What is the story?
By Kathi Hamblet

Many people who come to the SPA to look for a new pet ask this question. Sometimes a good story can pull at the heartstrings and the need to “rescue” can help them make the final decision as to which animal to choose.

Time after time Mauri Formigoni has told a woeful tale of an animal in need, right here in this forum, and the result was an adoption into a loving home. I was determined to find a heart-tugging story for today’s article. Okay, so I get this one shot (while Mauri is out of town) to be the hero—although I won an essay contest in 7th grade, I cannot claim to be a writer. I need some help here! A bit of history! A few facts! So I did research on some of our most deserving animals– and I kept coming up with the same “reason for surrender.” My story is about a dog named Copal, “Once upon a time there was a young dog, found in the streets of SMA abandoned and starving. The end!”

Oh no, that just won’t work. Sad, but not exactly a fresh, and inspiring theme. I can’t let Mauri down. Okay, regroup. I could shamelessly drop the names of local celebrities to boost the story. This is true: “Once upon a time there was a young dog who was rescued on the street by a well-known artist named Carmen Cereceda. She had no space for a pet, but kept the dog until the SPA had a cage available. Carmen named the dog Copal. I remember Carmen looked straight into my eyes, begging me to promise to take good care of her and diligently search for a loving home. What could I do? I promised.”

The story begins again: “Just like Doug Robinson, Copal plays well with others! She jumps from her cage at recess time and, without discrimination, helps start a game with some friends, then moves on to the next playgroup. Just like Doug, her whole face lights up when she is feeling excited or inspired, and that attitude is infectious. After 20 minutes or so, she is content to find a place in the sun and quietly watch the activity while she waits for Manuel to bring her breakfast. Later, she looks for a volunteer who might choose her for a walk, a grooming session or possibly a treat. Copal might not be a great guard dog; she does not bark much. She would be a loyal and attentive companion and only needs a bit of exercise, a walk now and again and a loving home. She would delight in joining other pets and would be gentle with smaller animals and even cats or kittens.” Come and visit the SPA and meet her. Then I might even be able to write an inspired ending something like this: “And Copal lived happily ever a
fter with a new family of her own. The end!”

I also thought I would use this opportunity to clear up a couple questions about the SPA and its role in the community. We all need labels for clarification so the SPA in SMA has used the American term “No Kill Shelter” in an effort to develop policies that work for our specific mission. The ASPCA is always changing and a more current title would be “Limited Admittance Shelter,” again an American category. What does this mean? It means that we do not kill healthy, happy animals just to make room for more. Our policy is to euthanize only animals who are sick and suffering or those who are aggressive toward people or other animals. But what about the animals who hate their lives? Statistics show that dogs and cats who are depressed for long periods of time do get sick either mentally (in the form of aggression) or physically. Ultimately the only animals who survive long term at the SPA are the healthy, compatible ones who are generally happy and content to wait for a chance for adoption. The decision to euthanize is never easy. Sometimes it is straightforward because we can never risk the health and safety of our other animals or the people who care for them. But at times we have to look deep into an animal’s suffering eyes and ask the question: “Do you want to survive or is it time to let go?” I can only say that we do our best to make the right choices for the animals at the SPA. That is our role.

The SPA is located at Los Pinos 7, just off the continuation of Canal, near the Central Bus Station. For anyone interested in volunteering, there is an orientation session each Monday and Thursday at 11am. Visiting, adoption and volunteering hours are Monday through Friday 11am–2pm. The clinic number is 152-6124.