The oft repeated condemnation of the public by animal shelters who kill pets has been dealt yet another blow in Paulding Co, GA. The media announced a couple of days ago that the shelter’s 120 pets needed immediate adoption as the shelter had to close for construction. The “irresponsible public” answered the call:
“We have 8 dogs and 18 cats and kittens left in the shelter,” [kennel supervisor Tracy] Thompson said. “This is so touching. Atlanta really does love animals.”
Do I detect a bit of astonishment in that statement? I’m not surprised in the slightest. Time and again, when shelters who kill pets quit blaming the public for the killing and instead reach out for community assistance, we see the public step up. Whether it’s a single abused dog or dozens of pets rescued from deplorable living conditions, the community opens their wallets, their homes and their hearts.
Oh and did I mention that Paulding Co is in the South? The hopeless South, where we are too dumb to prevent our pets from unplanned breeding, too backwards to appreciate that pets need a loving home, and too lazy to do anything to stop our shelters from killing our communities’ pets. Or so we’ve been told by no kill naysayers.
It’s time to abandon old-think and realize that we are a humane society. We don’t want shelters killing our communities’ pets and we are willing to lend a hand to accomplish that goal. Even in the South.