in the shelters or at mobile adoptions to earn a badge shaped like a bone, or something.  The Scouts can then share their knowledge with others their age.

• Go online to www.laanimalservices.com and find out about fostering a pet from the shelter.  Senior animals and puppies too young to be adopted need the benefit of a comfortable home.

• “Tweet” and post on facebook what you are doing to help the animals and challenge everyone, everywhere to also get involved.

A philosopher once said:  “Evil abounds when good men do nothing.”

Do good and be commended.