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Paw-litical Help for a "Recycled Love Zone"
As the Doggone Green Crusader one of my missions is to help end animal homelessness and abuse; a big part of t hat is supporting shelters, which I dub "recycled love zones." Shelters look after and find "forever homes" for down-and-out pets. Too often, economic woes mean bad times for the animals. These days more and more two-leggeds find they can no longer afford the cost of keeping us or worse pets are given up for adoption or abandoned when their owners lose homes to foreclosure or eviction. Shelter over population is a on the rise; it is worse for the cats.
Mom and I trekked out to visit Jefferson County Commissioner Kathy Hartman August 13 about the new-fangled (and badly needed) Table Mountain Animal Center (TMAC). I had asked my Mom to set an appointment for us because I am fed up. This has gone on way too long and the animals have been short-changed. I wanted to know what the hold-up was and what we can do to move the new animal shelter project forward.
These last several years a number of difficulties seem to have delayed building the new facility. The Denver Post reported that the building at 4105 Youngfield Street in Golden was built in 1966 as a dog-impound facility. Forty-two years later the center is severely overcrowded, outdated and I say it's an eyesore on Jefferson County. The center serves the communities of Golden, Morrison, Mt View, Lakewood, Wheat Ridge, Arvada, Edgewater and Westminster. Cities take their lost, abandoned and abused animals to TMAC.
Hartman reports an agreement has been struck that will make the new TMAC facility actuality. She says Commish Kevin McCasty deserves the kudos; both he and Hartman want to get this project up and running. With construction costs rising and no way out of the tight spot maybe the animals can have a fairy tale ending. Whatever set a fire under McCasty's britches, I say its paws-up.
The trio of commissioners will vote on a three-point plan of $3 million each
What's more, the county's top dogs say they will pitch in the land at the Jeffco fairgrounds where the new center will be built. It gets better; Hartman maintains they hope to break ground in the first quarter of 2009.
So, this thing is beginning to sound like it's a Doggone done deal. As always, we have to be on watch, as the animals cannot put up with any more monkey business.
What can you do?
If you live in Jefferson County, license your dog(s). It's easy.
Call or email the Commissioners and tell them let's get this thing done.
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