Sept. 6 — A friend for life

Animal shelter offers tips to ensure

Each year, thousands of cats and dogs are abandoned; dumped by the side of the road, left behind in homes, apartments, or hotels, or discarded like old rubbish.

Many of them wind up in animal shelters because their owners simply decide they don’t want a pet anymore.

Crowded animal shelters are constantly trying to find new ways to cut down on these incidents and try to prevent animals from becoming homeless in the first place.

When animals cannot be adopted over a period of time, they ultimately face euthanization.

Know your breed of dog

Connie Ellis, supervisor of Metro Animal Services in Puyallup, said people often give up dogs because they weren’t the right fit for that particular home or situation.

“Coming to the shelters is an education for people,” Ellis said. “People need to come and ask as many questions as possible. We categorize each breed of dog by his or her energetic level. When people come into the shelter we question them and see if they’re familiar with the breed they’re considering.

“One time these people came in with three small children and they wanted a dog that was really not right for that situation,” Ellis continued. “We found the perfect dog for them and placed the high-energy dog with a jogger.”

Metro Animal Services offers recommendations for literature to help steer future dog owners toward their perfect pet. They encourage people to pick up books like “Paws to Consider” by Brian Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson.

“Breeders won’t do that, they just try to sell what breed they have,” Ellis said. “If you don’t adopt from us, that’s fine. We just want to make sure people end up with the right dog. We know our dogs; we know which ones have personalities that are right for small children, and which ones will get along well with other dogs. We turn them out with other dogs, so we see which ones are sociable.”

Officer Debbie Perry, animal control officer with Metro Animal Services, could not reiterate enough the importance of knowing a dog’s behavior patterns.

“Research, research, research,” she said. “Each breed of dog was bred for a specific purpose. We usually ask people to make a list of things they’re looking for in their ideal pet and try to find a breed that matches. Even mixed breeds will exhibit certain dominant traits, so if they see a mixed breed they’ll have a better understanding of the tendencies of that animal. It can look like a shepherd and act like a lab.”

For families who already have a dog and are looking for a second one, Ellis recommends that they bring their dog to a shelter to see how it reacts around a potential adoptee.

Reuniting lost pets

Another important function of an animal shelter besides education is to reunite lost pets with their owners. Metro boasts a 90 percent success rate in this category. Ellis said the biggest problem is that pet owners don’t know where to turn when they lose a pet.

“Losing your pet is like losing your child. They go into panic mode and don’t know whom to call. The very first thing you do is call the shelters. When people find lost pets that’s often where they bring them.”

The supervisor admits that is not always easy.

“It’s confusing because people don’t know what shelter covers their district. Nobody knows who covers who. Call the police or city hall. They can find out which shelter covers your area.”

If that fails, place a lost ad in the local newspaper and put up posters with pictures of your pet where the pet was lost.

“It has to have a picture, don’t just mention the breed,” Ellis said. “People are visual, they will remember the picture.”

An excellent way to assure a pet will be returned is to have them micro chipped.

“The microchip stays with them for life,” Ellis said. “Collars fall off. All vets and all shelters scan for them; that microchip speaks for your pet.”

Ellis believes some people are afraid their personal information will be walking around with their pet. But a microchip does not have phone numbers and addresses.

“The microchip has numbers shelters and vets will scan; that information isn’t out there to the public. If someone finds your pet, we won’t give them your number. We’ll call you.”

“We’re not the bad guys”

Ellis laments that humane societies often get a bad rap because they’re out in the field investigating claims of animal abuse.

“Some people are really hostile toward us,” she said. “They think we want to take their dog. We have that image. We’re not here to take your pets; we’re here to help educate you so your pet can have a safe healthy home. We are the animal protectors. We’re in animal control because we love the animals. We’re not the bad guys.”

Metro Animal Services has a foster care program for dogs and cats whose owners are ill or incarcerated. These people don’t necessarily want to give up their pets, but cannot take care of them during their absence.

“We get older dogs that people don’t want. When people get arrested we get their pets. We would love to provide them with temporary homes.”

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Literature for future dog owners

> “Paws to Consider” by Brian Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson

> “Choosing a Dog for Dummies” by Chris Walkowicz

> "Right Dog for You” by Daniel F. Tortora

> “Good Owners, Great Dogs” by Brian Kilcommons

> “The Perfect Match: A Dog Buyer’s Guide” by Chris Walkowicz

> "Choosing a Dog for Life (Well Mannered Dog)” by Andrew de Prisco