Mohave Daily News: Top Story

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BULLHEAD CITY - It's been a day like any other - food, water and these hard walls.

I don't remember much before the smells and noises of this place. I just know I want to leave.

And here she is, a blurry shape by the door. Soothing voice. Ties something around my neck. She's taking me out of here.

Outside.

Past the cages, I run into another room. Another smell, bright lights and different shapes.

Now something is wrapped around my mouth. Someone is holding me tight and a soft hand touches my head.

She says “That's a good baby, yes.”

Something sharp sticks my leg. And everything goes away.

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A week and a half ago, the Mohave Valley Daily News set out to document a chapter in the lives of two dogs and a kitten brought to the Bullhead City Animal Control shelter. Fortunately, all three found new owners and a happy ending.

For many others, the story is different. At the shelter, death is part of almost every day.

Three dogs were euthanized Tuesday - not because they were sick or had a bad temperament. All were lively, adoptable dogs who would've given owners years of loyalty and companionship. But they had been in the kennel for weeks without any apparent interest from potential adopters.

If the shelter is at maximum capacity, pets with tags are held six days and those without tags are held four days. All healthy animals are kept as long as possible if there is space.

“If we weren't crowded, if we weren't full, if our adoptions were heavier we wouldn't have to do this,” says Animal Control Officer Warna Neyman, her voice drowned out by the raucous sound of barking voices.

One by one, Neyman walks the dogs into the euthanization room, where Bureau Manager Leah Rojas has their paperwork ready and the syringe prepared. Both talk the animals through the process in a comforting voice as they place a muzzle on to prevent biting. Then the quick injection, an overdose of anesthetic that first puts the animal to sleep.

“There's no pain, they go out real comfortable,” Rojas says. “When they're asleep is when their organs shut down.”

The drug takes effect almost instantly. Rojas checks for a heartbeat and a pulse. Then, on the dog's papers, she marks down the date, quantity of anesthetic used and time of death. She also specifies that it was a healthy animal.

Staff members take special care to make sure these final moments are peaceful, that there's no stress or tension. But Rojas believes some animals can sense what's happening.

They can smell fear, she says. “And they react on our emotion.”

It helps that the once-drab euthanization room was recently brightened by a mural of angel-winged animals flying around the Rainbow Bridge, a mythical holding place where some believe pets wait for their owners. The cheerful painting puts the staff members at ease, so they can impart that feeling to the animal.

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From January through the end of June, the Animal Control shelter took in 1,180 dogs and 1,172 cats. Some were brought in by officers, some by their owners, some were sick and some were dead on arrival.

Owners claimed 352 of the dogs and 318 were adopted. The shelter euthanized 416 dogs.

Of the cats, owners claimed 68 and 129 were adopted. The shelter euthanized 843 cats (The number includes a large number of feral cats trapped by officers and by citizens).

Euthanization figures include sick stray animals and those put down at the owner's request.

A breakdown of healthy versus sick animals euthanized for the month of June was not immediately available. May figures show a total of 56 dogs euthanized, 30 of which were completely healthy. From a total of 134 cats euthanized, 15 were completely healthy.

Many people are upset by the reality of euthanasia, Rojas said. They'd rather look away.

But ignoring the problem doesn't help.

“It's not something that you can just close your eyes and it's gone,” she said. “Come walk in my shoes.”

She can't stress enough the importance of spaying and neutering, carefully selecting an animal and training it properly. That's the only way to reduce the number of pets being put down.

The solution to the overpopulation problem begins with responsible pet ownership, Rojas said, and a big part of that is choosing the right pet. The animal should be a lifetime companion and a member of the family, not something disposable.

As adoptions go, it helps to give the animals a face, set them apart from the nameless masses, shelter staff said. They see adoptions increase at Christmastime, when Swanty's Chrysler Jeep Dodge sponsors all available animals by displaying their pictures at the dealership and covering the adoption fee.

People often come by the shelter asking for a dog or cat they've seen in the newspaper or featured on KLBC TV-2. Sometimes they find a different pet but, more often than not, they leave with the one whose photograph captured their hearts.

While it may be tempting to surprise a family member with a puppy or a kitten, Rojas said the selection of a pet is best left to its owner, who should consider breed, size and temperament before making a decision. Proper training will also prevent many pets from being surrendered to the shelter for behavior problems.

It just takes some effort.

“They'll do everything to make you happy and they ask for so little in return,” she said. “Food, shade, a pat on the back.”

Rojas' passion for animals goes back to her childhood days in Modesto, Calif., when, like many children, she would keep a lookout for the “dog catchers.”

She was surprised, on her first visit to the local Animal Control shelter, to find compassionate animal lovers instead of the cruel people she had imagined. The staff helped her pick out her first dog and longtime best friend.

“And that's when I learned they're not so bad.”

She went on to work as a veterinary technician at a hospital that doubled as a shelter. It was there she witnessed her first euthanization, something she'll never forget. She wanted to take the dog home that day, to save its life, and all the dogs scheduled to go down the next day and the day after that.

She realized she couldn't. Instead, she focuses on educating the public and caring for the animals, making sure they are treated humanely and given every chance to find a home. And when they're put down - that it's done with compassion and dignity.

Almost 13 years ago she started working at the Bullhead City shelter, a job that's at the same time gratifying and emotionally taxing, she said. Animal Control staff do much more than what's implied in the name.

They do patrol the neighborhoods, making sure city ordinances are obeyed, but it isn't for the purpose of handing out citations and fines, Rojas said. The laws are in place to protect the public and their children, and for the welfare of the animals.

And though many animals picked up off the streets are put to sleep, allowing them to roam at large would create other problems.

Dogs, for instance, tend to form packs and threaten the safety of the community. Cats allowed to multiply freely will seek shelter under mobile homes, destroying insulation and pulling out wires.

And for a stray animal, Rojas said, there is also the danger of something worse than death: Torture and abuse at the hands of cruel people who sometime skin and burn the animals.

The job often means switching gears at a moment's notice. After every difficult day, every citizen complaint and every animal life cut short, it takes a passion for the work to get up the next morning and do it again.

Rojas said she's left Animal Control a couple of times in the past, but each time she was back at work before too long. Someone has to be there.

What keeps staff members going is the success stories of dogs and cats who are adopted, owners who find inside the shelter pets they'd given up for lost and those who come back to visit with updates on the new additions to their family.

It's a chance to help.

“What keeps me going is the animals,” Rojas said. “They don't have the ability to speak for themselves.”

Staff writer Alice Popovici covers public safety issues for the Daily News. She can be reached at 928-763-2505, ext. 115, or by e-mail at apopovici@mohavedailynews.com.