NO VACANCY - THE SAD TRUTH
Safe Harbor, Silverwalk and Bollinger County are all relatively new in this area to animal rescue on a formal basis. What did you do with your animals, strays and lost ones before we were here? Where is the "faith in action" in this alleged Christian county and beyond? Oh, and it is not just animals who are now being abandoned; Chaplain Terry is also in despair as the promised funds/volunteers for the HOMELESS HUMANS in this town and county are being ignored, forgotten. SAVING LIVES, WHETHER HUMAN OR ANIMAL, IS NOT EASY; IT IS HARD, HARD ONGOING WORK BUT VERY, VERY REWARDING. I cannot address the homeless human problem well but I can address the homeless animal problem.
Here are some numbers:
1) at Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary in Fruitland, MO, we care for over 200 cats and at least 14 dogs at any given time. THIS SUMMER, IN THIS HEAT, dogs and cats have been left at the Sanctuary tied up to the fence, in a crate, or free to roam. THERE ARE TIMES NO ONE IS AT THE SANCTUARY. It is God who has spared the lives of these animals so far because whoever left them was INHUMAN and didn't care whether or not they died in the heat without water. Often, people want to "donate" an animal with no donation to help with her care! NO MORE - DO NOT LEAVE ANIMALS AT THE SANCTUARY. YOU ARE DESPICABLE IF YOU DO SO. Safe Harbor is now closed to admissions till A) we adopt more animals out AND B) we get more valued and consistent volunteers. Where are you, those who say we are doing God's work? God doesn't work alone - He uses human beings. There are many days when ONE person cares for the basic needs of these animals - ONE PERSON!!!! WE NEED VOLUNTEERS WHO WILL SHOW UP WITH COMPASSION, INTEGRITY AND RESPONSIBLY.
2) Silverwalk Hounds takes in mainly Beagles, other hounds and senior dogs. In the last few months, two dogs have been adopted from Silverwalk. HOWEVER, Silverwalk Sanctuary, though a small division of Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary, is part of my home. My license and my inspector say I can only keep so many dogs depending on the number of rooms in my home, not my heart. I have 5 dogs of my own, 13 Silverwalk adoptables. One of my fosters, Oxford, can be adopted from me per consent of his rescue; Justus can be adopted through American Black and Tan Coonhound Rescue. Silverwalk has no more room, either. I have no volunteers helping on a regular basis - I do EVERYTHING here: clean crates, clean house and yard, medicate/feed dogs, train (to the best of my ability, time and current temperatures), list on Petfinder and other sites, volunteer hours on site at Safe Harbor, buy my food with some donated by Safe Harbor and pay for all Silverwalk vetting/grounds upkeep out of my own pocket. Oh, yes, and I have a JOB which I like but to which I am also responsible - my job pays for Silverwalk Hounds along w/occasional kind donations. I am willing to do this but would be delighted and need to have help on a regular basis to meet the daily needs of the dogs. SILVERWALK IS CLOSED TO ADMISSIONS.
3) Bollinger County Stray Project is run and managed by a member of the Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary. I remember a time when Marilyn said she would not get into formal dog rescue but offered a lot of time to the community with her dog training classes and expertise. About 3 years ago, though, after having lived in Bollinger County and seeing the need for a rescue in that impoverished county, the Bollinger County Stray Project was set up in conjunction with the vets' office. Now, at her home alone, Marilyn has 44 dogs and puppies - 44!!!! She, too, has minimal to no volunteers helping keep her dogs in clean houses and pens - she is doing it all herself plus she has a few foster homes to oversee. BOLLINGER COUNTY MAY NOT HAVE A LOT OF CASH BUT WHERE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO COULD HELP WITH THEIR TIME??? The Stray Project is doing a great service for this county - DO YOU NOT APPRECIATE THIS? Perhaps you do not know. Well, listen up and listen good:
EVERY SHELTER, RESCUE AND POUND IN MISSOURI HAS FOREVER PROMOTED THE SPAYING AND NEUTERING OF PET DOGS AND CATS. IF YOU DO NOT DO THIS, IF YOU ARE SQUEAMISH OR THINK YOUR PETS HAVE THE NEED FOR SEXUAL ENJOYMENT, THINK AGAIN BECAUSE YOU ARE SO VERY, VERY WRONG. Dogs and cats procreate as nature intended; they do not "enjoy" the act as humans claim to, so do not project this onto your dog or cat. THOSE OF YOU WITH INTACT (NOT SPAYED OR NEUTERED) PETS ARE IRRESPONSIBLE AND CONTRIBUTING TO THE PROBLEM OF PET OVERPOPULATION, LOST AND STRAY ANIMALS. And I bet you don't like the Humane Society, either, because they are an open admission shelter which, when necessary and this summer has been horrible, needs to euthanize/kill healthy animals so YOU can bring in your next litter for which YOU have let your dog get pregnant or YOU have let your intact male dog run loose and impregnate someone's intact female. Same with cats. THE KILLING OF HEALTHY ANIMALS AT THE HUMANE SOCIETY IS NOT THEIR FAULT NOR THEIR CHOICE; THE CHOICE IS MADE BY THE CITIZENS OF CAPE GIRARDEAU COUNTY AND BEYOND IN NOT CARING FOR THE WELFARE OF THEIR ANIMALS BY NOT SPAYING AND NEUTERING THEIR PETS.
WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR DOG/CAT SPAYED OR NEUTERED, HAVE A MICROCHIP PLACED SO WHEN/IF THEY GET LOOSE AND LOST, THEY CAN COME BACK TO YOU EVEN IF THEY HAVE LOST THEIR COLLAR ON WHICH, YOU WILL HAVE, OF COURSE, PUT AN IDENTIFICATION TAG.
SAME GOES FOR HUNTING DOGS: HUNTING DOGS HUNT BETTER WITHOUT THE DISTRACTION OF HEAT OR THE REACTIVE STIMULUS TO PROCREATE. I KNOW OF SOMEONE WHO ROUTINELY WINS HER DIVISION WITH HER ALTERED DOG OVER INTACT DOGS HANDS DOWN. SO, SUCK IT UP - YOU ARE BACKYARD BREEDERS WHO HAVE NO BUSINESS BREEDING MORE DOGS. USE WELL THE ONES YOU HAVE - CARE FOR THEM AND THEY WILL HAPPILY HUNT FOR YOU MORE YEARS THAN YOU WOULD EXPECT.
IF YOU NEED HELP WITH THE COST OF SPAYING OR NEUTERING YOUR PETS, PLEASE CONTACT THE HUMANE SOCIETY ABOUT THEIR "SNAP" PROGRAM AND/OR CONTACT SAFE HARBOR, SILVERWALK OR BOLLINGER COUNTY. WE WANT THIS TO END BUT IT WILL TAKE INITIATIVE, COMPASSION AND ACTION ON YOUR PART. WE WILL NO LONGER ENABLE YOUR IRRESPONSIBILITY TOWARD YOUR PETS.
Having said all this with a heavy but determined heart, I want to profusely thank those of you who are indeed willing to get dirty, share your time, talent and funds in order to secure good homes/food/vetting for our animals. You are many but not enough - you need help so you don't feel guilty on the days you are not able to volunteer. THERE ARE MANY IN THIS COUNTY WHO COULD, SAY THEY WILL BUT DON'T SHOW UP, AND WOULD VOLUNTEER TIME, TALENT AND TREASURE - THIS, THIS IS A WAKE UP CALL TO CAPE GIRARDEAU CITY, COUNTY, JACKSON AND ALL OTHER TOWNS IN THIS REGION. GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER AND CARE, FOR GOD'S SAKE AND THE SAKE OF HIS ANIMAL KINGDOM.
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