Dogs find happiness in local shelters, but for cats life is a struggleinstead

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NATCHITOCHES, LA -(Editor's note:  The following story is written by GHN's Veronica Sturman, who at only eight years old, is a journalist genius.  Read her story on the specifics of care for animals in local shelters and be amazed at her information and her talent.

Veronica Sturman - Many people wondered what the future for stray animals would be in Natchitoches after the city animal shelter closed a year ago. What I found out leads me to feel that if I were a stray dog, I’d be happy to end up at Happy Tails; but I sure would worry about being a cat in Natchitoches.



The Natchitoches City Animal shelter reopened on Christmas day, 2009.
It had been closed for a short time, but the number of strays around
meant there had to be resources for them.  Since then, the city animal
shelter has successfully found homes for lots of lucky animals.

Jeannie
Kilgore, director of the city animal shelter, showed me a full drawer
of files on all the animals that have been adopted since the reopening.
Not only do they find homes for cats and dogs, they have also taken in
goats, horses, alligators, and opossums. They recently released an
alligator onto some private property near a reservoir.

Dogs
and cats receive wormer medicine and vaccines upon arrival, and dogs
also get medication to prevent heartworms. Although they don’t all find
homes, Jeannie Kilgore said, “They have a great life, while they’re
here.”


The parish shelter, named Happy Tails, is a nicer place for animals but
can hold fewer than half of what the city shelter can hold. Happy Tails
is a no-kill shelter. Not only do the dogs here get spayed and neutered
plus all their vaccines, they also receive training and attention.
Happy Tails is located in the middle of the detention center and seems
to foster happiness not only for the dogs but for the inmates too. The
inmates work with Jim Thornhill, a professional dog trainer from
Shreveport, to train the dogs. Christus Schumpert Health System is
conducting a study to determine the benefits of dog training on the
inmates. Deputy Shannon Wright, Director of Happy Tails, said that they
have already seen positive effects in loneliness, depression and
heart-risk factors.


The Humane Society works with Happy Tails and the city animal shelter.
The Humane Society actually partnered with Sherriff Victor Jones to open
Happy Tails and is providing funding for the parish shelter, including
the purchase of heartworm medicine and monthly flea pills for each dog.

Over
at the city shelter, the Humane Society is building a meet and greet
garden, named Forever Friends. People who want to adopt a dog can play
with a dog in the Forever Friends garden without the other shelter dogs
barking at them. They can also bring a dog from home to meet a shelter
dog and see if they will get along with each other.

The
Humane Society organizes foster families to care for dogs until they
can find them forever homes. Currently there are about ten to twelve
foster families in Natchitoches. Juanita Murphy, a very active volunteer
with the Humane Society, said that one family is fostering thirteen
dogs. The Humane Society also advertises available dogs on petfinder.com
and hosts local adoption days.

The Humane Society has helped many local animals find homes.


Some stray animals find their way to the city shelter, Happy Tails, or
to a foster home. Others are still living on the street.

We
need to all work together to provide care for these animals. Check out
my column next week to find out how you can help.   That's especially
true for those cats because the Natchitoches shelter only keeps them two

weeks before putting them to sleep and Happy Tails doesn't take cats.