Story originally printed in the Coulee News or online at www.couleenews.com
Published - Thursday, March 23, 2006
Animal sanctuary serves as a home for animals discarded as not adoptable
Every year, an estimated 5 million animals are killed by euthanasia in the United States. The La Crosse area added 1,622 to the total last year.
“In 2005, we euthanized 455 animals that we felt were adoptable,” Coulee Region Humane Society Executive Director Heather Schmidt said. The other 1167 were viewed as not adoptable because of unsafe behavior.
Of the 455 animals killed, 432 were cats and kittens and 23 were dogs and puppies.
Old age, disabilities, behavioral problems and medical conditions are some of the reasons many animals die premature deaths. Lack of space at the humane society is another contributing factor.
“If we can’t place an animal, we euthanize them,” Schmidt said.
Some animals, however, have the option of door No. 3.
Home for Life, an animal sanctuary in Star Prairie, Wis. serves as a home for animals that otherwise would be discarded as not adoptable.
“The big thing is that we not only accept animals but cherish them for who they are,” said Lisa La Verdiere, founder and executive director of Home for Life.
Home for Life has about 60 dogs and 150 cats and takes in animals from throughout the United States and Canada.
A cat named Astrid was rescued from a shelter in the Coulee Region after she was deemed not adoptable.
“She had caught her foot in a trap and lost her front leg,” La Veriere said. “When a cat loses a front leg, it’s much more difficult than losing a back leg.”
Astrid, unlike many others in her situation, got another chance.
“With a little understanding, they can become quite tame,” she said. “It was a 180-degree turnaround in how she behaved. She came to us and ended up having a happy life.”
Of the 1167 nonadoptable animals at the CRHS, 486 of them were feral cats like Astrid.
The CRHS has an average of 80 cats and 20 dogs at all times with the longest period before adoption being about six months.
“Most don’t stay that long because most can’t stand this environment that long,” Schmidt said.
Home for Life avoids cages and creates real home environments for their animals, including catteries, doggie apartments and townhouses.
“Our animals are really excited to see (visitors), but they feel like it’s their home,” La Veriere said.
All doggie apartments and townhouses are equipped with heating, air conditioning, heated tile floors, big windows, skylights and continuous music.
Also, futons and hammocks, along with orthopedic cushions for the older dogs, are a constant source of comfort for the dogs.
Much like a college dormitory, assigning roommates can be quite tricky.
“It’s really an art to organizing dogs,” La Veriere said.
Schmidt agreed about the importance of dog demeanor when placing them with a home. “What we look at more is behavior and temperament,” she said. “We do our best to assess the animal overall.”
Cats aren’t as difficult to place. La Veriere said the common misconception about cats is they don’t like being with other cats. The truth is quite to the contrary.
“They are very loving to each other,” she said. “They love to sleep with each other and play with each other.”
Each cattery is about 700 square feet and includes plastic trees, scratching pads and cat runs, protected by an awning to keep predators out and the cats in.
The animals receive attention daily from the facility’s 20 trained employees.
Carlie, a dog rescued from Tomah, had distemper along with balance and coordination problems that affected her ability to walk. Her motor problems caused a lack of confidence and timid disposition.
Not being a candidate for adoption, Carlie was taken in by HFL and now rooms with Arthur, a liver-spotted Dalmatian who acts like a big brother, Greta, who likes to pretend she’s Carlie’s mother, and Faith, her deaf Dalmatian playmate.
Carlie found a better life at the HFL facility. Many dogs aren’t so lucky.
“Most of the canines are put to sleep after they don’t work anymore,” La Veriere said. “I wish we could help more canines.”
Schmidt doesn’t believe keeping animals alive is always the best option. “If an animal is suffering, I don’t think that’s a good enough reason to keep them alive.”
The CRHS currently houses Earl, a deaf 10-year-old dog with cataracts in both eyes and a problem with one of his feet. Schmidt said she doesn’t know if a sanctuary like HFL would be appropriate for him.
“I want him to see him in a home where he’s being tended to on a daily basis,” she said.
La Veriere first became interested in helping animals at the early age of 8 after volunteering at the humane society in her hometown, but she didn’t like the routine euthanasia’s being performed.
“It really made an impression on me, and I wanted to do something,” she said. “There were a lot of animals who weren’t finding a home. I just felt like there needed to be door No. 3.”
La Veriere began taking in homeless animals herself until she realized there needed to be a bigger solution. That’s when she started Home for Life.
“Nobody wants to euthanize animals, so let’s try and find solutions to stop it,” she said.
Schmidt agreed. “We don’t enjoy euthanizing animals. It’s not an easy thing to do, but at the same time, we’re taking on the responsibility that someone else couldn’t or wouldn’t.”
Both organizations said they value the resources the other is able to give.
“I think it’s very easy and nice to work with organizations that share the same ideas we have,” Schmidt said.
While they don’t see eye-to-eye on every issue, Schmidt said it’s that their hearts are in the right place.
Both facilities require private donations in order to properly assist animals in need.
“We want to save animals and we want to do it so the animals have a great quality of life,” La Veriere said.
Contact Jeni Kimmet at 786-6816 or jeni.kimmet@lee.net
All stories copyright 2006 Coulee News and other attributed sources.