Crisis at the shelter: Officials struggle with increasing animal population, need help
By Echo Gaines Denmark/The Leader
egdenmark@covingtonleader.com
Published: Tuesday, July 1, 2008
On any given day they are over capacity, but there is not much the Tipton County Animal Shelter can do to stop the influx of animals they receive.
Though they have room for about 70 dogs, they often house about 80, officials say.
It's a crisis in desperate need of a solution.
"We're open to any and all possible solutions," says Shannon Reed, the newly-appointed director for Tipton County Public Works. "We'll look at any possibility to adopt more out."
Dogs and cats end up at the shelter for various reasons - whether they were strays or abandoned by their owners and picked up by animal control officers or simply put up for adoption by their owners.
Strays are held for five days before being put up for adoption.
Rescue groups often help the shelter, but they can't take enough dogs to alleviate the problem, says Reed.
And after 10 days in the shelter, animals who have not yet been adopted face the possibility of being euthanized.
"If they're not adopted, at times we have no choice but to seek an alternative," says Reed.
During the spring and summer months, the number of animals housed at the shelter is often higher than usual. This also results in a higher euthanasia rate.
Shane Hooks, one of the two animal control officers employed with the county, says an average of 35-40 animals are put down each week. Last week, approximately 60 animals were put down.
"It's very hard, it's a hard job," said Hooks. "People think we get in our little trucks and drive around, but there's more to it than that. It's a constant battle. We just don't have the space or anywhere to put them."
Reed and Hooks say raising awareness about spaying and neutering animals is key in helping to control the increasing pet population.
"Spaying and neutering and raising awareness will help resolve some of the issue with limiting the amount of young animals in the area, as well as limit euthanasia," says Reed.
The "sky-rocketing" number of animals being housed is not the only problem for the shelter.
They have no veterinarian to help care for the animals, give vaccines or diagnose illnesses, which puts more stress on the staff and the animals. Currently, employees gives vaccines, but if an animal is sick, employees cannot diagnose an illness or give the animal medicine.
Reed said they are making progress, however, and hope to have a meeting with local veterinarians in the near future.
But until then, and until they can resolve problems, they will have to continue operating as they always have.
And employees, such as Hooks, are hoping for help and change.
"We hope people will understand it's here and it needs help."
reprinted with permission from Echo Gaines Denmark.
Please help if you can. The shelter is very rescue friendly. Their petfinder.com site,
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TN158.html is not always up to date due to the large turn over rate. Please call 901-837-5919 for more information. They always have a variety of animals large and small.