The Regional Center for Animal Control and Protection in Roanoke was one of several animal shelters throughout the nation that participated in “Just One Day” a movement where shelters stop euthanizing animals for a full 24 hour period.
The event is held every June 11th and this was the second year the Regional Center participated. Several rescue groups, including Angels of Assisi, were present to help with the adoption of the animals. More than 40 dogs and cats went to new homes, giving more space for some of the nearly 300 animals in the shelter.
Angie Duncan from Roanoke adopted Carlisle, a 2-year-old mixed breed dog. “When I came up to his cage he was just friendly, he was kind, wagging his tail. He was calm. I enjoyed watching him and can’t wait to get him home.” Lisa O’Neill with Angels of Assisi said Carlisle was a staff and volunteer favorite, “So everyone is very, very happy.”
Ella the beagle also found a new home. The 6-year-old dog was brought to the pound as a stray. Megan James and her son looked at Ella and when the young boy said, “My girl” that sealed the deal. Mom came specifically to help the cause.
“He wants a puppy and I want to save the puppy. I don’t really care what kind, I just want to save one and give them a good home.” Olivia Brown came out to help Megan and her son find a puppy. “We love her (Ella), she’s really sweet.”
David Flagler, the new executive director of the Regional Center said, “This is the way we want the shelter to operate in the future, but unfortunately, because of the large number of animals that come into the shelter we can only pull this off one day a year.”
To become a “no kill” shelter Flagler said, “We have to have a community that is responsive to being responsible pet owners. And that means everybody out in the community must spay and neuter their pets so that their pets are not adding to the surplus of animals that we have here in the community.”
Flagler said the number of animals taken in by the pound has gone down over the years so it shows the community is becoming more committed to spaying / neutering and there’s a trend toward accepting responsibility for the pet for its lifetime. “Pets become family members; they’re not just pieces of furniture that you dispose of when you decide to move.”
Just over two months into the job, Flagler has been focusing on the separation of the pound from the SPCA. He hopes to work with more rescue groups and said the pound wants to do its own adoptions so it’s not dependent on others. “It’s also more efficient if we can move the animals out faster – and the faster we move animals out, then the longer that we can keep the other animals in trying to find them a new home.”
– Beverly Amsler
