By Janet McAFee
Homes are needed immediately for the 250 dogs and cats housed at the shelter operated by the city of Indio. Beautiful, adoptable, and looking forward to having a “furever home”, these animals will make wonderful companions.
On June 5, the Indio City Council voted 4-1 to close their shelter, the Animal Care Center of Indio. Indio will now contract for animal sheltering services with Riverside County Department of Animal Services. The issues are complex, and while some animal advocates and shelter volunteers objected to the closure, others present at the meeting felt that the City of Indio had little choice due to budgetary concerns.
As of July 1, all stray animals in Indio will be transported to the county shelter in Thousand Palms, the Coachella Valley Animal Campus. The Thousand Palms shelter is a modern well-run facility, but it will need to house the additional 280 animals that can come into Indio on a monthly basis. The shelter in Indio will remain open until approximately the end of August to provide time for the current 250 residents to get homes.
The Indio shelter is planning many off site events to facilitate adoptions. On June 18, twenty dogs are being shipped to Canada where amazingly there is a shortage of desired rescue dogs.
I had the pleasure of meeting two of the many wonderful volunteers who work with the shelter. Pictured here are Midge Rodier holding a Calico kitten and Aurora Salazar holding Anna Bell, an adorable Mini Pin.
Midge is an ardent cat lover, and her efforts brought about a major increase in cat adoptions. Midge’s duties include bathing animals, clipping nails, socializing the cats, fostering, walking the dogs, and “all other jobs as assigned”. An avid seamstress, Midge makes the cats’ hammocks, beds, and cute blankets to go home with them upon adoption. Always networking, she found a home for a boxer puppy and is fostering the precious little animal in the meantime.
Aurora Salazar is another dedicated animal lover. When a group of 11 motherless kittens arrived, only days old, Aurora took them home and her family gently bottle fed the tiny animals around the clock, saving their lives.
I toured the shelter and met the FABULOUS animals that volunteers and staff are hoping will get wonderful homes. You can view the animals at the shelter at www.petfinder.com.
Available dogs include a handsome boxer, German Shepherd mix puppies, Pit Bulls in various shades, tiny perky Chihuahuas, Terriers including a Norwich Terrier, a Rottweiler, Spaniel mixes, various Poodle blends, a dapple Dachshund, Labs, and many more. Did you know that approximately 30% of the animals in shelters are pure breeds? Last year I rescued a Party Poodle puppy from the Indio shelter, a spectacular dog that is in high demand in the Coachella Valley.
Lovely kittens and adult cats awaiting homes include Calicos, Tabbies, Ginger Tabbies, Torties, and many more. I met an adorable Russian Blue kitten, a breed known to be affectionate and intelligent. Wonderful update….Bernard the Ginger Tabby kitten featured in last week’s CV Weekly was adopted along with his sister. For a copy of my article on a foolproof way to introduce a second or third cat to your household, email me at jmcafee7@verizon.net.
When you adopt an Indio shelter dog or cat, it has received all vaccinations and a veterinarian visit is scheduled for spay or neutering. You can bring your own dog to the “meet and greet” park next door to ensure a good match. The total cost to adopt a dog at the shelter is $97 which includes the required rabies shot and spay/neuter. The total cost to adopt a cat is $60 which includes vaccines and spay/neuter. That is a bargain, as it can cost you much more privately to spay or neuter an animal.
Directions to the Indio shelter – From the 10 freeway heading East, take Golf Center Parkway exit, turn L on Avenue 45 which turns into Van Buren. The shelter is on the right hand side at 45-355 Van Buren Street, next to the dog park. They are open Wed, Thurs, Fri. 10am to 4pm, and Sat & Sunday 10am to 3pm. For more information call (760) 391-4135.
Adoption Events – Every Saturday the shelter cats and kittens will be at PetCo at 42700 Jackson Street in Indio from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. More off site adoptions are being planned, call (760) 391-4135 for updates.
Summer is here, the kids are home, and it’s the perfect time time to add a new 4-legged member to your family. Don’t have kids? Go out and adopt a “furkid” who won’t answer back, will love you unconditionally, and brighten up your day with his wagging tail.
