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| Tuesday, February 9, 2010 |
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Local SPCA home to four-legged evacuees
Published September 5, 2008
The Jackson County SPCA is now home to some four-legged hurricane evacuees. Instead of needing the community's help to return home, these 16 dogs now need our help to find a home.
In preparation for the effects of Hurricane Gustav, the Mobile City Animal Shelter sent out emails last Friday asking shelters across the state to take in dogs.
Laurie Shaw, Director of the Jackson County SPCA, received one of those emails and believed her shelter should take in some of the evacuees. There was only one problem, the Jackson County SPCA closed its shelter doors almost a year ago due to lack of funding. Still, Shaw knew she had space in the former shelter area and wanted to help. Shaw and her husband, Brian, operate the SPCA out of their business, River Run Kennels in Pisgah.
"At first they were supposed to go home, but the Mobile shelter was flooded with animals rescued from the flood. So, now we have to find homes for these dogs," Shaw said.
Shaw agreed to take some of the evacuees, but then the problem of funding came up again. All of the dogs will be bathed, vaccinated, dewormed and have their photos placed on petfinder.com to help them find a permanent home. Volunteers from the SPCA will be taking care of these needs.
"We need funds to care for these animals until we can spay and neuter them and adopt them out," Shaw said.
Shaw said she believes all of the dogs can be adopted out in 30 days and estimates the cost for caring for the dogs will be about $800 for the next month.
Shaw said she would prefer that people donate cash to help the dogs instead of food and supplies because it is healthier for the dogs to eat one kind of food.
"We have to feed and medicate them, and we don't know what we are going to do," said Jan Brown, a volunteer with the Jackson County SPCA. "We stopped asking for donations after the shelter closed."
Shaw said the dogs were transported from Mobile to Pisgah by a group from Spay Alabama. The group also delivered dogs to a shelter in Shelby County.
All 16 dogs are available for adoption. They have several mixed breeds and others, including three cocker spaniels, two beagles, two labrador retrievers and an English setter.
The SPCA is also housing three dogs for Louisiana families who have evacuated to Jackson County. These dogs will be returning home with their families.
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