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Pets often neglected, left to survive alone
They may have twice as many legs, but when neglected, pets have half the ability to take care of themselves without the help of humans."We've had more animal control cases where people neglect or can't afford to take care of them," said Tina Ritenour, animal control officer at the Clarke County Animal Shelter.
Domestic animals are often slighted during difficult economic times.
Abandoned by their owners or simply neglected due to lack of financial resources, pets are often left to fend for themselves.
"We've been to court more lately, five times in the past six months," Ritenour said of legally holding negligent animal owners accountable.
Inability to pay for food or veterinary bills often leads to neglect.
When a report of animal abuse comes into animal control, the officers must make a site visit to determine the severity of the situation. If warranted, officers will request that the owner surrender the animal into their custody. If the owner refuses, legal action may result.
Although welfare calls have escalated in recent months, the number of pet abandonments has not risen.
Welfare calls -- reports of long hooves on a horse, a dog on a short leash or a malnourished animal -- come in daily.
Serendipity, an animal sanctuary in White Post, receives the pets of owners who have died.
Serendipity is a privately owned shelter. According to manager Beverly Robison it does not receive animals directly from the public and does not put animals up for adoption. Instead, it cares for elderly pets with few options and at risk of being euthanized.
While the sanctuary has not seen an increase in abandoned animals, it is running at capacity with both dogs and cats.
Both Ritenour and Robison are anticipating a rise in animal abuse cases with the heat of the coming summer months.
Tips regularly come in to animal control about dogs left outside and in danger of heat stroke.
“You wouldn't tie up your child, your mother or your father outside and say, 'I'll be back,'” Robison said.
Buying a pen, installing a chain link or invisible fence, or giving a pet access to a covered area are easy solutions to keep pets safe.
Some pet owners would rather risk death over desertion. For others, their pet is the first thing to be dropped when cash flow slows to a trickle.
Sam, a gray tabby cat at the shelter, was admitted after being caught in a cat trap on a private farm.
Ritenour believes his owner, who may have been unable to care for him, dropped him off at farm thinking he would be safe.
"They just assume they'll be taken care of," said Ritenour, adding that owners wrongly believe that they will die in a shelter.
Euthanasia is avoided for healthy animals at the shelter and there is no time limit for adoption of healthy animals.
Animals with diseases such as AIDS or leukemia, or those that cannot be domesticated, are in danger of being euthanized.
Bear, a black terrier, has Lyme's disease and kennel cough, the canine version of influenza. He and his cell mate, a basset hound named Banjo, were paw to mouth in worms and fleas.
They were rescued from an animal hoarder. A hoarder keeps an extremely large number of pets without adequately providing care for them.
In Berryville, residents may legally own up to five dogs. There is no limit on cats.
Robison said that most of the animals at Serendipity are victims of abuse. Its goal is to restore the animal's self-esteem and sense of security.
The goal of the trainers is to “teach [the animals] to be happy with themselves as well as people,” Robison said.
Contact the reporter at hhager@timespapers.com
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