Rescue Me Rally – Texas Gathering for National Homeless Animals’ Day
August 20, 2007 : 5:59 PM
“Rescue Me Rally” in Austin brings together people who want to make a difference.
By Jennifer Hayes: Best Friends Network
Since 1992, the International Society for Animal Rights (ISAR) has sponsored National Homeless Animals’ Day, held annually on the third Saturday of August. While the date has been observed previously in Austin, this is the first year that individuals from throughout the area gathered on the downtown Pluger Pedestrian Bridge with thousands of paper collars wrapped around the guardrails as a visual memory of euthanized animals from Town Lake Animal Center (TLAC) last year.
The “Rescue Me Rally – bridge the gap between homeless animals and forever homes” brought together individuals with differing philosophies on solving the pet overpopulation problem, but they all came together to honor those souls who are without a home to call their own and to mourn for those who never do find homes.
In addition to the chain of paper collars and various signs, leaders from some of the most active animal welfare organizations in Central Texas addressed the crowd.
As she introduced the speakers, event organizer Julia Hilder of Spay Austin, spoke of the unnecessarily high numbers of homeless animals in Austin. She showed the proclamation that it was officially Homeless Animals’ Day in Austin and explained that due to the windy conditions, the collars on display were only a fraction of the 12,000 of those that represented the animals whose lives were taken at TLAC in 2006. In partnership with ISAR, there will soon be billboards displayed around town speaking to the plight of shelter animals. She showed that the faces of homeless animals are no different than those with loving homes and families and welcomed organizations and individuals to join the Spay Austin coalition.
Amy Mills, Executive Director of emanciPET, asked the crowd to visualize no paper collar chain at next year’s rally and that seeing an unneutered dog on the street would have the same social stigma as seeing a pregnant woman smoking and drinking alcohol. EmanciPET has performed 68,000 spay and neuter surgeries since its inception, 8,000 of which were performed this year to date. She said that between emanciPET and Animal Trustees of Austin, 200 free or low cost spay and neuter surgeries are available daily in Austin. Mills said, “It’s tragic that 12,000 [animals] were killed in our community,” but that “this is preventable.” She encouraged people to not just “look the other way” and to talk to others about spay/neuter, microchipping, and TNR (trap, neuter, and release of feral cats).
The next speaker was Ryan Clinton, of Fix Austin. His recommendation was for citizens to “reject the advice of people who are giving excuses” and “to continue to spread the positive message of hope.” He too suggested talking to anyone who would listen and that it is important to come across as informed, trustworthy and respectful, not as a crazy fringe militant. He introduced Lori Rogowski as one such individual. She was the whistle-blower on the deteriorated conditions at Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter, though she did not choose that role. Throughout her campaign to help the shelter animals, she has rejected excuses, continued to spread the message, and has acted with professionalism. Clinton, closed by stating, “Austin already has all the elements to be no kill,” including a large budget, a perfect location, and a community that clamors to become no kill.
David Lundstedt, of Chain Free Austin, gave a message of hope to the crowd. His organization set out to rewrite the chaining ordinance for dogs in Austin. They approached the city leadership with a new ordinance, and in June, the city council voted unanimously to approve the new law that prohibits the chaining of dogs, which is set to take effect on October 1, 2007. However, his group did not stop there, and has also helped to establish an assistance fund aimed to help low income individuals to pay for fencing. Lundstedt advised the crowd, “Keep on fighting because good things can happen.”
Animal Trustees of Austin (ATA) representative, John Silberberg, spoke of the feral cat issues in the city. Austin currently has a population of between 200,000-400,000 feral cats and Silver urged citizens to become involved in TNR to halt their rapid reproduction. He continued the day’s theme of spreading the word. Unfortunately, many uninformed people believe that there is a “magic number” to call to rid themselves of stray cats. However, if given some guidance and a live trap or two, these same people can “become a part of the solution.” ATA is even currently working on the development of a feral food bank to help take some of the financial burden off of those who maintain colonies. Fortunately, Austin leaders have been supportive of local TNR efforts, because they realize it is “cheaper for the city to fund spay and neuter, than it is to pay people to kill cats and dogs.”
Pat Valls-Trelles, of the Austin Animal Advisory Commission, introduced a somber reminder to the crowd. “It is important to gather together once a year to commemorate the animals who have died.” She emotionally read a fax she had received in 1993 from Peter Marsh. It was the true account of one New Hampshire shelter worker who gave a loving memorial at a candlelight vigil for a friendly and playful cat, who had become the shelter’s longest resident, and whom he had euthanized that very day. Valls-Trelles reminded us that each euthanized animal has its own story just as that cat did. Then she listed the rounded figures for Town Lake Animal Center in 2006; 21,800 intakes, 2,900 returned to owners, 4,100 adopted, and 2,600 rescued. That left about 12,000 cats and dogs that were killed.
The community must work toward decreasing the number of animals coming into the shelter and increase the number of adoptions, rescues, and returns. If that occurs, the euthanasia number will automatically decrease. She urged organizations to work together and to respect and support one another to work collaboratively to accomplish the goal of saving animals. To end her talk on a positive note, she told another story, that of Shiloh, a dog with a death sentence who through hard work and perseverance of many rescuers was able to live. Like the starfish story , each life saved makes a difference to that one animal.
For more information:
• Spay Austin
• International Society for Animal Rights (ISAR)
• National Homeless Animals’ Day
• Austin American Statesman: Mobilizing to save animals
• No More Homeless Pets: Chain of Collars
For additional Texas Community articles about the participating organizations:
• emanciPET Spay/Neuter Clinic for Hays County Feral Cats a Success
• Williamson County Commissioners Court Votes to Increase Budget and Staff Additions for Animal Shelter
• Why Is This Dog Smiling?
How you can help:
• Please take part in community outreach and talk to others about the importance of spaying and neutering companion animals, microchipping, adopting animals from shelters and rescues instead of purchasing from pet stores and breeders, and TNR. Only through public education can we reach the goal where there are no more homeless pets.
• You can light an online virtual candle associated with the ISAR organization.
• Financially support animal welfare organizations that work to end pet overpopulation and eliminate unnecessary shelter deaths. Laughs for Lives is an upcoming comedy fundraiser for Fix Austin and Spay Austin on Thursday, August 30.
Photos: taken by Jennifer Hayes.
Lead Photo: Julia Hilder addresses the crowd.
Photo #2: Tina Rosenzweig with Trucker, a rescue from Animal Trustees of Austin.
Photo #3: Lilly (right) and Missy (left) both still need a home. While Lilly needs daily medication for a missing eye, both are fabulous dogs that only want someone to love. For more information, contact Sylvia Marroquin at 512-474-4499 or sylvia23@sbcglobal.net.
Photo #4: Nancy Cusick, the Austin Pet Directory’s “Awesome-ist Dog Trainer,” attends the event with her dog Mazzy.
Photo #5: One of the signs informing passers by of the paper chain’s significance.
