Capital Region Cares Capital Region Cares 2017-2018 | Página 40

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Feature
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That’s no small task. Across Sacramento county, every
ven though some of the animals at the Folsom
City Zoo Sanctuary are illegal to keep as pets year 35,000 animals enter either Front Street, the County
in California, people still figure out a way to of Sacramento’s shelter or the Sacramento SPCA. In 2016,
get their hands on them, according to Jill Lute- nearly 11,000 dogs and cats came into the Front Street
shelter, with 9,180 leaving, either as adoptions, transfers
Faust, the sanctuary’s lead senior zookeeper.
“The exotic pet trade is huge and people can get every- or were returned home. This follows a continual — but
thing from a hedgehog to a tiger very easily,” Lute-Faust drastic — increase in animals leaving the shelter since
says. “It’s not hard. Whether it’s illegal or not, if people 2011.
“If you just look at the City of Sacramento, it’s esti-
want something they get it.”
The sanctuary works with a wide range of critters, in- mated that 250,000 cats and dogs live in the city limits
cluding injured animals, illegal pets or domestic pets that ... that’s pets that people own, so the volume is tremen-
their owners decided they didn’t want or are unable to dous,” Knepp says.
While that 35,000 number includes lost animals or
care for. The facility currently houses everything from a
prairie dog, to macaws, kinkajous, parrots, monkeys and those relinquished by their owners, it also includes aban-
doned pets. It’s not unheard of,
black bears. “All of the ani-
Knepp says, for people to drive
mals that live here, they real-
up to one of Sacramento’s shelters
ly can’t live anywhere else,”
and just leave the animal behind.
Lute-Faust says.
Front Street’s cameras also of-
But the sanctuary’s capac-
ten show people, under the cover
ity is limited: “We’re pretty
of darkness, dropping animals
much always full,” Lute-Faust
off in boxes, leaving them tied to
says. For the most part, the
the doors or even going as far as
only way space opens up is
to toss them over the fence. “It’s a
when an animal dies, and they
— Jill Lute-Faust, senior zookeeper,
crime, but most people don’t look
accept less than 1 percent of
at it that way, and don’t realize
the animals that are brought
Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary
they’re A: breaking state law, and
to their attention.
B: leaving a living creature to fend
“We [already] have ani-
mals that need homes,” Lute-Faust says. “We don’t need for itself,” Knepp says.
Pet abandonment doesn’t always happen at the shel-
to contribute to the pet population with exotic pets as
well.” And as Sacramento continues to grow as a city, so ters, either. Knepp mentioned that grocery stores will call
too is it important to remember the needs of its pet pop- them about pets who have been tied up outside and left.
And during evictions, it’s “extremely common” for the
ulace.
tenants to leave the property without their pets, she says.
Knepp also stresses honesty for people who have to
REALITIES OF ANIMAL SHELTERS
Supporting Sacramento’s pet population is far from a new surrender their animals, and says they don’t have to be
endeavor: The Front Street Animal Shelter dates back to scared about being judged: “We want to help people and
the 1850s, according to Manager Gina Knepp. The facility their pets. It’s not just about the animals, but it’s about
is a municipal shelter — part of the City of Sacramento — the people who love them and own them.”
but is also supported by the nonprofit Friends of the Front
Street Shelter.
NO ROOM AT THE INN
“Our primary focus is to take in lost, stray, abandoned, Without their owners, some domestic animals may be
injured, sick animals that end up away from their people able to survive in a new humanless environment, but for
for whatever reason and either get them back to their others the situation is much more bleak. “By putting an
rightful owners if that’s appropriate, or get them new unneutered male cat back into the wild, he now has a bio-
homes,” Knepp says.
logical imperative to hunt for and capture territory,” Sac-
“We don’t need to
contribute to the
pet population with
exotic pets.”
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