Hoof & Paw, the nonprofit in the West End that seeks to help the homeless animals, held a clinic Aug. 15 for pet spay and neuter and Aug. 22 for pet vaccinations. Tonya Stephens, executive director of the nonprofit, told the Forum less people showed up this round for services.
Stephens said she thinks 10 cats and eight dogs were sterilized, which is below normal. She said sometimes people plan to come in, though, and then cannot seem to catch a cat to have it spayed. That’s happened before.
The next spay and neuter clinics in the West End are Sept. 19 and Oct. 17. For vaccinations, the next is Oct. 10. Those will be the last offerings of this year. However, Stephens did say some vouchers are available at the Hoof & Paw thrift store, and those will enable a person to receive pet sterilization services in Moab at a discounted rate.
She remains concerned about the local pet population.
“People are not getting their animals fixed when they ought to,” she said in an interview Sunday. “We’re ending up with litters of pups that are unwanted.”
She said there’s a misconception that animals should be free to have one litter, or to have the opportunity to mate at least once, before sterilization surgery. She said this belief is a total myth and terrible for the animals.
She also doesn’t support the idea that neutering a male dog takes away its spirit. According to Stephens, the animals, since they’re not human, should not be treated as humans.
“They are dogs and don’t have the same feelings as humans do,” she said.
Right now, Hoof & Paw’s shelter has eight dogs and 17 cats. Another 15 dogs and 10 cats are in foster care with families.
Stephens said volunteers are needed at the thrift store and in the shelter. There are 21 shifts a week at the shelter, and many of them require at least two people working. Stephens is there seven days a week working a shift, if not two. Having extra help could enable her to get necessary paperwork done in the office.
Hoof & Paw also needs good adoptive parents. It’s not enough for someone to take a dog; responsible people to give dogs loving homes are needed.
This year, some dogs have been returned to Hoof & Paw. Stephens said one recent surrender was heartbreaking; she discovered two dogs were basically crated and never let out to interact with humans or get exercise. She said keeping dogs confined to crates like that is abusive. She can’t believe she has to explain this to people who want to own a dog, and Hoof & Paw has worked to make sure animals are going to good homes.
Additionally, shelter volunteers are rehabbing dogs that have been labeled as “aggressive.” Stephens said those dogs have been mistreated. Stephens and other volunteers like Kivi Bowersox are sitting with animals, reaching out, telling them it’s OK and working to get them to accept treats.
She said they are making some headway, winning the trust and affection of neglected animals. Just this last weekend, an abused dog from Norwood actually expressed interest in receiving attention from volunteer Karen Murphy — a celebration, according to Stephens.
And, there are some other success stories. Two different dogs have been adopted this year by out-of-state folks who send positive updates of the animals’ in their new lives.
Stephens is grateful for the volunteers. Sometimes she takes animal into the thrift store and shows people working or shopping. She tells them, “Look, this is why we’re doing this.”
