Fairbanks shelter welcomes pony among its menagerie of tenants
Published Wednesday, June 25, 2008
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FAIRBANKS — A pair of intertwined ferrets napped, a parrot relieved himself and Alaska huskies yelped in the outdoor pen at the local animal shelter Tuesday. One animal tender showed another a picture of the pot-bellied pig saved on her cell phone from a couple of days ago, when the house-trained wriggler got loose, was picked up as a stray and delivered to the Fairbanks North Star Borough animal shelter.
“When the owner realized that piggy was gone, she was already in here getting her belly scratched,” said Matt Ruger, manager at the shelter.
In the back paddock, tender Sandy Klimaschesky touched the only sockless leg of a brown pony that showed up at the shelter about a week ago. The unidentified pony was turned over to animal control about two-and-a-half weeks ago, when an individual found the female running along the Salcha River and picked her up. Now the pony is shacking up in the outdoor yard of the shelter next to a menagerie of sled dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets, roosters and other animals, waiting to be claimed or cleared for adoption.
Though the horse has an old injury, employees said they hope she will find a home as a lightpack or children’s packhorse. Until then, animal control has canvassed the town of Salcha and Interior feed stores with fliers while the pony is coexisting healthily with about 60 other rescued animals, unwanted housepets and five busy tenders.
The horse is an unusual tenant, according to animal-shelter employees. It is so unusual that there is no set adoption fee for horses, which Mayor Jim Whitaker will try to resolve with the North Star Borough Assembly on Thursday.
“Right now, the number that’s being pitched is $300,” said Ruger, specifying it is not yet set in stone.
That number is dwarfed by the roughly $2,000 the shelter has spent on the horse so far, according to Ronnie Rosenberg, president of the animal shelter fund.
“We bought horse panels and a hay seeder, bug spray and a brush and hoof pick, and all the things you need for a horse,” she said.
Tanana, one of the pony’s temporary names, is light brown, about 10 years old and 13 hands high. Her stature, tail and coloring resemble the Pony of America Appaloosa breed, minus the spots, Klimaschesky said.
Many people have expressed an interest in Tanana as a riding horse, employees say, for which her use should be limited to small children.
“She has a fused pastern joint,” said Klimaschesky, rubbing the bulge above Tanana’s right front hoof. “Probably from a fracture sometime in her life.
“There’s also arthritis in the coffin bone,” she added. “The final bone that’s inside the hoof.”
After scanning her for microchips and other signs of identification, employees said they have no idea where Tanana came from or whether she is broke to be ridden. She is also headshy at being haltered, Klimaschesky said, as the pony tossed her head against the purple halter.
“She’s very sweet,” she said, but added that Tanana had the wits to take advantage of an inexperienced or timid person.
“She plays off what you know and what you don’t now,” she said.
As a policy, animal shelter staff are as candid as possible about an animal’s shortcomings.
“We’re not snake oil salesmen,” Ruger said. “Stuff here is an open book, and it needs to be.”
In keeping with policy, Ruger shared his vision for Tanana.
“The best thing for this horse is to be a very large dog, follow you around and eat the groceries,” he said.
One challenge they face is having no way of knowing the history of most animals.
“The downside to shelter animals is we only (know) what we were told and what we’ve observed,” he said.
Still, the shelter sees it all: dogs, cats, mice, rats, rabbits, llama, sheep, goats, parrots and other birds.
“You never know when you open it what you’re going to find in the evening drop-off cages,” Ruger said. “We just roll with the punches.”
While dogs and cats make up about 98 percent of the animals, ordinance requires the animal control division to care for any domestic animal, Rosenberg said.
A few years ago that included an alligator and crocodile duo brought in by a frustrated pet-owner.
“That still holds the record,” Klimaschesky said.
Community Discussion
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While I am happy this mare is in good and safe hands now. I dont see any reason that the Shelter had to go out and pay $2,000 for horse equipment. I am sure that if a plea had been put out amongst all the Equine owners in Fairbanks and surrounding area for all the Horse care needs they would have been gladly shared. At least I would hope someone would have found an EXTRA brush or provided one.
I dont know why the feed store couldnt have donated some of the stuff as well as a tax write off or something.
I hope she finds a home. She could be used as a Therapy horse somewhere maybe?
JustMe, that money did not come out of the shelter's budget, it came from the Shelter Fund, a 501(c)3 not for profit corporation that is entirely independent of the shelter. It is supported by community donations.
Therefore, every equestrian who ever donated to the fund DID contribute to this pony's upkeep. To be perfectly clear, that is NOT borough money, and is NOT controlled by the borough or the shelter staff. That assistance was requested, not demanded.
The borough only funds the shelter adequately to perform it's core task, that of an animal pound to achieve its basic public health and safety function. Nearly all of the other services they provide, that are commonly thought of as "humane society" type functions (major veterinary care, &c), are financed by the Shelter Fund.
There are many situations that the shelter and animal control division are not equipped, and not funded, to handle. As the situation stands, they are short staffed and the shelter facility is far too small and far too aniquated in design for the shelter or division to be considered anything more than a pound. don't even have a veterinarian on staff - thus most veterinary care has to be purchased from vets in the community, most likely at or near the "going rate". If you've visited your own animal's vet lately you know how expensive it is.
As a result, many perfectly adoptable animals must be euthanized (killed) due to lack of space and facilities to properly meet their veterinary and husbandry needs.
Just because of its unique nature, an unusual animal in the shelter such as this pony, or the pot-bellied pig, large parrot or other relatively exotic animal has a much better chance of surviving his or her shelter experience than does the typical dog or cat that is relinquished, seized or picked up as a stray.
It's not clarified well in the story, but the $2,000 did not come out of the Shelter's budget. It came from the Animal Shelter Fund, a non-profit group that supports the shelter. The Fund receives donations from the public, and uses those donations to cover costs for unusual circumstances and special needs.
Thank you to everyone who has donated to the Animal Shelter Fund. It is definately a big support to these animals that arrive there.
I called and asked if I could even help .. I lefted my phone several times, We have blind horses so I can help with any special needs dealing with a horse. The sad part is NO ONE EVER called me back I have tons of hay and Horse Stuff I would have donated But Once Again after the second phone call & NO ONE CALLED ME BACK!!! I kinda gave HOPE UP that any one would contact ME!!! I wish the Best for this Pretty Little Mare!!
akmom, because of them being 'short staffed' is probably why you haven't received a call back. If you have tons of hay and horse stuff to donate, it would be a help to them if maybe you could deliver it and offer these services in person. :)
Why can't the shelter maintain a list of people like "akmom99705" who can help them with animals that they don't get very often like "Tanana".
“We bought horse panels and a hay seeder, bug spray and a brush and hoof pick, and all the things you need for a horse,”
They bought horse panels, etc, etc.! Why buy this equipment when they very rarely get a horse. I'm sure there are many horse owners like "akmom" that could board the horse until it's disposition is resolved.
I understand that the money came from the Animal Shelter Fund but it was still money that didn't need to be spent. Reimbursing the boarder from the Animal Shelter Fund for expenses would be a lot cheaper than buying all that equipment.
actually it is very expensive to board a "horse" as everyone is so fond of calling this pony. True though, many equine friendly people would have very likely volunteered to do it for free.
I don't think they can send animals out to board until they have been cleared for adoption anyway. Whenever an animal is found/dropped off there is a waiting period to make sure the animal is healthy and doesn't have any infectious diseases. The shelter would have had to keep this pony there until the end of that period anyway.
I am sure for liability reasons the shelter could not ask a person to house this animal. If something were to happen because of the horse then the shelter would be liable. Unfortunately this is how things work today because everyone is sue happy.
Cool story - I had no idea the shelter took anything other than dogs & cats.
Do they actually have a parrot there to adopt?
My daughter really, really wants one, but I keep telling her we can't afford it. If they have one at the shelter, maybe we can!
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