What if they could talk?

Hard to find. Dirty cages. Cavalier employees. That's how some visitors describe the Fort Lauderdale shelter run by Broward County 's Animal Care and Regulation division.

[animal shelters]

i have to wonder if anyone criticizing the animal shelters, any animal shelter, have ever thought to volunteer a few hours each week to help.
do they have their own cat or dog spayed or neutered? Do they pay hundreds or thousands for a special breed while wonderful animals go to their death?

[Miguel]

This is so sad. I wish I could save them all.

[Suzy Q]

I volunteer for a rescue orginization. My cats came from animal control. When I deal with the staff at animal control, they are great to work with. Those that complain.. do you volunteer? help would be appreciated. so would EDUCATION.. Spay , neutar. research on the pet you want to see if its a match. People buy these pets.. thinking they come with obedience taining certificates. They don't, they require work.Once someone adopts a pet,especially a dog, it should be MANDATORY to take the pet to some kind of pet training classes for the benefit of the pet and the owner..Once an adoption is complete.. follow up calls should be made. and if things arent working out.. then more education. Spay..neutar .. And its a lot of work on the part of animal control.. but those of us who want changes.. should volunteer more time. the time we sit and watch a tv show.. to help educate.

[Anon]

The county can hire an outside firm to investigate and it's just a waste of money. The county doesn't want to admit to what the real problem is.

An inadequate budget to run the facility and the inability to fire incompetent, but tenured county employees.

[re united]

I think the staff does a good job despite the conditions at the shelter. I found a stray and contacted the shelter. A couple of weeks later the dog's owner called me and they were re united.

[Please Read]

"The Animals' Savior"
Copyright Jim Willis 1999

I looked at all the caged animals in the shelter...the cast-offs of human society.
I saw in their eyes love and hope, fear and dread, sadness and betrayal.
And I was angry.
"God," I said, "this is terrible! Why don't you do something?"
God was silent for a moment and then He spoke softly.
"I have done something," He replied.
"I created You."

[florida native]

Miguel wrote:

This is so sad. I wish I could save them all.

like you when i went to the pound a few years ago to adopt a new cat i had recently had a cat pass away so i immediately called the pounf and sure enpought upon coming acros a s sweet caloco female when i puy my finger in the cage she licked it so sonata as i named her has been with me every since and yes she was already fixed i wished i could bring many more home wiyth me but i just could not do it and years ago i also sadopted a great black labor from the humanr socity. i always tell people if you want a dog or cat go to the two shelters they will already be fixed and have their shots too many animals are left in the shelters and the eyes of an animal in those god forsaken cages just tear me apart i will always go adopt from the shelters only way to do it but i am disabled so even if i wanted to i could not volunteer. besides i would bring many of them home as my own pet. and my dog and cat are my best friends they are now my children as i like to say. i love them both and i am very glad i saved their lives got them to a better home than the shelters. but i can undwstand everyone concerns. people who have animals and do not get them fixed than they let them out to produce so many more should be fined a big tax fee to cover the expense of caring for the animals over the years. something must be done for every one cat or dog that gwts adopted ten more are taken to a shelter.

[peta]

the conditions at this shelter are disgusting. i am sure many people bypass getting a pet from here for that reason alone.

[a Miamian]

I have three cats and a dog. One cat was a stray that found our home, the second found after someone threw him out of his car window and almost got hit by our car the third came from a cat foster home. My dog came from the Broward sheleter and happens to be the sweetest, smartest, dog that anyone can imagine having. I urge everyone instead of spending hundreds of dollars buying dogs or cats from pet stores or breeders just because they want a pure bred save a life and get an animal from a shelter. How can you resist their sad eyes looking at you from their cages.....

[Mom of High schooler]

I only go through the humane society. I got a dog a couple of years ago and she came from Puerto Rico. She was a street dog there and was positive for heart worm. No one wanted her even though they treated her before bringing here. So I took her because they probably would have put her down. My vet tested her months later and was negative. It saddens me to think people are so ignorant and pass such a good dog up without doing some research. Now two years later and she has come along way. Not the same from when we first brought her home. Spoiled!

[Miami Pam]

Very few of my pets have NOT come from shelters. I think puppy mills should be outlawed. I also think there should be a law passed that unless you are a licensed breeder you must have your pet spayed or nuetered period. I have been to this shelter a few times-just to visit all of the jailed animals because my heart bleeds for them. A shelter can only do what they have funds to do with. If the personel at this particular shelter was abusing funds etc they should be fired and replaced with a more responsible staff and the shelter given a good cleaning. It does not take money to be clean. That being said- it did not take $30,000 to come up with that little tidbit of advice. If this shelter can afford hiring a consultant for $30,000 to tell them what a few bystanders could have told them, they could have used that $30,000 to upgrade their shelter. That is A LOT of $$ to a non profit shelter.

[BCL]

Ummm... Let's get real here. These are animals. There are people around the world that live in worse conditions. Why are we wasting time/effort on these animals when members of our own species are suffering? Animals won't put themselves out to deal with a human with problems. That is the way of nature. Why are we going out of our way to help them? I now that this will upset all the animal lovers, but my question to them is "Why do you put animals above people?"

[Miami Pam]

Also, I hear over and over again from the general public-"You never know what you are getting when you adopt from a shelter". Well, usually you get a cat or a dog that someone has either abused or neglected. These animals are NORMALLY happy /overjoyed to have some LOVE. I adopted my beloved Lab who was abused when I got her-made to live on a chain out doors in the FL heat. She was almost 2 and positive for heart worms. We spent hundreds having her treated and saved her life. She was the best most loyal dog I have ever seen in my life. At the end of her life she battled cancer but loved us all the while,my then 1 yr old would lay on the cool tile with her and cuddle up to her tummy and rub her ears while watching cartoons to which she would give him a lap every now and then. She was almost 13 when she HAD to be put down due to her pain and no meds would work anymore. But I have to say-that was 2 yrs ago and I still cry when I think of her. It was the best 11 yrs of my life with her in our family.She taught each one of my children about love for animals and unconditional love.

[neptola grubbs]

are you sure this not city hall ? lori parrish section

[Glenn Coral Springs]

I have had my cat rescued by animal control I was fortunate he was there for 12 days. My animals are my children BCL needs to get a life. There is a problem that needs to be adressed we need to spay/neuter the strays that will lead to population reduction. We need to educate people and make it a fine to let your pets wander outdoors unsupervised. I have seen many times gangs of 4 dogs running amuck looking for females not to mention the overpopulation of cats. Euthanizing is not the answer.

[Miami Pam]

BCL wrote:

Ummm... Let's get real here. These are animals. There are people around the world that live in worse conditions. Why are we wasting time/effort on these animals when members of our own species are suffering? Animals won't put themselves out to deal with a human with problems. That is the way of nature. Why are we going out of our way to help them? I now that this will upset all the animal lovers, but my question to them is "Why do you put animals above people?"

Ummmm, let's get real here....My what a big heart you have BCL.
Comapring animals to humans? Humans generally have the ability (except children) to TAKE CARE OF THEIR OWN BASIC NEEDS -all that is required is getting off your lazy arse and doing something about your situation! Animals are bought with the intent on being the "star" pet in the family and then for a variety of reasons DISCARDED. People (whom have hearts) take it upon themselves to take care of these neglected and often abused animals. What do you care? Are you donating time or funds to any animal causes? I thought not, then what is it to you? Go donate your time-talents and $$ to a human cause then. Thats the great thing about the US- we have the right to choose how and what we spend our hard earned money on and how or what we will spend our time on. Get a life then save a life- either human or animal. It'll make you feel better, I promise.

[DKR]

Heaven forbid you have to give up your pet. But if you must, bring it to the private non-profit Humane Society of Broward County on Griffin Road. The conditions are clean, they genuinely love the animals they care for and they work very hard to make sure as many homeless pets as possible go to good, forever homes.

They do VERY GOOD WORK and can ALWAYS use your support

[DKR]

And SPAY or NEUTER ALL YOUR PETS! The "Miracle of Birth" can best be seen at a zoo or if you foster a pregnant cat or dog.

[CatLady]

BCL wrote:

Ummm... Let's get real here. These are animals. There are people around the world that live in worse conditions. Why are we wasting time/effort on these animals when members of our own species are suffering? Animals won't put themselves out to deal with a human with problems. That is the way of nature. Why are we going out of our way to help them? I now that this will upset all the animal lovers, but my question to them is "Why do you put animals above people?"

Animals ARE ABOVE PEOPLE LIKE YOU - THEY ARE KIND, LOYAL, LOVING, UNCONDITIONAL IN THE DEVOTION AND HAVE YOU SEEN OR HEARD OF RESCUE ANIMALS; ANIMALS WHO SAVE THIER OWNERS' LIVES - IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME -- HOW DARE YOU SAY ANIMALS DON'T PUT THEMSELVES OUT FOR PEOPLE. SHAME ON YOU. YOU DON'T DESERVE THE LOVE AN ANIMAL CAN GIVE - YOU ARE BENEATH THE LOWEST SPECIES.

[DAS]

Why would you think it would be any different then ALL THE JAILS ????????