As I’ve said in past, I believe people are generally against killing friendly dogs and cats and when called upon, will volunteer and donate to work toward no kill efforts in the community. Case in point, courtesy of Maine:
When Lorraine Monfils planned the first community cleanup day for the Ark Animal Shelter, she hoped for a little good press that would lead to some positive attention.
But what the group got the day the story appeared in Tuesday’s Bangor Daily News were numerous phone calls and e-mails with offers of donations and volunteer help — and a new building.
[…]
“The phone has been ringing off the hook,” she said. “People are coming in and it’s all positive and good.”
People also are offering to assist with grant writing to fund the sanctuary and offering to make outright donations.
No kill makes sense to people. The public wants it. And with the right leadership in place to get (and keep) the ball rolling, the community will step up. We are a humane society and a no kill nation.
It will take a while to overcome the fallacy that the public is to blame for shelter deaths because we are irresponsible and uncaring. But No Kill is inevitable as people are involved in the solution.
The more stories I hear like this, the more I feel a tidbit of hope for our society as a whole. I do believe people step up when they know what the need is and how they can help.
I’ve been on the no kill bandwagon in the city where I work because I know we could become a no kill community if someone in authority said –
we’re a great place to live and work
we’re proud
we’re progressive
we value our companion animals
the vast majority of homeless animals are savable
healthy and treatable animals should not have to die
we can become a no kill community with the help of all of you – retirees, students, come one come all
adopt an animal to help us become no kill
educate yourselves about spay/neuter, mills, the causes of dog aggression and the true reasons why animals die in our shelters
let’s turn a new page and show what we can do by working together
I’ve met with the mayor and his aides. Although I would like to stand on top of the city hall building with a megaphone, chanting my mantra and refusing to come down until all four of the local TV stations cover me, I suspect that plot will never work.
Way to go, Maine. You give me hope.
Sometimes, I love my state. We aren’t prefect, but the animal welfare community is amazing IMO. Honestly, our biggest issue is the amount of poverty here, but Mainers generally love their pets and want to do right by them and other animals in the community.