2008 Woodie Awards
Animals awaiting new homes
HOMELESS: SPCALA is always looking for people to adopt its shelter animals.
By: Evan Ortega
Issue date: 10/14/04 Section: City News
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They have been rescued from all over Southern California and are survivors of abusive and neglectful owners. While trained and treated for injury and illness, they wait to be adopted into loving and caring homes.
Unlike hundreds of thousands of other animals that are euthanized each year in California, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles says that it only kills animals as a last resort, intended to end suffering.
"The ones too sick to heal are put to sleep to stop suffering, but we don't put adoptable animals to sleep," Jeff Blodgett, public information officer for SPCALA, said.
While a variety of animals are available for adoption any time of the year, October has been named "adopt -a-shelter-dog month" to bring the issue of pet adoption to more people's attention. Animal welfare organizations across the country, including SPCALA participate.
"It raises awareness for shelter dogs; many people go to pet stores, but a lot of shelters have good dogs in need of homes," Blodgett said.
People should find the "right pet" for their household and be able to adequately care for the animal, according to SPCALA. A requirement is that the whole family and any pre-existing pets make sure they can interact well.
"You need to apply for the animal; we just don't hand them out, animals are a lot of hard work and you need to take care of it at all times," Blodgett said, adding that dogs are harder to care for than cats.
A screening process is conducted in order to help ensure that the adopted animal will not have to be returned to the shelter later on if the owner is unable to care for it. "It's important to screen because it's hard on a pet to be brought to a shelter, then a home, and back to a shelter," Blodgett said.
Before animals are put up for adoption, they are given medical care, vaccination shots, neutered or spayed, and are checked to make sure they can interact well with humans.
Unlike hundreds of thousands of other animals that are euthanized each year in California, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles says that it only kills animals as a last resort, intended to end suffering.
"The ones too sick to heal are put to sleep to stop suffering, but we don't put adoptable animals to sleep," Jeff Blodgett, public information officer for SPCALA, said.
While a variety of animals are available for adoption any time of the year, October has been named "adopt -a-shelter-dog month" to bring the issue of pet adoption to more people's attention. Animal welfare organizations across the country, including SPCALA participate.
"It raises awareness for shelter dogs; many people go to pet stores, but a lot of shelters have good dogs in need of homes," Blodgett said.
People should find the "right pet" for their household and be able to adequately care for the animal, according to SPCALA. A requirement is that the whole family and any pre-existing pets make sure they can interact well.
"You need to apply for the animal; we just don't hand them out, animals are a lot of hard work and you need to take care of it at all times," Blodgett said, adding that dogs are harder to care for than cats.
A screening process is conducted in order to help ensure that the adopted animal will not have to be returned to the shelter later on if the owner is unable to care for it. "It's important to screen because it's hard on a pet to be brought to a shelter, then a home, and back to a shelter," Blodgett said.
Before animals are put up for adoption, they are given medical care, vaccination shots, neutered or spayed, and are checked to make sure they can interact well with humans.