 Photo: A sweet little Boston Terrier named Kory, one of several animals whose lives have been devastated by the tough economy, is looking for a new home at Animal Ark. Kory's family could not afford his needed veterinary care, including a required leg amputation, and treatment for a skin condition. In spite of the growing need for animals in Minnesota, there are many reasons for hope this holiday season.
Local and network news has been filled with stories about the tough economic times in which we are living. The impact of this economic downturn has clearly hit companion animals hard. The term "foreclosure pets" has been frequently used in recent months to describe the numbers of animals being left homeless, because the families that care for them are themselves becoming homeless. As demand for services for homeless animals has been increasing, the numbers of families looking to add a new family pet has also been decreasing.
At Animal Ark, this simply means we need to work harder.
Alongside the bad economic conditions there is some good news: Minnesotans are more aware than ever before that we need more proactive solutions to the issues facing our pet companions. Growing numbers of Minnesotans are recognizing, for example, that the traditional approach to animal sheltering has not worked. Adopting some animals and killing the rest has not improved the lives for animals in our community.
This growing awareness is causing people to look to more humane alternatives, like high-volume/low-cost spay/neuter programs. A growing desire to more effectively regulate large-scale commercial breeders (a.k.a. "puppy mills") in Minnesota is another sign of this growing awareness.
Perhaps the most important evidence that things are changing in Minnesota is that animal welfare advocates and public officials alike are asking the important question, "how can we achieve no kill community-wide?" Additionally, they are implementing the programs that have been developed and proven effective.
For more than 30 years, Animal Ark has been on the forefront of the movement that is bringing about this social change. During that time period, there has never been a more exciting time for the animal welfare movement. We are now seeing a broad and diverse group of people coming together to support our efforts, including public officials, veterinarians, animal welfare advocates and even responsible breeders.
In spite of the bad economy, and the growing need to help animals at the Animal Ark Shelter, we cannot ease up on these other efforts. There are puppy mills to clean up. There are puppy mill bills to write. There are spay/neuter programs to expand and new ones to launch.
As a result, your holiday gifts to Animal Ark this year may be more important than they have ever been. Please help any way that you can. On the right side of this window are a few ways you can support Animal Ark during this holiday season.
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Attend Animal Ark's Holiday Auction
Donate to Animal Ark
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