ANIMAL LOVERS NEEDED NOW!

The following story was written by Marie Cook Waehler after a conversation with the volunteers of the SPCA in Georgetown.

Each year, 8 to 12 million animals are placed in U.S. shelters; cats typically account for about 40% (3 to 5 million); 55-70% are euthanized yearly – roughly 4 to 8 million pets.

A rag-tag bunch of six animal-loving volunteers is seeking your help to bring a little bit of joy into the lives of animals living in area shelters. “The more people we have,” said Kate Hungerford, “the more attention can be given to the animals.” Kate volunteers at the Georgetown SPCA and works closely with Lisa Caputo and Barb Philips in a group they’ve named Good Stuff for Shelter Pets. Currently, approximately 60 to 70 animals are living at the SPCA and every day they receive calls to take in more, but if they’re at maximum, they have no alternative but to turn away the animals.

In 2005, Lisa went to Mississippi to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. She witnessed the plight of abandoned animals – many neither spayed nor neutered. When she returned home, she decided to get involved in the plight of animals in her own area. She spends 6 hours a day, 4 days a week at the SPCA. She also volunteers at Safe Haven, the new no-kill animal sanctuary in Georgetown, as well as Just-Us Cat Rescue in Rehoboth Beach. Barb volunteers at the SPCA 7 hours a day, 3 days a week.

The volunteers asked for and were granted permission from the SPCA director to take some animals off-site. To date, two pet fairs have been held – one at Concord Pet Foods and Supplies in Rehoboth Beach and the other at House Pets on Rt. 26, Creekside Plaza in Millville. “And both were successful,” said Kate. “People generously donated money toward our cause, 100% of which is spent on the animals. We buy toys, treats and beds (so they don’t have to sleep on concrete).” Blankets are donated by the public as is some of the dog and cat food. One dog was adopted at the Concord Pets fair and 2 dogs at House Pets. “The more exposure, the better chance for adoption,” said Kate. “If we take them places, the SPCA becomes better known.”

The next pet fair is scheduled on Saturday, September 6th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Concord Pets, 12 Marketplace Shopping Center (Rt. 1, Coastal Highway, in the Food Lion shopping center) in Rehoboth Beach.

How can you help? Foster homes are desperately needed to help train puppies and kittens and for animals who are recovering from illness or surgery. For example, a little dog named Elvis recently underwent surgery to repair a broken hip. He’s currently recuperating in a foster home (along with a mother cat); the SPCA covers all medical bills while the animals are in foster care. “And if people are looking for purebreds,” said Lisa, “they can always find one at the SPCA. We get them all the time.”

Little Don, the 4-year-old coon hound shown in the picture with Lisa and Kate, spent all 4 years chained to a tree in the corner of someone’s back yard. When he was brought to the SPCA, he had Lyme’s disease, heartworm, and a tick-borne illness. He didn’t even know how to play and he didn’t trust people. He’s completely healthy now and the volunteers have taught him how to be a dog. He loves to be hugged, rubbed, and petted. Don was recently in foster care and was doing well learning how to live in a house, but when his foster parent took ill, Don had to be returned to the SPCA.

If their collective wish could come true, these three volunteers would see all the animals adopted into loving “forever homes.” Living creatures have become throw-away items to be cuddled when cute and abandoned when inconvenient. Such disregard for animal life pervades and erodes our culture.

With donations and money of their own, this little band of volunteers purchased chain-link fencing and paid to have a large play area installed behind the SPCA; and when they get more donations, additional shaded play areas are planned so that more dogs can be brought outside to play for longer periods. In addition, a small cat play area was purchased to give felines a place to play, too.

The fee to adopt an animal from the SPCA is $100. The animals are all spayed or neutered to help combat pet overpopulation; and all are up to date on shots for their age and micro-chipped. In Delaware alone, more than 13,000 animals are euthanized each year in shelters because no one wants them. “There are plenty of people who love animals,” said Kate. “The animals don’t deserve to be cooped up. We must speak for them, because they can’t speak for themselves.”

All the women agreed that animals can be a lot of work. “People should understand that owning a pet is a lifetime commitment,” said Lisa, “and it’s more difficult for older dogs to acclimate to life in a shelter after living for years with a family. Life is full of changes,” she added. “We all have changes; understand that before you take on the responsibility of an animal, so that when changes do occur, your pets will be included in them.”

The SPCA, located at 326 S. duPont Highway (Rt. 113) in Georgetown, is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information on how you can volunteer, foster, adopt, or donate to Good Stuff for Shelter Pets, call 302-541-4478, or send an email to GoodStuff4ShelterPets@comcast.net

[/i] Posted by Joyce, Best Friends Team Leader on behalf of Kate, Best Friends Animal Society Ambassador [/i]