Shelter's yard gives dogs a reprieve

Adoptions offered at discounted rates

Thursday, November 18, 2004

By Sandra Barbier

St. Bernard/Plaquemines Bureau

The St. Bernard Parish Animal Shelter's back yard may be the last hope for some potentially wonderful pets.

"If we can hold on to an animal, one with a good temperament, long enough, we can get them adopted," said Ceily Trog, shelter manager.

The problem is that there isn't much room to keep dogs or cats at the parish's tiny shelter off Paris Road in Chalmette.

The St. Bernard Parish government plans to build a new shelter near the shelter on Agriculture Street. Site preparation for the $500,000 project began last year, and a contract for construction is expected to be awarded soon, Trog said.

Meanwhile, the existing shelter, which has about 16 runs for dogs and 15 cages for cats, fills quickly with strays and pets people no longer want.

"Every day we have to put new animals in and put other animals down, but when they're healthy and friendly and begging for a home, that's when we use the yard," Trog said.

The yard can accommodate several medium- and large-sized dogs. Located at the rear of the shelter, it has trees for shade and dog houses to protect the dogs from bad weather.

Recently, kennel worker Brandy England walked into the enclosure and was immediately surrounded by tail-wagging canines.

"Lala is the black and tan. The brindle is Yogi, and this is Amigo," England said, petting the head of a large yellow Labrador retriever.

The shelter's back yard has been a success, Trog said. "It started a couple of years ago."

As donations became available, the money was used to neuter some healthy, good-natured dogs. That allowed the shelter to discount the usual adoption costs by eliminating the neutering fee.

The usual fee ranges from $80 to $90, including surgery. Yard dogs could be adopted for only $20.

Their pictures, with brief descriptions, were placed on the shelter's Web site, www.sbpanimal.homestead.com, and several were adopted.

Since then, student volunteers have created the "Fix a Pet Fund," to neuter more animals, Trog said. Plans are to begin charging the full fee for the neutered animals, so that the money can be put back into the fund and used to neuter other dogs that can be placed in the yard.

Currently, the yard also holds Freckles, an Australian shepherd; Brutus, a large, red-brown shepherd mix; Poppy, a Labrador retriever mix; Doc Holiday, a black retriever mix, and Possum, a brown and white hound.

"This is our answer to 'no-kill,' " the policy of not euthanizing any adoptable dog or cat, Trog said. Her goal is to make the St. Bernard shelter a "no-kill" facility.

The yard dogs "are not in danger of being put down, provided they stay healthy," she said, adding that she is optimistic they will be adopted. "Most people can't believe the really nice animals we have," she said.

For more information, call the shelter at 278-1535.

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Sandra Barbier can be reached at sbarbier@timespicayune.com or (504) 826-3836.