“How a society treats its most vulnerable is always the measure of its humanity.”

For the last ten years, a former rescue has pulled all adoptable dogs from the pound, preventing needless deaths. That rescue closed at the end of 2022. Both The Artemis Project and Fighting for Chance Rescue (FFCR) have scrambled to save the ones that have come in this year. The Artemis Project has recently announced they can no longer pull from the Oklahoma pounds due to overflow.

For that reason, FFCR is requesting the pound dogs be put on the agenda so we can discuss the pulling fees for all rescues that wish to get involved. We simply can’t afford all the vaccinations, heartworm tests, flea and tick and heartworm preventatives for the dogs without help from the city. This is not including the unexpected medical bills such as parvo and other diseases puppies typically acquire while in the pound environment.

As you all know, we run on donations. We need HELP.

Fast forward to the last two months, we have done AMAZING! Less than a handful of dogs have needed to be euthanized. This all happened because of the diligence put into finding fosters and adopters, teamwork amongst the ACOs, the rescues stepping up to volunteer their time, and YOU.

That number will change this week, as four of the pound dogs cannot be pulled due to a lack of funding. The city cannot keep them infinitely with the number of unwanted animals that are brought into the Poteau City Pound.

When you look at the bottom line, it is this: our tax dollars will have to pay a vet to euthanize the dogs, or pay a rescue to save them. We are not asking for any more than the euthanasia costs to pull them and get them into better homes!

Likewise, the spay/neuter licensing we have been speaking about will reduce the number of animals coming into the pound, therefore saving the city more money each year! The fewer unwanted dogs we have in our city, the less money is spent on getting them taken care of, regardless of what route you choose to get them out of the kennels. Not only that, the better it makes us as a society and as members of humanity.

If Poteau can get on board with rescues, then they will lead the way for other cities to follow suit. They will be making so much progress just like Fort Smith is beginning to do, and Van Buren, too. POTEAU can be a leader in standing up for the animals!

This is our public plea to Mayor White and the rest of the politicians in our beautiful city.

This is our request.

Step up and put the pound dogs on the agenda so we can work together to serve the city of Poteau. Let’s find a solution to the overwhelming problem TOGETHER.

Will you stay quiet, or will you stand with the dogs?

Share Our Facebook Post HERE!