KU Life
Section B THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
JUNE19.1996
Shelter builds better future for pets
Organization finds homes for area pets
Four Australian shepherd mixes jump around in the cage at the Lawrence Humane Society Inc, 1805 E. 19th St. About 5,000 animals are taken to the shelter every year. The adoption rate is about 75 percent.
By Kelsey Snow Special to the Kansar
Jeremy was a boarder at Lawrence Humane Society Inc., 1805 E. 19th St., a private, nonprofit organization. Several people applied to adopt him, but until early March, all had been denied. Though the prospective owners seemed nice, their homes were not appropriate for the young chow.
Jeremy is one of about 5,000 animals which are brought to the shelter each year. People who want to adopt a pet must complete an application, which includes questions about the potential owner's experience with pets and where the pet would live.
The shelter turns down many applications, but its adoption rate is about 40 percent above the national average.
"We try to place animals in permanent, responsible homes," said Renee Harris, a certified Kansas animal health technician. "We don't tend to get animals back."
A $25 adoption fee covers vaccinations and an identification microchip. The microchip is injected between an animal's shoulder blades. Harris said the microchip encouraged owners to be more responsible for their pets.
Many local veterinarians provide free physical exams and discount-priced spaying and neutering for animals purchased at the shelter.
"We try to encourage people to go to the shelter," said John Bradley, a Lawrence veterinarian.
Pam Dishman / KANSAN
"We try to place animals in
For those who cannot afford to have their animal spayed or neutered, the shelter offers financial assistance.
permanent.
responsible homes."
Renee Harris
Lawrence Humane Society director
The shelter traces back to 1951, when a group of animal-rights activists sought homes for the area's stray animals as a way of tackling animal overpopulation.
By the 1980s, the charitable work provided by the shelter had evolved into a professional service.
In 1992, the shelter recruited Harris as manager. Since then, the number of animals adopted or returned to their owners has increased by more than 10 percent. The euthanasia rates at the shelter dropped from about 50 percent to about 35 percent during the same period.
Last month, the shelter moved to new premises. Staff members say the new building is twice as efficient as the old one, which was built in 1959. The new building and equipment cost $80,000. The city provided 30 percent of the cost; fund-raising efforts will cover the rest.
The building has four isolated handling units. Each has a separate ventilation system, which prevents disease spreading and reduces animal odors. Animals available for adoption are segregated from those that are quarantined or ill.
size.
Harris said that animals neither claimed by their owners nor adopted would stay at the shelter if there were room. But when the shelter becomes too crowded, it is necessary to euthanize animals, she said. The decision to euthanize an animal depends on the amount of time the animal has been at the shelter, its behavior, health, age and
The shelter uses an anesthetic called Fatal Plus, given at 10 times the lethal amount. Harris said that an animal would be unconscious 10 seconds after the shot was administered and would be dead 30 to 90 seconds later.
Kim Roberts, a full-time employee at the shelter, said that some employees couldn't handle the emotional demands of assisting
with the euthanasia procedure.
"There is a fine line between being an animal lover and working for the welfare of animals," Roberts said. "You have to make that transition."
Brian Flink/KANSAN
Kevin Frost, Topeka junior, tries to get his pet iguanas to give him a kiss. The two-year-old iguanas, Curtis, eats vegetables. Iguanas only make average pets due to the expense they entail.
Pets require time and money
Owners like pets that are furry as well as scaly
By Stephanie Flite Kansan staff writer
Wet from a swim in Potter Lake, two dogs—a Labrador retriever and a beagle mix—run toward the Campanile.
"They're like watching a bunch of five-year-old kids. You have to watch them all of the time," said Eric Brown, Washington, D.C., senior.
"I was surprised that he could destroy a cage from the inside," Brown said. "You need a lot of time, patience and money when you get a dog."
Brown purchased Bailey, a 9-month-old beagle, for the unconditional love and attention a dog provides. He didn't, however, expect the expenses.
Bob Larson, veterianarian at Bradley Animal Hospital, 935 E. 23rd St., said accidents involving pets are common.
"A lot of trauma cases involve cars hitting the animal," Larson said.
Dave Wegner, Libertyville, Ill..
junior, hasn't had any problems with Buddy, a setter-Labrador mix.
"Buddy has been pretty good. I haven't had any unexpected expenses with him yet," Wegner said.
Kim Roberts, public relations coordinator for the Lawrence Humane Society, said pets could be subject to abandonment.
"An animal may be abandoned because no one is willing to take ownership of it," Roberts said. "An animal should not be treated like a novelty, where the charm of ownership wears off after it grows into an adult. College students are ideal owners because they have the time to care for the pet."
"I live in a one-bedroom apartment, so space was a big consideration," Brown said. "I was told that Balley would max out at 35 pounds."
Because dogs are popular pets on campus, space is an important issue for students.
The number of stray dogs and cats doubles and sometimes triples at the end of each semester. The Lawrence Humane Society, 1805 E. 19th St., looks closely at applicants because of that problem.
Potential pet owners are encouraged to read a book about pet care before buying a pet so they know about the care and responsibility required.
make sure the animal will have a permanent home." Roberts said.
"When someone comes in and says they are going to buy a pet, we try to talk them out of it because we want them to know what they are getting themselves into," said Heather Schalk, the reptile department manager at Pet World, 711 W. 23rd St.
"Students should realize that we screen perspective adopters to
Pet World offers information on traditional pets, such as dogs and cats, as well as snakes and iguanas.
"You can't prepare yourself for everything that is going to go wrong with your animal, but we want to make sure that people at least know the basics," Schalk said.
Although amphibians are popular pets for students and are accepted by most Lawrence landlords, snakes and iguanas make only average pets because of the expense.
"Amphibians are costly to maintain since the animal is only as warm as its environment," Larson said. "Owners often lose interest in them long before the pet dies. I wish everyone would think about it before they purchase a pet.
When purchasing a pet, a person must think about the time, space, money and environment they want to put the pet in."
Getting a pet
a good appetite
When getting a dog or cat, look for the following characteristics:
- a good appetite
- an active and playful disposition
- healthy skin and coat
- healthy skin and coat
- a clean environment where the animal lives. If the mother is sick, a puppy or kitten may be exposed to disease.
vaccines for rabies and
Veterinary care:
boosters: $18-$24
vaccines for rabies and boosters; $18-$24
heartworm for dogs: $22
spaying: $100-$125
neutering: $75-$100
blood work for feline
blood work for feline
leukemia and distemper:
$24-38
check-ups: $18-$22
Food:
$10-$40 a month depending on the pet's size
Metallica still has musical power to bring fans back
Review by
MUSIC REVIEW
Andrew Dalton
METALLICA Load (Elektra). While it may not be particularly hair to be a head-banging
metal freak anymore. Metallica's inclusion as the headliner in the 96 version of the Lollapalooaza tour shows that the band still has enough musical power to bring
the closet fans back into the open. The group seems to understand the delicacy of
the situation in which the fans must be lured back and not forced. The fellows have lost the metal-god image in favor of a less macho alterna-modern rock look — search no further than the album liner for proof of this. The music on *Load* follows this image change, but not so drastically.
The sixth full-length effort by the original masters of speed finds the foursome slowing the gears down a bit. Make no mistake, this album is still pure Metallica, just more controlled. The songs are hard, driving and powerful. Even the near-country track, *Mama Said*, complete with steel guitar, contains the signature maniacal rigor. Any one hearing Metallica for the first time with this album would be impressed by the band's ability to pack so much energy into
music which is so clean.
That is exactly what Load represents—the final refinement of their sound. As with all great bands, Metallica has changed its sound just enough to keep up with the changing interests of the listening public. Each album since the classic *Master of Puppets* has displayed slightly less edge than the previous, yet has kept the core sound intact. Any more edge removed from Load, and one might start thinking that the group totally had embraced their new image. Overall: 8 out of 10
tri3lfastaction broadcaster (Capitol).
This initial offering from tri3lfastaction certainly will neither earn the band a newcomer of the year nomination, nor will it get
its recording contract torn up. The album is a quality first- time recording featuring the catchy single Revved Up. Lead vocalist Wesley Kidd's high pitched walling of I Hate Youat least will make one stop and bend an
ear to the radio. Super-
staris only one other track on broadcaster that displays the group's decent ability to play and write. But it is unnecessarily long. The 10-
minute tone is a fine example of hard modern rock, but it is marred by more than five
minutes of irritating guitar solo. Unfortunately, the rest of the album is little more than boring power chords and uninteresting lyrics. Overall: 5
YUM YUM dan loves patti (Tag Recordings). Honey so Sweet and the Girl She Loves Me from the first single Apiary, says everything about the sound of Yum Yum. There may not be a more accurately monikered band in existence. The music on the debut album is a wonderful mix of subdued vocal harmonies and everpresent strings with occasional horns, resulting in a sound that invokes images of one's most pleasant daydreams. The finely chosen lyrics by lead singer Chris Holmes only make the images more clear. Check this disc out. Overall: 9