20
Dec
2004
On Thursday, December 9, two River Cities' Reader staff members participated in the Moline animal shelter's "media lockup." The program was meant to attract people to the shelter to adopt animals, as well as raise awareness through articles in the media.
Finding the building, off Fourth Avenue at 35th Street, can be tricky if you don't know where you're going. People driving by wouldn't even know that just down the street are animals in need of homes.
When I arrived, I was surprised how small the building was. I was greeted by Bali Guerrero, the kennel tech. These animals are so fortunate to have her; they might have an off-the-beaten-path location and a small building, but they have one woman filled with lots of love.
My co-worker Lou Ann Goral accompanied me to the event. We were both taken to the dog- kennel area for the beginning of the lockup. This was a rare day for the shelter, because its dog kennels weren't at capacity. As we entered the room where the dogs are held, they started barking, except for one golden retriever, featured on the cover of the Reader two weeks ago. (See "Gimme Shelter," River Cities' Reader Issue 506, December 8-14, 2004.) He just lay on the floor, almost as if he had given up. He was later taken to the no-kill Quad City Animal Welfare Center.
We each had a kennel right next to the dogs. When the caretakers left the room, all the animals got quiet, sat, and stared at us. The floor is cement and cold, and there isn't a lot of space for the dogs to move around. Being locked up gave me the animals' viewpoint. The only way that I could have gotten out was if I had four legs and someone came to adopt me. Otherwise I would be stuck there waiting, waiting ... .
Whenever the main door opened, the dogs barked. The caretaker brought in rugs for them to lie on. The first two played with theirs, but the German Shepherd, part of an animal rescue, keeps his nice and neat, looking back at it now and then, checking on it. When workers tried to give one of the dogs a rug, she escaped from her kennel and ran straight out the door. She didn't get far, because she ran into a fenced area.
While we were in the cages, one person did show up to adopt an animal. He looked at all of the dogs but decided to wait until his girlfriend could be with him to choose one.
We were let out of the cages, and while getting out I saw a Pointer give me a look that said, "How can she do that when I can't?"
We next went to the cats' kennels - which were completely full. Some of the cats were in cages in the back storeroom. While we were there, a woman came in to adopt; a cat was getting a home. She looked at them all and chose the one that Guerrero is holding on the cover of the Reader two weeks ago.
Yet as the adopter was filling out the paperwork, another cat was dropped off. Her cage wasn't even cold yet, and there was another animal to take her place. But at least there was a place for it to go; without the adoption, there wouldn't have been room for the new cat, and an animal would have to be put to sleep.
When I left, I was happy about the adoption that morning and the adoption of the little red dog from our cover the day before. But I was still sad about all the animals needing homes, some at the shelter since October. When going to a shelter, look at the date when the animal arrived and consider adopting a pet that has been there the longest. Often, shelters have the older cats of owners who have died, and they're difficult to place; the kittens are always the first to go. That's one reason Guerrero chose animals that had been in the shelter the longest for her photo shoot with the Reader.
Of the nine animals featured on the cover, seven were adopted, one was taken by the Quad City Animal Welfare Center, and one remained at the shelter as of the morning of December 20. Only two animals featured with the story remained at the shelter.
Even so, the Moline shelter - and all animal shelters in the area - have many needs. The Moline shelter is seeking volunteers and donations of washable dog toys, cat toys, canned cat food, cardboard-box carriers, towels, and blankets. The shelter is open from 7 to 11 a.m. Monday through Friday, and its phone number is (309)797-0741.
People who adopt animals through January 2 will be entered in a drawing for the Home 4 the Holidays promotion. One winner will get a new cat house, while another will get a dog house.
Finding the building, off Fourth Avenue at 35th Street, can be tricky if you don't know where you're going. People driving by wouldn't even know that just down the street are animals in need of homes.
When I arrived, I was surprised how small the building was. I was greeted by Bali Guerrero, the kennel tech. These animals are so fortunate to have her; they might have an off-the-beaten-path location and a small building, but they have one woman filled with lots of love.
My co-worker Lou Ann Goral accompanied me to the event. We were both taken to the dog- kennel area for the beginning of the lockup. This was a rare day for the shelter, because its dog kennels weren't at capacity. As we entered the room where the dogs are held, they started barking, except for one golden retriever, featured on the cover of the Reader two weeks ago. (See "Gimme Shelter," River Cities' Reader Issue 506, December 8-14, 2004.) He just lay on the floor, almost as if he had given up. He was later taken to the no-kill Quad City Animal Welfare Center.
We each had a kennel right next to the dogs. When the caretakers left the room, all the animals got quiet, sat, and stared at us. The floor is cement and cold, and there isn't a lot of space for the dogs to move around. Being locked up gave me the animals' viewpoint. The only way that I could have gotten out was if I had four legs and someone came to adopt me. Otherwise I would be stuck there waiting, waiting ... .
Whenever the main door opened, the dogs barked. The caretaker brought in rugs for them to lie on. The first two played with theirs, but the German Shepherd, part of an animal rescue, keeps his nice and neat, looking back at it now and then, checking on it. When workers tried to give one of the dogs a rug, she escaped from her kennel and ran straight out the door. She didn't get far, because she ran into a fenced area.
While we were in the cages, one person did show up to adopt an animal. He looked at all of the dogs but decided to wait until his girlfriend could be with him to choose one.
We were let out of the cages, and while getting out I saw a Pointer give me a look that said, "How can she do that when I can't?"
We next went to the cats' kennels - which were completely full. Some of the cats were in cages in the back storeroom. While we were there, a woman came in to adopt; a cat was getting a home. She looked at them all and chose the one that Guerrero is holding on the cover of the Reader two weeks ago.
Yet as the adopter was filling out the paperwork, another cat was dropped off. Her cage wasn't even cold yet, and there was another animal to take her place. But at least there was a place for it to go; without the adoption, there wouldn't have been room for the new cat, and an animal would have to be put to sleep.
When I left, I was happy about the adoption that morning and the adoption of the little red dog from our cover the day before. But I was still sad about all the animals needing homes, some at the shelter since October. When going to a shelter, look at the date when the animal arrived and consider adopting a pet that has been there the longest. Often, shelters have the older cats of owners who have died, and they're difficult to place; the kittens are always the first to go. That's one reason Guerrero chose animals that had been in the shelter the longest for her photo shoot with the Reader.
Of the nine animals featured on the cover, seven were adopted, one was taken by the Quad City Animal Welfare Center, and one remained at the shelter as of the morning of December 20. Only two animals featured with the story remained at the shelter.
Even so, the Moline shelter - and all animal shelters in the area - have many needs. The Moline shelter is seeking volunteers and donations of washable dog toys, cat toys, canned cat food, cardboard-box carriers, towels, and blankets. The shelter is open from 7 to 11 a.m. Monday through Friday, and its phone number is (309)797-0741.
People who adopt animals through January 2 will be entered in a drawing for the Home 4 the Holidays promotion. One winner will get a new cat house, while another will get a dog house.
