Update on Animals in Need
This is an update to the previous post. I am reposting this message from a person who has been working so hard (from across the ocean no less!) at getting the word out. If you can help, please do!
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"Paw Paw Update
Laurel, from the Paw Paw shelter, asked her boss, yesterday, for more time to find the animals homes and was granted one more week; until 1st - 2nd July, in order to allow more time to arrange transportation, for any groups willing to help them out. Laurel has been talking to many people in this past week, who have stepped up to either volunteer their time (in cross posting), or have tried to make room in their rescue centers for the dogs and she is also trying to accurately portray the full picture in her local county.
The hoarding situation came at an extremely bad time for the shelter - not that there is ever a good time!The current number of dogs they have at the shelter, from the hoarder, is 17; but a further, approx. 15 small dogs, have ‘disappeared’ (they believe that they are with an accomplice and they are trying to find her). This leaves about 10 further dogs that are unaccounted for and it is uncertain whether they ever ‘existed’. It is also possible that the dogs were miscounted, or they were let loose, to be picked up as strays.
The cat situation is worse, but has to be dealt with in a different way and they have a couple of groups lined up to help them in their efforts to contain it. Currently, these 17 dogs are in emergency housing, until they have room to gradually introduce them into the shelter. Thankfully, the stray problem in Hampshire County is not as bad as that in the surrounding counties, for some reason (Jefferson, Morgan, Mineral, Berkeley, Clark and Frederick). This could be due to their extensive efforts to actively find adoptive homes on their own, rather than solely relying on the efforts of rescue groups, which are already overburdened. However, this, obviously, frees up more time for them to spend in actively pursuing neglect, abandonment and cruelty cases.
Laurel says that people in the surrounding WV counties, call the Paw Paw shelter to report neglect, abandonment and/or cruelty in their counties, out of sheer frustration; because they are not getting any response from their local animal control division. In some counties there is no animal control division and in others, they are still referred to as 'dog wardens' and all they do is pick up strays.
The timing is unfortunate, because the summer months are the shelter's worst, for abandonment cases. People like to move during the summer and for whatever reason, they 'forget' to bring Rover along with them. A lot of people intentionally turn their dogs loose, to be picked up as strays, because they have found out that the shelter either refuses them, when they are full and/or charges a fee to take their dogs. During the hot months (and also, during the extremely cold months) they also get numerous calls about dogs that have been left outside, with no shelter, or water, in the sweltering heat and emaciated dogs, tied to boxes, covered in sores.
These calls are particularly heartbreaking, because people in Morgan county usually wait a week, or two, to call; after they've finally noticed the animal's plight. This is because no one really wants to get involved, unless they have to. So, basically, once the report is finally made regarding the animal in distress, it's usually an urgent situation that needs to be addressed immediately. This means seizure of the dog and getting it into the shelter ASAP and addressing it's physical condition with vet care; and/or providing a cool place to sleep, with regular food and water.
They then have to build a case and wait for a court date, which entails kenneling the dogs, until the court appearance, usually for about 6 - 8 weeks and/or rehabing them, until they are healthy enough to be adopted. The strays in Hampshire County are much luckier - they come to the shelter in better condition, with better temperaments and after a 5 day stray hold, are ready to find their new homes. At the moment, the shelter has 3 kennels filled with dogs awaiting court cases! These are not even hoarding cases! The past week and a half saw 2 - 3 calls every day about neglected dogs - several of them severe.
Laurel and her colleagues/volunteers go out on these calls, with aching hearts, knowing that if the dog is in a severe enough condition to seize and hold; that one of the unlucky strays at the shelter will have to be euthanized to make space for the poor soul. The shelter team have no choice, as these abused and neglected animals, desperately need to escape their current situation; so that they will not have to suffer, for one minute more.
Laurel asks everyone to please take a look at WV - Paw Paw - Hampshire County Animal Control, on www.petfinder.com and see if there is just one animal, currently listed, in danger of being put down on the weekend of 7/1 - 7/2; that they could help.Also, please could everyone continue to check the site out, every once in a while and see if there might, possibly, be another one that they could make room for? So that these poor souls get a chance at a forever home and are not denied the chance and their lives, due to the vital need to make space for an abused/neglected dog, in desperate need of safe shelter.
For kind-hearted animal lovers that want to help but are unable to rescue/foster, etc. The shelter could also use donations - in any form. Monetary donations could go towards gas (to get these guys out on a regular basis), basic vetting needs (in the form of vaccines, wormers, antibiotics, spays and neuters; to help place these guys in foster care [our biggest hold up]), crates and food (to provide to foster homes that open their doors for the emergency hold situations) - the list is endless.
Monetary donations can be made to:
Hampshire County Animal Shelter
P. O. Box 397
Springfield WV, 26763
Or, to their veterinary surgery, which is:
Cacapon Valley Medical Center
Capon Bridge, WV
Tel: 304-856-1700."
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"Paw Paw Update
Laurel, from the Paw Paw shelter, asked her boss, yesterday, for more time to find the animals homes and was granted one more week; until 1st - 2nd July, in order to allow more time to arrange transportation, for any groups willing to help them out. Laurel has been talking to many people in this past week, who have stepped up to either volunteer their time (in cross posting), or have tried to make room in their rescue centers for the dogs and she is also trying to accurately portray the full picture in her local county.
The hoarding situation came at an extremely bad time for the shelter - not that there is ever a good time!The current number of dogs they have at the shelter, from the hoarder, is 17; but a further, approx. 15 small dogs, have ‘disappeared’ (they believe that they are with an accomplice and they are trying to find her). This leaves about 10 further dogs that are unaccounted for and it is uncertain whether they ever ‘existed’. It is also possible that the dogs were miscounted, or they were let loose, to be picked up as strays.
The cat situation is worse, but has to be dealt with in a different way and they have a couple of groups lined up to help them in their efforts to contain it. Currently, these 17 dogs are in emergency housing, until they have room to gradually introduce them into the shelter. Thankfully, the stray problem in Hampshire County is not as bad as that in the surrounding counties, for some reason (Jefferson, Morgan, Mineral, Berkeley, Clark and Frederick). This could be due to their extensive efforts to actively find adoptive homes on their own, rather than solely relying on the efforts of rescue groups, which are already overburdened. However, this, obviously, frees up more time for them to spend in actively pursuing neglect, abandonment and cruelty cases.
Laurel says that people in the surrounding WV counties, call the Paw Paw shelter to report neglect, abandonment and/or cruelty in their counties, out of sheer frustration; because they are not getting any response from their local animal control division. In some counties there is no animal control division and in others, they are still referred to as 'dog wardens' and all they do is pick up strays.
The timing is unfortunate, because the summer months are the shelter's worst, for abandonment cases. People like to move during the summer and for whatever reason, they 'forget' to bring Rover along with them. A lot of people intentionally turn their dogs loose, to be picked up as strays, because they have found out that the shelter either refuses them, when they are full and/or charges a fee to take their dogs. During the hot months (and also, during the extremely cold months) they also get numerous calls about dogs that have been left outside, with no shelter, or water, in the sweltering heat and emaciated dogs, tied to boxes, covered in sores.
These calls are particularly heartbreaking, because people in Morgan county usually wait a week, or two, to call; after they've finally noticed the animal's plight. This is because no one really wants to get involved, unless they have to. So, basically, once the report is finally made regarding the animal in distress, it's usually an urgent situation that needs to be addressed immediately. This means seizure of the dog and getting it into the shelter ASAP and addressing it's physical condition with vet care; and/or providing a cool place to sleep, with regular food and water.
They then have to build a case and wait for a court date, which entails kenneling the dogs, until the court appearance, usually for about 6 - 8 weeks and/or rehabing them, until they are healthy enough to be adopted. The strays in Hampshire County are much luckier - they come to the shelter in better condition, with better temperaments and after a 5 day stray hold, are ready to find their new homes. At the moment, the shelter has 3 kennels filled with dogs awaiting court cases! These are not even hoarding cases! The past week and a half saw 2 - 3 calls every day about neglected dogs - several of them severe.
Laurel and her colleagues/volunteers go out on these calls, with aching hearts, knowing that if the dog is in a severe enough condition to seize and hold; that one of the unlucky strays at the shelter will have to be euthanized to make space for the poor soul. The shelter team have no choice, as these abused and neglected animals, desperately need to escape their current situation; so that they will not have to suffer, for one minute more.
Laurel asks everyone to please take a look at WV - Paw Paw - Hampshire County Animal Control, on www.petfinder.com and see if there is just one animal, currently listed, in danger of being put down on the weekend of 7/1 - 7/2; that they could help.Also, please could everyone continue to check the site out, every once in a while and see if there might, possibly, be another one that they could make room for? So that these poor souls get a chance at a forever home and are not denied the chance and their lives, due to the vital need to make space for an abused/neglected dog, in desperate need of safe shelter.
For kind-hearted animal lovers that want to help but are unable to rescue/foster, etc. The shelter could also use donations - in any form. Monetary donations could go towards gas (to get these guys out on a regular basis), basic vetting needs (in the form of vaccines, wormers, antibiotics, spays and neuters; to help place these guys in foster care [our biggest hold up]), crates and food (to provide to foster homes that open their doors for the emergency hold situations) - the list is endless.
Monetary donations can be made to:
Hampshire County Animal Shelter
P. O. Box 397
Springfield WV, 26763
Or, to their veterinary surgery, which is:
Cacapon Valley Medical Center
Capon Bridge, WV
Tel: 304-856-1700."
posted by Megan @ 10:44 AM
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