Print this story |
E-mail story |
This story has 24 comments Add your own |
iPod friendly | Bookmark this
What is this?
photo by Marcus Frazier
A lonely puppy sits tied to a light pole behind the Concordia Animal Welfare Shelter Wednesday. The shelter temporarily closed for repairs last week but many animals have been dropped off since.
CAWS doors closed for now
Published Friday, February 22, 2008
FERRIDAY — Five years after it opened, the Concordia Animal Welfare Shelter closed its doors Friday, at least temporarily.
The shelter will no longer accept any new animals and has suspended any animal cruelty investigations it conducted, CAWS President Donna Maroon said.
People have dropped off animals at the shelter since its closure, Maroon said, and Wednesday afternoon someone had tied a puppy to a light pole outside the shelter.
During the closure, the shelter will focus on repairing the building and using grant money to finish the shelter’s second building, which was supposed to serve as an animal control building and emergency evacuation shelter, Maroon said.
The building that has served as the shelter was only supposed to serve as an adoption center, but all of the animals coming through the shelter have had to go through that building because the second building was not yet done.
“We have a lot of holes in it from overcrowding from the time of Hurricane Katrina on,” Maroon said. “We had to keep dogs and cats in rooms and not cages.”
At the time of the closure, the shelter adopted out 10 animals, and Director Lisa Smith took another 10 more to Madison with her, where she is serving as a consultant for a shelter that is starting up there, Maroon said.
The rest of the animals, which were largely feral cats too wild to tame, had to be euthanized, Maroon said.
The closure leaves the Natchez-Adams Humane Society as the only animal shelter in the area, but President Linda Harper said the society would be able to handle what comes their way.
“Even when CAWS was open we continued to take a lot of animals from that area when they were full because they weren’t able to house that many animals,” Harper said.
“We’re still good, though, and we’ll take anything that comes through the door.”
But Harper said one important CAWS function the humane society will not be able to cover is that of animal control.
“I had someone call me today (from Concordia Parish) about some rottweillers that were chasing kids,” Harper said. “We don’t go to that area, and there’s nobody to call but the police.”
When or if the shelter re-opens, it will not be in the animal control business, Maroon said.
“That will be up to the sheriff’s department and the local people,” Maroon said. “We’re going to concentrate on education in schools and pet therapy in the nursing homes.”
Needs the shelter has during the interim include money for veterinarian bills, as well as utilities.
“Without some government help from local police juries for the areas we cover, it’s impossible to operate,” Maroon said. “I hope people will talk to their officials.”
The Concordia Parish Police Jury tried to work out an intergovernmental agreement with local municipalities for animal control in 2007, but nothing ultimately came of the efforts.
Comments
Posted by ntzmom (anonymous) on February 22, 2008 at 1:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is horrible. I believe there is special place in H3LL
for people that mistreat animals and for cities that are too greedy to help fund help for these helpless creatures that the LORD made.
Posted by LocustStorm (anonymous) on February 22, 2008 at 4:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Rottweiler. <the correct spelling. Sorry.. that just peeved me.
Posted by JDR (anonymous) on February 22, 2008 at 5:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
i agree ntzmom. well said. /tips hat
Posted by kpage (anonymous) on February 22, 2008 at 5:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Look at that poor black lab! They make wonderful pets. Hopefully he'll get adopted today because that picture says 1,000 words.
What I want to know is what is the parish's excuse for not finding a few dollars to help out?????
Posted by hellcat (anonymous) on February 22, 2008 at 6:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Looks like there's a good use for that WalMart money they are still trying to figure out how to spend. This is horrible! Ferriday has a chance to redeem itself right now.
Posted by kpage (anonymous) on February 22, 2008 at 7:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey, good idea, hellcat!!!!!!! That's the best one I've heard, as a matter of fact. Good thinking. Now if Allen can step to the plate and help out....it's election time, ya know...the only time politicians do good deeds.
Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on February 22, 2008 at 9:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Well, It looks like another chance for Ferriday to redeem itself has been placed at there feet. Hey Ferriday, Help the animals out here. They are neither black, nor white, republican nor democrat, they are the victims. Open you heart...and purse strings....
Posted by obamayamama (anonymous) on February 22, 2008 at 10:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What happened to that $300,000? Why not use it for the homeless animals? They deserve it more than most people in Ferriday do.
Posted by ntzmom (anonymous) on February 22, 2008 at 10:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I hope you look into that csguidry.
This is simply unexcusable. I donate to the shelter here, and I am disgusted with the facility. Not the workers, but the actual dump of a building.
I swear, if I ever come into big money, I would build a huge, clean, sanitary home for the animals.
something has to be done in both Natchez and Concordia.
Posted by ChooseOrLose (anonymous) on February 22, 2008 at 10:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree, it's time for the parish to step up and realize that this is an important issue. Just a small portion of that money will go a long way for an animal shelter.
If you are interested in learning more about what we can do to stop animal cruelty, I am forming an animal activist group. It's just beginning to come together. I will be writing a mission statement and as soon as we have a nice group of people, we will learn more about what we can do to help. www.myspace.com/realisticanimalwelfarere...
R.A.W.R. - Realistic Animal Welfare Reform
Posted by ntzmom (anonymous) on February 22, 2008 at 11:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
That link doesnt work choose.
Posted by dixiemama (anonymous) on February 22, 2008 at 11:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is horrible. It makes me very sad because I took a puppy we found deserted there once. They assure me he would be given a good home! There motto was suppose to be "no-kill"!!!!
((ntzmom)) I have said the same thing, if I was to win the lottery I would build a safe haven for deserted animals. Of course I never buy a ticket to win.
Anyone that would be cruel to an animal would do the same thing to a human. All serial killers have been linked to being cruel to animals as a child.
Posted by ntzmom (anonymous) on February 22, 2008 at 12:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Very true dixiemama.
My pie in the sky vision for a refuge for dogs...
I would like a build a big house, using the foundation as flooring, stain it, score it and put drains in so you could clean it easy and it would look nice.
I would buy a bunch of those little toddler beds for the dogs to sleep, even a few sofas with covers on them so it would be home like.
I would have a TV and even pipe in classical relaxing music at night for them.
Every morning, while they are out side, clean the whole place, then bring them in till like 3, and get kids to come play with them from one of these after school programs.
Don't know about cats yet...I guess give them a few rooms with climbing toys and stuff!
Then when people came to adopt the animals would be well socialized and the visit would be a great experience!
Hey I can dream!
Posted by ntzmom (anonymous) on February 22, 2008 at 12:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh and I would stay with them during storms...lightening and thunder can tramatize animals, especially if they are all alone.
I just dont see how this is totally impossible.
Posted by mike8427 (anonymous) on February 22, 2008 at 1:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ntzmom, not sure if you know or not, but the natchez shelter has been raising money for some time now to get a new building. I'm not sure where the donations are being accepted, but if you call the shelter they can tell you. Its a good cause so all please support when or if you are asked.
Posted by kpage (anonymous) on February 22, 2008 at 1:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'll volunteer to do the cat stuff! I plan to win Publisher's Clearinghouse on the 29th. We could pool our money and have a heck of a shelter!
Posted by ChooseOrLose (anonymous) on February 22, 2008 at 4:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh no! That's how new it is, I have been giving the wrong link!!! It's www.myspace.com/rawrforanimals
Try it now. :-) It's not much there yet, but give me time. I plan to get as many of my friends as I can to donate time to shelters, as well as we will be learning more about animal cruelty, and what we can do to help. I felt the PETA people are to extreme for my own taste, and we need an organization in Louisiana.
Posted by Razzmatazz (anonymous) on February 22, 2008 at 6:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You people make me want to puke. I don't hear anybody talking about the lives of all the unborn children that are killed every year due to abortion but you want to bitch about all the poor little animals that are being neglected. Give us a break and get a life.
Posted by ntzmom (anonymous) on February 22, 2008 at 7:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Mike, I do donate to the Natchez building fund.
Razz, when there is an article about abortion, people get fiesty and post alot.
However, this article is about abandoned animals.
Posted by comminatcha (anonymous) on February 22, 2008 at 7:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Razzmatazzs
YOU make me sick! I'm not for abortion, let me say that first. You must not have a heart at all!! These animals are inocent and need our help. If you want to b***h about abortion than this is not the article to do it on. I wish you were in front of me right now I would slap you!! you make me vomit! you sick S.O.B.!! You need to get a life you freak! I hate people like you! These animals are way more valuable and important than you are!!! I really hope you come back to this article and read this post.
Posted by ntzmom (anonymous) on February 22, 2008 at 7:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Good luck kpage..hope you win!!!
Posted by dixiemama (anonymous) on February 22, 2008 at 8:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
(Razzmatazzs) where were you when the very heated discussions about abortion were going on? You never made a comment about that! Maybe that didn't upset you like it did the rest of us. I agree with (comminatcha) you make us all want to puke!!!
Animals are a very important part of our lives. People that don't have the unconditional love of an animal will never know what true love is! I have been maried for almost 42 years & we got our frist "baby" a few weeks after we were married. By the way she was a shelter puppy. We were fortunate enough to have her for 15 years. All of my dogs are loved & if I could I would have more.
Posted by kd (anonymous) on February 22, 2008 at 10:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The SPCA should come to the parish. They handle animal control, as well as investigating animal cruelty and providing shelter for abandoned animals. The organization also helps low income people pay for spaying or neutering.
Posted by sayaprayer (anonymous) on February 25, 2008 at 4:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I dont know how many people on here already know this but thought this a good article to mention it on. There are ways to help either one of these shelters. anyone can help daily by using their computer. All you have to do is use goodsearch.com as your search engine and make sure the Natchez Humane Society or Concorida Aniaml Welfare is chosen in the cause field when you search. every search you do will donate to the shelter. I have it as my home page. Also if you are an internet shopper go to IGIVE.com and sign up chosing the Natchez Humane Society or Concodia Animal welfare as your cause and everytime you shop on the internet if you go through this site the company you shop with will donate to the shelter. There are alot of stores on this site. you would really be surprised at how fast it can add up if everyone would use these sites. Please check them out. I do not work at the shelter but I have rescued many pets from there and I highly respect the people that do the great jobs that they do there.
Post a comment
Post a comment (Terms of Use Policy)
(Requires free registration.)