There is a great need in Fairfield County for more responsible, humane, contemporary approaches to "animal control." On this page you will find an explanation of why Fairfield County CARES has been organized and what we hope, with your help, to accomplish.
Fairfield County Cares
Fairfield County, Ohio, one of Ohio's fastest rowing counties, is located about 30 miles southeast of Columbus. As the County's population increases, it has changed from a mostly rural area to a mix or rural and urban, but many governmental and public offices have struggled to keep pace with the County's growth.
Animal overpopulation is a nationwide problem, leading to many thousands of unnecessary animal deaths, not only from being "euthanized" when shelters cannot handle the load, but from abuse and neglect as well. The methods of euthanasia and disposal that are used in government operated shelters are often inhumane, adding needless suffering to the short lives of the victims.
Here in Fairfield County, animals in our shelters are routinely "gassed" as a means of euthanasia, which is a cruel and expensive method that has been banned in many states. The victims do not just "go to sleep," and those that are not killed immediately often suffer and can present serious safety issues for shelter workers.
Unwanted animals are often dumped like trash on the roadside. Others are beaten, poisoned, sold to research labs, or used as "bait" for dogfighting. Many more loving, healthy animals live isolated lives at the end of a chain, never being socialized to animals or people, and the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta has confirmed that these are the animals most likely to bite or attack, regardless of the breed.
This is a health and safety issue for humans and animals. Other state and local governments have started to address this problem by enacting laws which completely ban chaining animals or limit the time that they can be chained.
Animals in Fairfield County continue to suffer because of the widening gap between the increasing needs of a growing human and animal population and the ability of government and public agencies to respond to those needs.
We can prevent many of these animals from dying unnecessarily here in Fairfield County. There are already low-cost spay and neuter clinics in other areas to help curb the animal population growth, as well as many animal rescue groups, foster and adoptive homes, but there are not enough of any of these in Fairfield County.
We must combine our efforts to control the growth of the pet population with steps to provide more humane and more effective care for the animals already among us. These are our friends, companions, and family members.
There are many local and regional animal rescue groups that will pay fees to adopt the animals in our shelters, get them medical care, spay or neuter them, board them, transport them all over the county and locate and screen adopters, as well. However, they cannot do it without the cooperation of government officials. Our elected officials have done little to change this outdated system, and some have even resisted these efforts. This, too, must change.
There are many people who would welcome these "castaways" into their homes, but it will take time and effort to reach out to those people and get the animals to them. We cannot save them all but we can reduce the numbers that are killed and we can reduce the suffering of those that survive. We can also insure that those animals that are euthanized are treated humanely.
Our shelters should take an active role in placing adoptable animals, even those with health issues, and conduct outreach programs in the community to educate and to do fundraising. This means raising funds beyond the license fees that are used in poorly run shelters. They should extend shelter hours to accommodate working families or out-of-town adopters, and use screened volunteers and animal rescues to help.
Moreover, the shelters in our community should utilize medical and veterinary care, checking each animal taken in for disease and injury, spaying and neutering animals before they leave. They should establish intake procedures that check for microchips, tattoos or tags to identify the owner and reunite the animal with its family. In addition, they should isolate young and new animals from the general population. Shelter staff should receive constant training on ways to improve services and care of the animals.
These efforts have been used for many years across the country for a simple reason: because they work. It is time for a change for the animals in our community, and this must come through education and a commitment by those in the community to help them. Won't you please become a part of the solution to this problem?
Astrografx
314 N. Columbus St.
Lancaster, Ohio 43130
Ph: 740-654-5000
www.astrografx.com