Community Service By: Lauren Ward

Past Community Service Victory for Victoria Carwash Victory for Victoria Run Adopt a child for Christmas Toys for Tots

Why I chose the Lowndes County Pound I love animals I know that taking care of animals is hard work and that animal shelters are often understaffed. I knew that this would be one community service project that I would really enjoy doing.

What I had to do: Clean the cages (included: hosing down the walls and floors, spraying disinfectant on floors and walls, scrub floors and walls and then squeegee water out. Walk some of the healthy dogs (dogs that are sick cannot go outside.) Assist customers with dogs that they are interested in. Bathe dogs that had been adopted. Do the laundry. Clean the toys with water and disinfectant. Mop the floors in visitor rooms. Pugsley, a 4 month old puppy currently at the pound.

*Taken from the Lowndes County Animal Shelter's Website* Animal Services we provide: ~Enforcing Animal Control Ordinances ~Investigating animal abuse and cruelty complaints ~Humanely capturing distressed, nuisance, or dangerous animals ~Sheltering stray and owned pets ~Accept unwanted pets for possible adoption ~Officer healthy pets for adoption ~Humanely euthanizing elderly and ill animals at the owner's request ~Offer Annual Rabies and Microchip Clinics to the Public ~Offer refuge to pets during disaster evacuations, accidents involving the owner and pet, eviction, and while the owner is detained or incarcerated

Dogs: $88-$92 depending on age Cats: $80 could vary depending on age and medical needs. Not a bad price compared to a pet store Where you pay about $600 for a dog!! This is Sara, a puppy that was adopted while I was working! 

Dog Fighting Dog fighting is an act of cruelty which, unfortunately is still a problem today. Most of the time, people will take dogs, usually pit bulls, and teach them to attack smaller dogs and even puppies. If the pit bull does not attack the smaller dog, it is beaten. Once the fighting dog has practiced on smaller dogs they will move on to a “bait dog”. These bait dogs are other pit bulls of equal size that are usually less aggressive and cannot be used as a fighting dog. The “bait dogs” canine teeth are pulled so that it cannot cause serious damage to the fighting dog. After the bait dog has been used until it is near death, the owner will either shoot it or dump it somewhere to die. The fighting dog is then put in a pen with another fighting dog and the two fight until one is dead, or too seriously injured to fight back. Often, the losing dog will be shot by its owner, out of “embarrassment”. The Lowndes County Animal Shelter had a ton of posters on how to recognize and prevent dog fighting and other kinds of animal cruelty.

2 kittens waiting for adoption A puppy cage with about 5 dogs

I had to squeegee water out of the aisle next to the dog cages.

Pulling out the water hose to start spraying down the dog cages to clean them.

Me reaching though one of the cages to pet the dogs. <~This cat really wanted some attention