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University Daily Kansan, June 11, 1981
Two eight-week old kittens wait for someone to take them home. This month has been designated "Adopt-a-cat Month" and is sponsored by Nine Lives.
Brian Janeay takes some time to play with Shadow, a young cat that refuses to be caged.
Shelter kept busy with unwanted animals
The nostrils are notified first that dozens of animals are kept in a very small, confined area.
The voice of a large, old tabby cat nearly drowned out the mews of dozens of small kittens in adjoining cages.
Walls covered with cat and dog posters, shelves stacked with animal-
Dead cats along the road are not an uncommon site. This cat near 15th and Kentucky streets was hit by a car, one of several ways pets are destroyed. Poisoning, disease and animalights all take their toll.
care literature, and friendly faces greeted the woman who entered the Charles Ie Memorial Shelter with a tiny black kitten clutched to her breast.
She explained to Lawrence Humane Society employees that she wanted to keep the stray kitten, but already had two dogs. Tears came to her eyes.
"Does she have a good chance of being adopted?" she asked, visibly upset.
LINDA DECELLES, SHELTER MANAGER, assured her the kitten did. "We been deluged with cats lately, and haired, she has a very good chance."
The woman found it difficult to leave the kitten. Before leaving she asked to be called if it was not adopted. "We'll call him," she said, "she said slowly and slowly."
The Lawrence shelter has an above average adoption rate. "We're much higher than the national average," Decelles said smiling. "Fifty percent of the cats and seventy percent of the dogs to us are reclaimed or adopted."
Animals are brought to the shelter by the animal control division of the police department, by people who find traps, or by others who want their pets, according to Decelles.
"We judge on health, temperament,
and how full we are." Decelles said. "If they're sick or unruly we have to put them to sleep. If we become overcrowded, the ones that have been here the longest go first."
Forty percent of the animals are brought by their owners. These are put up for adoption immediately. Strays are kept separate from other dogs and days they are eligible for adoption. All animals are kept as long as possible before being put to sleep.
THE SHELTER HAS THREE rooms full of cats and a large back room where the dogs are kept. Only one small room of cats enjoy the luxury of air conditioning. Fans circulate air around the other four-legged inhabitants.
Cats are kept many to a cage. Most
dogs are housed separately, with the exception of a mother and her litter.
Each dog jumped and wagged its tail as people walked into the warm room where the dogs are housed. Some barked, many whimpered and stuck paws through the chain link fences that separated them from their freedom.
In the office, a black cat sat on the counter. He was friendly as he carefully inspected three kittens that had arrived.
Kittens sleep in piles, stretching paws through cages. Some older cats meowed loudly, while others sat quietly, looking just stifles.
"This is Shadow, our shelter cat." Decelles said. "He's been here about two months. We couldn't keep him in any cage. He opened them all. We had a mouse problem at the time we recruited him."
ALL OF THE SHELTER'S employees are animal lovers and several have become attached to the animals. One has taken litters of puppies home, nursed them and returned them for adoption.
Many view Humane Society employees as calloused, insensitive people. The employees see themselves responsible responsibility others have refused.
"Many people bring their animals here because they're tired of them." Decelles said. "They got the animal when it was small, not realizing it wouldn't stay a cute, adorable puppy or kitten forever."
"People also fail to realize that pet ownership means obeying laws. They let the animal run loose and are angry when their pet is picked up on a complaint. They try of paying fines and their vice, decide to leave the animal here."
OWNERS OFTEN REFUSE to assume responsibility for their pet's behavior.
"He gets out, or barks too much,
they say. It's like that marks said,
Glenen Baugh. Humane Society
reads them in public reading
"Train-Dont Complain."
These nine-week old puppies are only four of the hundreds brought to the Humane Society each year.
Story by LISA PROCTOR
Photos by MARTI FRUMHOFF
"Parents often let their animal have a litter as an educational experience for their children. These are also the people who believe the myth that a female will have problems if spayed before being allowed one season, Deciesel said. "It's better for them if done early, at six or seven months."
Humane Society employees are attempting to educate the public about pet owner responsibility.
"We've gone to elementary schools to speak. We can make an impression on children. Their parents are too set in place, creating animals to change," she said.
"By teaching youngsters, our next generations may be more intelligent about pets. We'd like to educate ourselves out of a job."
EMPHASIZING THE ABOVE-AVERAGE rate the lawrence shelter beasts, Deceiles made it clear she would rather the shelter be overcrowded than have people not bring animals in.
"Even if we are forced to put them to sleep, the slight pinch of an injection is much more humane than letting a person be dragged by cars or die of poisoning," she said.
"i know if I were an animal, I would be injected and cremated than not."
Brian Janeway, assistant manager of the shelter, reasoned.
"That doesn't mean it's easy to put these animals to sleep. But when owners won't take care of their pets, the responsibility falls on us."
"We hate it, we do it only as a last resort," Decelles said, shaking her head. "I wish I was doing it to the owners instead of the dogs and cats."
June is national adopt-a cat month and is sponsored by Nine Lives Cat Food. The shelter has nearly fifty cats from which to choose. New owners will receive a cat care book and free cat food coupons.
THE EMPLOYEES TOOK a break. One was helping friends decide whether to adopt a tiny black kitten with a big nose. The girl who did the job was aided and fussed over.
New owners pay a twenty dollar spaying or neutering fee and sign a contract to have the operation performed. They can take the receipt to any veterarian for the surgery. Douglas County veterinarians will return the receipt to the Humane Society.
Potential owners are screened, and most are allowed to adopt. Some are refused. Owners and pets are matched for temperament.
The tiny black kitten was adopted. This time there were no tears as the door closed.
Visions of dead puppies are a reality at the Humane Society due to owner irresponsibility in the breeding of their pets.