It was Saturday morning - as the Shelter staff arrived at work they were expecting a normal day of cleaning kennels, walking dogs and greeting customers. But not today! Outside the gates of the Pet Adoption Center was a cat carrier with ten (count 'em, 10!) black lab puppies stuffed inside. While the Sequoia Humane Society no longer performs animal impound services we willingly took in these poor, pitiful puppies, fed them, bathed them, and gave them a comfortable bed where they could feel safe and loved.
Fortunately, we had recently adopted all but two of our last batch of black lab puppies, and were to discover that we had about a week and a half before our next litter of (you guessed it) black lab puppies was to arrive. (Do you see a pattern here?) Large dogs - in particular Labradors and other Retriever crosses - are plentiful in Humboldt County, largely due to the fact that big dogs give birth to big litters. A large female dog can have 8-10 puppies at a time - many of which end up at the Humane Society, the County Shelter, or one of the other local animal rescue organizations - often after the cute "puppy-ness" is gone and we are left with an untrained, hyper teenage pooch that is difficult to adopt.
So what can you do to prevent unwanted litters? Spay and neuter your own dogs, and encourage your friends and neighbors to do the same. It costs too much, you say? Well, guess what? We can help! The Sequoia Humane Society and Friends for Life Animal Rescue are offering low-cost spay/neuter vouchers to help pet owners get their large dogs fixed. It can cost anywhere from $60-$150 to spay a large female dog at most veterinary clinics. Our low-cost vouchers are only $25! And there are other benefits too - spaying your female dog will keep those romancing Romeos at bay, while neutering your male dog can help curb his desire to roam and control overly aggressive and/or defensive behaviors.
The best way to help us find good homes for the many animals that come through our shelter is to prevent more unwanted animals from being born. Please visit the Sequoia Humane Society's Pet Adoption Center to find out more about the "Big Dog Fix".
