Robeson leads NC is number of unwanted animals put down – The Robesonian

LUMBERTON If a dog or cat is taken to the Robeson County Animal Shelter, theres a pretty good chance it wont get out of there alive. Last year, more than a 90% chance.

But people like Molly Goldston, the founder of Saving Grace Animals for Adoption, act as a lifeline for the more adoptable animals by working to find them homes.

The Robeson County shelter reported 4,493 euthanized animals in 2018, according to Public Animal Shelter reports by the N.C. Agriculture and Consumer Services, by far the most in the state. Coming in a distant second was Johnston County with 2,703.

Records show Robeson County numbers have fluctuated over the years, but have been on the rise recently. In 2010, 2,073 animals were euthanized, which was 46% of all animals taken in. The rate increased to 65% of 3,726 animals in 2015 and 94% of 4,778 taken in during 2018.

In 2018, the county shelter had its highest euthanasia total since 2001, and it accounted for 9% of all the 55,900 animals euthanized in shelters throughout North Carolina that year.

The Robeson County Health Department, which manages the shelter, is directed by Bill Smith. He said the county animal shelter has seen a decrease in the number of animals put to death since the 1990s. Public Animal Shelter reports date back only to 2001.

Goldston visits the Robeson County shelter once or twice each week to rescue dogs, which are much more likely to be pulled from the shelter than cats. Goldstons is one of three rescue groups that regularly take animals from the county shelter.

Shes our biggest rescue, said Victoria Heinds, a shelter attendant.

Goldston said sometimes five, sometimes 25 animals are rescued during her visits. In 2017, she said she rescued about 900 animals from the shelter, which is at 255 Landfill Road in St. Pauls. She also travels to shelters in Scotland, Sampson, Johnston and Wayne counties in North Carolina and Marlboro County in South Carolina.

We get so many amazing dogs from Robeson County, and it is very rewarding to see them receive the necessary care and go through our adoption program and find a wonderful home, she said. I have a great team of volunteers and foster homes who make it possible.

The Wake Forest-based nonprofit is situated on 10 acres of land and has the capacity to house up to 100 dogs on its property. The group, which enjoys 300 active volunteers, also has a foster program that sends 250 dogs to temporary homes in advance of finding a permanent one. Goldston said the center processes 60 to 70 adoptions each week and predicts 3,000 adoptions by the end of this year.

She helps us a lot, Heinds said. She really does. She gives them a chance.

Cat adoptions from the shelter are low, said Jason Allison, shelter director.

A lot of people suffer from cat allergies, which will prevent them from adopting cats, Allison said.

The Raeford-based Making A Difference Rescue and Cats Paw Rescue and Sanctuary, based in Maryville, Tennessee, pull some cats from the county shelter, Allison said.

Smith said the local shelters are at the mercy of rescue groups, which decide which shelters to target, and that euthanasia numbers reflect that.

Since many shelters in the South have excess animals it is easy to move on to another site and that is what happens, Smith said.

Anyone looking to adopt a cat or dog from the shelter can view some of the available animals at the shelters Facebook page.

The job can be difficult for shelter attendants, Heinds said. There are days when she finds herself in tears.

Sometimes theyre tears of happiness, she said, referring to rescues. Sometimes, theyre tears of sadness.

Euthanasia procedures are performed once a week at the shelter, Allison said, and only when the shelter is closed. It is done by injection.

Theres no euthanasia specific date, he said.

The decision to euthanize is based on space available in the shelter, the length of time an animal has spent in the shelter and the animals health.

State law says an animal must be held for at least 72 hours before it can be adopted or euthanized, but the county extends that to five days.

Some of the animals at the shelter are surrendered, or perhaps abandoned and picked up by Animal Control officers.

A lot of people just cant financially afford to have dogs, Allison said. And they take on more than they can chew, so to say. And they have good intentions, and it just gets to a point where they just cant do it anymore.

The costs of upkeep, vaccinations and food contribute to the financial burden, he said.

As of Friday, the shelter had 64 dogs and 44 cats.

We receive animals every day, Allison said.

The Robeson County Animal Shelter recently added 10 new quarantine pens that ease overcrowding, Allison said. They house puppies before they are introduced to the rest of the population.

The shelter has 125 dog pens, 34 cat pens and a state-approved capacity to house 159 animals, Allison said. But all the pens cant be occupied as some must be available to move animals into as other pens are cleaned.

Of the dog pens, 100 are used for adoptions and 15 to quarantine sick or dangerous dogs, such as a dog that has bitten someone. Cat pens can be divided in order to house two cats per pen.

Health officials encourage pet owners to spay and neuter their animals as a way to decrease the number of strays. Although the shelter does not perform those procedures, it offer vouchers that allow owners, if they qualify, to receive those services for free as a part of the N.C. Spay/Neuter program.

The program is available to residents whose annual income is lower than the federal poverty guideline set by the Department of Health and Human Services. The federal poverty guideline for a one-person household is $12,490 a year, a two-person is $16,910, and a family of four is $25,750.

The program covers the cost of the procedure, according to N.C. Agriculture and Consumer Services.

We hand out vouchers that most local vets accept, Smith said. Local vets bill us, we pay and then seek reimbursement from the state, if the fund has not been depleted.

Vouchers are available at the animal shelter on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to noon, and at the Robeson County Health Department, located at 460 Country Club Road, every Thursday from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

The Robeson County Veterinary Medical Association also offers a Spay/Neuter Improve Pets program in March and September of each year. Procedure fees are lowered during the SNIP events and are based on pet weight, surgery needed and the use of anesthesia.

The spay/neuter procedure normally costs as much as $150, depending on the size and breed of the animal. All pet owners qualify for the SNIP discount regardless of income, and the owner doesnt have to live in Robeson County.

Allison

Smith

In 2018, the Robeson County Animal Shelter had its highest euthanasia rate since 2001 and accounted for 9% of all the animals euthanized in such shelters throughout North Carolina. Robeson County reported 4,493 euthanized animals that year, according to a 2018 Public Animal Shelter Report by N.C. Agriculture and Consumer Services. In 2001, 4,226 animals were euthanized, or 95% of the animals taken in. Courtesy photo

Goldston

One dozen dogs were given a home on Nov. 6 when the Saving Grace Animals for Adoption rescue group visited the Robeson County Animal Shelter. James Walters, left, Molly Goldston, Dawn Johnson and Lukas Packer helped load the animals into a van.

Number of dogs, cats put down on shelter on the rise

Reach Jessica Horne at 910-416-5165 or via email at [emailprotected]

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Robeson leads NC is number of unwanted animals put down - The Robesonian