Who will want me? Remembering the homeless

"My name is Adalade, at least that is what they call me now, although I remember another name when I was younger. The kind people here at the shelter where I was brought have trimmed the painful mats from my once beautiful and soft white coat and put something in my sore ears that have made them feel so much better.

"I recall a time when I very young and was thought wonderful – and I gave as much love as I could to the family I thought that would love me back forever. I'm not sure what went wrong...

"I tried so hard to do what they asked of me but suddenly I found myself on a busy street. I have never been out of my backyard so I don't know what the big monsters that whizzed by were but they terrified me. The people I loved and trusted so much put me out and I think they said someone would give me a good home just before they drove away. It was very, very scary.

"Some nice person pulled me out of the way of the monsters and now I'm in a place called a shelter. There are lots of other dogs, and even cats, near me and I can tell many are as confused as I am. What did we do wrong? I hear the nice people talk in soft voices and they sound worried...something about not having enough room. I'm not sure what that means but it makes me frightened again. What will happen to me?"

There are so many 'Adalades' crowding shelters...wonderful, loving animals who only want a chance to find a true forever home with people that value them as family. Unfortunately, desperate emails from California shelter volunteers currently flash across the Internet sending out lists of available shelter animals to everyone and anyone who may be able to prevent the death of the lives in their care. Often in vain.

As part of this rush to save lives, as a volunteer at the Fremont Animal Shelter, I know it's unending and too often, no matter how many the outreach efforts, animals... amazingly adoptable animals of all descriptions, pure and mixed breeds, die with strangers instead of with a family that would be grieving at their departure at the end of a long life.

In August, the International Society for Animal Rights (ISAR) held its 21st annual Homeless Animals Day. On this day people from around the world joined together to promote awareness of the plight of homeless companion animals and in observance of the overpopulation of animal companions and the role of spaying and neutering to end the suffering.

ISAR Program Specialist Colleen Gedrich recently commented, "ISAR launched and commemorated National Homeless Animals' Day in 1992 to enlighten society, governmental officials, and the media to the tragedy of pet overpopulation and how it can be reduced: mandatory spay/neuter"..."while nobody really knows the exact number of cats, dogs, kittens and puppies killed in shelters and on the streets each year, it is estimated that at least approximately 3-4 million healthy animals in shelters alone are destroyed annually. The overwhelming scourge of cat and dog overpopulation remains a crisis on a global scale."

There are a number of reasons why so many dogs and cats roam the streets or end up in shelters, but the bottom-line is unspayed or unneutered animals adding thousands to an already swollen overpopulation epidemic. Their offspring will have litters and then their offspring will have more; and the cycle continues.

The real problem lies with society - ignorance or disregard of the problem, lack of finances to spay or neuter, backyard and puppy/kitten mills breeders – and yes, some "professional" breeders – turning a profit from breeding.

Add to the mix poor judgment in getting an animal in the first place. Many people are new to having a companion animal and unaware that the responsibility and costs involved are similar to having a child. Because of this, animals often get little care and, like Adalade, are tossed into the backyard and forgotten or abandoned.

With difficult economic times, some are opting to relinquish their "pets" to a shelter, perhaps because they have no other choice but the impact on shelter population and euthanasia numbers grow with each incoming animal.

The solution - Remember Adalade and the others at risk; accept responsibility and spay or neuter your animal companion; don't contribute to the killing. If you can honestly commit to the lifelong care and expense of having an animal companion then adopt from a shelter or rescue – don't buy!

UPDATE: "Our" Adalade was just adopted but please remember all the "other" Adalades waiting in shelters. They are depending on you.

For information on Spay/Neuter Assistance, contact Ohlone Humane Society at 510-792-4587.

Tri-City Voice article by Nancy Lyon, President, Ohlone Humane Society

Cats make kittens make cats make kittens...

According to 2011 statistics from the Humane Society of the U.S., every eight seconds a dog or cat is killed in a shelter in the United States. This means that four million potentially adoptable animals die each year because there are not enough responsible adopters and homes available. Many of the innocents that will be destroyed are not just unfortunate abandoned and unsterilized strays left to endlessly reproduce but the off-spring of beloved companion animals of families who didn’t have them spayed or neutered; the excuses are many and the majority hard to defend. This year the much dreaded kitten season was late because of the unpredictable weather and hopes were high that it was an indication that the number of kittens born would be far fewer. Unfortunately, the weather cycle more or less righted itself, and with warmer temperatures, the heat cycles of female cats also normalized. The temperate conditions have resulted in the time worn problem of too many kittens coming into a world already overcrowded with cats. Needless to say, it is not a happy time. Cats give birth, flooding already strained animal shelters across the nation with countless litters. The number of cats that can be born during this period is staggering and they add to the already existing vast number of cats who will end up in animal shelters where an appalling number will die. This is the just tip of the iceberg because the statistics do not take into account those that don't make it into shelters. Too many cats fight for survival on the streets, more often than not, dying young from injuries, disease and starvation. "In every community in the nation, there is an over-abundance of unsterilized cats, both owned and un-owned, and a frenzy of mating takes place each year," states the Humane Society of the United States. Tremendous as the problem of cat overpopulation is, it can be greatly reduced if each of us takes just one small step, starting with not allowing our own animals to breed. Our unaltered animals that are allowed to roam free or occasionally spend unattended time outside will predictably have the opportunity to mate. Driven by their hormones, they will look for any chance to find mates, eventually resulting in hundreds and even thousands of cats with few opportunities of getting a decent home. It's not a happy time for shelter staff either. Many shelters are faced with limited space, time and resources. When adoptions are low and rescues limit the number they can reasonably re-home, they are forced to handle the onerous task of killing animals that could become wonderful and loving family members. During kitten season, adult shelter cats are overlooked by potential adopters. They are the first to be endangered by the influx of lively and charming youngsters. When the shelter population grows too large for the facility, the disease and stress levels rise with it. The ability of a limited staff to adequately care for the large number of animals can result in outbreaks of disease, suffering and death of otherwise adoptable animals The best way to help reduce the number of cats - and dogs- is by taking responsibility to make sure your "pet" does not contribute to the tragedy. Become a spay/neuter advocate and educate your friends and neighbors about the terrible problem. Recommended solutions: Spay or neuter your cats - Don't put this off!  Kittens as young as two months and weighing two pounds can be safely altered. Care for homeless or wild cats in your area Work with your local animal control or feral cat group to help limit your neighborhood's feral and stray cat population. Feral cat caretakers who Trap/Neuter/Release (TNR) are an important part of the solution. Become a foster parent Contact your local shelter or rescue group to learn more about becoming a foster parent for cats or kittens in need. Adopt Open your home to new cat or adopt a playmate for your existing cat. There are clinics and financial assistance programs in many areas to spay/neuter companion animals and feral cats: SPAY USA 1-800-SPAY Ohlone Humane Society  (510)792-4587 ForPaws S/N Clinic (510)573-4660 East Bay SPCA (510) 510-639-7387 Animal Birth Control Assistance (408) 244-8351 Tri-Valley SPCA  (925)479-9674 ****** Tri-City Voice article by Nancy Lyon, President, Ohlone Humane Society. Photo's courtesy of: www.dreamstime.com

World Spay Month…united we can fix the problem

In the next few months it won't be just flowers that will be springing to life and populating the landscape. With spring comes the birth of young animals, among them many cats and dogs. The thought of fuzzy puppies and kittens may sound sweet but their number far exceeds the hope of finding a decent life for them or, for that matter, the chance of surviving for very long. The problem isn't just a local phenomenon; the seasonal increase of unwanted companion animals is a world-wide problem.

In a world bursting at the seams with 7 billion humans and all its related problems, you might think that the birth of an excess of animals would go unheeded. But that’s not the case.

In 1995, a movement to put an end to the killing of this country’s animal companions started out as Spay Day USA by the Doris Day Animal Foundation (DDAF). It was a welcome birth of a banding together of people dedicated to putting a halt to the killing of unwanted companion animals—a mission that has evolved into a multi-nation effort spreading to 46 countries.

With blessing of the DDAF, the banner was picked up by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the Humane Society International (HIS) and many organizations working in cooperation to raise awareness of the need to spay/neuter companion animals. Spay Day USA has now evolved into World Spay/Neuter Day, annually observed on February 28, and a planet encircling event known as World Spay Month.

Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of HSUS stated, "The overpopulation of cats, dogs and other pets is a global problem and it’s gratifying to see that caring people the world over are working to raise awareness that spay/neuter is the solution...to reflect Spay Day’s new status in the world, it is only fitting that we change the name of Spay Day USA to World Spay Day."

Previously, in countries where stray animals were culled off the streets and put to death as a solution to their burgeoning numbers, there now exist dedicated groups of people working tirelessly to not only provide sterilization for dogs and cats but immunizations against disease including the deadly rabies virus. This has allowed frightened people to see the animals as creatures with lives deserving of consideration and care rather than potentially dangerous vermin.

Their efforts have not only helped prevent the birth and ensuing death of thousands of animals but in the process have changed the attitudes of thousands upon thousands of people in far-reaching countries as diverse as Liberia, Panama, Ghana, India—and the list goes on and on.

No longer seen as a threat to human survival, animal companions lucky enough to have homes, and those unfortunates who are forced to live on the streets, can now have a greater chance to be seen as innocents that whose lives have value and their welfare considered.

Through these combined efforts, advocates continue to work toward to putting an end to the needless waste of life…and it is paying off. The World Spay Month movement is catching fire and is spreading around the world as education and resources are made available to stem the birth of unwanted companion animals.

This month in the United States, many organizations have been promoting World Spay Day through spay/neuter awareness and associated activities, forming a link uniting hundreds of events organized by local animal welfare organizations and advocates, as well as participating veterinary professionals.

Since the inception of Spay Day, HSUS estimates that more than one million animals have been sterilized by those supporting the campaign. Efforts including low and no-cost spay/neuter clinics for low-income families, fundraisers to benefit spay/neuter programs and educational efforts informing companion animal guardians about the importance of spaying or neutering have made a significant difference.

Yet there is much work still to be done. Each year an estimated four million cats and dogs—about one every eight seconds—are killed in U.S. animals shelters because there are no homes available for them.

These figures do not include the countless lives of unaltered and abandoned companion animals who never made it to a shelter but were left to try and survive on their own and ultimately died but not before adding their offspring to the growing number of feral animals.

Whether from lack of financing or ignorance of the suffering and death they are contributing to, many people let their beloved family companion animals reproduce. Spay/neuter is a proven way to reduce pet overpopulation, ensuring that every pet has a family to love them.

There really is no excuse; there are many low-cost and even no-cost spay/neuter programs available that cover most areas of the country, helping those on very limited incomes or living on ever-tightening social security or disability benefits.

In 2011, Ohlone Humane Society assisted in the spaying/neutering of just under 1,000 dogs, cats and rabbits and receives no local or state funding for the program. The OHS Spay/Neuter Assistance program is only made possible by the generosity of our members and supporters.

Don’t wait! Call today for Spay/Neuter Assistance: 1-800-248-SPAY (1-800-248-7729);
Ohlone Humane Society 510-792-0927


Tri-City Voice article by Nancy Lyon, President, Ohlone Humane Society

Build it and they will come...

Many people have dreams of the future but they are often only temporary fantasies to be filed away as something that might have been. Others have visions that build the future; with persistence and commitment that dream grows into a reality.

For many years, Evonne Phelps tirelessly followed her passion of rescuing animals in need. During a long and sometimes discouraging time as one of the founders of Nike Animal Rescue Foundation (NARF), the seemingly endless number of animals needing to be re-homed was overwhelming. It became Evonne's vision that many more dogs, cats and other companion animals could be prevented from adding to the tragic overpopulation problem if veterinary costs to spay or neuter animals were more affordable.

Available funding was limited and establishing a low-cost clinic was a financial burden not to be taken lightly. It was then that she met Fremont Animal Shelter veterinarian Dr. Bonnie Erhorn and shelter veterinary technician Dottie Hutcheon and realized they shared a common goal of expanding low-cost spay/neuter services to the community. The Catch-22 was that they didn't have the financial resources to buy a state-of-the art clinic.

Their initial effort was to set up a clinic at the Fremont Animal Shelter during days it was closed but it soon proved cumbersome for all involved given the limited space and the increased number of animals that used the onsite surgery. Both parties agreed that continuing at the animal shelter was no longer a viable option and it was time to move on.

Given their limited assets, offering limited spay/neuter services through non-profit animal organizations was a safer bet financially. With this game plan in place, the search to purchase an affordable location was on. Fremont Animal Services Officer Duane Maxfield who had worked with them at the shelter, offered to keep an eye out for a suitable facility and when he discovered that Dr. William Young, who owned the Centerville Pet Clinic was retiring, he gave Evonne a heads up and hope that a future For Paws Clinic might no longer be a dream.

Negotiations took six months; timing was a crucial factor. Evonne had property that she wanted to sell and ended up using the proceeds from that real estate sale to fund the purchase of the clinic. They were fortunate to inherit many supplies and equipment needed to start with the sale, but Evonne spent her own money to get For Paws off the ground. All in all, she bankrolled the first year plus, until For Paws gained momentum.

For several years, For Paws continued at the Centerville location although space was very limited making the setup less than ideal as the building was shared with another veterinary practice. Many of the first clients were people that they told about the low cost of For Paws services. Also NARF was a steady customer... Evonne was doing a lot more rescue of large breed litters and moms from out-of-area shelters. When pups came in, they would spay or neuter them, showcase and place them... and the mom dogs too.

At that time, with a growing list of clients that included both local and many out-of-area non-profits, it was once again time to consider moving on. Any move is a challenge at best and after months of searching, the new home for For Paws was a larger but colorless place recently vacated by a local veterinarian.

That was two years ago and the drab setting is now a thing of the past. A visit to For Paws is a trip into a cheerful wonderland of color and artistry mostly due to the multi-talented Dr. Bonnie. Its services are now available to everyone, so they serve very needy folks as well as smart shoppers. They have never advertised, growing by word of mouth and a reputation of good care that continues to draw in more and more clients, some from very far away... amazing really! Some full-scale clinics now refer For Paws to clients that cannot afford their fees and include referrals from the Fremont Shelter.

When asked about her vision for the future, Evonne said she never really had a goal other than helping to spay and neuter as many animals as the clinic can, keep on going and offer rescue groups lower veterinary costs to help them assist even more companion animals.

Perhaps the greatest testament to the success of Evonne's dream was that last week, For Paws celebrated its 10,000th spay/neuter surgery. An amazing tribute to the vision of one dedicated woman whose unfailing efforts have prevented the birth of literally hundreds of thousands of unwanted animals who had little or no chance of a quality life.

Dreams can come true but it takes more than a vision, it takes hard work and a belief that it will happen if you just keep trying; as the saying goes... "build it and they will come."

For Paws Clinic
40501 B. Fremont Blvd (& Eugene), Fremont
(510) 573-4660

Contact Ohlone Humane Society for Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Assistance at (510) 792-4587