Shelters fill as troops sadly give pets away!

[jackiesdaisy1935]

Shelters fill as troops sadly give pets away
Associated Press
WACO -- Texas soldiers preparing to be sent overseas are expressing concerns about the fate of pets they will leave behind.

Lorrie Dicorte is dog-sitting Sampson, a massive Great Dane that belongs to a soon-to-be-deployed Fort Hood soldier who tearfully gave the dog up.

Dicorte told the Waco Tribune-Herald in Sunday's editions that she already has one of the big dogs but agreed to keep another after talking to its owner.

"Lord knows I don't need another Great Dane, but, yes, I don't want to see it suffer," she said.

Soldiers are having to make plans for their animals following the increase of tensions between the United States and Iraq. The 4th Infantry's 17,000 troops are on alert for deployment but remain for now at their home bases -- nearby Fort Hood and Fort Carson, Colo.

Animal rescue shelters in Waco and Killeen are being deluged with calls from the Central Texas military personnel.

"A lot of them are in tears, which of course puts us in tears, even though we try to be professional and not cry," said Ginger Smith-Holmes, manager at Second Chance shelter in Killeen.

Many soldiers are calling rescue groups like Second Chance because they have no-kill policies, unlike shelters that euthanize animals.

"I've even heard some of them say, `I really hope my baby's here when I come back from the Middle East,' " Smith-Holmes said.

Second Chance has about 140 dogs and cats and is at full capacity.

Animal organizations have established bulletin boards where troops can attempt to give away their pets to good homes.

[lovemyshiba]

That is sad.
I have to admit, I never thought of the pets of all of our military personnel, I hope they are all safe as well.

[Cincy'sMom]

Thanks for posting this Jackie. There are a lot of dogs going in to shleter becuase of military deployment and not only area with big bases, but area with reserves also.

My sister and her husband are in Ft. Hood Texas and I know they have answered a few adds of people looking to give up their dogs. The first, a Great Dane had already found another home, and the 2nd a choc. lab mix has several interested families. Since Christy and Brian already have 2 dogs, they passed, but asked the people to contact them if everyone else backed out.

[NoahsMommy]

Oh no! Could you imagine having to face going to war....AND having to face giving up an animal? That would send me over the edge....this is so sad!

Thanks for posting this...I'll contact our local shelters to see if we can help somehow.

[jenluckenbach]

this really is sad.

[Cinder & Smoke]

If you think you might be able to help -
Here's a link to a web site that is trying to arrange Foster Care for Military Pets...

NetPet.org - Foster Care for Military Pets

There is a *clicker* just below the opening paragraph that jumps you to another *clicker* that opens a e-mail to NetPets.

Anyone living near a Military Base could inquire at the Base.

Also conside a short-tern assist to a Soldier...
Many are *suddenly* called to active duty and have no time to make arrangements with distant relatives or friends who CAN take care of the Pet - but not quicly enough before the Soldier must leave. Temporarily "Fostering" the FurKid long enough to help make permanent arrangements could help many Pets avoid being abandoned.

Jump In if you can help!

[Dakota's Mommy]

Yes, this is a major problem. As my sister said, we've answered a few adds in the paper to try to take a few of these pets. However, the ones in the papers have seem to been finding homes because most of the people no longer have the animal by the time we call in the early evenings. We are only aloud to have 3 dogs while in on-post housing, but that means we can take 1 more. We really think it's better if we don't get a 3rd pup because I'm nervous about how our 2 will react and I'm afraid they won't get enough attention while he's gone, but if that's what we have to do to keep another pup from being killed, we will do what we have to. I do ask that any of you that can help, please do. These poor animals are being left behind for various reasons, and we really feel sorry for all of these pets! I also feel sorry for those sholdiers who have no other choice but to give it to the shelter because not all of them want to let go of that special pet!

[Cinder & Smoke]

Originally posted by Cinder & Smoke
If you think you might be able to help -
Here's a link to a web site that is trying to arrange
Foster Care for Military Pets (Pets of Service Men/Women
who have been called away for home to Active Duty)...

NetPet.org - Foster Care for Military Pets

There is a *clicker* just below the opening paragraph that jumps you to another *clicker* that opens a e-mail to NetPets.

Anyone living near a Military Base could inquire at the Base.

Also conside a short-tern assist to a Soldier...
Many are *suddenly* called to active duty and have no time to make arrangements with distant relatives or friends who CAN take care of the Pet - but not quickly enough before the Soldier must leave. Temporarily "Fostering" the FurKid long enough to help make permanent arrangements could help many Pets avoid being abandoned.

Jump In if you can help!

[Desert Arabian]

They were talking about this issue last week on our local FOX news.

There was this family from the Milwaukee area, and the daughter got deployed. She had two black Labs, and gave them to her mom to take care of them while she was away. The mom took care of them for a week or so, and then look them to the pound, because they were too much for her. The daughter has no clue her dogs went to the shelter...and most likely doesn't know about it as of now either. They showed live video footage of the dogs, and they looked extremely depressed behind the chainlink gate.

Sick, sad, and wrong. If I were that lady I'd sue the parents. I told my mom if she ever did anything like that I would, and she said "Don't worry, I'd never do that." Hopefully I won't have to worry about that.

[neko1]

Aw this is sad, I never thought about all of the animals that will need foster homes! Thank you so much for posting this.

[moosmom]

Jackiesdaisy1935,

Wow, I never realized this would be such a big problem. As far as the mother taking her daughter's two dogs to a shelter, that is sick!!! Those dogs were not hers to give away. Do you know if the daughter was informed of her dogs being brought to a shelter? I can't imagine doing that to your kid.

[Desert Arabian]

Originally posted by moosmom
Jackiesdaisy1935,

Wow, I never realized this would be such a big problem. As far as the mother taking her daughter's two dogs to a shelter, that is sick!!! Those dogs were not hers to give away. Do you know if the daughter was informed of her dogs being brought to a shelter? I can't imagine doing that to your kid.

Last week, when it was on the news, the newscaster said that she did not know about it...that was last week. As of now, I do not know if she knows or not- I doubt it.

[batgirl1980]

That is so sad I didn't think about that...

As for that mom who gave her daughters dogs to the pound... HOW could she do such a thing?!!! Obviously if her daughter wanted them in the pound, SHE would have taken them there, so the mom had NO right to get of her daughters babies.. if i was the daughter..when I found out... that is so wrong. *really mad*

[Dakota's Mommy]

Well, Brian and I did get a pup from the Animal Control Shelter here around the Ft. Hood area (Killeen to be exact)! Here's the pup we got from the shelter:

Our Black Lab Mix Sierra:

[Anakins mom]

My son is in the Air Force. He has forgone having a pet due to getting sent out on TDY's alot. But he is now the proud daddy of a three month old baby girl. He and his girlfriend are both active duty Air Force.

If they get deployed I am going to be taking care of my grand daughter. Those in the military are making some very very big sacrifices.

I saw a man on the news the other night who has a son that is 9 months old. And he has never met him. He was deployed before he was born and he has no idea when he will be back.

My cousin and her hubby are career military officers. They have a chocolate lab. Hubby is taking care of her now as my cousin has been deployed. If he goes they have made arrangements for a family friend to take care of their dog.

I pray that people across the nation will open their hearts and homes and be willing to help the men and women and their families who have chosen to protect and serve our nation.