Two Puppies behind bars
I like Dallas. I think that even though Dallas has had its fair share of scandals there was good improvements happening. But that feeling didn’t last long.
Recently, Dallas Animal Services told Tawana Couch of Society for Companion Animals that they would no longer provide flea treatment, HW tests, or rabies vaccinations to dogs released to rescue organizations.
Small explanation: Here in Dallas we have too many animals to people. However, in other parts of the country they have a shortage of dogs (I know, shocking!). So SFCA takes dogs from death row here in Dallas and transports them to other parts of the country where they are adopted very quickly. I think the longest any dog waited was five days after transport.
What SFCA relies on is a quick turn around of the dogs. Once they are picked up at the shelter they are cleaned up and prepared for transport!
By not providing HW testing or rabies shots, DAS is adding a huge burden to SFCA. Dogs taken from DAS will have to be ferried around town for testing before their transport. This adds time and money that the rescue doesn’t have.
DAS has said that they will offer a discounted adoption fee but only if the dogs are spayed/neutered in their program. Because the dogs are moved out of the metroplex so quickly this is completely unreasonable! The dogs taken by SFCA are fixed at their adoption location, that way they can recover with their new families.
This new policy severely restricts the number of dogs that SFCA can potentially rescue. In the past they have rescued over 300 dogs! With the new DAS policy they estimate only being able to save 40.
Dallas needs to reinstate flea treatments, HW tests, and rabies vaccinations for ALL rescue organizations. Their policy is a death sentence to dogs that would have been taken into rescue organizations that can no longer afford to save dogs from DAS.
Write to Dallas City Hall and tell them they got this wrong! Visit DallasCityHall.com to write to the mayor. Also be sure to write to Charles Cato – Interim Assistant City Manager at charles.cato@dallascityhall.com.