Since the passing of our loudest and most passionate animal rights advocate, Lucia Beeler, back in December 8, 2019, there hasn’t really been anyone in Hardin County, KY to step up and take her place to speak for homeless pets, unwanted pets and community cats. Over many decades since the founding of the Animal Refuge Center, she was THE first to FEARLESSLY stand up and call out citizens, organizations and others on News Enterprise, WHAS11 News and other news outlets for not making spay and neuter solutions affordable to all, and in the 1990s she was a strong advocate for calling out the needs of the community when, in those days, the pet overpopulation problem in Hardin County was already at its highest in years. Seasons of community necessity and her record of outspoken political activism dating back to the volatile times of the 1960s versus Government restrictions against 501(c)(3) non-profit charities engaging in ANY political activism made many shelters hesitant to be as outspoken as Lucia was about animal rights. Everyone feared treading the line between Church and State, if you will, even though limiting animal welfare advocacy … leaves ALL of Kentucky’s homeless and unwanted pets without ANY voice whatsoever.
Now, in 2024, post-Covid pandemic Hardin County is seeing the highest instances of homeless pets EVER, perhaps even surpassing numbers from the 90s. People are literally abandoning unwanted puppies and kittens on the side of the road to be picked up.
Shame on you, and you know who you are.
Community Spay and Neuter Resources are scarce. Local veterinarian costs for spay and neuter are extremely high and way out of reach of lower class or poor working families. Nonsense excuses are being heard: “I don’t believe in abortion, so I can’t have my pregnant cat (or dog) spayed,” and then six weeks later they bring their unwanted kittens or puppies to shelters and dump them out by the bucket load. Animal shelters everywhere feel like they have a giant funnel on their roof that people keep pouring all their unwanted pets into. And WHY???
Citizens have lost ALL common sense. According to research, there are actually 409 animal shelters and animal welfare organizations in Kentucky. ALL of them are full. ALL OF THEM.
Petshops are being called by citizens every single day to take in unwanted puppies, kittens, hamsters, snakes–you call it, they get it. We need more responsible pet owners. If you do not want to keep it forever, or if you are military and you think your local animal shelter is a rent-a-pet agency for a couple of years until you PCS to your next duty station, do NOT adopt it.
WHAT do we need to do as a township, city, community or state to get this under control? It’s time we stopped treating this like a political or religious issue and confront it head on. How do we make Kentucky a No-Kill State? Sound off in the comments below.
And one last salute: If you haven’t heard of Lucia Beeler or what she really stood for, check out our tribute to this fierce little spirit on our website. We should ALL strive to be more like her.
There would be a lot less sadness–and far fewer homeless pets–in the world. :/
https://animalrefugecenter.org/lucia-beeler-obituary/
— Pam Harrison, Secretary, Board of Directors
Animal Refuge Center, Inc.
