Wednesday, June 9, 2010

My trip to Robeson County Animal Shelter A Fact Finding Mission



My trip to Robeson County Animal Shelter
Every year, an estimated 5 to 10 million pets are euthanized in animal shelters in the United States. Why? Because there is no place for them to go, no homes for them. Yet, we continue to let animals roam freely, unneutered and producing more unwanted animals. Their offspring often go from birth to the shelter where, if they are not adopted before their 6 days are up, they will be killed. That is where the expression "born to die" applies; newly born into this world only to be put to death. What a tragic waste of life. There is a solution for this overpopulation problem, and that is to spay and neuter.




I want to thank you all for sending me to Robeson.First I'd like to say that the issues with this animal shelter has really bothered me. Ive read so many post and notes with people fighting and complaining it makes me sick. Ive been involved with helping animals for over 2 years and Ive never seen so much mess and back biting in my life. After making several videos and campaigning for this shelter people asked me to go and to check the shelter out. I told them I could go but needed there help to do this.
I also want you all to realize that every state has problems when it comes to the way animals are treated not just Robeson.
Day 1
I left last sat. around 12:00 it was a beautiful ride to North Carolina. We arrived in South Carolina very late at night so I didnt get to see a lot until the next morning. I was with a very close friend of mine ,she offered to go with me & drive if I needed her to. We spent most the day sunday sleeping because the ride just wore us both out. .I was very surprised  to find out just how many people had no idea about the issues with shelters in the Carolinas.

I spent a lot of time that afternoon going over the things I wanted to go over when I arrived at the shelter monday .I have spent many hours researching all the info for months and the truth was just about to be in front of my eyes.

One of the biggest things I remember about South Carolina is every mile was a sign that read Adopt a mile . This is a program the state has so they can keep there highways nice and clean Im guessing.

I wanted to stop and put a line through mile and put the word Dog.But that would be illegal but it would have made me feel better.

Ive never been to North & South Carolina so all of this was the first time to see it. I noticed beautiful flowers growing on the interstate leading to Robeson it was a beautiful drive.

St.Pauls is a very small & old town but from what I seen it is a very nice place to live.

We arrived at the shelter there was no cars . At first I thought they we're closed but as we began to park I could see the door was opened. Walking into the shelter is a long narrow hall I turned on my camera and began to video tape me walking in. The first door you come to on the right is a pretty big room with a few crates that had cats in them.
I walked out of that room back out into the hall and went directly into the main building where all the dogs are at. It looks just like it does in the photos.

To my surprise the building was very cool. A man walked toward me and asked me if I needed any help "I said no sir I dont. Then I asked him if any animals had been adopted today and he said yes a few then he told me that there was 56 adoptions on sat. I guess thats the reason for all the empty cages .

For the few dogs that was there most of them had either holds on them are they had a owner. I was disappointed because I was hoping to be able to pull a few myself.

Several of the dogs that was in the general viewing area I guess didnt like us taking there photo because they was growling at me & my friend.

I ran into one of the workers there and we stood there and talked for a while. I asked him about people that comes there to volunteer and his remark to me was "Do you see any volunteers ? He said this is how it is almost every day.

The man was very nice to me and he made several statements about believing in God and prayer.
Then my friend came walking up, she had went to the very back of the building where the mean dogs are held and said you need to go back there & see this. So I walked around a little more taking photos and checking out the place and as I was getting closer to the back all three workers was sitting in chairs and talking with each other. I asked them if I was allowed to go back there and see the dogs and one of the men walked me back there.

The dogs where barking like crazy and jumping up and down and you could tell they wasn't happy at all. The worker walked back to his chair and I stayed . I went to the last cage and bent down and was scratching this one dogs head .She had a owner and was just being held until the owner came to get her.The white Pitt was still there and he was not happy at all to be in his cage. I could see that the dog beside him was making him very mad.

I walked back to where the employees was all sitting and I asked them what day they euthanize and he said we dont. Right now we cant euthanize any dogs because of the law suit.

I told them I was aware of all the things that has been said about this shelter and he began to tell me that people have them all wrong. He said we dont wont to kill these animals but we didnt create this problem. I said well considering everything that is going on if they would work with the public it would make it so much better for the animals.He agreed.

I told him that one of the biggest complaints is the fact that the animals are not given a fair chance to be adopted when there photo is only on petfinder for one day before there kill date.

He said he understood but they have no control over that. Remember this is a County run Pound not a Animal Shelter.

All three men was very nice to us and they answered my questions they also gave me a full tour of the pound.

Now when it comes to cleanliness,This was the cleanest shelter Ive been to in a while. I didnt smell pee or mess . I was very shocked.

The one thing that did bother me is that momma dogs are being separated from there pups . I think this is very unfair. I also seen 4 of the beds that had been donated in cages with no dogs . It looked as though these cages had been cleaned and they was waiting to be used in there rotation.

 This is my opinion on what I think this shelter needs ,citizens that live in that town need  to form a group that will help this shelter .


Keep a log of what animal is adopted and the ones that are euthanized all this is public record.
This state has many cities that are considered vacation destinations so all it will take is a little leg work and I believe this shelter will be a lot better off. I know there has been many allegation against them but remember this isnt the only shelter in america that is killing dogs its happening every place.


I had spoken with Jackie Armstrong (A Robeson Volunteer) several weeks ago and I was suppose to meet with her when I came to Robeson but I was unable to reach her monday and she wasent at the facility .


I was very disappointed I was unable to pull any dogs from this shelter on monday so Im hoping in a few weeks Ill be able to return to do so.

I hope this clears up any questions that you have about this shelter I was disappointed that Jeff Bass was off monday I really wanted to speak with him.Maybe on my next visit.
I took photos and I will add them to my blog I post after I get through sending it to all the people that helped me make my trip.


Terri Davis






and by the way for anyone that reads my blog,I am not a writer ,I have bad grammar ,but my heart is  a lot bigger then the people having ugly remarks about my writing. So if you don't like it stop reading what I post....

I also have valid proof of this trip that will only be given to the people that donated due to the facebook bashers 




Copyright © 2010 The voice for the voiceless - All Rights Reserved

5 comments:

Unknown said...
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Unknown said...
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Anonymous said...

I agree with the point that walking into a shelter and not seeing a volunteer there is a community problem. Im having a very hard time grasping this. Any time you walk into either of our shelters there are volunteers there.

I struggle to watch people say that the dogs stuck at South Robeson Vets lives are so horrible being stuck in a kennel there they are better off put to sleep. What kind of thinking is that?

Dogs spend months on end at times in a kennel here at our NO KILL FOR SPACE shelters, should we just have kill shelters and kill them since they have to live in a kennel? Isnt that supporting kill shelters to have that thought process?

Reality is its hard to see a dog have to live in a kennel like that. To have a NO KILL for space shelter that is the reality people. Some dogs dont adopt out in a few days, some takes months.

What makes the difference? Is the answer to just kill them and put them out of their misery? Really?

How about people go and volunteer to be with the dogs, take them outside, play with them and make their lives better. Not only at the vets but at the shelter as well.

That is what worries me here with Robeson. It seems it is easier to kill then to actually do something. There is attention on this shelter and support now, use it for the better.

Go to the schools, educated on fixing animals and proper animal care. Go door to door hand out flyers with information. Educate the public on their shelter. Get them involved. Rally for a no kill shelter. Actually bring in people that can change it and get it done right instead of just saying you want it that way. SHOW THEM HOW, they are not going to do it on their own.

Start a shelter and eventually make the county ran one USELESS and show the county its CHEAPER to pay THAT SHELTER to operate then to run their own. It can be done.

Community and volunteers need to want it.

I am sure I am going to make people mad. I understand that. I am for better shelters, better care and better animal laws and rights. I look at the big picture.

I care about each and every dog. I have a Robeson puppy in my home right now I am fostering and I am in South Dakota. I am not just spewing out of my mouth and doing nothing. Im trying to and I am far away.

I pray that someone will form a task force and address these needs within the community and get involved.

Willie Wonka said...
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Unknown said...
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