LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Twelve puppies were dumped on the side of the road in a tote on Tuesday.
They were rescued by the Nevada SPCA.
Same day at Dog Fancier’s park on E. Flamingo Rd. and Stephanie Street, people witnessed a silver Hyundai drive up, a black German Shepherd out of the car, and drive away.
The dog was adopted by members of a local rescue group who were working to find a foster home.
In the last week alone, pets have been found abandoned in roadside crates, pallets behind bushes, parks and parking lots.
Hearts Alive Village’s Christy Stevens said:
Among the carriers are cats who clearly need medical attention.
“After checking our cameras, this person didn’t even try to approach our door or anything. They drove off in their car, left the carrier in the parking lot and drove off.” Stevens said.
She calls the current pet-dumping epidemic a community crisis.
“There were probably eight abandoned dogs I saw online this weekend,” said Jody Leishman, who believes no one feels the danger of abandonment as deeply as she does.
As 13 Investigates reported on November, Leishman dog Louis went outside while being tended to by Rover’s dog sitter.
he is still missing.
“It’s absolutely heartbreaking,” Jodi said. These people are just abandoning their dogs. I just can’t even understand.”
Vulnerable animals are subject to coyote attacks and car crashes, and are left without food or water to survive on their own in the freezing cold.
Stevens says it’s just as tragic for pet owners to try to do something safer.
“You can at least contain them by, for example, dropping them off in front of a veterinary clinic or taking them to a PetSmart so they don’t leave. There are people who have been dragged into gated communities and are safer than being run over by a car and left there.It’s tragic!”
Animal rights groups believe veterinary costs and affordable housing are part of the reason behind the rise in abandoned dogs and cats.
“People are desperate,” Stevens said. “It’s been a really tough time nationally, but especially for Las Vegas, when things get tough for people, it’s even worse for pets.”
Connect that with what’s happening at the Animal Foundation.
About three months ago, the city’s only municipal shelter temporarily stopped accepting dogs due to a disease outbreak.
“And it was really hard for them to pick up speed,” said Stevens.
Jodi has gone to the Animal Foundation many times looking for Louis.
“And while I was there, people brought the dogs they secured, they secured them, they went to drop the dogs off and they said no, you can’t drop off the dogs. Is required.”
13 After some research, I found that I can’t get an appointment with the Animal Foundation for the time being.
The pet lost and found page first asks you to grab the animal and find its owner.
You have to bring it to the shelter, click to schedule an appointment, and the first available time is 5 weeks away.
“That’s insane!” Jody shouted. “So if you have a dog and you have a safe dog, what should you do with it in the meantime?”
No one at The Animal Foundation turned the camera.
They sent the following statement.
“Animal Foundation is testing controlled intake policies that help ensure the best possible outcomes for your pets outside of the stressful shelter environment. If so, it will be reunited with its owner within a few hours.Unfortunately, 80% of the missing pets that come to Animal Foundation can’t find their way home.Animal Foundation is committed to implementing this program Since then, we have received an average of 44 pets each day.”
Hearts Alive Village has set up a system to help.
“We don’t have the space, but we do have crates, we have food, we have resources,” Stevens said, adding that our valleys need more access points for animals, and local governments need more access points. He added that more support from the
“Across all three jurisdictions, the Animal Foundation is the only provider. It’s too much for one organization to bear. We know it’s not a healthy situation for society when it comes to monopolies. is not.”
The rescue community continues to shoulder the burden without government funding.
But there’s a story that makes it all worth it.
On Tuesday, Hearts Alive Village received reports of a Chihuahua running around Jones Boulevard. And US-95 spent seven days alone in the cold.
Christy Stevens’ sons were able to catch her using a large fishing net.
They learned she had been missing since June and was accidentally put out by a landscaper.
Judging from her condition, she may have been taken care of by someone since then, but she recently reappeared or was abandoned.
“And thank goodness for the microchip that will allow her to reunite with her family,” Stevens said.
Hearts Alive returned her to an elderly couple who thought they’d never see their beloved pet again… a Christmas gift they’ll never forget, calling it a miracle.
13 The team has reached out to the City of Las Vegas and Clark County for comment. Each sent a statement.
City of Las Vegas Statement:
“The Las Vegas Animal Welfare Service is monitoring whether the number of calls to free-run animals in the city has increased. At this time, we do not have enough data to show that there has been an increase. We encourage you to call our Animal Welfare Services team at 702.229.6444 option #2 to report an animal related issue.This includes picking up the animal and taking it to Animal Foundation or another shelter option. Includes free-range animals.”
Clark County Statement:
“As the Animal Foundation continues to resolve its operational challenges of understaffing, the Clark County Animal Control Officer will continue to address not only the most serious cases, including injured and aggressive animals, but also non-emergency stray animals. We are also dedicated to helping animal encounters. We continue to encourage community-driven approaches, such as scanning animals and scanning animals for microchips at local veterinary hospitals. We are working to meet these challenges while ensuring that our services remain accessible to protect the health and welfare of animals.”
Hearts Alive Village has a pet resource helpline that is available 24/7.
You can call or text 702-496-0705 or email helpline@heartsalivevillage.org.
Click here for helpline hours and resources.
Click here for information on what to do if you lose your dog or cat.
Click here for what you can do if you find a pet.