As volunteers we've done about all we can do. We've gotten over 30 dogs off their chains and into roomy kennels with proper doghouses.
Many more are needed but unless the City of Monroe changes some laws, we're spinning our wheels. The cycle will just continue.
Here's one area where help is needed:
Tarps are needed for the back of some of the kennels to give the dogs a way to get out of the sun when it gets too hot. Many phone calls have done into Lowes about setting up an account for Project Slum Dogs so people can donate for these. So far......crickets from Lowes. They sure were there to take the estimated $30,000 for the kennels when our donor had a handy credit card. But now when we need a little help from them.......silence. This is not okay.
Suggestions for the City Council:
1. Pass a mandatory spay/neuter law.
2. Anyone breeding dogs having over 10 puppies/yearly should register with the City and pay a stiff fee for this "privilege".
3. Pass a no tethering law. Other cities have done it. Why can't Monroe?
4. Keep the $26,000 you send to the county every year, for decades now, and use it to support your own Animal Control.
5. Send Code Enforcement out and start citing the slumlords who are allowing their properties to look like something out of a third world country, unless this how you want Monroe to look. A lot of us are starting to wonder on this point.
Over & out. It's time for the city to do something!
Thank you for all that you do. I am on the same page as you. Sent an e-mail to you yesterday & hope to hear something back soon. Let's not let this passion fall by the wayside but rather take this momentum, get others involved & make change happen!!
ReplyDeleteSorry I'm so slow today and yesterday too for that matter. Check your email.
ReplyDeleteLowes has helped Project Slumdogs an awful lot in the past few weeks. I personally have bent over backwards to make some of these kennel builds happen on a really short notice. For you to say that all we care about is the money from a donors credit card is really out of line in my opinion. If that were the case then how come I've been VOLUNTEERING on my days off to help you guys out and build kennels for these animals? How come I've offered to foster a dog for a while because I saw first hand where that dog came from and felt bad for her? If the money was all we were interested in, our involvement would stop at the registers at the point of sale. If you are having trouble setting up an account for people to donate then I'm sorry, thats above my head, but don't badmouth the very people that have only tried to help you out.
ReplyDeleteCameron,
ReplyDeleteWe have acknowledged the help from Lowes when the kennels went up. Everyone was very appreciative. We even made sure the press knew what Lowes was doing.
Many, many phone calls have gone into Lowes for the store manager and to corporate in Mooresville from another volunteer AND myself. One call was returned. He was given all the info on what was needed. He said he'd get with the store and call back. He never did.
The problem isn't with you or the other men from Lowes who helped out. You and the other men have NOT been badmouthed. It's management who dropped the ball. A simple request was made; can Project Slum Dogs have an account so people can call to give money to pay for the tarps? It's been well over a week and we're still waiting for an answer.