It is difficult to read the article “Robeson leads NC in number of unwanted animals put down” and not be upset that almost 4,500 animals lost their lives last year in the community. It is easy to place blame on the shelter director and Health Department for the staggering figure, but this is not only on them, this is a community issue. What we need to do is ask them: “How can we help?”
Shelters are overcrowded and when they can’t adopt or foster out pets fast enough, they are often burdened by the last resort — ending the lives of pets to make room for incoming animals. No animal lover who works in a shelter should be put in the situation to have to make that painful decision.
So, what can you do to help end the problem? Adopt, volunteer, or donate. Give a shelter pet a temporary break in your home when the shelter is full. Ask Robeson what they need and spread the word on social media. Reach out to your government official and let them know this issue is important to you and you want them to make changes to improve the situation for animals in Robeson County.
Ask them to support programs that will save lives, such as medical treatment for ill or injured pets, pet retention, managed intake for owned pets, return to field for community cats, low cost spay/neuter resources and friendly foster, adoption and volunteer programs. Ask them to commit to ending the killing of pets in your community.
Over 70% of the pets dying in North Carolina shelters are cats. For this reason, getting legislation passed or changing local ordinance so shelters can implement and support TNR initiatives is imperative.
If you’re a pet owner, please spay and neuter your pets. If you need to give up your pet, please work to find a new home before taking him or her to the shelter. If you find a stray, please do the same. Right now, the Robeson County shelter needs help.
The community is the solution to this problem and only by getting involved and helping, will change happen.
Best Friends Animal Society, a national animal welfare organization working to end the killing of shelter pets in America by 2025, has reached out to Mr. Bill Smith and Mr. Jason Allison to provide assistance. For the last few years the organization has been working with other counties in North Carolina by offering grant monies, collaborative shelter reviews, mentorships, educational summits and program assistance, all in an effort given shelters the tools and resources to be able to save healthy and treatable pets in their communities. Best Friends wants the same for Robeson. We want to help them find more rescue partners who can relieve the burden placed on shelter staff. We want to enact lifesaving programs that will save lives.
You have a voice. You can make a difference. You can save a life.
