Bond money would be well spent on new shelter; buddies
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Guest
Column
By Denise Warren
The Galveston County Daily News
Published September 3, 2008
Editor’s note: Galveston County voters will face three bond proposals, totaling
$135 million, on the ballot Nov. 4. One of the proposals includes funds for a
new animal shelter.
I strongly support the money for a new county animal shelter and adoption
center. I would ask that, before anyone passes judgment on whether we need one
or not, they take the time to take a tour of the place. How can anyone pass
judgment on what is needed unless they know what they are talking about?
I know some people are going to say, “I don’t have pets,” or, “I spay my
animals,” and ask, “So why should we taxpayers pay for someone else’s problem?”
Is that not the American way? I pay school taxes and have never had a child. We
all pay for things that are for the good of the community.
Anyone who is not an animal lover should look at the facts. If we have a new
shelter, we will have healthier animals and adoptions will go up and that will
be more to support the facility. We would get more volunteers to help feed,
walk, bathe, etc., the animals and that will fill the need for more employees.
We would be able to hire employees who love animals and are interested in their
jobs, instead of hiring people who could not care less. A person who cares about
animals finds it so hard to even go into the existing shelter.
Last but not least, the community would get more people interested in what is
going on at the shelter and they would donate time, food, blankets, towels,
money for vaccines, etc. — and that is less money that comes out of the county
money. This is truly a win-win situation.
The county has changed its policy and, when an animal is adopted from the
shelter, it is mandatory for the animal to be spayed or neutered. I know this to
be a fact because the Animal Alliance Clinic in La Marque alters all the
animals. The Animal Alliance has worked with Shelter Buddies in their attempt to
have healthier animals. They try to make life for these animals a little better.
This is a hopeless job unless we have a better facility.
Anyone interested in spreading the word about the county’s bond should contact
Shelter Buddies at 409-927-2624 to find out what they can do.
Anyone interested in helping Shelter Buddies with vaccines or medical care for
these pitiful animals can make a check out to Shelter Buddies and mail it to
P.O. Box 128, Texas City, TX, 77592, and we will make sure they get the money
for that purpose.
Denise Warren is president of the Animal Alliance of Galveston County.
www.galvnews.com
For More Information Contact:
Kurt Koopmann
Public Information Officer
Galveston County Health District
409-938-2211 or 409-392-0007
kkoopman@gchd.org |
