Pet overpopulation; will it ever end? Rant about my new job

This is where to talk about Pit Bulls!

Postby juniper8204 » June 21st, 2010, 7:16 pm

I've been pretty inactive for a while on here. I got a new job at the county animal control, and it takes up most of my time nowadays. I'm not an officer...just someone who maintains the kennels and cares for all the animals.

I had absolutely NO idea how bad the overpopulation problem is until I started working here. It just sickens me. Why can't people just spay/neuter their animals?? How hard is that?? Problem solved! But you get these people who want to breed Fifi so they can have one of her puppies. Well, what about the other five in the litter? More than likely I will have to help hold them as they take their last breath. It sickens me. I am now at a point in my life that any hope I had in people is now gone. Had one lady surrender her dog for the reason that it didn't go with her home decor...the dog didn't match her f-ing carpet.

And pit bulls? HA. The few we are allowed to put on the adoption floor usually don't get adopted or aren't given enough time to even be looked at. My coordinator has shown me she's prejudiced against them. And people are just as ignorant. Had a lady today said she'd never have a pit bull because she has kids and she can't take that kind of chance. Well, go ahead and adopt that Dachshund...more than likely that little ankle biter will draw blood quicker than any pit bull we have for adoption. When people say stupid comments about pits, I like to tell them "Well I have three pits at home, along with three cats, and a four year old daughter. I've never had a problem because I don't allow any chance for problems to arise. Not to mention I have the three biggest goofballs on the planet."

I've only been at this place for a little over two months. I come home so physically and emotionally drained, I don't know what to do with myself. We have so many wonderful animals put down every single day, and it's no one's fault except the public. Yet, we are the ones who get called "dog murderers". I came home one day after we had an extremely large euthanasia list, and I sat down...all three of my boogers came running up to me wiggling and wagging...and I just broke down. I hugged them all. I was just so thankful that for the first time that day, I'd seen dogs that were going to be able to stay alive. No one truly knows what ACO's and shelter workers go through until they've been there, done that.

Anyhoo...I'm getting off here now. I've gotta get a shower after this hard day! LOL
Jen
Mommy to Mindy Lou and Moose

Pits are addicting!!! If I foster any more, my husband will have my head!
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juniper8204
Hyper Adolescent Bully
 
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Postby iluvk9 » June 21st, 2010, 7:30 pm

I can't work or volunteer at shelters anymore, for the same reasons you just spoke of. BUT I give you a lot of credit for trying to help "one dog at a time".

Keep your chin up, and know that you are making a difference, as small as it may seem in the big picture.

You sound like a wonderful kennel/staff person, and every dog you meet will understand your moments of kindness towards them, no matter what road their paths take.
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Postby airwalk » June 21st, 2010, 9:29 pm

There is no doubt this is a very difficult job. You will see the very worst of people, but once in a while you will see the very best as well. You have to learn to celebrate every dog. You will celebrate those that go home, those that find new homes and you will learn to celebrate those that for that last few days knew cleanliness, food, care and love..right up to their very last breath...that is far better than most would have found on the street.

You are right, you will see some seriously uneducated people. This is an opportunity - it's a chance to begin helping to educate people that the stories they see on the media are often biased and don't reflect the entire picture.

You are right, bull breeds die in greater numbers just because of their breed than most. As hard as it is, sometimes dying in a shelter humanely beats the alternatives for some of these dogs.

You have to know that you work hard every day to help every dog to the best of your ability and you have to learn to look in the mirror and know you did your very best and be okay with that.

We cannot change the world, all at once. We must be the change we wish to see and we must educate one person, one dog at a time.

I know it's hard, but there are just enough really wonderful moments to make it satisfying as well.

My mantra is...if not me..who and will they work as hard or care as much? Until the day I can answer yes to those questions I get up, go to work and try hard one more day.
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Postby madremissy » June 21st, 2010, 10:17 pm

:( :( :(
Again I say thank you to all those who do what they can to help these animals. Thank you for doing something that I know I could not do. :hug3:
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Postby juniper8204 » June 22nd, 2010, 5:53 am

Diana, what you wrote really helped me this morning! When I'm having a rough day, I'll just come by here and read that. Thanks.

We've got two blue/white pits that can be moved to the adoption floor either today or tomorrow. If they have me working adoption, I'm gonna be pushing these sweethearts as hard as I can!
Jen
Mommy to Mindy Lou and Moose

Pits are addicting!!! If I foster any more, my husband will have my head!
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juniper8204
Hyper Adolescent Bully
 
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Location: Fayetteville, NC

Postby PetieMarie22 » June 22nd, 2010, 9:00 am

Wow Jen! There are many careers that I have to give the people that do them a ton of credit, and what you do is one of them! Tears are streaming down my face (while I'm in my office, again!) as I read your description of what you go through. Thanks Jen, for being there in the end for them!

airwalk wrote:There is no doubt this is a very difficult job. You will see the very worst of people, but once in a while you will see the very best as well. You have to learn to celebrate every dog. You will celebrate those that go home, those that find new homes and you will learn to celebrate those that for that last few days knew cleanliness, food, care and love..right up to their very last breath...that is far better than most would have found on the street.


Very well said Diana! You even made me feel a little better!
Kathleen (and George)
Petie Marie - spoiled rotten Pit Bull Terrier
Sunshine Honeysuckle Smith - DSH cat that lives under the couch
Sasha Marie - Bombay Mix = DIVA
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Postby PetieMarie22 » June 22nd, 2010, 9:15 am

PetieMarie22 wrote:Thanks Jen, for being there in the end for them!

And also the beginning!
(Sorry, I had to log out quickly - I didn't want that to come across wrong)
Kathleen (and George)
Petie Marie - spoiled rotten Pit Bull Terrier
Sunshine Honeysuckle Smith - DSH cat that lives under the couch
Sasha Marie - Bombay Mix = DIVA
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PetieMarie22
Hyper Adolescent Bully
 
Posts: 270
Location: Rochester NY


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