Feature
March
10
5K-9 Run/Walk
by Michelle Gautreaux
Shelter—a place giving temporary protection from bad weather or danger. A shelter doesn’t sound like a place where you would want to take your next vacation, but for the animals that find refuge at the local animal shelter, it’s better than a resort. Though the Terrebonne Parish Animal Shelter may not be the Barkley Pet Hotel and Day Spa in Beverly Hills, the care and love given to these animals by the 12 staff members is worth so much more than any “pawdicure.”
Millions of households have pets, and billions of dollars are spent yearly on pet supplies and food, yet the population of abandoned animals remains high. Millions of dogs and cats wind up in shelters across the nation, and many more are left to die on the streets.
Take a second to think about every dog or cat that has died as a result of pet overpopulation.
Whether they died humanely in a shelter or by injury, disease or neglect, have you ever thought about how wonderful that pet might have been as a companion for a child, a family or an elder? If given the chance, each of those animals would have liked to find a home. Perhaps your home would have been perfect.
“Educating and making the community aware is the first step we take,” says Valerie Robinson, manager of the Terrebonne Parish Animal Shelter.
5K-9 Run/Walk
March 19, 2011
Houma-Terrebonne
Civic Center
Registration begins
at 8:00 a.m.
1/2 mile run/walk begins
at 9:00 a.m.
5K begins at 9:30 a.m.
Leashed, vaccinated and
friendly dogs welcomed!
Dog participants are encouraged!
As tremendous as the problem of pet overpopulation is, it can be solved if each of us takes just one small step—make the choice to have your pet spayed or neutered.
In addition to the shelter’s low-cost adoption program, the shelter also offers low-cost spay-neuter services to Terrebonne Parish residents, making it even easier for pet owners to have the procedure done on their pets. Low-cost spay-neuter programs seek to reduce the number of animals that are brought to the animal shelter and to reduce the number of strays in the parish.
The procedure is extremely important to reducing the overpopulated shelters in our state, and spaying or neutering your animal can also benefit your pet and your family. Animals that are spayed or neutered typically want to stay home more and are less aggressive.
The cost of the surgery is often the primary reason pet owners opt out of having the procedure done, but with the Terrebonne Parish Animal Shelter offering affordable options to pet adopters and owners, this will no longer be a concern. The cost for the surgery ranges from $30 to $50 for cats and $65 to $85 for dogs.
Currently, two organizations are assisting the Terrebonne Parish Animal Shelter with the spay-neuter program. Pets R Our World, a mobile vet clinic, visits the shelter every other Monday, caring for about 20 animals each visit. The Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals stops in weekly. Since 2010, 700 animals have benefited in the community, and adoptions have become easier and more affordable.
Another service provided by the shelter is finding foster homes for animals in its care. Preparations to partner with Rescue Wagons, a program that takes dogs from one shelter and transports them to shelters with lower animal populations, are underway. The program takes 15 dogs per month, but foster homes are needed to make this happen.
“Being a foster family is an amazing experience and gets the dogs one step closer to a forever home,” Robinson says, “and anything that is donated like food, supplies and vet visits is shared with the foster family.”
The biggest obstacle remains overpopulation. Though most would not want to speak of it, euthanasia is inevitable when shelters are overpopulated. Adoptable animals are held longer if space is needed and there are no other options. The shelter would like to see all animals adopted and the community educated on pet care and spay-neuter programs. By staying focused on raising awareness and educating the parish, the shelter hopes to eliminate overpopulation.
“That’s why it is so important for us to work on building a new shelter,” Robinson says. “We need an adoption area suitable for adopting the animals that is warm and inviting.”
Plans for the new shelter are in full swing. The Terrebonne Parish Animal Shelter has been in the community for more than 30 years, and the time has come to find a new home for the shelter. Friends of Terrebonne Animal Shelter, a nonprofit organization, was created earlier this year to help with raising funds and awareness and educating the community. The current shelter doesn’t allow for adequate separation of adoptable and unadoptable animals, so an adoption area is greatly needed.
The shelter asks members and volunteers to join Friends of Terrebonne Animal Shelter and support its cause. Teens at local schools can earn volunteer hours by helping out at the shelter. Friends of the Terrebonne Animal Shelter host hot dog fundraisers involving setting up a Lucky Dog stand in the Houma Courthouse Square.
Friends of the Terrebonne Parish Animal Shelter is hosting a 5K-9 Run/Walk on Saturday, March 19, at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center. There will also be half-mile run/walk. The fundraiser will feature the live band “Epic”, food, drinks, dog-friendly events and a photo stand. Pets will be able to participate in contests, such as best trick. Children can get an up-close look at the the Animal Control units. There will also be a Kid’s Corner, sponsored by K.I.M.’s Playhouse, where children can go for hours of entertainment. For more information, please contact Karen Molaison 985-853-0504.
