Animal Shelter to be Built in Braxton County, WV

Hi.

My name is Kristen and I’m a student at Braxton County High School in West Virginia. I recently found your site "The People’s Pet Pages" and I was touched by all that was in it.

Braxton County is a very poor county and yet a group of the citizens is trying to build an animal shelter, but the jobs here offer little pay and so there is not much spare money for one to donate in helping to build the shelter.

Animals here are just the same as they are in the city. They are either "lost" or "abandoned" and they just like anyone else or any other living thing need a place to call "home." I'm asking you if you could post this on your website until I can further follow your instructions in the section "Reaching for the Stars" which tells how to make a web site so I can make my own web site to help the animals and the citizens of Braxton County in their pursuit in building an animal shelter.

I think that the citizens of Braxton County needs to be recognized for their efforts in wanting to establish an animal shelter. Any donation toward the shelter would be greatly appreciated. We don't have much money, in fact I don't even know if we are up to the halfway mark yet and it's been since about this time last year. All they have is the place dozed out where its going to be. So, please if you could post this and pass the information around that would be appreciated.

Thank you for your time.

Kristen
6-18-2004

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UNITED WE CAN WIN, 
SEPARATE, 
EACH FIGHTS THEIR OWN LOSING BATTLE

You know, it's a shame that all these people don't get together and form ONE group . . .talk about power . . . everybody is in it for the same thing . . . to spay/neuter and save animals . . .UNITED WE CAN WIN, SEPARATE, EACH FIGHTS THEIR OWN LOSING BATTLE . . .

I have spoken with the Fayette County Commission (last year) about mandatory spay/neuter . . .that is the ONLY way all this stuff will stop. I can see that nothing else is working as it should.

If each group of people, from each county, would go, AS A GROUP, to their delegates, and their county commissioners, and push mandatory spay/neuter, I feel certain that all of us would see a MAJOR improvement in the reduction of animals, and in reduction of having to put to sleep those that are not wanted. There are NEVER going to be ENOUGH HOMES to provide a place for all these animals to go to . . . if the animal reproduction rate doesn't stop . . . It's a never ending cycle. People don't put their animals up when they come into season.

When people are MADE to be responsible for their animals, ONLY THEN will the animals benefit.

Danni Nichols
5-21-2004

(I have always believed that if the care givers of the animals at the shelters, etc. in Fayette, Raleigh, Summers, and Wyoming Counties would unite as a group and try to push certain ideas, it could succeed, but for one shelter to try to do it by itself, it could be "political suicide."  

I have always believed the Citizens for the Prevention of Animal Cruelty (C-PAC) is a unique organization, and have always hoped they  would expand their agenda to unite the said counties for needed changes.   Sam Amato)

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Moving Forward

In June 2000, the wvpetpages.com was put on line. At this time, there were no web sites in Fayette, Raleigh, Summers, and Wyoming Counties (FRSW) in behalf of our animal friends and the vision of the wvpetpages was to assist the animal shelters in the said counties to post photos of the pets they had on the Internet for adoption and to use this media to perpetuate their program. Three years and approximately three months later, by adding the Wyoming County Animal Shelter’s "About Us" page on the wvpetpages’ home page, the mission is eighty-five percent completed.

The People’s Pet Pages which is the name of wvpetpages’ site did not move to the level as we in the FRSW region thought it would from the onset, but moved to heights beyond our greatest imagination. Fayette, Summers, Raleigh and Wyoming Counties worked as a unit and as each learned more about the capabilities of the Internet in pursuing our goals and sharing these findings with each other, not only were individual web sites made by the said counties, but many shelters expanded their realm and began posting their pet photos on Petfinder.org a very viable site to get their pets adopted and through that avenue, found "No Kill Shelters" in neighboring states which are accepting some of their homeless animals and giving them a "second chance" at life.

Not only have the animal shelters in the FRSW region, Internet wise, has grown, but new animal organizations in the Fayette, Raleigh, and Wyoming Counties have sprung up and web sites in their organization’s behalf have been made and added to the home page of wvpetpages.com. In Fayette County, we have the Citizens for the Prevention of Animal Cruelty which oversee the shelter in Fayette County and assist them in their spaying and neutering program, in Raleigh County, we now have the Raleigh County Animal Rescue which is a "No Kill" organization, and in Wyoming County we have the Wyoming County Humane Society who is striving to and are making a difference for the unwanted animals in their county.

Within the wvpetpages the citizens in the FRSW region will find not only the animal organizations posting photos of homeless pets and their mission in your area in their web site, but local news events in your region and other areas, lost and found sections, links upon links, pets and otherwise, citizens’ opinions, upcoming pet events, poetry, etc.

I would like to say to the citizens in the Fayette, Raleigh, Summers, and Wyoming Counties in behalf of our animal friends, we have reached great heights, but there are still many more battles to be won in this endeavor. The animal organizations efforts and the lives of the homeless unwanted pets without your participation in making a difference for our animal friends are like "a fish trying to survive which has just recently been removed out of the water." Please access the wvpetpages.com and view all of the wonderful web sites in behalf of our animal friends on the home page and help Fayette, Raleigh, Summers and Wyoming Counties’ animal organizations in their cause. With your participation by giving the FRSW your support, in the next three years, greater heights then we now can imagine can be reached and must be reached.

The journey for the animal shelters, etc. in Fayette, Raleigh, Summers, and Wyoming Counties has just begun, let us dream dreams and make more wonderful things in the FRSW region for our animal friends happen. Sam Amato  9-7-2003

Most of this letter was published in The Register-Herald , Our Reader's Speak, Friday, September 5, 2003.

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National Spay /Neuter No-Kill Petition

I don't forward much. I think this is worth signing. Please review the text below and, if you think so too, cut and paste the link into your browser to be taken to the signature page. Thanks!

Amy Moloney,
MCAL Volunteer
Monroe County Animal League
PO Box 343
Union, WV 24983
304-772-4445 - MCAL Hotline

Prevent a Litter - Fix Your Critter!
Animals are DYING for you to be responsible. Stop the killing! Neuter and spay your pets.

PLEASE BE A VOICE FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT SPEAK and sign the National Spay /Neuter No-Kill petition at:

http://www.petsandanimals.org

Pets & Animals in Distress' and project PAW (Pet & Animal World) is contacting shelters, organizations, animal lovers and volunteers in America to support, participate and network to be a voice for the animals in their State to help collect signatures to help pass a FREE Spay /Neuter program that can be utilized by all tax paying State residents for Free

The time has come to stop wasting our tax dollars to kill more animals and start spending our tax dollars to save, adopt and spay / neuter more animals every year instead having these innocent animals to be tragically killed and born into society that does not care.

We are looking to get this petition launched in your state, so that our signatures and voices will be heard and passed on to all public county and state officials including the Governors to help set a initiative to pass a FREE Spay / Neuter program.

This Free Spay / Neuter program has already been implemented at a south Florida Public County Kill Shelter that offers Free spay / neutering to all county residents, which you can read about in the Petition on how it was developed and is working.

A Free mandatory spay / neuter program is the only solution that can work to help reduce the pet overpopulation crisis in America

Pets & Animals in Distress and project PAW thanks you in advance for your support on being a Voice for the many animals in your State that cannot speak that deserve a better and second chance in life than death!
Regards

Pets & Animals in Distress / PAW

--------End Message Copy----------

Sending a quick email like the copy above to your friends will make a strong and effective contribution to our petition. The success of our petition depends on a collaborative effort and we appreciate your time in promoting this petition. Your efforts are a powerful tool in helping
animals! So Pets & Animals / PAW ask you to kindly spread the word.  6-19-2003

 

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WVPETPAGES Third Year On-Line, Accomplishments and Future goals

June 1, 2003 makes three years that The People’s Pet Pages has been on-line. At that time, no animal shelters were on-line in Fayette, Raleigh, Summers, and Wyoming Counties (FRSW). The goal of the wvpetpages was to encourage the animal shelters in the FRSW region to get on-line and assist them in making a web site so they could post photos of their pets under their care for adoption and push their agenda. I am happy to report that this commitment has been fulfilled in all of the FRSW region and also the petpages have helped two other organizations in the FRSW region make a web site.

Some of the accomplishments in these three years are that Fayette, Raleigh, and Summers Counties’ animal shelter has their own web site and not only are they posting pets for adoption on their web site, but also on Petfinder. Raleigh County Animal Rescue (RCAR) a newly founded "No Kill" organization has evolved in the region and Citizens for the Prevention of Animal Cruelty (C-PAC), a spay and neuter organization which has been active for many years have their own web site. In Wyoming County a group of citizens has banded together and reestablished the Humane Society of Wyoming County in hopes of making a difference in that county and has been doing so. A web site for the Humane Society in Wyoming County has been made by their organization, but due to computer problems they have not had the opportunity to complete it. As soon as the HSWC web site is completed, I will place it on the Home Page.

Since the goal for aiding the care givers in making a web site in the FRSW region has been fulfilled the goal or goals The People’s Pet Pages will pursue in the following year, is not yet determined, but I do know as much as has been done in the FRSW region, more mountains for our pet companions need to be climbed.

Working with the animal shelters has been an enlightening experience and some flaws I see, not with them, that need to be addressed and pursued are as following:

One: Hundreds of thousands of dollars are needed to build an animal shelter, the expense to maintain and staff them are great, and when it all said and done, these shelters are basically slaughtering houses. To me, the solution to this problem is simple, "Nip the bud before it sprouts."

I believe all care givers of animals in WV needs to ban together and get our state representatives to pass laws which states if you own a pet it has to be spayed or neutered and if not, penalties will be imposed. Basically, we need to move where owning a pet is not a right but a privilege. Other areas have done it and it has been successful. I am sure it would be an uphill battle and may take years to accomplish to have this law passed, but it is the only humane way to move. To have our pet companions who depend on us, to have their young’s born only to die because they are unwanted is not the humane way.

The only person that I know who can get this idea in progress is you.

The Federation of Humane Organization of West Virginia is a state-wide organization for the purpose of promoting effective legislation on animal welfare, care, health, cruelty, and neglect. Legislation that the FOHO has tried to implement in WV has been to make the average citizen or an animal shelter move in such a manner to treat our animal friends with more humane treatment. Please access their site and ask them to begin pushing for legislation mandating that all pet owners in West Virginia must have their pets(s) spayed or neutered or penalties will be imposed. I am sure this will be an uphill battle and take years to have it become law, but once it becomes a law, the animal shelters and our pet companions will be better for it. I am sure the law would have to allow legitimate breeders to continue to function, and under certain guide lines would be included.

Please e-mail your West Virginia Governor and representatives and ask them to introduce a bill concerning the said issue and help make mandatory spaying and neutering of our pet companion by all pet owners in West Virginia a reality.

The Governor’s web site is: http://www.state.wv.us/governor/

The WV state‘s web site is: www.legis.state.wv.us

This eventually can become a reality, but it is up to you to make it happen.

Two: The Raleigh County Animal Rescue, a "No Kill" organization is to be commended for moving in this direction and may they grow, be supported by the citizens and successes be theirs. I do believe a "No Kill" shelter is needed in this area and if  managed right could be self-sufficient. We need another option beside the "Kill Shelters."  In no way do I make this comment about the "Kill Shelters" with disrespect for I think they are doing a splendid job under the sad conditions they are force to work under.

Third: I have always believed that our youth is the hope for great progress concerning our pet companion and other life forms. Many schools have clubs. Why can’t one of their club be in regards to our animal companions and friends?

Maybe I am just fooling myself, but I believe the progress we have made in Fayette, Raleigh, Summers and Wyoming Counties in the past three years have been fantastic and if we were being ranked for our performances, we would rank number one. I also believe before it is over with we will be "the shining torch to aid our pet companions" that other areas will follow.

Sam Amato-June 8, 2003 

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On February 3, 2003, an article on The Register-Herald’s web site titled, "Funds, Volunteers Needed to Form Humane Society" where  Barbara Arbogast of Oceana and Janie Price of Matheny are Spearheading an Effort to Form a County Humane Society to Try to Save Dogs from Euthanization" was seen. The write up can be seen in the FRSW News, Wyoming County which is on the homepage. I did respond to the article which the The Register-Herald did insert. Following is my response:

In June 2000, I started the web site "The People’s Pet Pages" and the purpose of it was to help the animal shelters in Fayette, Raleigh, Summers, and Wyoming Counties to post photos of the pets for adoption on the Internet in hopes they would have a "second chance" at life. The URL for the web site is: http://www.wvpetpages.com/

In regards to Fayette, Raleigh, and Summers Counties’ animal organizations, I have made great efforts to help them when needed and I am very pleased to say, all three organizations have a web site to attempt to get their unwanted pets adopted and to push their agenda.

Regretfully, assistance to Wyoming County has been nonexistent much through my own fault but also, I was not aware of any activities taking place in Wyoming County in regards to helping their unwanted pets. It was only several weeks ago when I saw Barbara Arbogast and Janice Price on television concerning the problems they felt was taking place at the Wyoming County Animal Shelter was I aware that any activity concerning the "unwanted pets" in Wyoming County existed or that there was an animal shelter in Wyoming County.

Just the day before this write up in The Register-Herald, I had e-mailed John Carr who I only know through his web site asking any information he could give me concerning the animal shelter in Wyoming County and of any animal organizations which existed, if any, in the said County. I also on this day, by phone tried to contact Barbara Arbogast by phone. Concerning Barbara Arbogast, contact was not made, but my phone is at times is not functioning properly and that is the reason I was not able to contact her. Mr. Carr did give me much information needed.

With the wvpetpages, my goal is to help an animal organization get on the Internet to further their cause concerning our animal companion. In this realm, I have tried to help them get on the Internet and have given them some, but not much as they need, financial assistance. Once this has been accomplished, my contact with the said organization is very limited because I do not feel it is to their or my advantage to interfere with their daily business. With these animals’ organizations, I believe they move the best they can under the circumstances they have to work under.

If I can be of any help to Wyoming County in the manner mentioned, I am more then willing to do so.

Sam Amato

(On May 12, 2003, I did travel to Oceana, WV and did help one of the members of the Humane Society of Wyoming County (HSWC) make an MSN web site. Also, I did donate to the Humane Society of Wyoming County a Sony Digital camera which is to be used to post the photos of the pets they have for adoption on the said site. Three short pages need to be completed by the HSWC concerning their organization before their web site is really ready to be shown to the public  and as soon as that is completed, I will put it on the home page of the wvpetpages.com.  Sam Amato)

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Laws Need to be Enacted, A "No Kill Shelter" is Needed

I saw on the local television station and read in The Register-Herald where the McManamays’ family took their dog to the Raleigh County Animal Shelter thinking it would be kept until it was adopted. About a half hour later, the McManamays’ regretting giving up their dog to be adopted returned to the Raleigh County Animal Shelter to reclaim it. To their surprise, the pet had already been euthanized. The McManamays took their pet to the shelter which was the last day pets could be adopted until after Xmas and the shelter already filled with other unwanted animals were the reasons they gave for euthanizing the dog so quickly.

In The Register-Herald, in "Our Reader’s Speak," Mrs. McManamay stated had she been informed that there was no room for any other pets and this was the last day until after Xmas that a dog could be adopted she would not have taken it there. Also in her letter, Mrs. McManamay expressed her appreciation to the family of James E. and Sherry Lowe who learned about their story and gave their family a beagle dog which was similar to the one the McManamays had given up.

That there were errors in communication between the Raleigh County Animal Shelter and Mrs. McManamay that caused her dog to be euthanized prematurely is sad, but that the McManamays have found some comfort in their new dog they now have is nice.

Several weeks ago, I went to an animal shelter outside of this region and mentioned to the director what had taken place at the Raleigh County Animal Shelter. Her comment was, "Regretfully, I am sure many shelters have been in the same position, and had to do as they did."

As I look at this scenario, I see a story much bigger then the one I am seeing.

In June 2000, I began a web site for our animal friends, wvpetpages.com, since no animal shelter in behalf of our animal companions at that time existed. My hopes were to post the pets for adoption which were at the Fayette, Raleigh, and Summers Counties’ animal shelters in hopes of giving these unwanted animals an edge in getting a "second chance" at life. I very quickly realized this task would be too time consuming for me to pursue.

May I say, my web site did not move as I thought, but reached greater heights then I ever imagined. As I began to learn more about making a web site and realized that Fayette, Raleigh, and Summers counties could easily make their own web site, with my help directly or indirectly, when I approached them about this discovery, as soon as they got the needed hardware and were on-line, they immediately "seized the moment" and made a web site for their shelter. Since then, posting pets for adoption on their web site has been an ongoing thing. Also a theme you will see in their web site is the need for citizens to be responsible pet owners and have their pet(s) spayed and neutered to stop this explosion of over populated pets. All of these shelters in some manner provide assistance in spaying and neutering of pets. You can access their site on the homepage.

Until pet owners are held responsible for having their pets spayed or neutered, the plights of the animals given to the shelters which most likely is a death sentence will not cease. For these animal shelters who must take whatever animal is brought to them, euthanasia as ugly as that word sounds, sadly becomes a necessity. Mandatory laws county wide or state wide needs to be implemented to force pet owners to spay or neutered their pets.

I cannot understand why we build such lavish shelters and spend so much money for the unwanted pets’ upkeep? Possibly to ease our conscience concerning the plights of unwanted pets, we build these luxurious animal shelters which are basically slaughtering houses. We just need to "bite the bullet" and pass laws mandating spaying and neutering of ones’ pet. Then, maybe we can look at our animal shelters with pride, realizing that their odds in giving an unwanted pet a "second chance" at life will be better. But as it is now with our passive input and the lack of responsible pet owners not having their pets spayed or neutered, no way can we look at the shelters with disdain.

Looking in a mirror, an animal shelter is a reflection of our society. If we do not like what we see, then we need to figure out the real source of the problem which is that pet owners are not spaying and neutering their pets and enact laws to enforce such measures.

Another thing that perturbs me is that our region is economically strong enough to have a "No Kill Shelter" in this area. I am sure if it were operated correctly, it could be a success and not a tremendous burden on the operators. I am sure many would be more then happy to pay a fee to a "No Kill Shelter" to take their pet or a stray to a premise where the pet would be kept until it was adopted. Why do people dump unwanted animals along the e highway, is it because they know due to the overflow of animals at a shelter, taking them there in most probability is a death sentence and inwardly, they hope some way the animal will survive?

If these two ideas I have suggested could be implemented then the scenario concerning the death of the McManamays’ pet will not have been in vain, but it will have been a God sent. Nor will the animals that have been taken to the animal shelter or abandoned along the highway by droves by callous pet owners who see their lives as "signifying nothing" will have not died in vain.

Under the conditions that the Fayette, Raleigh, and Summers Counties’ animal shelters have to work under, they are to be commended for doing as much as they do for our animal companions.

Sam Amato, written January 20, 2003. 

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Sent: Monday, September 30, 2002
Subjects: About Cats

Can you let me know if people have to pay taxes on their cats? Also, do they have to have rabies shots?
JB

You do not have to pay the county taxes on a cat but you do on a dog. The rabies shots are required by the state of 
WV for a dog or a cat. 

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Sent: Saturday, September 21, 2002
Subject: Question about spay/neuter program

I was looking through your website and didn’t know exactly which address to send my question to, since there doesn’t seem to be an "Ask Us," e-mail address, I assume this one is the correct address.

I am curious as to who the doctors are that perform the spaying and neutering. I trust very few people with the safety and well-being of my pets and I would like to have my female house dog spayed soon. She is afraid of everyone and I would like to know the doctor/doctors that would be performing the surgery.

If I would qualify for your program, could you please supply me with the information?

Thank you,
SJS

"The People’s Pet Pages" web site has several e-mail addresses which you can contact them. Since this e-mail was sent by the e-mail address Fayetteville@wvpetpages.com , I presumed the individual was from Fayette County and I did forward the e-mail to the Fayette County Animal Control Center in Fayetteville, WV.

"The People’s Pet Pages" is elated to carry the excellent web sites of Fayette, Raleigh, and Summers Counties which are in behalf of our animal friends; although, I access them very often, much of the intricate way they operate and their rules, I am not aware of many of those details.

When you are wanting to correspond with one of the web sites which are on the home page of www.wvpetpages.com , go to their web site and contact them through their e-mail address. Although, if by chance it is sent to me, with haste, I will forward it to them.

Please feel free to e-mail any communication you wish in the section "Express Your Opinion."

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Sent: Tuesday, June 11, 2002
Subject: Making a web site

I would like to know how I can have photos of dogs on a web site?
SA

This letter was sent by the e-mail address summers@wvpetpages.com ;therefore, I presume the person is a resident of Summers County.

There are several ways to make a web site to post photos on and although you can do it by using FrontPage such as the Raleigh County Animal Shelter and I use, I can assure you have to know your "P’s and Q’s." Also, it will cost you several hundred dollars a year to carry it on the Internet.

I would advise you to go "Reaching for the Stars" on the wvpetpages.com home page and instructions in how to make an MSN web site which is free are documented there. Summers County, Fayette County and C-PAC web sites are made by MSN.

To obtain the photos you would want on your web site, you would need a scanner to scan the photos taken by a regular camera or a digital camera.

Why don’t you try to make an MSN web site and if you meet some difficulties, e-mail me and I can assist you. With an MSN web site, if I have your hotmail address and password, if needed, I here at home can make needed changes on your web site. 

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Hello,

The wvpetpages is happy to announce that a new page consisting of four pages has been inserted on the home page of  "The People’s Pet Pages." The new page is titled, "Reaching for the Stars." The purposes of this new page are threefold. First, where "The People’s Pet Pages," has been just for the citizens in Fayette, Raleigh, Summers, and Wyoming Counties, it will now try to assist all the citizens in West Virginia who are care givers of animal shelters, etc. Second, the pages in "Reaching for the Stars" attempt to explain in a simplified manner how to make an MSN web site. It is my hope that all of the shelters in West Virginia may benefit from these pages, if needed, and make a web site in behalf of our animal friends so they can post their pets photos for adoption, giving them a "second chance at life," and also that their organization will benefit from their web site by explaining their program, their needs, their vision, etc. Third, once a web site is made by the animal shelters, etc., regardless by what means, they can if they wish, submit their URL, web site address, to be included on "The People’s Pet Pages."

I look at this venture with great interest and excitement and hope it will produce the results desired. It is my hope that if an animal shelter does not have a web site, the guide in making one in the said document will assist them, and the "Voice for the Silent Voices," of our animal friends will be heard and the animal shelters in West Virginia will be a place the citizens in that area can look at with pride, knowing they are trying to make a difference in our animals’ plight in their struggle to survive.

If you know of any animal shelter in your county who you think this document will be of some benefit, please forward it to them or tell them about it. Also, if your county already has a web site for our animal friends, let them know by sending their URL, the web site address, to samato@wvpetpages.com , I will include it in our growing list of WV shelters, etc. in "The People’s Pet Pages."

Thank you,

Sam Amato
2-26-2002

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Sam,

Flood photos of ERAS look great!  Love what you're doing for the animals, the world needs  more compassionate people like you.  Good informational article on EARS.  I worked with them for a few hours today and fell in love with all the animals.  Will write back soon. 

Debbie Rotenberry
7-16-2001

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This is great.  I'm so glad you sent this information about ERAS..  I always worry about
 the animals, who most often seem forgotten at times like the flood.  But when we get 
depressed or blue & need a real friend, we're quick to make a trip to the animal shelter or
 to a friend's litter.

Mary F. "Ciscee" Rhodes
7-16-2001

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