On January 17, 3-year-old Husky mix was found in northwest Houston off of TC Jester Blvd. The dog was found shot with several bleeding wounds. The Houston SPCA, an agency specializing in rescuing animals, ambulance found her and brought her back to a stable condition as of January 29.
Rescue animal shelters, such as the SPCA and BARC, on average receive up to 8000 cases of neglect per year. These organizations aid animals in immediate danger by rehabilitating them. The SPCA, which began in 1824, is a non-profit organization that runs globally and locally. The SPCA International says “We distribute critical veterinary medical supplies to animal welfare groups throughout the world” and “serve [as] partners with shelters, rescue groups and governments around the world, [providing] grants to small shelters, rescue organizations and advocacy groups.”
The Houston SPCA, which has existed since 1924, includes a clause about how to identify animal abuse for both livestock and nonlivestock animals including neglecting necessary food, water, and shelter.
When asked about rescue animals, CVHS Junior, Kelvey Flynn stated “My Bearded Dragon, Smog, is 10 years old at this point. I’ve had her for a couple months, but her former owner severely neglected her. The previous owners also never really fed her, and when they did it was blueberries or spinach which is really bad for bearded dragons as it can cause hypercalcemia inhibiting movement.”
Approximately 10 million animals in the United States die from animal cruelty in a single year. Several of these deaths are due to unsanitary or cramped conditions and thousands of cats and dogs are euthanized due to overcrowding at shelters and mass return rates to shelters and pounds.
Animal abuse can appear in more ways than one and the signs are not always physical. According to the Guardians of Rescue there can be environmental signs including, but not limited to, pets left outside or tied up outside for long periods of time without clean food and water, animals kept in cages or kennels that are to small for comfortable movement or animals in inclement weather.
“My dog Harley, which we got from a specialty dog shelter, BARC, is like a sad old man as he has no teeth because he was found chained up in the backyard of a hoarder family, neglected and malnourished. He has panic attacks due to loud noises, like thunderstorms and fireworks which really aggravate him. He’ll begin shaking really violently, panting, and his eyes go glassy like, he’s not there,” Flynn later expressed.
Specialty shelter such as Houston non-profit organization,BARC animal shelters and adoptions follow similar guidelines as the SPCA. They work diligently to bring animals, both rescue and not to proper health and redistribute them to loving families. These methods may include spay/neutering an animal or micro chipping it to prevent lost pets and vaccines to protect the animals for diseases.
Houston’s BARC organization recently recieved the long sought for “no kill label”. It’s primary goal and mission is to “promote and protect public health and safety as well as animal care through sheltering, pet placement programs, and animal law enforcement.”
The tragic story of the 3-year-old Husky mix serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing animal abuse whilst highlighting the importance of the issue. Furthermore, organizations like the SPCA and BARC are working to rehabilitate and care for these abused animals, shining a light on an ever-pressing issue and concern.
“I hope that people understand that animals are not here for our entertainment, they are not decorations. I hope that people realize animals possess their own minds and hearts, just like we do,” Flynn said.
