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Financial concerns close pet sanctuary
By Richard Reeder


This document was published online on Friday, January 02, 2009

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Homeless Hearts Foundation plans to close its pet facility on Big Horn Avenue.

Leaders say the organization completed a year-end evaluation and determined a need to restructure its focus “to place greater emphasis on education programs, spay and neuter coupons and pet-care aid to seniors and low-income families.”

As a result, the organization will take steps to place the almost 100 dogs and cats currently living at the Loving Hearts Animal Sanctuary with other animal care and rescue organizations in the U.S. and close the sanctuary.

The HHF board decided last week to close the facility because the needs of the large population of stray and unwanted animals in Park County could not be adequately addressed by simply housing them.

“The board has been meeting about this for some time,” public relations director Lee Haines said. “The decision to close has been coming for a few weeks and we reached this decision after much thought.”

During the year-end meeting, the HHF board said although the recent incident in which a young boy was injured by an adopted dog and the dog was euthanized was unfortunate, it was not a factor in the decision.

Board members said the incident “validates the organization’s concern that public education about the responsibility and care of animals is critical.”

Haines said the significant cost of operating the facility “ as much as $12,000 per month “ had outstripped funding sources during 2008.

The sanctuary currently is home to 48 dogs and 47 cats. The HHF will continue to care for them until all have been appropriately placed.

“After operating the sanctuary for more than a year, we realized the fundamental causes leading to animal care issues in Park County have not changed,” board president Nancy Oakes said. “We need to get back to the original purpose of the HHF, and by focusing on operating a daily sanctuary business, we are not able to do so.

“What we as a community need to do is ensure that animals are spayed and neutered to control the population, and to educate ourselves, starting with school children, about the right way to take care of animals,” she added. “Recognition of these needs led us to make the decision to shift our focus.”

Haines said HHF is seeing the same fundraising troubles as other groups.

“In these economic times it’s harder to raise money no matter who the group is,” he said. “Our decision is really based on finances and nothing else.”

“This was a difficult decision, but all good businesses should regroup when they feel they are not being effective in their mission, and that is what we are doing,” Oakes said. “Trying to put so many animals back into an area that relinquished them to begin with is not productive, safe or smart for the animals.

“After the first of the year, we will launch a major campaign to spay and neuter all animals in Park County.” she added. “This is the only realistic resolution for the huge numbers of abandoned, relinquished and abused animals.”

The HHF will continue to hold fundraising events such as the New Year’s Eve Fur Ball on Wednesday night, flea markets and the Barkannalia Wine Festival.

The organization has plans for many new events. The HHF plans to operate out of a new office, set up a system to match animals with families through the Internet and provide other basic needs such as assisting the Humane Society of the U.S. with investigations.

HHF will work with legislators in hopes of passing better animal protection laws and seeing they are enforced.
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Reader Comments

Nancy wrote on Mar 17, 2009 1:41 PM:

" After reading all these comments I can see why we end up with so many animals in rescue.Most of you who have written do not know what you are talking about (including you, Frank) Our animals are well cared for and DO NOT LIVE IN CAGES FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES!!! We have had tremendous success adopting out all of the animals that came to us from the HSPC that were deemed unadoptable and with regards to the dog who bit the boy, a relative has come forward to testify that the child was kicking the dog repeatedly. Has the family had domestic violence issues in the past?? Look it up. We are closing so that we can put the money towards spaying/neutering programs, education and legislation because until all the people get it together and spay and neuter as they need and be responsible animal owners, we will always have animal issues. For those of you who we rejected for adoptions, there was a reason and your venom as noted below justifies our decision. We have had three inspections from the police department and they have never had a complaint against us. "

tara A.R. wrote on Jan 21, 2009 12:35 AM:

" I have to acknowledge the fact that i believe with opening HHF that they had nothing but good hearted intent. How many people take their time to try to help an animal when they see it walking on the street and know that it will soon become road kill? Also it took their time and money to start this organization which a lot of people would not even consider doing. It is like trying to say that all homeless children and teens are not worth while because they can not adopt out because everyone is looking for a specific type,so should we put them to sleep? The point I am trying to make is that I thank HHF for their effort and sometimes we try but trying isn't enough. Thank you! "

doggone right wrote on Jan 5, 2009 9:26 AM:

" Look at the history of rescues, I have been around many dogs in my life, and dealt with my different rescue orginizations. To thetypical tree hugger putting a dog to sleep is in humane. But to the average reasonable human being, it is easy to see why this place didnt work. It is not practical to keep a dog alive that will ever be placed with a family. The Sanctuary took in aggressive dogs that would have never fit any with any family in this area. They think they were doing the dogs right by protecting them, when in reality, all they were doing, was keeping a dog as a pet that would have NEVER been happy,or safe in any situation outside of the small kenell that it lived in day to day. Dogs are wild animals, they live they die, it is a fact of life,the sanctuary is a perfect example of what we SHOULD NOT do in our community. The dogs did wind up at the shelter for a reason right? Feeding them and wasting donations is not going to save the dog,and make it placeable. "

HAHA wrote on Jan 4, 2009 3:49 PM:

" Homeless Hearts? More like imprisoned hearts, lol. "

Crazie old bag wrote on Jan 4, 2009 3:19 PM:

" That place was a dump, run by an animal hoarder. It's good for the poor animals that were trapped there that it's closing! "

Surprised wrote on Jan 2, 2009 2:26 PM:

" A skating rink? Run by the woman who held up the Irma? No thanks - not for our kids. "

Good wrote on Jan 2, 2009 10:18 AM:

" I'm glad they are closing. I went there once looking to adopt. The staff was not pleasant, the place was dirty, the animals weren't happy, and with all of their "rules" for adopting they did make it impossible. The Humane Society here is run so much better. Hopefully people will continue to support them. "

Frank M wrote on Jan 2, 2009 8:12 AM:

" I often wonder where individuals get their knowledge from. As an individual who has volunteered with several animal organizations and adopted all my dogs from shelters for over 20 years I find many of the comments interesting and wrong.
Most "No Kill Shelters" means No Kill for Room. Aggression and health are factors in putting an animal down. Some animals, when given a chance, can become social if allowed to experience it and receive the training, some will never. Any animal that you get without knowing the history does require the new owner to learn the animal and read the animals body language, you have to do some work.
As a former volunteer at HHF I can say it was a pityful place which broke all the trainig/socializing rules. How as a volunteer at HSPC I can say the animals here are well treated and get lots of socializing with both other dogs and people. This allows us to identify the individual personality traits of thr dogs and pass this on to potential new families.There are no FOOL PROOF methords but I can say that we have had great success with new homes. "

concernedcitizen wrote on Jan 1, 2009 4:29 PM:

" Good comments. The issues at hand are not unique in other parts of the Country. In larger facilities, their available dogs are unadoptable because of aggression issues and they believe in "no kill" no matter what. This is why people still continue to adopt in smaller communities where dogs are still sociable or they will buy their puppies. Until shelters realize that "unadoptable" because of aggression and these pets should be euthanized, they will find the shelter full of aggressive dogs placing the other animals, their employees, volunteers and the public at risk for injury and or death. Did you know you can personnally be held liable as an associate who assists with adoptions if that animal should attack? Be careful what you adopt out! "

doggie poo wrote on Jan 1, 2009 1:42 PM:

" Good for the animals that “Sanctuary” is closing, it couldn’t have been farther from the term. A “sanctuary” does not cage long term residents and takes good care of their animals, providing a stress free environment. HHF was an animals prison, once animals went in it was rare to see them come out. HHF made adoptions nearly impossible, if you could bear the stench of the place while visiting. Urine and feces cakes the kennels and floors, and dogs were made to relive themselves daily inside, in their kennels. 1 dog at a time was allowed to go outside for 10-20 minuets. Do the math and you’ll see it was impossible for all dogs to get fresh air every day. Made to live without sunlight everyday…would you go crazy too? It is inhumane to run all over the state and pick up dogs that are on kill lists for being unadoptable, what makes them any more adoptable in Cody? You can’t save them all, and you can’t force them to live in a dark, odor infested old skating rink if you do, that my friend is inhumane. "

Leigh wrote on Jan 1, 2009 11:05 AM:

" Sadtruth,
Your thoughts are appreciated, however, I feel it's necessary to look at the big picture. When is institutional life necessary and when is it a prison? The intention of the HSPC is to place all, however, illness and "known" dangerous animals are euthanized. The term no-kill means not killing for over crowding. Misunderstandings between facilites and the general public have given the impression that no-kill means no euthansia at any time. This is not possible. As to your comment about a "large portion" at the HSPC is simply not true - it's propaganda. Over 400 HSPC animals found homes this year. These animals are constantly observed. There's no perfect science but to suggest a "step up" in euthansia without a true picture is a great reason to get involved. We appreciate volunteers and welcome help in any fashion. Institutional life is less than perfect but it buys healthy - life loving animals time. Any success stories out there? "

sadtruth wrote on Dec 31, 2008 10:36 PM:

" The reality is that a large portion of the animals kept at HHS and the Humane Society are unadoptable. I think it's about time humane euthanization became a serious option. "

s.t. wrote on Dec 31, 2008 5:01 PM:

" that is too bad that they are just giving up an closing... you knew it would take money to run the place so why did you even bother in the first place it could of still been a skating rink for kids so sad an what about all the animals you know have goodness "

 

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