CLEARLAKE >> A grassroots effort to aid chained up, poorly fed and forgotten dogs in Clearlake is only a few weeks old. But with a focus on educating the youngest population of the community on the importance of caring for canines, the small group, Animal Kindness Volunteers (AKV) is already soliciting donations and support for their endeavors.
With just a couple friends, Melinda Young began organizing AKV after being overwhelmed by the number of neglected, unsheltered and underfed dogs in Clearlake neighborhoods.
“It”s all around me,” she said, explaining she”s called in dogs multiple times to the Clearlake Animal Control to report cases of neglect. The agency is stretched thin, though, with only one officer to field calls from a population of more than 15,000, according to Young.
“This is not even remotely adequate to meet the needs of our City”s animal issues,” she stated.
After her solo efforts explaining the law to dog owners, offering assistance and reporting abuse, the last straw for Young was a four or five month old puppy that was tethered to a fence with just a foot and a half of chain. No water, food or shelter was provided and Young approached the owner who asked if she”d take the pup herself.
It was time for a new approach and Young decided education for children and organized assistance for low-income animal owners would be far more effective tools to ending animal neglect than merely reporting to Animal Control.
In kindergarten and elementary schools, Young is beginning to plan presentations to show students what the law requires of a pet owner and how to provide that care in an age-appropriate lesson. Building the curriculum as she goes, she”ll be using a book titled Buddy Unchained, which tells a story, from a dog”s perspective, of what it”s like to be chained up and forgotten. Her first presentation is already scheduled for Dec. 1 at a preschool in Clearlake.
“The goal is to change thinking that has been passed down from generation to generation on animal care and treatment,” Young stated. “Children are really powerful and can help educate their parents on how to care for animals.”
Additionally, the AKV will also be building and distributing dog houses and giving out bedding and food for both dogs and cats, Young said.
While Young is open to accepting calls from those in need, right now she”s primarily focused on rounding up volunteers to build the dog houses, deliver supplies, hand out flyers containing the state”s animal laws and give presentations in schools. She”s also requesting donations of recycled wood for the dog houses, bedding and food. However, since the group hasn”t filed for nonprofit status, it currently isn”t able to accept monetary donations.
So far, Animal Control has donated some collars for the AKV to offer as an alternative to chains and the Society for the Prevention of Animal Cruelty (SPCA) of Clearlake has offered to donate some food and direct callers to the group, Young said.
To make a donation, find out how to volunteer or seek assistance from the AKV, contact Young at 995-2342 or melinday@rocketmail.com.
