According to Webster’s Dictionary to “euthanize” is the act or practice of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals (as persons or domestic animals) in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy.
So how can we say the countless unwanted, perfectly healthy dogs that are “euthanized” each year are the recipients of an act of mercy, to end their suffering? The word “murder” which is defined as the deliberate taking of a life is a more appropriate term for this destruction of over 8 million animals a year. Some less than one year old.
Our perception of an animal shelter is a safe haven where animals can go to escape abuse, neglect and starvation on the streets, not a place to go where they will be cared for temporarily then killed because no one wants them. This killing purely contradicts the meaning of a safe haven. How many people actually believe the dogs they drop off at these shelters will actually be cared for and have a new start on life? That they are doing them a favor taking them to the shelter? Imagine if they knew the truth of what went on behind closed doors?
However, with all this gloom and doom there is light at the end of the tunnel for these animals thanks to the hard work and dedication of a fairly new networking group “Miami Shelter, Big, Bullies, Black and Been Around.” They make it their goal to save as many dogs from an untimely death as possible. Their main focus is on the bully breeds, the sickly, the abused and the neglected, the ones whose chances of adoption are dismal.
They do not have an actual facility to house these dogs but instead network them via a Facebook page and place them as needed into foster care or no kill shelters. Although the volunteer base is mainly in Florida they will assist out of state shelters with posting their dogs, offering quarantine if needed and transport services. The corps of volunteers will network the dogs to rescue groups and private persons as well as collect funds to cover medical treatments if needed.
Jerry Edelman and Juliana Coimbra oversee the networking page. In interviewing Juliana she advised she gets 3-4 calls a day from people wanting to surrender their animals. Juliana will counsel them and encourage them to keep their pets by offering advice on low cost medical care, treatment and food. Juliana will also foster many of the dogs pulled from Miami Dade. To date Juliana and her personal rescue “Left Behind Dog Rescue” has pulled and placed 210 dogs within the past two years.
“Miami Shelter, Big, Bullies, Black and Been Around” has approximately 15 active volunteers that help maintain the Facebook page and keep it updated. They team up with many rescues to get the Miami Dade shelter dogs placed. One rescue that consistently offers help is “Helping Paws” run by Melanie Agnello. Their web address is www.helpingpaws22@yahoo.com.
Although they have had many success stories of rescue, their work is not done. There are so many dogs out there needing placement to avoid untimely death. Please view slideshow of current dogs.
To learn more about the dogs needing rescue visit the networking Facebook page www.facebook.com/MiamiShelterBigBulliesBlackBeenArounddogs.
The day will eventually come when all of the cages are empty, when animals are not abused and murdered by those entrusted to care for them. When a safe haven is indeed just that.
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way in which its animals are treated.”- Mahatma Ghandi
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