Treat animals with care

Lisa Nadeau’s letter on July 19 (“Stop animal neglect”) disturbed many. I received a number of calls wondering what was happening in the Animal Welfare Program. Unfortunately, the staff at the Bangor Humane Society receives information on a regular basis about animals in “accommodations” similar to that of the dog mentioned in her letter.

There are four major problems that should be highlighted here:

First, there is a huge variance in people’s ethic of care for their pets. While some owners give their pets only the finest, a significant portion of our community has grown up viewing animals as simple property rather than the living, loving companions that they are. Veterinary care is viewed as a last resort and pets are seen only as the utilitarian mouse-catcher or home security system. For the care of animals to improve, their status in society must rise.

Second, in many cases, the owners of the animals are following the law at its barest, and consequently, they typically can’t be found in violation. (This is not a statement about the owners of the dog in question whose complete situation is unknown to me.) Shelter in the summer need only provide “sufficient shade … to protect the animal from direct sunlight”; water must be “provided daily and in sufficient quantity for the health of the animal,” but it need not be available at all times.

Third, even if they are caught, fines and punishment are minimal. Even though Maine does have some tough animal laws compared to other states, the laws may not be tough enough to act as a deterrent, and people know that it is difficult for investigators to prove neglect or abuse.

And finally, as Nadeau correctly stated, the amount of staff and money that the Animal Welfare Program has been allotted to investigate these situations is minimal. Only one State Humane Agent covers most of what lies north and east of Bangor. While money was approved to hire new staff, the hiring freeze for the state has prevented it. Funding for additional staff or their training is minimal. The majority of funding for the Animal Welfare Program is derived from dog licenses; it is estimated that less than half of the dogs in the state are properly licensed.

Each town has an animal control officer that might be able to help in these situations, but many ACOs, especially in small towns, have not received the training to qualify them for these duties. Very, very few are authorized to summons someone criminally when it is applicable.

Given the above, the animal welfare situation in the state of Maine can feel depressing and overwhelming, but there are things that the general public can do. You can speak with your town or city officials about how important animals are to you. There are many decisions that they make that can greatly affect the care of animals in your community, including which shelter receives your stray animals, who is employed as your animal control officer, what kind of training they receive, and in general, the amount of money and other resources that go toward animal care and control.

Make certain your representatives to the state share your concerns for animals and are willing to vote for reasonable funding for their care. Many bills concerning animal welfare were presented in the 2001 and 2002 sessions; ask tough questions about how your representatives voted, and pose the same questions to their opponents before November.

If you do see a possible case of animal abuse, report it to your animal control officer, the police, and the Animal Welfare Program. If you have questions about how to reach any of the above or do not feel you are getting an appropriate response, do not hesitate to contact the Bangor Humane Society for further information. While we do not have the authority to investigate these claims at this point, that does not mean we are not willing to make a few calls to help an animal in need.

Take more than a moment – take a lifetime – to teach the youngsters around you to value life. Educate them about taking responsibility for those that can not speak for themselves.

And, finally and most importantly, treat your own animals with the care and concern that they deserve. Unfortunately, they are the only ones that you can ensure have proper care and love; make certain they know how lucky they are.

Bev Uhlenhake is executive director of the Bangor Humane Society.