Unhappy with animal services
To the editor:
I’m afraid that I was wrong.
After years of scolding friends and family for buying dogs from the pet store or puppy mills rather than adopt from the animal shelter, I regret that I now must eat my words. I will no longer encourage anyone to visit their local shelter to adopt a pet after my second frustrating experience at the pound. My first involved “re-adopting” my own dog after he got loose and was taken to the pound. During his “incarceration,” he was neutered against my wishes. After a painful operation for Jack, and $220 fee from me, my own dog was allowed to return home. Thanks, Lee County Animal Shelter.
My second experience with the LCAS was just yesterday. I promised my children another dog for Christmas – a friend for Jack, our now neutered, albeit more mellow, dog. After my 11-year-old daughter shed some tears for all the dogs that won’t be adopted (and most likely put down), we found the dog we wanted to take home. I told the kids to let me do all the talking since I know the rigid conditions that must be met by potential “adoptees” to bring home a stray or abandoned dog. First, we couldn’t tell them we were renting (even though my landlord is fine with us having pets). Second, we had to tell them we had a fenced-in yard. Third, no other dogs in the house because we would have to make sure Jack got along with the new dog. If not, no dog for you. Meanwhile, Jack is the most gentle, loving dog I’ve ever had and has no problem with other dogs. I was afraid, however, that at first meeting, there would be some tension and the dog would be refused. So, we had to tell them Jack had died (sorry Jack). Finally, after jumping through all their hoops, surviving their “inquisition,” we were asked about the cats in our house. What color are they, names, indoor or outdoor, etc. When they learned that Angel and Elvis had not had shots for more than three years (they are inside cats), I was refused a dog from LCAS.
So, my children left the shelter very sad to not to be able to bring their new pet home and I left disgusted at LCAS. Instead of allowing a perfectly acceptable family from adopting a stray dog and bringing it into our loving home, he will likely languish in his cell until it’s time for the needle. And forget about it being cheaper. A puppy from LCAS will run you $95. And if the dog is too young to be neutered, you have to leave a $250 deposit that you forfeit should you decide not to bring the dog back for the operation. So, for the pleasure of not having your dog neutered (which the $95 fee already covers), adopting a pet from the LCAS could cost you as much as $345. Wow, I think I’ll go to the pet store next time.
So,we’ll keep searching Craigslist or hope that someone we know has a puppy needing a good home. As far as LCAS, I would say keep your dogs but unfortunately, that’s exactly what’s going to happen and all those poor dogs will just sit in their little cages,waiting for the “perfect” family to come along.
I think it’s actually easier to buy a gun than adopt a pet from LCAS. Sad, isn’t it?
Amy Thielen
Cape Coral