We want to thank all of you for your support of the animals in the shelter over the course of the week and a half we have been sending out these e-mail listings, and posting their pictures on Facebook and our blog. The response has been amazing.
Dozens of animals have gotten out alive that would not have otherwise. When Dixie Pet Underground Railroad employees arrived at the shelter Thursday afternoon, the parking lot was full. Rescues were pulling animals, adopters were taking home new family members, and individuals were being reunited with lost loved ones. For anyone who has visited animal control, you know that to see the parking lot full of people taking animals OUT is an unheard of occurrence.
This is also the time when the shelter director told the Underground staff members that they would only be allowed to photograph the animals between 4 and 5 p.m. on Fridays -- but not this Friday because we have we have already used our time this week.
Instead of sending out photos of the animals who are going to die on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, we are now only going to be able to share with you photos of the animals who are at the shelter on Friday afternoons. Dozens and dozens of animals are going to be killed without ever being photographed, without ever having the chance for you to see their faces, hear their stories and respond to their need.
We're fighting for the end of this censorship that leads to death for dogs and cats. A meeting is scheduled between Dixie Pet Underground Railroad staff members and City of Cleveland officials on Thursday, June 24 at 9:30 a.m. The city's budget estimates the shelter will kill 5,530 animals this year. That's more than 15 animals every day -- 365 days a year. During the time between the last time we were allowed to take photos of the animals and this meeting, an estimated 200 animals will be killed and their bodies thrown in the landfill.
The Dixie Pet Underground Railroad will be presenting the issue to the Bradley County Commission, at the invitation of a commissioner, on Monday at noon in the Bradley County Courthouse. We will be asking the commission, which provides some of the taxpayer funding by which the shelter operates, to send a letter of support to the city, urging that the Underground to be allowed to resume taking photos of the shelter pets each weekday. Please come to the meeting to show your support, and please contact city officials to urge them to reconsider the Shelter Director's decision.
We also apologize for the quality of today's photographs. We were only allowed to take photos of the animals through the bars. In the meantime, if you are able to rescue a pet, adopt a pet, or have lost a pet, please visit Cleveland Animal Control. The lives of these dogs and cats -- including the hundreds who will not be photographed over the course of the next week -- depend on it.
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The following dogs and cats are available for adoption at Cleveland Animal Control in Cleveland, Tenn. Cleveland Animal Control is a high-kill shelter, killing more than 6,000 dogs and cats every year. Dogs, cats, puppies and kittens are killed every morning. Most owner surrenders are killed within 24 hours of going into the shelter. Strays are killed within three days. Cleveland Animal Control is located at 360 Hill Street SE in Cleveland, Tenn. The telephone number is 423-479-2122 and the e-mail address is animal@cityofclevelandtn.com.
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