by Hanna Singh
With a growing population of stray dogs and cats in Lincoln Parish, 4-Paws Rescue Inc. Is stepping up to address this issue. By providing room for discussion about the stray animal crisis with a community meeting this Saturday, 4 Paws hopes to foster discussion about ideas and possible solutions to address animal welfare across the parish. All concerned citizens and local officials are invited to talk, learn and present information to address the abandoned animal issue.
The community meeting will take place this Saturday, December 14th from 12-2pm at the Lincoln Parish Library. Attendees can enter the main door of the library, and the meeting will be in the room on the left. Everyone is invited to come learn and discuss, whether they live in Lincoln parish or elsewhere. The event will provide an opportunity for the community to collaborate in finding an impactful solution.
4 Paws Rescue Inc. volunteer and board member, Lauren DeFreese, emphasized the urgency of tackling the problem.
“It is important to address this issue, because the stray animal crisis is getting worse. We get calls daily at 4 Paws of people finding dogs abandoned at dumpsters, dumped on rural roads, found in cages at dumpsters, and there have even been animals found inside dumpsters,” DeFreese said. “We have taken in animals emaciated and injured living on the streets of Ruston. These things are happening right outside our front door. If we don’t come together and come up with a better plan, it will only continue to get worse.”
It is not only the shelters that have become troubled by the staggering population of dumped dogs and cats. Many residents of Lincoln Parish and nearby communities have also raised concerns about the impact of abandoned animals. Dawn Basinger, retired associate dean for the College of Education at Louisiana Tech University, shared her thoughts.
“There are too many people that are dumping dogs. The city of Ruston has animal control, but the parish doesn’t help 4 Paws Rescue, and the shelter is always full because of the dumping,” Basinger said. “I have 8 dogs. I love my fur babies, but you know there are people you think that dogs are just dogs. There are also people who don’t spay and neuter their animals, so we have this overpopulation of puppies and kittens. I wish we could just all pull together to fix this problem somehow, because it really is a problem.”
Mayor Ronny Walker has confirmed his attendance at the event, and members of the Lincoln Parish Police Jury, sheriff’s office, RAC staff, and other local officials have also been invited. DeFreese hopes the meeting will give those with potential solutions the opportunity to share their ideas with decision-makers who can implement them. This meeting could be the first step in solving the issue of pets being abandoned in Lincoln Parish and throughout Louisiana.
Animal lovers who want to make a difference are encouraged to attend the meeting and support 4 Paws Rescue Inc. For more information on how to volunteer, donate, or support the shelter, visit www.4pawsrescueinc.org .
