Another Way to Support the Troops--pet lovers, please read

[jmowreader]

Today I was flipping through the local rag when I came across an article on an unspoken casualty of Bush's war: soldiers' pets.

Fayetteville's the home of a lot of the units that are being deployed, and many of the people in those units have animals. Those animals, thanks to Bush, are winding up at various animal shelters in the area.

There are three shelters that a pet belonging to a deploying servicemember can go to. The first is Cumberland County Animal Control. According to the article, they're able to place about 65 percent of the pets brought in--which, considering what it used to be, is REAL high. I know they're hooked up with a lot of the no-kill shelters in the Northeast, who thanks to better spay/neuter programs can place all the animals they can get. Your northeastern shelters, I gotta tell ya, are just angels in this fight. They'll drive from Massachusetts or New Hampshire, pick up animals at southern shelters, take them back north and adopt them out quickly. (Sadly, about 35 percent of the animals that enter the county shelter meet their end at the tip of a needle, but we have a new shelter director who demanded and got funding to help reduce this problem. You'd like to know how effective he is, and I'll tell you: the kill rate over the six months before he arrived was 85 percent of dogs and 98 percent of cats.)

The other two shelters are both no-kill. The first is the Fayetteville Animal Protection Society (http://www.myanimalhaven.com). This is in Fayetteville and it's a smallish facility--they're licensed for 160 animals. They're largely looking for long-term foster parents.

The other is The Haven--Friends for Life (http://www.thehaven-nc.com/). This shelter is in Raeford and houses around 900 animals--it's on an old farm, whereas the FAPS is in the middle of Fayetteville.

How can you help?

* Send money.
* If you're close to Fayetteville or Raeford, NC, stop by and adopt one of their animals. Every animal they adopt out gives them an opening for another soldier's pet.
* Patronize no-kill shelters that rescue animals from Southern animal control shelters.

[Neecy]

1. Terrific information, thank you

[Hissyspit]

2. I was going to post this, too. I live just down the road from The Haven.

It's disgusting and heartbreaking what some people do to companion animals, although some of these soldiers get put in desperate situations.

As someone who was born to Southern parents, currently lives in the South, and was raised mostly in the South, I have no qualms about saying that OVERALL the attitude toward companion animals is negatively different with a great deal of indifference in the laws and resources. This is changing, but having traveled to other Western countries and other regions of the U.S., there is a marked difference in attituder OVERALL. Much of this is due to tradition, ignorance and poverty, but it is something that I have noticed. There are dead dogs and cats all along the roads as I drive to work every day. I day in my 30 minute drive I counted 3 dog and 3 cat carcasses and that was before I quit counting. One night last week, I raced 30 minutes to try and save a young black female cat who was hit on my road just seconds before I got there. Three drivers drove by as the accident occurred and no one stopped. The girl was half-standing in the road looking up wondering what had happened. The truck that hit her only had one headlight. (She died right after receiving a pain-killer shot at the clinic, by the way.)

[jmowreader]

9. Why don't you swing past the Home Depot some Saturday about 2pm?

We can go to the Buffalo Wild Wings across the street from the store, where we'll consume chicken and complain about Bush.

[Hissyspit]

10. Check your PM Inbox. n/t

[alstephenson]

3. How can we become foster parents for soldiers' pets????

I don't live in the northeast (I'm in Arizona). I'm wondering if there is an agency or a group that coordinates finding foster parents for soldiers' pets while they are gone. It must be heartbreaking to have to give up a family member and then come back not knowing where your pet is or what might have happened....There must be other animal lovers like me who would be happy to care for our soldiers' pets while they are gone. Does anyone know of such a group??? These wonderful soldiers have given up enough already - coming home to the unconditional love of a companion animal would go a long way towards healing.

[Virginia Dare]

4. I googled some for you..

I am involved in fostering rescued dogs, it's very rewarding!

http://www.azrescue.org/

http://muttcats.com/shelters/arizona.htm

[alstephenson]

6. Thanks for the links....

I just adopted a kitty through Arizona Rescue. I will inquire specifically about fostering soldiers' pets. Thanks again!

[Virginia Dare]

7. I have fostered soldier's pets through a general rescue

organization. :hi: to a fellow foster parent.

[jmowreader]

8. Here's what I'd recommend

This works mainly if you live close to a military base.

What you need do is call the community services office on base--the Army calls it Army Community Services; I'm not sure what the other services named their agencies. There are enough veterans on DU, someone knows. Alternately, call the base veterinarian. (Every military installation has veterinarians mainly because the military has charged them with inspecting the food at the mess hall warehouse and at the commissary.)

Explain to them that you're willing to accept however many pets of soldiers who are deployed that you can/will accept. Also specify what kind of pet you'll take--probably not a good idea to accept cats if you have a house full of cat-hating dogs.

[Virginia Dare]

5. I'm involved in a dog rescue organization..

and we do get a fair number misplaced from military homes. We rescued two dogs last year whose owner was severely burned on an aircraft carrier and the family had to move to Texas for his lengthy recovery. Very sad.
Fostering is a worthwhile and rewarding thing if you have the time and resources for it.

[williesgirl]

11. Thanks for the wonderful idea. I'm in N. VA and there are tons of military

in the area. I have 6 acres, 3 of which are fenced in, a large home and 2 dogs of my own that love other animals. Only problem could be my daughter leaves her pit bull here often and she is iffy with other dogs. I think she puts up with mine cause she loves to come here and run! It's fun to watch my Pug knock the pit off her feet and end up standing on her stomach. My Boston Terrier gives her a run for her money too.

I'm definitely going to check this out. recommended

[Raine]

12. Kick

:kick: