Letter to the Editor
Abandoned dogs
Published Monday, June 30, 2008
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Stumble It!June 26, 2008
To the editor:
I am writing to bring attention to a deplorable situation. After taking a load of brush to the dump station on Farmers Loop by the University of Alaska Fairbanks, I saw a family of dogs that had obviously been living in the woods nearby. They were emaciated and looked like they were starving. When Fairbanks North Star Borough Animal Control was called, they said that they were aware of it but were not going to come out and get the dogs.
Apparently, some benevolent individual had brought out some food for the poor animals and set a pan of water out, and when the shelter found out about it, the person reporting that was told not to feed them. The shelter said they had traps (which obviously wasn’t working) out for these poor animals.
Several people watched these poor animals and we all wondered what the shelter was waiting for. I know that it would take very little to capture these starving dogs — a tranquilizer would make their capture quick and easy.
For an organization that claims to care for animals and uses taxpayer money to do so, why are these animals left to starve when it would be so easy to stop their suffering? The dogs are skittish, yes, and afraid of people, but that doesn’t mean that with some proper care and love they couldn’t become someone’s loving pet and companion.
No pet should be left to suffer and starve like this — especially when animal control is aware of the situation.
The person responsible for abandoning these dogs will probably never be caught and punished, but the least we can do is keep these dogs from paying for it.
Community Discussion
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I've seen these dogs, and I agree that it wouldn't take much to capture them. They frequently walk around the transfer site. If I had the means, I'd round them up myself and deliver them to the shelter.
Bottom line guys and gals these Fairbanks North Star Borough Animal Control are city workers and obviously lazy. If they can't do it- call in the national guard at least they work for the feds.
If you take them to the shelter they'll most likely end up being euthanized. Most shelter animals end up that way. There just aren't enough people looking to adopt. I imagine whoever dropped them at the transfer site figured they had a better shot at being rescued there than at the shelter. I doubt they intended to be cruel. They probably didn't have the heart to take them to the shelter because the odds of survival are so low. It is sad to say, but with the high energy costs and hard economic times we are facing this may become an all to frequent occurance. When people are faced with the choice of either feeding their family or feeding their pet, the pets are going to lose.
IF the animal control division has set traps for the dogs, as the original author suggests, then they are making an effort to capture them and will most likely be successful within a few days. Commonly, to ensure capture, traps are set with bait and the entrance wired open for a few days so the dogs will become habituated to them. Once the dogs visit the traps regularly the door to the device is enabled so on their next visit one or more of them is trapped and ready to be picked up by the next available animal control officer.
There is no question that the borough's animal control division is indeed a very busy department. So much so that animal control officers must focus their attention on higher priority calls such as vicious dog complaints, bite cases, &c. The animal control division is not a humane society type of operation, and never can be. They are adequately funded only to meet their public health and safety mission and little more. The shelter is a good dog pound that offers some additional services, but nothing more. They can't do more because they aren't funded or mandated to do more.
If we want a humane society type rescue and shelter operation it will have to be formed as a private group, funded by private donations, and separated financially and operationally as a completely separate entity with a completely separate mission from that of the animal control division.
Mike, the majority of animals euthanized by the "shelter" are owner-requested euthanizations (one of those "additional services" I noted earlier). Nonetheless, there is an unacceptable number of perfectly healthy, adoptable animals euthanized by our shelter each and every month due to lack of space, reinforcing the need for a private truly humane animal rescue and shelter operation in our region.
Whether or not the people who abandoned intended to be cruel, they were cruel. Especially when one considers that there are several no-kill animal rescue groups in the area. Some are species and/or breed specific and some are more general.
Had these miscreants contacted Loving Companions Animal Rescue (http://www.lovingcompanionsanimalrescue....) or Homeward Bound Pet Rescue and Referral (http://www.hbprr.org/)they could have relinquished their dogs to responsible people who would ensure their safety rather than risking starvation or injury. They were just too damned lazy to do so.
Tough economic times are a test of character. Responsible people maintain their character, accept and embrace their personal responsibilities and do what they must in a responsible manner. Those who abandon their animals to the wilds of Alaska rather than asking the assistance of already available animal rescue organizations fail the test. They earn no respect nor sympathy from me.
Swanny
Some people!
If The Fairbanks animal shelter can afford $3,000 for fencing and other utensils for an abandoned pony, they can certainly spare some time and care for abandoned dogs. Had the shelter asked many horse owners in this area, someone possibly would have let the horse graze in their field.
Appluading those folks, who cared enough to helpthe dogs. Watch out for rabies.
Well said swanny!
In Colorado it is illegal for shelters to kill dogs, humane society and animal control go hand in hand.
even in a corrupt county where they can't even afford to fix the streets, the animal shelters never put down dogs (unless they are unable to live from injury or whatever), they make sure every single one that comes in has its shots, is fixed/spayed, and does not put them up for adoption until they are healthy.
If a corrupt and nearly broke county in Colorado can take in EVERY stray (dogs AND cats) and afford to make them healthy and adoptable I can't see why our town cannot do the same, unless of course incompetence runs the show at the good ol' pound.
I read, and hear first hand, about the shelter NOT responding to loose/problem/abandoned cats and dogs. Would someone from the shelter please tell me what it is they DO do?
i first heard about these dogs early last week from a frustrated resident who had called Animal Control, but had not received any indication that they were planning to do something about these dogs. I called Animal Control and spoke with the manager. He said that they were aware of the dogs and that animal control had been receiving lots of calls about the dogs. He indicated that officers had visited the site, sometimes not seen the dogs, sometimes been unable to capture them, etc. I suggested using a live trap with really good smelling food, and he replied that they didnt' want to do that because if one dog gets trapped the others (seeing a littermate captured) would then not go into the trap in the future. This logic should most likely not be applied to a hungry, slightly feral dog pack. Later in the week, i received more feedback on-site from someone who said they had been told not to feed the dogs because animal control had traps set. There was no indication that this indeed was occurring...there were no signs posted nor animal control people present.
I don't know the present status of these dogs nor the official effort that might be or not be occurring. A waitress at Sourdough Sam's told me yesterday, that she had seen a "dog team" running along Farmer's Loop road...no collars, all loose, all similar color and size. probably the same dogs. That raises the urgency a few notches, since those dogs are a potential liablity if they cause a traffic accident.
I have mixed feelings about how humane it is to catch these dogs. Running loose, they can likely forge on their own, people will feed them just like the street dogs get fed in other parts of the world, but some will get hit by cars, cause accidents, and then, soon there will also be more offspring since they appear nearly old enough for that sort of behavior. If one is captured, they will be terrified, no doubt in my mind. But, I have been involved in three "feral" dog captures over the past 6 months. In each case, the dogs are now in safe homes and doing well, thanks to caring citizens who figured out how to do it when the staff at Animal Control couldn't.
Best case scenario....Animal Control provides several large live traps...also some humane equipment to handle them once captured. Then, a group of citizens creates a plan...where to put the traps, when to set them, when to not set them, etc based upon the known behavior patterns of the dogs. Also, there needs to be a place to put the dogs immediately after they are caught. There should be very visible signs placed all over the area to inform the public about the effort. (Communication appears to be lacking or is inaccurate, so far in the effort).
We can't save them all. There are certainly "nice" dogs waiting for adoption at Animal Control. Why is there so much concern for these dogs? Because, that's what we do.
The cost of one CAT at the shelter $75.00 bucks. Maybe dropping the price would promote finding homes for our four leg friends.
Some one who is offended by the presence of these dogs could go there and shoot them. Just be sure to put the bodies in a dumpster when done. Harsh, maybe, but far less barbaric than caging them or that thing we do to wild K-9s involving leg hold traps.
I would love to adopt a dog. Have you seen the prices they charge for adoption and not just the shelter either, there are other various groups around town that charge up to 250. dollars. By the time you take it to the vet in town and get all the shots and examine the price just keeps going up and up. I know they need their money for providing care, but they put loving people and animals out of each others reach. I know that if you can't afford an animal you shouldn't get one. It is just the whole lump sum at one time that really hurts a budget. I have had animals and always taken them to the vet and spoiled them but with the rising cost of everything it would be nice to have a break somewhere to get people and animals together. Bringing a dog once again in our lives would be wonderful,(ours died after living a long and pampered life). Anyway, sorry to get off subject.
When there are wolves around, there are plenty of Fairbanksans ready to set snares, trap them, and sell the furs... why not do this with these dogs. I'd by a fur or two if the price was right.
The problem is really two fold. Yes Animal Shelter needs to be more proactive about taking in pets. Another issue is that most rental in Fairbanks dont take pets. I live at one of the few places that takes pets and in the past 3 years I have taken 6 pets that were left behind. Pet owners just leave their pets behind because it cost to much to move out of state or they cant find a place that takes pets.
I have called animal shelter many times and they usually say they dont have dispatchers available. Its funny cause one of their dispatchers live across the street from me. Im tired of their excuses. So I usually take the pets in and then have people adopt them at cost. If their shots were out of date... I only charge what it cost me to get them up to date. Most of you are right, the cost to adopt is too high.
You can go onpost and adopt a pet for close to nothing but in Fairbanks it can cost up to $250.
Something gots to give.
Guess a few of you watch Animal Cops on TV. Places like Houston have fantastic facilities and laws in place to take care of most animals. They do put down any animal that proves unsuitability for re-homing. Because they are private organizations, they run the risk of lawsuits for animals they adopt out. Don't shoot the messenger! People should not have pets they cannot afford to take care of properly. They should be penalized for knowingly harming an animal. The Fairbanks courts used to LAUGH at any complaint brought before them. Do you think it is better to turn an animal out to live "off the land" and hope someone else takes on your responsibility - OR - give it a chance at the shelter to be adopted BEFORE it becomes diseased, malnourished, and injured? Because so many people don't take the responsibility seriously, many of the animals at the shelter are put to sleep. There isn't enough money in the Borough to keep adding to the space to house all that need it. Folks, spay/neuter your pets. If you can't afford it, there are organizations that can help. If you still can't afford it, you shouldn't have the pet any way. Economics is what it is...your responsibility is to take care of your own. One person still sticks in my mind from many years ago...she turned her aged blind dog out to freeze because she didn't want the shelter to put her to sleep. When the shelter ended up with her and then put her down after 6 days waiting for someone to claim her, the woman went in and threatened to blow the place up because THEY KILLED HER DOG! Come on people!!!
I think our system is okay at the current point. I do not think we need more funding for additional animal shelter services.
If you think the need is large enough, I agree with a post above that you should set up a private shelter. People who agree will surely help funding it or even volunteer to get the shelter built. Tax payers shouldn't have to socialize everything.
I spent 1/2 of my year for ten years in a village along the upper Yukon River. I will not name it, but many will recognize it. If a dog was loose, the police shot and killed it. Loose dogs are dangerous, especially if they "pack up". They can be as dangerous as a pack of wild animals. The dump in the village used to be littered with dog carcasses. Not the prettiest sight in the world, but an effective mechanism for keeping loose, possibly wild dogs from attacking a child. In regards to these particular dogs in Fairbanks, someone should just go take care of it, as suggested earlier. Just make sure they end up in the dumpster.
Hey kasey_h
Does that "animal control" person drive the truck home too?
I know the guy in Two Rivers does. (no name provided). Pretty sweet perk.
I recommend no one take their pet to be euthanized at the shelter. I made that mistake once.
The guy injected our 13 year old cat while I was holding it. But it's a muscle--not a vein--shot.
Then two guys proceeded to keep telling me that the cat was dead, and I could give it up to them. I was looking in my cat's eyes. I knew he wasn't dead.
Ol' Spook just lay in my lap and looked at me for at least 20 minutes. It was horrible. Had I let the guys take him, I suppose he would have been thrown in a pile or whatever while still alive.
When I saw and felt the life go out of him, I took him with after that experience.
Years ago, I had my vet put to sleep our old cat. It was almost instant, because of course, he had the good sense to inject her in the vein.
The animal control does nothing about teams of barking dogs all day and night either. If it's for wanna-be dog "mushers" it's OK with them.
I agree. Fix the critters. Mine are. And it makes life so much easier.
i believe that animal control officers take the borough truck home if they are "on call", but only then. That makes sense but it also doesn't appear too appropriate to the uninformed. The Borough should perhaps inform people of this (in fact, their director didn't even know this fact during the budget hearings a few months ago!). Actually, it makes sense for them to also take the trucks home during their workweek, as they could proceed directly to calls on their way into work....but then, we'd have to pay them for the commute, etc. As it is, when they're on call, they make way more money than most of us. They get paid for being on call, paid to simply answer the phone, paid more (a minimum of 4 hours) if they go out on a call, etc. So, now you know why it is so difficult to get them to respond to "after hours" calls....they are restricted by the budget, but they are also paid quite handsomely by union agreements. Not sure why there aren't many prompt responses during the work day hours....
Just shootem
Shelter should lower the prices of the dogs they have for adoption. By the time we pay all the fees I might as well buy one that is in the paper for 500 bucks, like most people end up doing. I was under the impression that the shelter runs off of donations that people make, but to me it seems like they operate off of the money they make from a dog or cat. More people would adopt if the prices we not so flipin' high.
Quit driving the trucks home and you'll save some borough money.
Capture the dogs and evaulate them to see if they are acceptable for adoption or not. But don't sit back and wait for them to be hit by a car or shot. that is not humane.
It seems to me that it would be more humane to shoot them than to let them spend the rest of their lives (the next week) with the animal control folks.
It always struck me strange that euthanizing animals by injection seems more humane to some people.... loadidng up a sick, injured, or otherwize unwanted animal into a car for a nervous ride to some strange vet or tech., in some strange place where someone will poke them with a needle. In the case of the animal shelter caging the poor animal amongst other unwanted animals in the hopes of finding a home.
The animal shelter is a reflection of the community. If you have a problem with how it is run, maybe you should volunteer there and make a positive difference. I recently went to a volunteer orientation there, and was very impressed with the quality of care and love the staff members provided. What they need is community support rather than ridicule. DO something. Be a positive force in the community.
Does anyone know the owner of the golden who is ALWAYS wandering around Pearl Creek Elementary? Apparently parents and the school are aware of this dog wandering through the playground on a daily basis, all day, every day this dog is around. I have hear