European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 16, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse No sure t go to the dog so. A. He problem in Germany seems to be Les with its actual stray animal population than with a German perception that americans abandon their pets when they return to the United states maj. Michael Gates of the . Army veterinary services answers with this we realize that some european countries generally blame americans for any stray animals in their eyes americans Are the cause of an abandoned animal problem i disagree with that generalization. For the most part pet own ers Are very responsible to their pets whether they Are from the . Or any other Tim Mclaughlan civilian vet at Wurzburg s yet clinic said i be heard this for 20 years. There Are a number of people on the Economy who believe the americans just leave their animals and go Back to America and that s majority of people keep their animals vaccinated keep them wormed get them health certificates and take them Mclaughlan said there Are Well Over 2,000 animals registered at military vet clinics at , Gie Belstadt Bamberg Schweinfurt Ansbach and Nurnberg. Sgt. Adam Cavazos Coic of the Heidelberg vet clinic said when i got Here i was told that Ger Man tie Rheims vet clinics would hot adopt to americans because americans dump their animals when it comes time to leave. From my experience of that s not True. The people that we see Here take very Good care of their Cavazos said that More than 4,000 animals from the Heidelberg Mannheim and Karlsruhe military communities Are registered with the Heidelberg clinic. Vet clinic employees make one visit a week to Karlsruhe and two visits a week to Mannheim to see pets. They Don t Sec Many strays. What few strays that arc picked up by military police Are taken to the vet clinic where the animals Are kept for three working Days and then put up for adoption. Each animal must be vaccinated and preferably spayed or neutered before being adopted by an american service member Cavazos said. If the service member chooses not to have the animal sterilized he must still pay for the procedure. If a stray is not adopted within a reasonable time it is taken to a German clinic. Cavazos said american pet owners should Register their pets As soon As possible after arriving in Hei Delberg or before moving into government housing but that vet clinic personnel have no Way to enforce. The regulation. He noted the vet clinic is listed on in arid put processing paperwork for military members. We also sign health certificates for the animals be fore owners leave he said. Capt. Kathy Mccoy a veterinarian at Ramstein a says her facility and the one at nearby to Gelwich also require pet registration but have noway to enforce the Rule. They give out packets with phone numbers for German vets. We can t be Here 24 hours a Day she said. Civil engineers set up traps to catch wild cats. Clinic personnel always vaccinate and neuter the animals before putting them up for adoption. This includes Kittens and puppies Mccoy said. As of november 1993, the american veterinary medical association says Kittens and puppies can be safely spayed As Early As six weeks. Marian Hamilton pats for pets Jil item by Nancy l. Torner us. Bureau Here do americans in England turn with their pet problems one place is Wood Green animal shelters an organization that takes in and finds Homes for unwanted pets. Isobel Grant site coordinator of the Heydari Branch of the Wood Green animal shelters recognizes that service members move constantly. Because of High costs involved in transporting pets from one country to another and limited housing where pets Are allowed some people turn their pets out into the Street when they move she said. She noted that the Wood Green staff has been working with . And British military bases to end courage people to take their pets with them or to place pets in a shelter where new Homes can be found for the animals All Over the world i assume that people have the same problems with animals Grant said and we have problems Here. But Over the last four years we have tried to make inroads to sensible pet the organization has had several recent Success stories with americans who adopted pets from Wood Green Grant said. Two cats and a dog Are moving to the states with their owners and two dogs went to Japan. Wood Green records do not reflect How Many Ani Mals currently under the organization s care came from americans. However Grant said the general feeling of staff was that fewer americans were bring ing their pets to the shelter and that the last animal it could recall getting was a Hamster. The organization s two shelters have 750 cats 250 dogs and an assortment of rabbits Guinea pigs and Kaz Nevsky Kiev Ukraine � 1994. Cartoonists � writers Syndicate other Small animals in need of Homes. About 15,000 unwanted pets come through Wood Green annually. There Are a number of other animal shelters in the United kingdom that also Are overflowing with unwanted pets. Wood Green animal shelters has one of the most Liberal policies on keeping animals alive until suitable Homes can be found for them she said to help combat animal abandonment the organization has been allowed to put up posters at . Military bases. Earlier this year the organization did a Public performance at Raf Lakenheath designed to encourage people to think sensibly before acquiring a pet. The program was filmed for distribution at other . Bases. If someone has a problem with animals we re Only too willing to help Grant said. We can give them the organization sponsors a critters club for Amer ican children Between Ages 6 and 14 that teaches them about responsibilities of owning a pet Grant said. Shelter Tours also arc Given to the children. Suspected animal abuse also is tackled by the organization Grant said. Wood Green recently was alerted to an abused Puppy at one of the . Air Force bases and was Given permission from the base to take the animal into its custody. The two service members involved in the abuse were Given military reprimands she said. Although the organization does hot discriminate against foreign citizens Grant said it is cautious about allowing military personnel to adopt an animal. We have to make a decision and it May be a decision that some people Don t like Grant said. Based on a person s housing and work situation some people can have cats but not All prospective adopters most agree to an initial Home visit and to future visits after a pet is adopted Grant said. They also must agree to return the Anir Mal to Wood Green if they Are unable to keep it. It s very traumatic for an animal to be re homed and then brought Back to us Grant said adding that at least Wood Green could then search for a new Home for the pet. For information about animal adoptions or advice about problems with current pets Call Wood Green animal shelters 24-hour hotline at 0763 83-8329. Olo Warsaw Poland Bart Amsterdam Netherlands you Call that Justice there s 20% cats in this town and i have to appear for an All dog jury october 16, 1994 sunday Page 7
