GET IT BEFORE IT GETS US!
Pet overpopulation (IT) is fast nipping
at the heels of every citizen in our county.
Shortly, there will not be any person that is not in someway affected by
the behavior of irresponsible pet owners that contribute to this burgeoning problem. Being proactive means that we had best
do something quickly before dire consequences occur.
Evidence of the worsening problem abounds all over the county, from feral
cats plaguing townspeople to the worsening abandonment of unwanted dogs and cats
in the countryside. Feral cats are
a main carrier of the fatal rabies virus.
Fatal means there is no cure!
Human rabies exposure is just one undesirable outcome of feral cat and dog populations. Numerous other consequences are already
occurring such as the formation of packs of feral dogs that are attacking domestic
animals and livestock in our rural communities.
Other communities have tragically experienced loss of human life from attacks
by abandoned animals. We must learn
from these occurrences and quickly act.
Hill County Paw Pals, in collaboration with Texas Coalition for Animal Protection
(TCAP), both non-profit organizations, continue with their common strategy to bring
correction to our county’s pet overpopulation issue by providing low-cost sterilization
and vaccination services. TCAP has
secured funding from available grant money to bring pet sterilizations to
Hillsboro
at low cost. Low-cost sterilization
is a vital component of a three-pronged proactive program that is the core of Paw
Pals’ mission to correct pet overpopulation—Education, Sterilization, and Enforcement
of Animal Control Laws. All of these
programs must work simultaneously to achieve a successful outcome.
Residents and community leaders can not outrun the consequences
of pet overpopulation. Mindful decisions
to curb the increasing numbers of unwanted pets must be made in the near future.
Pet overpopulation can be corrected.
A county animal shelter alone will not correct the problem; however, it would be
the first beacon of light to illuminate the path to support the mentioned proactive
measures that can bring animal control and its services to our county.
The 46th service day of the low cost spay/neuter clinic occurred August
4th. Forty pet sterilization
surgeries were completed and over 200 rabies vaccinations administered that day.
This brings the total since this program’s
inception to over 2,100 pet sterilizations and over 6,000 rabies vaccinations! Kathy
Moore has spearheaded the low cost clinic that makes pet sterilization
more affordable for our citizens. Kathy
has led this effort since February 15, 2005. With
her devoted leadership, dozens of community volunteers have expended thousands of
hours towards the ongoing success of this project.
Our community also remains most grateful to the City of
Hillsboro
for the continued use of
Hillsboro Civic
Center
where the clinics are scheduled on the first Tuesday of each month.
A most sincere thank you also is extended to all volunteers at the most recent
clinic: Josh Charlton (Bynum
High School
freshman), Cleo Davis, Mike Hendricks, Freddie Karlicek, Mary Ann Johnson, Jean
and JD Landis, Kathy Moore, Ashley Murray, Bob Treadwell, Mary Lou Pearce, Lea Slocum,
and Lonnie Tilson.
To volunteer at the clinic, please call Kathy
at 582-9374. For information
about Pal Pals, please email: hcpawpals@yahoo.com.