Casualties of war: Abandoned pets (& link to netpets if you can help!)

[Bluebear]

HINESVILLE, Ga. -- The 32 dogs look up with sad eyes or wag their tails as animal control officer Linda Cordry walks the row of chain-link cages toward a door concealing a gas chamber. "These guys are mine," Cordry says with weary resignation. "These are basically on Death Row."

Liberty County Animal Control and the humane shelter that shares its small cinderblock building have been crammed to capacity with dogs and cats since Army troops from neighboring Fort Stewart deployed to Iraq. Both agencies say it's no coincidence.

"I would say 95 percent of these animals come from military homes," says Beate Hall, who runs the humane shelter where dozens of soldiers and Army spouses began dumping pets during the holidays.

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have prompted national efforts to alert deploying soldiers to alternatives to abandoning animals when they leave for war. But the hundreds of unwanted pets turning up in this southeast Georgia military town indicate many aren't getting the message....

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-dumped-war-dogs,0,5673399.story?coll=sns-ap-nation-headlines
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The following organization is looking for Foster Homes that will house, nurture and care for the dogs, cats, birds and other pets for military who cannot care for them while they are in Iraq.

http://www.netpets.org/militarypet/foster.php

[Bluebear]

1. One lil kick for the pooches

[Red State Rebel]

2. We signed up for this at our humane society

Haven't been asked to "foster" yet, but we are willing.

[Red_Viking]

3. Any way to adopt those guys on death row?

I'm more worried about them! I would gladly adopt one of those pups.

Peace,

RV

[WilliamPitt]

4. I am going to start breaking things.

No, not because I have anything against taking care of these pets. It is a good and humane thing to do.

But I see this as the same wretched trend that saw homeless people start putting puppies next to them on the street. We can walk past a destitute man or woman without giving a damn, but o the horror if the widdle puppy suffers.

If Americans start getting amped up to really care for these pets after two years of giving the thinnest of shits about the soldiers who own them, alive or wounded or dead, I might chew off my own tongue like the guy in 'Seven.'

Again, not meant as an attack against the OP or anything. Just PISSES me off.

[Red_Viking]

5. This could be one flavor of showing support...

Fostering a military person's pet would give him or her some peace of mind while they're gone. Just a small step, but still something.

I always consider the fact that the pet has no choice. They can't speak for themselves.

Now, I do agree that people exploit animals, and that disingenuous Christo-fascist zombies will use this as a facade of support, just like their magnetic car ribbons.

I still feel sorry for the pups.

Peace,

RV

[Bluebear]

6. 'They can't speak for themselves'

That's my take. Reading the article I am horrified that soldiers being deployed would just abandon their pets anyhow. I don't know that the zombies would give a shit, this project actually takes work and money and commitment. The magnetic yellow ribbon and maybe buying a Toby Keith CD is as far as they usually go to "Support our troops".

[Solly Mack]

7. Thank you for this line

"Now, I do agree that people exploit animals, and that disingenuous Christo-fascist zombies will use this as a facade of support, just like their magnetic car ribbons. "

Cause that's exactly what will happen in some cases.

And that's (part of) what Mr Pitt meant more or less (I think - I could be wrong)

Abandoned pets by those in the military isn't anything new. It's always been a problem. I'm a military family and I've got a pretty good knowledge about this...especially since my home has all too often been a "shelter" for abandoned pets over the last decade or so...

Prior to the Iraqi invasion (or any war/invasion for that matter), few people thought to wonder how life in the military is for soldiers and their families...we tend to drop off most people's radar screens (until we become the cause of the day for whatever motives some people have - usually political)....even though much of the exact same problems exist for us in and out a time of war..

declining benefits
abandoned pets during deployments
soldier & their families on food stamps
soldiers dying

and the list goes on and on

[Red_Viking]

8. Thanks for your sacrifice

I was married to a Naval Reservist. We're no longer married, and I never had to deal with his going to war, just weekends and summers on drills. He did go to Iraq for a year, and for awhile I kept one of his dogs. I remember he spent quite awhile getting things arranged before he left, making sure someone could check on his house, and see after his dogs. So, I haven't experienced it firsthand, but I got a feel for what a burden it is.

So, thanks!

Peace,

RV

[CAcyclist]

9. These pets are abandoned and are going to be killed

The soldiers are not all going to die.

What pssies me off is people who act as if an act of kindness to an animal means that something is being taken away from a human being.

These animals are not autonomous. They don't control their own lives. They are dependent on us humans to take care of them.

If society really reflected what you describe there wouldn't be millions of animals being euthanized every year.