Rescue groups fill crucial need for Valley pets

MAT-SU -- With increasing growth in the Valley, more demands are placed on basic services -- and one service sector is growing at an alarming rate, that of animal care.

Animals coming into the shelter are up, requests for assistance are up and officer caseloads are growing. But one number among the lot is shrinking -- the number of animals euthanized at the shelter. In 2002, 1,223 animals were euthanized. That number dropped to 817 last year -- more than 400 fewer euthanizations despite increases in numbers of pets coming into the shelter. In contrast, in 1999, 71 percent of the 3,281 animals that came into the shelter were euthanized.

At Houston Animal Care and Protection, 95 of the 217 animals brought in from Houston and, since July 1, from Wasilla were rescued. Fifty were claimed, 26 were adopted and 26 were euthanized.

In response to the growth and need for alternative to limited space at the shelter, a crop of rescue groups have grown in the Valley, many coming on board or stepping up activity in the last year. Through a cooperative working relationship between shelter administrators and rescue group coordinators, several hundred adoptable pets who have come through the shelter in the past year have gone into foster homes with the groups, where they're socialized, cared for and generally spayed or neutered before placement into permanent homes.

"They're very much a part [of a working shelter]," Mat-Su Borough Animal Care and Regulation Chief Officer Dave Allison said Thursday. "They're part of achieving our mission of not having unwanted animals in the borough."

A family operation

Wendy McKinnis, with help from her five children, have provided foster care for 16 dogs since they started in October. She and her husband Doug adopted two dogs at the borough shelter, but saw two more they couldn't bear to leave behind -- Willow and Snoopy. They came home with four dogs that day, but about two weeks after putting up signs and advertisements about the available dogs, families were found for them.

"Both went to really neat homes," Wendy said.

Watching people's faces light up when they connect with a pet -- or reconnect with one they lost, Wendy said, is one of the most rewarding aspects of fostering pets.

The McKinnis children take an active part in the foster care, with Micah regularly furnishing food and water, and everyone sharing in the petting and love provided. Seth and Micah have both taken to reading more about dog breeds and the different associated characteristics with them, while Psalm was the special caretaker of two puppies the McKinnises fostered briefly.

That's not to say fostering is always easy. Wendy, who provides foster care for Compassion in Action, a more recent addition to the Mat-Su rescue group scene, said Gail Landingham, who runs the group, respects the boundaries the family has set -- outdoor, non-agressive pets, preferably not more than two at a time. It can be difficult bringing new pets into a family, she said, especially because it's hard to know exactly what you're getting.

"Most have no information with them (when they arrive at the shelter)," Wendy said. "You have to sort of expect it not to be a peachy-keen experience."

It can also be hard to let the pets go after taking care of them for several days or even weeks. Nearly every McKinnis had his or her favorite foster pet -- one they had bonded with more readily than the others. Wendy said she tries to remember -- and remind the children -- that their purpose is to serve as a stepping stone for the pet; a place to be loved and cared for while the right home is found.

It's not simply a matter of providing food, water, shelter and love, Wendy said. Her family takes an active part in finding the animals homes, and regularly stops at grocery stores and other places, from the Valley to Anchorage, with public bulletin boards to affix a list of pets in need of homes. They help load and transport dogs to the veterinarian for shots or spay/neuter operations, and often field phone calls. It's work, she said, but it's a project the whole family takes part in, and is learning from.

"I'm sure it's an enriching experience -- not just to be involved in it, but in the doing of it," Wendy said of her children's role in the rescue effort. "They get more of a whole, rounded view."

A combined effort

Although problems with newly installed software at the shelter made it impossible to gather the hard numbers of animals brought into the shelter and animals adopted, rescued or returned to their owners, Allison said those numbers are undoubtedly up. And, he said, with staffing at 100 percent among shelter staff and animal care officers -- for the first time in Allison's 13-month tenure, if not longer -- it's likely those numbers will continue to rise. And although efforts by rescue groups to place adoptable pets in foster homes until a permanent home can be found have contributed to the lower euthanasia rates, it's not the only factor.

"There are more animals coming in, yes," Allison said. "Are they all staying? No, because we're also doing a better job of notifying owners of missing animals … Those numbers are down from last year, partially because we have staff doing things the right way."

With a full staff, Allison said, he hopes staff can tackle areas such as public education and prevention. But, he acknowledged, having a full staff of officers means more requests for assistance can be dealt with, potentially bringing more animals into the shelter.

"Those numbers may go up -- we hope not," Allison said.

A mix of hard work, support and enthusiasm

Alaska Dog and Puppy Rescue Secretary Lexi Griffee said since September, that group -- one of the most active rescue groups in the Valley currently -- has placed 225 dogs and puppies in foster homes.

Surprisingly, many of those pets have gone to homes in Anchorage and Eagle River. ADPR volunteers trek into Anchorage Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to display adoptable dogs at Alaska Animal Food Warehouse. It's a lot of work, Griffee said, but between 10 and 20 dogs find homes each weekend.

ADPR, along with other rescue groups, are allowed to take animals deemed adoptable -- they don't have behavioral problems that would make them dangerous in a family setting -- on the day they are scheduled to be euthanized.

"We're kind of their last chance," Griffee said.

ADPR takes as many as they have foster homes for, she said. Although they'd like to take all the dogs not rescued by other groups, Griffee said their policy is not to overtax their volunteer foster homes.

"We try to keep the number of dogs low in foster homes so they can get individual treatment," Griffee said. She added that although the group has more than 50 foster homes, only about 15 of those homes are in the regular rotation at any one time. The group tries to be mindful of the limits of foster families; not placing dogs who need more care, such as puppies or dogs with medical issues, in homes where the volunteer works full-time, for example.

"There is a high burnout rate, partially because you don't always know what you're getting into," Griffee said. "You could get a wonderful, trained dog or you could get a … spaz. It is draining. But the biggest thing about our organization is, everybody is there for everybody. All you have to do is call."

Griffee said group leaders have fielded phone calls from foster families who are frustrated with a dog's behavior and need tips on getting through it, or volunteers who simply need to vent -- and even a few calls from foster families who are simply overwhelmed and need help, now.

ADPR had hoped to open a shelter -- the former Humane Society shelter in Big Lake -- to give people a central place to go if they're looking for a pet. Although the board recently decided that project wasn't feasible, they are looking at other ways to expand. Offering puppy education classes -- free to those who adopt a puppy from the group -- is one way they hope to increase education of both pets and owners. Many of the dogs they rescue, Griffee said, end up at the shelter because of behavioral problems that, with a little more knowledge about the breed and a little training, may have been solved without taking the pet to the shelter.

With animals adopted through ADPR and other rescue groups, the door is left open for follow-up questions -- what to do with a chewing puppy, how to house-train, curbing excited jumping and more -- in case the adoptive family runs into problems with their new pet. And, if need be, Griffee said, they will always take back a pet adopted through ADPR.

Working together for credibility

"If I put out a document that these are credible rescue organizations, I'm not going to sign it until I know that they're credible rescue organizations," Allison said.

The shelter does recommend people look for potential pets through a few rescue groups, and Allison said they're working with the groups to come up with policies that would provide a measure of credibility.

"If a rescue organization has gone though our instruction process, registration process and background check, we feel comfortable that they're truly a rescue group," Allison said. "It allows us to monitor who's a rescue group. We had a medical research guy come in and want to be a rescue group. This sets a standard to the public and to the animals that we're doing what's best for the animal."

After a few meetings about the new policies, the groups spoken to in conjunction with this story had mixed reviews. Some were concerned it would only increase the paperwork for volunteers. Others said the discussion has been fruitful, that it's increased communication and provided opportunity to change cumbersome procedures.

Allison said part of the reason for the new policies is the increase in rescue group activity, and the seemingly haphazard application of rules previously. Some rescue groups, he said, felt they were being left with other groups' cast-offs when it came time to rescue the animals before their euthanasia date. At the same time, Allison said, it establishes a protocol -- only designated members of rescue groups can pick up rescued pets; all rescued animals get shots and micro-chipping before they leave, for example. It's an effort to streamline the process and make everyone accountable for their part, he said. Allison was quick to say the rescue groups fill several needs.

"The typical adopting family takes one to two animals out of the shelter, while a rescue organization takes anywhere from one to 10," Allison said.

Not only do they provide adoptable pets with more opportunities for adoption, but they can step in where a publicly funded shelter often can't act. The shelter often gets pets in who have medical issues -- dogs and cats hit by cars, shot, caught in traps, for example. Although the shelter has a veterinarian on staff and the resources to do minimal basic treatment, X-rays and surgery are not currently possible.

Earlier this year, a young beagle came into the shelter with injuries from being hit by a car. Its owners, when faced with a looming veterinary bill for treatment if he were to recover, decided not to take him home. ADPR took the beagle to a vet for treatment where, more that $2,000 later, the beagle pulled through. A home was found, and ADPR, through donations, is still working at paying off the bill. That ma not have happened if the beagle had stayed at the shelter.

"Rescue organizations do have the funding to take care of medical needs more readily than we do," Allison said.

Saving those left behind

According to information on the www.adoptafriend.net Web site, confirmed by Mat-Su Borough Animal Care and Regulation Veterinarian Lisa Espey, no adoptable animals have been euthanized at the shelter since Oct. 27, 2003.

Although every rescue group at the shelter has contributed to making that goal a reality, Compassion in Action has helped by not settling until each adoptable animal has a home. Landingham, with the help of her husband and about six busy foster homes, has committed to taking whatever adoptable animals other groups can't fit into their program. She visits the shelter about three times a week and, before euthanasia is scheduled, fills her car to bursting with kenneled pets. If there isn't space at foster homes, Landingham takes the pets to a boarding kennel, often paying the $3/day for dogs and $1/day for cats out of pocket until the animals can be rotated out. It's a costly endeavor -- both in time and money -- but Landingham said she couldn't bear to see good pets losing their lives. In addition to working two jobs, Landingham estimated she invests about 70 hours a week in rescuing and finding homes for adoptable pets.

Landingham does double duty as the Webmaster for Rays of Hope, and visits the shelter twice a week to take photos of shelter pets, uploading them to a borough Web page to help increase their exposure and chances for adoption or of being claimed by their owners.

In eight weeks, Landingham has rescued 106 pets from the shelter. That doesn't include, she said, the pets that are sent to her, or those she rescues from Houston Animal Care and Protection. For a small operation, that's a lot of animals, and Landingham said she's thankful the numbers haven't been higher.

"I wouldn't be able to do this if Alaska Dog and Puppy were not taking as many as they can," Landingham said. "We work closely together."

Compassion in action, Landingham said, is not a nonprofit. Like a few other small rescue groups, the $600 to $1,000 required and paperwork involved in achieving 501(c)3 status is both cost- and time-prohibitive. That time, Landingham said, could be better spent finding animals homes. She does operate under the arm of Animal Sanctuary, and accepts tax-deductible donations on their behalf. To help with the boarding fees, Matthew Landingham, Gail's husband, built a whole village of small wood houses, engraved with "Save A Life," that are popping up on the counters of feedstores and other businesses around the Valley. Like many of the rescue groups in the Valley, finding funding for rescue fees, shots, veterinary care and spay or neuter procedures is one of the largest challenges.

Cat saviors

Although the majority of rescue groups in the Valley focus on dogs, there are a few groups dedicated primarily to rescuing and finding good homes for cats. One of the groups in the forefront of the cat-rescue effort is Mat-Valley Kitties, which started two years ago as an offshoot of Mat-Valley Puppies.

Last year, group leader Susan Helmericks said, the group rescued about 400 cats, although not all of those came from the shelter. That's significantly more than the 250 or so they rescued the previous year.

Helmericks said she got into rescuing mostly by accident. Living on a busy road, she often saw strays and, one day, began taking them home and placing ads in the paper to see if she could find them a home. She got a phone call from an organizer of Mat-Valley Puppies, who asked if she was a rescue group. She said she wasn't, but said she'd take a cat that needed a foster home.

"I started out with one kitty in my office at home and went from there," Helmericks said. "Kitties were a whole lot easier for me. But I went from the office with kitties, here, to having a half a garage filled up with kennels."

She set up kennels in her garage, she said, along with a little play area for the cats to exercise. And, she said, she started searching for foster homes.

"You get to the point where you start getting more than you can handle, and then it disrupts your family," Helmericks said. She said her children recently reminded her that their motorhome has not moved in two years -- the amount of time she's been rescuing -- but it's difficult to say "no," especially in spring, when shelters are flooded with pregnant cats. One pregnant cat doesn't take up a lot of space, and the kittens are easy to adopt out. "Not only can you move them faster, you can save more of them," Helmericks said.

The downside, of course, is that in the time it takes for the kittens to be born and weaned, the summer has pretty much escaped.

Although some of the larger rescue groups provide everything a foster home needs -- fencing, kennels, food, veterinary care -- Mat-Valley Kitties doesn't yet have the pool of donors needed to fill those needs.

"We place kitties in foster homes and a lot of the foster families will subsidize it -- they'll provide food, kitty litter," Helmericks said. "That's kind of how we function right now, on the kindness of our foster people."

Fostering cats is, in some ways, more difficult than fostering dogs. While adult dogs are often considered adoptable, many potential new families don't want an adult cat. It can take up to a year, she said, for some adult cats to find a home, and when that happens it's generally because the cat reminds someone of a cat they had as a child.

As for dogs, exposure, for cats, is the best way to find them a new home. Helmericks said her group tries to display adoptable pets in Anchorage at Animal Food Warehouse at least once a month. They're hoping to find a few high-traffic locations in the Valley where they can display the cats for a few hours on a weekend as well, she said, such as at one of the local malls. A central location, she said, would be ideal.

"We need a huge warehouse of some kind, that we can all bring our animals into," Helmericks said.

Although fostering cats may seem less demanding than fostering dogs, Helmericks said because of her own penchant for taking in more than her family can handle, she encourages foster families to set limits.

"You have to really say this is the maximum amount you can do," Helmericks said. "You can easily become a collector person who just wants to save everything, but you have to say this is what works for me - and that's it."

Otherwise, Helmericks said, she gets calls from people whose spouses have simply said "The cats must go. Now." and had to head out with whatever kennels she can find to take them, all the while wondering where she could find another foster home on short notice. It's best, she said, for potential foster families to set aside an area where the pets can be housed, where it will disrupt life in the rest of the house as little as possible. Even as she administered the advice, Helmericks said, she has kittens in her bathroom, and recently brokered a deal for a two-night stay for two kittens in her 12-year-old's room.

"But when you walk through the pound and see there's 30 kittens going down, and I can only take 10 -- how can you choose?" Helmericks said.

Education and sterilization are key

In the operation of animal shelters, euthanasia will continue to be a fact of life, Allison said. Aggressive animals, animals too sick to recover and other problems will likely not go away, nor will the public need to humanely care for a deceased pet.

"Non-adoptable animal euthanasias -- sorry, but that's a process of life," Allison said.

Decreasing the numbers of adoptable animals euthanized, however, is the mission of most involved in the rescue process, from shelter staff to rescue groups.

But the widespread thought that animals should be left to their own wiles in the reproductive field, Allison said, appears to be changing.

"I think people area starting to realize they need to be responsible, as well," Allison said. To keep the trend on the rise, he said, more vaccination clinics and places for public outreach are planned.

Education is helpful, but only to a point. To reduce those numbers of rescues and euthanasias, most say one thing is needed -- sterilization surgeries. Many groups have teamed up with or are seeking to team up with veterinarians who will provide the service inexpensively. Some are receiving discounts in return for referrals.

Most are tapping into or referring adoptive families to places that offer spay/neuter vouchers, such as STOP, or Stop the Overpopulation of Pets, whose offer of vouchers for half-price spay or neuters was so popular they went through 1,200 vouchers in one year, although the program was expected to go through just 500 in two-years' time, and is searching for donors to help meet the demand.

That's hardly a drop in the bucket, most rescue groups say. The biggest difficulty, according to rescue groups and shelter staff, is convincing people of the need for spaying and neutering their own pets.

"I wouldn't need to be here if people did that," Helmericks said.