Last Chance Arkansas 2000K Rescue Run

Casts Light on Stray Dog Problem in Arkansas

Carrie Kessler and Lisa Mantle of Last Chance Arkansas recently delivered ten dogs to Rondout Valley Animals For Adoption in Accord, New York for adoption. The 2000K Rescue Run was the first time they had personally delivered dogs. Last Chance Arkansas is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to rescuing dogs from the Little Rock Animal Village (shelter). At risk dogs are placed in foster homes until they are healthy and available for adoption. Rondout Valley Animals For Adoption is a privately owned open admission shelter. Due to strict enforcement of the animal laws, New York actually has a shortage of adoptable dogs.

Arkansas is among the bottom five states in animal care according to an Animal Defense Fund report. According to Tracy Roark, Director of the Little Rock Arkansas Animal Services, Arkansas is in a panic situation with stray animals. “This is an enormous problem, a panic situation, as far as animal control facilities are concerned.”

Kessler, Executive Director of Last Chance Arkansas, originally became involved as a concerned citizen when she began stopping by the Little Rock Animal Shelter to deliver dog treats and walk dogs or anything else that was needed about four years ago. “I just felt called to work with the dogs,” she explained. On her third visit she met a Last Chance Arkansas photographer and began assisting by holding dogs to be photographed. The photos were placed on their web site. Kessler has been the Executive Director for about two years. One of the events organized by her and other volunteers, Strut Your Mutt, raised $5,000 dollars to provide a play area for the dogs at the Little Rock Animal Village. The cost of the project has tripled and is now estimated to cost $30,000.

Each dog placed by Last Chance Arkansas represents thousands of animals processed through just the Little Rock facility each year. In May 2008 they took in 600 dogs and cats. In June they responded to 700 complaints. They issued 2000 citations in 2007. “We have as strict laws in the city as anywhere in the country concerning animal care. But in a city of 185,000 citizens we have only three animal control officers.” stated Roark “Taking dogs to New York or wherever is great but that’s just a drop in the bucket. Until we sterilize animals it’s just going to get worse.”

Last Chance Arkansas sponsors many events such as the 2000K Rescue Run to raise funds and to try to educate the public about the importance of sterilizing their pets. Even though the solution seems simple reality is quite different. Dr. Susan Weinstein, Arkansas’s Public Health Veterinarian addressed the economics involved, “If owners are not even willing to pay for a $10 rabies shot and allow un-sterilized animals to run free they won’t pay for spay or neutering their animals.”

Weinstein said that she receives a “lot of calls from medical professionals asking about risk assessment for dog bites.“ If authorities can’t find the dog they have to make a decision about administering rabies shots to the bite victim. “Stray dogs are the biggest issue with dog bites. A lot of people get bitten especially in rural areas.” she continued. The limited resources available to State and County authorities is also an issue according to Weinstein. “How many people do they have? For example the city of Alexander in Saline County is having a huge problem with strays right now.”

Saline County Sheriff, Phil Mask, supported Weinstein’s statement saying, “We have a big problem and it is only getting worse. As the (human) population grows so does the animal population. In the rural county dogs are becoming feral (wild) and I foresee it getting worse. We have no funds for this issue nor enough people. I can’t tell you how many times I have called the Saline County Animal Orphanage for their help.” Mask also calls on the Pulaski C ounty Humane Society for help.

Mask said he gets calls about dogs attacking, pets, children, chickens and other livestock. Dean Riggin, Director of Saline County 911 Communications, supported Mask’s statement with a printout of the 911 call log for the past year, July 2007 to July 2008. There were 47 total dog bite calls and each month there are more reported instances. This is only the calls for Saline County. The total does not reflect instances that were not reported to 911.

Roark echoed their concern when he described a typical day in the life of his animal control officers. “They might get a call at 2 a.m. and have to bring the animal back here and complete paperwork and be back here at 8 a.m. to work all day. We get an average of 40 calls a day.” He also agreed with Weinstein when the issue of owners not being willing to pay for proper care of their animals. “With the cost of everything going up like gas, food, medicine…if it is not necessary (sterilization) it’s to much to spend. Even with CARE giving a $45 waiver for the fee.”

Mask also addressed the issue of why people do not sterilize their animals or care for them better. “For some people it is just apathy. If they don’t want to feed it or take care of it they just drop it off,” he said. With a sad look on his face he continued, “I don’t know how they do it. I know I love my pets to much to treat them like that.” He also pointed out that it is even harder to believe that people do not take the time to sterilize their animals when there are free clinics being held regularly by organizations such as Saline County Animal Orphanage, CARE and many others.

There are unlimited stories of people dumping dogs onto County residence. A Saline County woman related a story of having a mother and four puppies dropped off on her and when she took them to see if they belonged to her neighbor the neighbor told her that someone had dropped 13 dogs off on them that same week. Roark indicated that people are beginning to return the favor to the city dwellers with more county residents bringing dogs into the city areas to drop them off on the city streets to try to survive.

Kessler addressed the issue of owners not sterilizing animals by pointing out that there are many misconceptions about what it does to the animal. “Hunters tend not to sterilize because they think it will take away the dogs desire to hunt. It has been scientifically proven that this is incorrect. Sterilization does not affect a dogs prey drive. And if you think about it, if a dog is hunting and picks up the scent of a female in heat which scent do you think he going to follow. Also if a dog is a fighter before sterilization it will most likely still be aggressive after. Some people think a female will be a better dog if it has had a litter of puppies. I have not found that to be true. If the dog has maternal instincts it doesn’t matter if it has had puppies or not. Then there is the standard that if a male dog is neutered it will take away it’s manhood.”

Property rights are also an issue for some owners according to Roark, “In the South in general (sterilization) is a property rights issue. People do not like being told what to do with their animals/property. For some, they think sterilizing their dogs makes them less of a man.”

Holly Barrett, founder of Last Chance Arkansas and Lori Sattler discussed the property rights issue at the 2000K Rescue Run Send Off Party, held at the Chenal Valley Animal Hospital. They related stories of owners refusing their help. Both women had instances where they had contacted the owners of dogs that were either running free or chained in an unprotected area to offer to take the animal to be sterilized at no cost and return it to the owner. The owners refused their assistance. “Some of these dogs have 10 to 15 pups per litter and they just keep letting them get pregnant,” complained Barrett.

Barrett founded Last Chance Arkansas in 2001. She focused mostly on taking pictures of the dogs being held at the Little Rock Animal Shelter. She said the organization has changed a lot over time. They are now recognized as a 501C3 organization which allows people who donate money to use the amount of the donation as an income tax deduction. They also have a web site to allow people, donate money, keep up with events and get information.

When asked why she works so hard to raise money and transport ten dogs to New York when there are thousands of stray dogs in Arkansas she simply stated, “it makes a difference to those ten dogs and to the families who adopt them.”

Volunteer foster Denise Dorton explained why she fosters dogs for Last Chance Arkansas, “I know I am saving a life because Last Chance Arkansas takes animals out of the shelter.” She has been fostering dogs for about a year and has helped save 12 dogs.

Suzanne Crismon has also been fostering dogs for about a year and when she delivered her latest charge, Banjo, to the Send Off Party she said, “I have seen him at his worst, I have seen him blossom and now I get to see him at his best.”

In addition to the personal delivery of dogs to the northeast, Last Chance Arkansas ships dogs by air via a major airline that specializes is animal transport. Dogs are shipped to Rondout or Mosiac Rescue in British Columbia, Canada. Some dogs are adopted locally. They have successfully placed sixty (60) dogs so far in 2008 and have set a goal of one hundred (100). According to Kessler, they have averaged one hundred placements per year for the past four years.

Last Chance Arkansas focuses their energy on helping dogs in the Little Rock Animal Village. They work with other organizations such as Petfinder and CARE to assist with adoption and other activities. There are several organizations, individuals and veterinarian clinics in Arkansas who are dedicating time and money to the cause of improving the lives and futures of Arkansas’ animal population.

Through volunteer efforts to foster dogs until they are healthy enough for adoption, Last Chance Arkansas pulls dogs from the LRAV. The foster’s typically keep the dogs from two to six weeks depending on the health of the dog. The most common health problems being heartworms, mange, dental issues and flee dermatitis. According to Kessler heartworms are the most common problem with approximately fifty percent of the dogs pulled being heartworm positive. “Heartworms are a common problem in Arkansas. If a dog is not on heartworm prevention it is very likely it will have heartworms.”

Kessler also puts the dogs through a 19 point assessment prior to pulling them from the LRAV. The assessment evaluates the dogs adoptability and any special needs that may be an issue.

Kessler said that the LRAV often gets full-blooded dogs. “About 25% of the dogs will be pure bred or full-blooded. So people who are looking for a particular breed could find one at the Village.”

Anyone interested in getting involved or wanting information on Last Chance Arkansas should visit their web-site at Lastchancearkansas.org.