Home Dog Adoptions Saluting Long Island's Animal Welfare Angels

Saluting Long Island's Animal Welfare Angels

Volunteers at Long Island's animal shelters are making a difference in the well being of homeless dogs and cats.

by Alicyn Leigh
October 2, 2004

For whatever reason, some people have never taken the time to stop and think about an animal's well-being, but that doesn't mean animals don't have feelings. To witness the emotional pain unfortunate pets suffer, just look into the eyes of an animal that has just been placed into a shelter, one that has been given up on by its family.

Karen Zand Schlingheyde is a volunteer at the Glen Cove Animal Lovers League. She adopted Chuckie through the ALL about 1 1/2 years ago.

Have you ever even been to an animal shelter and witnessed how many animals are homeless? Have you ever volunteered any of your time to help? Have you ever seen an animal tremble uncontrollably out of fear, not knowing where its owner is or where its next meal is coming from? Pets are our responsibility, especially cats and dogs, because we have domesticated them. Volunteering even a small amount of time will make a big difference for our many neglected and unloved pets.

"Making a difference in the life of a dog makes all the difference to me," says Karen Zand Schlingheyde, a dog walker and trainer at the Glen Cove Animal Lovers League. "Just knowing that a simple dog walk reduces the inevitable stress from living in the shelter encourages me to volunteer. I benefit from the walks as well. It's wonderful exercise for both of us. A task as simple as petting the dog creates a positive interaction, making them better candidates for adoption, which of course is the ultimate goal for most of them."

Thankfully there are tireless animal welfare volunteers like Zand Schlingheyde who take the time to save homeless animals, selflessly rescuing, transporting, training, rehabilitating and healing them. When they're not busy with that, they raise funds and conduct humane education sessions. Their patience, understanding and hands-on care is priceless.

"I love being a volunteer for animal welfare, because I know that when I walk into the shelter and the cats recognize me and cry for my attention, that I have made a difference," says Barbara Levine, a cat socialization volunteer at the Animal Lovers League. "They need as many soft voices and gentle hands as possible to socialize them so that they can be adopted to loving homes. It is so personally fulfilling to spend time with others who share this passion and understand the desire to help as many animals as possible."

Our animal welfare heroes should be commended and saluted, but instead they're bombarded with a never-ending tide of animals dumped into the shelter/rescue organization systems. Although many volunteers say that their efforts are rewarding, the hard, cold fact is that not every animal is saved. The sorrow these volunteers face can be heart-wrenching when an animal that the volunteer has worked to stabilize and rehabilitate is euthanized when there is no more room at the shelter and the animal hasn't yet been adopted. Volunteers bond with their shelter pets, and the loss is horrific. And in many cases, just taking the time to train a pet makes the difference between owners being able to keep it or abandoning it out of frustration.

"Dogs love to learn, which makes training them a joy," Zand Schlingheyde says. "Training keeps their minds active and stimulated, and we both share a sense of pride when a new skill is mastered. The training encourages me to keep my own skills current. I'm amazed at how many seminars, classes, books and information are available. The more I learn, the more exciting even a dog walk becomes. A walk can now be an opportunity to get a timid dog accustomed to strangers, loud noises and other distractions."

Pet rescuers are fighting a losing battle on several fronts: irresponsible pet owners who won't spay/neuter their pet; people who are still buying from pet stores; and pet owners who won't properly train their pet, and then give up and dump the pet at a shelter. But if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. More volunteers are needed to help educate the public on proper pet care and the responsibilities involved in pet ownership, and to clean up the fallout from people abandoning pets.

"People have the opportunities to help themselves and animals are at the mercy of others," adds Fran Cohen, a volunteer at Little Shelter Animal Rescue in Huntington. "Their abuse comes from humans and not each other. We need to educate and make people aware that inhumane behavior is not acceptable. I have dedicated myself to this cause."

Cohen's best success story was Biba, a 4-month-old female shepherd mix at the shelter who was already showing serious fear aggression. You couldn't get near her, so her chances of adoption were grim. Cohen caught it just in time and took her into her home, and with minimal training in this loving, non-challenging environment, Biba turned completely around. All she needed was socialization, and with the help of Cohen's other dogs and her family, Biba was adopted into a permanent home.

"It is extremely tough for these shelters to fix problems with dogs or cats in a shelter environment, because the animal has no authority figure to look to for the correct behavior," Cohen explains. "This is incredibly important in puppy fostering. If they get a good start, half the battle is won. I cannot say enough on the subject of fostering."

I commend every animal welfare volunteer out there, for they are many pets' saviors, helping with the shelter transition period, and the animals also desperately depend on them to help find a new home. If you have given your time to the animals, you are truly golden.

Contact: Animal Lovers League of Glen Cove, 40 Shore Rd., Glen Cove, 516-676-5913, and The Little Shelter Animal Rescue, 33 Warner Rd., Huntington, 631-368-8770, www.littleshelter.com.

- Alicyn Leigh

Alicyn Leigh has been a Pet Advocate promoting animal welfare issues in the media since 1985 and is currently the Pets columnist for the Long Island Press. She is an accomplished equestrian who began riding at the age of 9: riding/training, showing the "A" circuit, teaching students, managing a show barn and judging. She has cared for many animals, including horses, cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs and many farm animals. Alicyn has also given time volunteering for shelters and rescue organizations. She has hosted her own radio show, Alicyn's PetTalk, held the fundraisers Kids for Animals and Rockin' for the Animals, has been the Long Island Pets Spokesperson for Agway, and has written pet columns for The Pet Channel website and the South Shore Tribune newspaper. Alicyn Leigh has made numerous radio show and television appearances, including Fox Pet News and New 12 TV, to promote humane education, responsible pet ownership, shelter adoptions, rescue organizations and spay/neu!

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