To the Editor,
I am writing about my recent experience with the Robeson County Animal Shelter. On the night of Oct. 3, one of my dogs got out of our fenced-in yard. She went a half-mile up the road, where another dog is and both dogs are female and spayed. By 9:20 a.m. Oct. 4, she and the other dog were picked up by the shelter.
On Oct. 6 when I return home from work there was a message on my machine from the shelter that they had my dog, which is 48 hours from the time she was picked up. It is after hours at this time so at 8 a.m. on Oct. 7, I went to see about getting the dogs back. I was informed that my dog had been there 72 hours and was available for adoption and that a lady was getting her.
I got the rabies certificate and left my home in Orrum and went to the shelter. I asked why it took 48 hours to notify me that they had my dog. I was told they did not see a collar. My dog has a fluorescent orange color with our name and phone number.
I hate to know that peoples animals will be adopted by someone else before you can find out where they are.
I knew I would have to pay to get my dog but they need to work on the math. She was there 72 hours (3 days) and I had to pay for 4 days. If that extra money will feed another dog until they put it down, then that is OK.
All my dogs and cats but two I have rescued either off the side of the road. The shelter says they are trying to help these animals and I am sure that some get adopted out to good homes. But what about the ones they destroy and throw across the road in the landfill?
I have supported the local shelter but after this I will just send my money to the Humane Society of the U.S.
Tina Walters
Orrum
As far as being charged 4 days, the way I count, the 4th when the dogs were picked up, the 5th, 6th and the 7th when she came to get the dog, is actually 4 days, not 3.....guess the owner was educated in the good ole RobCo school system because somewhere, the math is off, and she's right someone needs "to work on the math". If you board a dog at the vet, they go by days, not actual hours held. Yes, 72 hours is 3 days, BUT the span, in this case, covers 4 actual days!!!
I have seen a HUGE turn around at RCAS over the last 18 months and I am impressed with the way things are now handled. I have seen more animals adopted or rescued in the last 2-3 days, then in entire months during the "old days". I been to the shelter and seen clean animal, that are at the front of the cage instead of cowering in the corner, they all have food, water, mom's with pups get special "bedding", and sick or injured animals ARE NOT LEFT TO SUFFER FOR DAYS like in the past. Cages are actually cleaned properly and not simply using water to spread disease from cage to cage like in the past. Bleach is not used in concentrations that burn MY eyes and nose, so I could imagine what it was doing to the poor animals like before. Animals ARE NOT LEFT IN THE CAGES TO DIE suffering like I (and others) personally witnessed in the past.
With all that being said, it's my understanding that her dog had either been adopted OR had a rescue coming for it. She should be pleased that her dog was given the chance to have been rescued or adopted!! Two years ago, as soon as the animals hold time was up, if someone was not there to adopt it, it would have been put to sleep immediately! I know, I personally was told (by more than 1 former employee) that if I wasn't there at the exact time, I would not be able to get the dog. Meaning if a dog came in at 10:30 Monday, and I was not there at exactly 10:30 Saturday when the dogs time was up, it would be put to sleep! Keep in mind back then, animals were held for 5 days before being available for adoption AND at the same time, could be put down if no one was there for it. I made many of trips to RCAS on consecutive days to make sure I was there in plenty of time and the staff knew exactly which animal I was there for because that was to only way to save a life back then!!!
HUGE changes have been made and I give credit to the current staff for caring enough and being compassionate enough to give the animals time to settle in, get adopted or rescued, AND they network the dickens out of them to make this happen!! I will see post from Lori and Sara both on Saturdays and Sundays answering question about animals on the RCAS Facebook page. NORMALLY after the 2 working thru the weekend online, several animals get out Monday or Tuesday.
Is it a perfect system? No it isn't, BUT it's a lot better than it was!! It will NEVER be a perfect system until the residents of RobCo step up and take responsibility of the mess THEY HAVE CREATED by not spaying, not neutering, and not vaccinating their pets!! With the new voucher program, all they have to do is go to the shelter with proof of income, OR proof of government assistance and they will get a FREE SPAY OR NEUTER CERTIFICATE......it's just that easy!!! More people need to take advantage of this program. More people need to be made aware of this program. I'm sure a nice size ad in the Robesonian would be a HUGE help in getting the word out about the program. Info passed out at DSS, the Health Department, or any other public office would help spread the word about this wonderful program. I would LOVE to put the shelter "out of business" BUT until people do what's right by the animals, THIS will NEVER be an option!!!!
SPREAD THE WORD, FREE SPAY AND NEUTER VOUCHERS ARE AVAILABLE AT RCAS......Go get your's and YOU can help save lives!!!!!!
Hopefully you were able to get your dogs back and hopefully they won't be able to get out again - it's so unfortunate how rapidly our animals in Robeson County are either killed and not being cared for properly - mainly by so called owners not having their dogs and cats spayed or netuered and especially since they no longer can use the excuse "I can't afford it" -- that excuse is NO LONGER acceptable since most residents can qualify for the FREE SPAY/NEUTER VOUCHER. Unfortuntely this is NOT publicized enough but you can be assured when an animal is picked up and taken to the Robeson County Shelter, too often they are mot given a chance due to "lack of space"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It would be helpful if the Robeson County Shelter would cooperate with the Humane Society and together they should be able to "EDUCATE" the citizens but this seems to be too much of a problem for them to deal with -
The "animal issue" in Robeson County is once again going in REVERSE - first, they dismissed the Animal Cruelty Investigators and now the City Animal Control Officer has been on "sick leave" for many weeks and there is "NO BACKUP" for him - if there is an issue regarding an animal, one has to call Communications and they in turn will "go out and check on it" and then if necessary call for help from the Police Department.
For a while things were going well but NO MORE so it is now time we once again step forward to make certain our animals are given the attention they so deserve.
Hopefully others will step up "to the plate" and voice their opinions about our voiceless/helpless animals who are NOT being treated as they are entitled to by LAW!
Faith Walker
I hope that you were able to get your dogs back. I would like to ask did you go to the shelter looking for your dogs? Did you call the shelter and report your dog missing or ask if they had picked up a dog with your dogs description? Did you look online to see if her picture had been posted as an animal that was in the shelter? These are all things that could have been done to see if she was there. I am asking these questions to try to follow exactly what happened as well as to educate anyone whose animal goes missing. There are things as owners we must do and do quickly to assure that our animals are returned to us safely and quickly. I am thankful that you had a collar on her and proof that she did have her rabies vaccination because that is so much more then most of the poor animals in our county get.
As for the treatment that the animals are given in the animal shelter now - I would say it is as close to perfect as it is going to get. Things are so much better at the shelter and I enourage you to continue to support the shelter financially if at all possible. The animals could always use toys, leashes, carpets to lay on, vaccines etc. The animals are treated good and many, many thousands of people from all over the nation have noticed the changes and have stepped up to help save the animals from Robeson County.
I am glad your dogs were safe.