Monday, May 20, 2013 - 11:56am
Pawning Off Puppies: paying up long-term
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POSTED: Friday, March 6, 2009 - 10:10pm
UPDATED: Thursday, April 8, 2010 - 3:46am
TYLER — We've told you about the trend of selling puppies in Tyler parking lot without the proper permit. These could lead to buyers - buying a dog with a disease. While the new owners of these pups could end up with the first disappointment, a diseased dog or simply a dog they can't take care of.
The humane society says it's the rest of us who see the results for years to come. Kennels full of dogs, young and old, fill the lot on County Road 386 — the Humane Society of East Texas.
"So often those animals end up here at the shelter or dumped on the side of the road," says Gayle Helms, director of the shelter.
She says many of these cages are full of animals once sold at parking lots in Tyler. Some of them come days after the sale, some years later.
"That's the easy way to fix an unwanted littler of puppies or kittens," Helms says.
She says many vendors on parking lots have animals they haven't spayed or neutered and simply want to get rid of them.
"these animals are susceptible to parvo and other life threatening illnesses," Helms says.
She says impulse buyers who get the pups on the cheap also play a role.
"This is like taking on a child, taking a puppy or kitten home," Helms says.
Bruised and beaten, pitbulls end up at shelters after years as strays. Their age, condition and temperament make it unlikely they'll get adopted.
"It's actually going to hit every one of us in our pocketbooks as taxpayers," Helms says.
Helms says strays cost Tyler taxpayers in city services.
"If it's rampant in our community, then animal control," she says.
Animal control officers have to scour the city keeping dangerous dogs off the streets and taxpayer dollars also go to shelters who then care for the animals and euthanize them.
City officials say they spend more than $300,00 in animal control services and more than $100,00 in shelter expenses.
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Gayle pays her own salary, solicits donations ... she's get her own little world out there, she and her live-in boyfriend, Teri (the uncivil guy); the Klein Animal Shelter in Jacksonville is the best thing to happen to strays in the Tyler area. It is professionally run-unlike the SELF-SERVING Ms. Helms. Check out all those diamonds she wears and her fancy new SUV. She's doing very well for herself in her own little "kingdom"
It amazes me that Gail Helms can go on T.V. about all the unwanted animals. When in fact it is because of her that alot of the citizens in Tyler can not bring animals to the so called shelter. Ask her how much she charges to bring in animals. What about all those she turns away!!!
The best dogs in the world are ones that were unwanted by some idiot. I have a pure-bred yellow lab that, at only three months old, was dumped on an isolated county road (most likely because she had a health issue that is now resolved). Some First Monday puppy mill left-over, I guess. She also happens to be the smartest dog in the world. My other one is a Yorkie-Russell who was dumped at the animal shelter...but fortunately was only there for an hour when we got her! She is the sweetest, most loving dog ever and everyone who meets her loves her. I feel so fortunate and blessed to have these sweet dogs in my life.
The most important lesson here is SPAY AND NEUTER!!!
What a great series of stories on a sad problem. Irresponsible people really make life hell for an innocent animal. If law enforcement would crack down on these people, it would save us a lot of money (funding the animal shelter), but more importantly it would save (and qualify) the lives of these beautiful creatures.
I can understand what Gayle is saying. Kids love puppies and kittens!!! Anytime you take your family to Walmart, etc. on the weekend someone is out there selling or giving away puppies or kittens. The kids see them and want one. Then you have to put up with their crying the rest of the day if you don't give in. This happened to us last summer. We were on our way to a relative's birthday party and had to stop at Walmart. My granddaughter saw some kittens and wanted one. All the way to my sister's house, she cried and sulked. Well, it just so happens, my sister's Yorkie was giving birth that very day. My granddaughter got to hold one of the new puppies. My sister said she could have one if she wanted it which gave us several weeks to be sure. She did eventually get the one she first held and he is spoiled rotten. This is much better than getting one off a parking lot. You know where they come from. I think the sale of puppies, etc. should not be allowed on parking lots. But then, they will probably just dump them on the side of the road somewhere. But really, it just makes it so easy for someone who is not really looking for a pet to end up with one by the time the leave Walmart. Then, a couple of days later, they realize they acted to quickly and really don't want the animal. It is so sad. And, too, the animals do tend to look unhealthy.
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