My Trip to the Shelter
By DR. MICHELLE DEHAVEN, DVM

Along with the doctors on my staff, and many of our veterinary colleagues in Cobb County, I volunteer at the Cobb animal shelter. A veterinarian examines the animals, looks for sick ones and advises the staff on how to treat them. We also are called on occasionally to decide if an animal is too old, sick or painful to ever be adopted. It is these animals that we have to recommend for euthanasia.

None of us likes seeing homeless animals in cages, or having to make these difficult decisions – but our doctors consider it a way to give back to our community and potentially help our furry friends. I also think the staff at the shelter has ulterior motives; they know vets are suckers. I don’t remember a single visit when we haven’t brought something back to the clinic to patch up, or find a home for.

Last week’s visit has just crawled under my skin and I can’t shake it off.

There were so many kittens – litter after litter after litter of kittens. For the life of me, I don’t understand how in 2008 people don’t realize they need to spay and neuter their pets. Every doctor in this country counsels every new owner repeatedly about the importance of spaying and neutering. There are national education campaigns, commercials on every television channel, low cost spay/neuter clinics, and discount certificates from the shelter. And yet, our shelter had close to 100 kittens last week – more kittens than will ever find homes.

We also came across a pair of incredibly sweet, middle-aged dogs. Their owner had died. None of the relatives would take them, so these obviously pampered dogs were dumped at the shelter.

This shouldn’t surprise me. A few months ago, an elderly woman had died, and her son brought her 17-year-old Dachshund to the shelter. He told them he didn’t want it! It was a darling, very healthy, 17-year-old dog. We performed a little overdue medical maintenance, and the good folks at Dachshund Rescue managed to find him a home.

But let me tell you, that’s the exception to the rule. Older pets almost never find homes.

The staff at the shelter works so hard. I often ask them how they do it. How do they remain civil when someone turns in their pet because they don’t want to pay for boarding while they go on vacation? How do they hold their tongues when someone tells them the new boyfriend says he doesn’t like cats – so they are turning in the pet they have had for six years? They tell me they just keep thinking about the animals. Even if many of these animals never get adopted, they have a better chance at the shelter than they do being thrown out onto the streets.

I don’t think I could do it.

So what can we do? How can we make this better? If you are able to add somebody new to your home, I can think of dozens of pairs of beautiful brown eyes that would be thrilled to be yours -- today.

I presume anyone reading this column understands the need to spay and neuter your pet – but if you haven’t, make the appointment today.

Talk to your neighbor who doesn’t get it. Offer to pay for the neighbor who can’t afford it. Talk to your family and friends about who would take your beloved pets if something happened to you. An attorney can set up provisions for their care and upkeep after you are gone.

We’ve got to keep trying. We can’t keep letting folks use our shelter as their dumping ground.

The Cobb County Animal Shelter is located at 1060 Al Bishop Drive in Marietta. Call