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Pets abandoned at record rate, Humane groups overwhelmed

Pets abandoned at record rate, Humane groups overwhelmed
Image taken in New Orleans

Headline image taken in NOLA by nola.com

Article By: Humane Society of Louisiana

For the past three days, motorists had noticed a puppy lying near a cane field next to the railroad tracks coming out of Bunkie.

The puppy was dirty and mangy. On the third day, after reading a post on social media about the dog, local rescuer Malanie Glover was finally able to catch him — and was told that he had been seen with a second puppy, likely his littermate. However, no one has caught him yet.

A Desperate Rescue

The poor puppy was almost hairless due to his mange and likely flea allergy. After catching him, Malanie bundled him up, as she had done with countless other dogs and cats, and drove him to a nearby vet clinic for evaluation and treatment.

On the way to the clinic, she contacted her long-time friend and colleague, Jeff Dorson, Director of the Humane Society of Louisiana, for support and guidance.

A Larger Problem in Avoyelles

For the past 38 years, Dorson has led the Humane Society and has traveled many times to Avoyelles to help address the ever-growing pet overpopulation crisis.

Last October, Dorson hosted a town hall meeting to educate the public and elected officials on the need to establish a parish-wide animal control program and operate a public shelter.

The feedback was positive, but the parish still lacks a shelter — and the facility in Cottonport plans to close in December, leaving Avoyelles with even fewer options for housing stray or unowned dogs.

Meanwhile, the small shelter in Marksville remains full, and Atchafalaya River Rescue, one of the few humane organizations in the area, is overwhelmed with surrendered and abandoned cats and dogs. The group doesn’t operate a formal shelter and instead relies on a foster network that currently houses more than 50 dogs and five cats.

A Symptom of a Larger Crisis

The dumping of the two mangy puppies illustrates Avoyelles’ bigger crisis — a surplus of unwanted pets that continue to breed, according to Dorson.

Due to inflation, the cost of feeding, vaccinating, and sterilizing pets — combined with the lack of holding facilities — has led to widespread dumping of animals in Avoyelles and other rural parishes.

“With the lack of resources and support from city and parish officials, the local rescuers are emotionally, mentally, and financially drained,” said Ms. Glover.
“The parish is totally dependent on a few local civilians who respond to help every single time, regardless of the time or day. We cannot do this by ourselves. We need the municipalities and parish administrations to take these issues seriously and find a way to provide services.”
“Every day, people report seeing dogs and cats dumped on the side of roads, behind buildings, and in the woods — often with litters that they are still nursing! It’s a crisis that is only getting worse,” added Dorson.
“We have been urging local and state lawmakers to address these issues, but often our pleas for assistance go unanswered, citing other, more pressing problems.”

Ongoing Rescue Efforts

In the meantime, humane societies continue their work and seek additional volunteers, donations, grants, and manpower.

Ms. Glover is currently caring for the mangy, sweet puppy named Cane, named after the location where she rescued him. She will soon deliver him to another humane society, Licking for Love Animal Rescue.

Other volunteers continue to search the area where his littermate was last seen, but so far, no one has spotted him.

How to Help

Those wanting to get involved are encouraged to contact:

The Humane Society of Louisiana is also raising funds for Cane’s care. Donations will cover his ongoing treatment, sterilization, and vaccinations.

Please include the note “For Cane” when donating.

You can donate through:

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