What exactly is the problem at the Sylacauga animal shelter?
The Animal Rescue Foundation seems to be anything but, as the shelter it operates has made emergency transfers of more than 500 animals — many of them sick and dying — to the Birmingham Humane Society in the last two months.
Abandoned and unwanted animals are coming into the shelter faster than they are going out, and the Birmingham shelter says it won’t take anymore. City and shelter employees took 150 sick dogs and cats to Birmingham on Monday to be euthanized (a euphemism for killed); on Tuesday, 28 more animals arrived at the Sylacauga shelter. The shelter took in about 8,000 animals last year and is on track to match that number again this year. The Birmingham shelter, in contrast, took in 10,000 animals in 2009; the Talladega shelter only 3,000.
So we ask again, what exactly is the problem?
Is it that the shelter lacks a functioning board of directors? In recent days, both the president and the treasurer have resigned. Despite quitting the board, they both attended the board meeting Tuesday, and with the two of them the total number in attendance was three. Where were the others?
Is it that the shelter has no veterinarian to treat sick animals and euthanize those that cannot be saved or adopted? Two local vets have volunteered their services since consulting veterinarian Chad Baxley left the shelter earlier this year, but they apparently were not available to help the animals transferred to Birmingham this week.
Is it funding?
Is it sheer numbers?
Is it that the people of Sylacauga just don’t care?
The answers to those last three questions are yes, yes, and we hope not.
In a town widely known for its residents’ largess toward such civic projects as the Arts Council, the Beautification Council, Miss Sylacauga and Miss Talladega County pageants, March of Dimes Jail and Bail, SAFE, Sylacauga’s Promise, Sylacauga Grows, Arc of South Talladega County, Parks and Recreation, the unique and extraordinarily well-funded Sylacauga City Schools Foundation, the magnificent Comer Library, and the perpetually busy Comer Museum and Arts Center, it is inconceivable that these same residents have no room in their hearts nor money left in their wallets to provide care for the community’s unwanted animals.
It looks like some progress is at hand. The shelter has recently been cleaned, air circulation improved and the cages rearranged to make more space. Scripps is looking into possible grants and other funding to help pay to sterilize adoptable animals, and donation drives are scheduled July 10 and 24.
However, no amount of cleaning and rearranging, no number of fundraisers will solve the basic problem of too many animals being born and then abandoned to someone else’s care.
The shelter needs more money, it needs more space, it needs more human help. But mostly it needs for residents to act responsibly toward their pets. That means having them spayed or neutered, keeping their shots up to date, and keeping them free of fleas and ticks. And if it does become necessary to leave an animal at the shelter, it means also making a contribution of money or supplies rather than just dropping the poor animal off in the dead of night.
I don't think it is funding, but simply and misuse of funds. Get the right people in there and make them accountable for every dime that goes in there. Why did it have to get to this point before anyone questioned these individuals? Come on Sylacauga, make these people accountable for their actions and stop sugar coating your coverage of what is really going on at the animal shelter...some employees, not all, and some board members were stealing them blind!!
Truth be known we are all a bunch of hypocrites. We believe in freedom of speech as long as we agree with what is being said. We want to keep debate civilized while cussing and calling each other names. I constantly refer to BG's old age and he says I'm gay. We gripe about people sharing recipes on the forum while we are reliving our glory days from WW2 on the forum. The truth is we dont have anything better to do than to get on here and bitch about things. It is easier to bitch and whine than to actually do something. I am just as guilty of it. If we all - not just us but the human race - treated each other with love and respect this world would be a much better place. But can we? I dont think so. We always have to have the last word or be "right".
I know this is going to tick some people off but go back and read what we have written. Are we doing anything? This article is about dogs and cats. But the forum under it has deteriorated to comments about each others manhood, my sexuality, BG's age and whether it is ok to discuss what is growing in the garden.
I dont know about you but as for me I will no longer attack anyone else on this forum. I will try to treat you all with respect. I hope you will try and do the same.
Good night,
Hank Smalley
Hank - all I asked is that you dismiss the religious debate and bring facts to the discussion. I noted that you have brought good points to the forum in the past when you focus on the issues at hand and I asked that you continue to do so. You, on the other hand, have taken the opportunity to directly attack me without merit. It is this mentality that provided me with cause to withhold my comments. I never said I wouldn't read the forums, and I've kept up to date with consistency."
A case of do as I say, not as I do? Stick to the facts that you know are true. You know nothing about me, so follow your own advice.
I have to admit that I wasn't expecting that from you, but hey, I'm sure it won't be the last time I get surprised. Anyway, no hard feelings. I guess I got something started again. Hope you have been doing well. My wife had our baby about a month ago. That's where I have been. Little girl was in the NICU for a couple of weeks, but I have her home now and everything is ok.
Look, Hank came back.
I hope you are joking. Dogs do not have a soul. Where in the Bible does it talk about dogs in Heaven? Can a dog accept Jesus as its savior? People get so caught up with emotion that they lose there common sense. Just because something looks at you cute does not believe that it has a soul! You should never put a dog or cat at the same level as a human being. I am by no means saying they should be mistreated but I also grew up in the country and sometimes you have to do what you have to do. If your dog gets ran over you take it outback and you shoot it in the head. It feels nothing. It costs nothing. Is that inhumane? No. They way some of you liberals talk you would think that I was suggesting burning them to death. What has happened to this country? I could see your type of statements coming out of California - but Sylacauga? Men are still supposed to be men around here.
People are always quick to say "Someone should do something!" Why don't you? Dip into your pocket and make a donation. Don't have money? Volunteer your time. Or continue to gripe about everybody else not doing anything while you sit back and watch.
Steve - I really hate to break it to you but your dogs and cats will not be in Heaven.
Your dearest friend and confidant,
Hank Smalley
I hope the next article on this subject is covering that all of you bleeding hearts ran down to the shelter and took care of the problem. The Daily Home thinks you have plenty of money left in your wallets to donate, so let's see.
When you realize that there is a problem that needs to be addressed and most of the animals are going to be euthanized anyway, then we can discuss this in the manner in which I was speaking. I was not talking about all dogs. I have one dog, English Mastiff, that is like our son. He is terribly spoiled and a great pet, guard dog. I would not think of shooting my dog unless given reasonable cause. However, if given reasonable cause, I would take care of the problem myself without placing that burden on the shelter or taxpayers. That's the way it should be, in my opinion. I don't get any handouts and I don't place my burdens on others. I take of me, my family, and my pets. I wish everyone else would do the same.
Everything is going to die. It's just a question of when and how. For some reason, we humans decided that we are the masters of all other creatures and how many should roam the streets, so we kind of brought this problem on ourselves.