The holiday gift giving seasons are upon us and at first blush, gifting a new dog or cat or guinea pig – or any animal – to an animal lover may seem like a perfect gift. Experts like our own Animal Control Supervisor, Ann Inabnitt, Tell us nothing could be further from the truth. “Animals are not presents,” she told us. “They are a commitment, a responsibility, and a decision not to be taken lightly.” It’s also a financial and emotional commitment that the recipient may not be ready for. Every year, shelters fill up in January with puppy and kitten surrenders from those who were unprepared to care for an animal long term (most dogs and cats live 10-20 years). It is the Boulder City shelter’s mission to ensure pets go to the “best and safest home”. This means individuals and families who have weighed the commitment and are ready for the responsibility of a new animal family member.
As it is, the shelter is currently full of animals that have been abandoned here in Boulder City. There are a number of reasons for this, the primary one being that shelters in Clark County either limit the number of surrenders they will accept (Animal Foundation) or simply can’t accept surrenders at all (Henderson). Desperate people come to Boulder City and leave their pets – especially dogs – at the city’s local dog park or in neighborhoods around the city. This places a strain on shelter resources, caring for animals that aren’t simply “Boulder City pets”.
As a result of this unfortunate phenomenon, the animal shelter here could really use some support from the residents in stocking up with needed items. On our most recent visit, we were advised that shelter staff would be very grateful for the following items:
- Antibacterial wipes for countertops, door knobs, etc.
- Bath towels, hand towels, and washclothes
- Blankets
- Bleach (chlorine and color safe)
- Cleaning products like window cleaner, multipurpose cleaner, bleach cleaners, etc.
- Dishwasher detergent
- Fabric softener sheets for the dryer
- Laundry detergent
- Laundry stain pretreating spray
- Paper towels
- Pet stain cleaners
- Spray bottles (empty)
- Stuffed toys that can be washed and sanitized (for small and large dogs)
- Trash bags
As far as donations are concerned, residents can even drop off open products they don’t like or no longer use, so take a look under the sink and in the garage and see if there aren’t some supplies that we can clear out and give them to the shelter staff for use.
If you plan to donate food, the shelter prefers the following brands/types to maintain sensitive tummies:
- Purina Dog Chow
- Purina Cat Chow Complete
For both food and cleaning supplies, it’s also easy to set up shipments through Amazon or Chewy or some other pet care service to make routine deliveries to the shelter. For dropping off supplies, please call the shelter at (702) 293-9283 to make sure someone is available at the shelter to accept the donation. You may need to leave a message so they can call you back to arrange a mutually beneficial time
Of note, the shelter does not accept any pet beds that won’t fit in the average washing machine (so small beds only) and pillows are a no-no too as some animal residents are a bit over enthusiastic and tend to rip up the pillows to get to the fluff, which then clogs the plumbing at the shelter.
For those of us with pet family members at home, animal shelter staff remind us that during the colder months, it’s important not to leave your pets outside for extended periods. Not only are colder temperatures dangerous, but local wildlife are still active in our area. Hawks hunt during the day, and owls at night, and they can easily carry off a small animal. Additionally coyotes remain present in our residential areas. The breeding season is soon underway and the mama coyotes will be looking for extra food to help support a litter of coyote pups. Our pets make for opportunistic snacks for these creatures.
Ann wanted to make sure to thank all the people who have and continue to donate supplies to the shelter. She said Boulder City is a “very caring community” and we won’t disagree with her there! Let’s continue to demonstrate our care and concern for the pets of our community by not contributing to the problem of surrendered animals. Remember: PETS ARE NOT PRESENTS!
