Animal-friendly? Then help!

I really enjoyed the Animal Magnetism pets issue of Mountain Express [Jan. 23]. There is a lot of good information on what is available in this area for people with pets, and also it’s nice to see how much people invest in their pets (time, love etc.). I found it very disturbing, though, that nothing was mentioned about the tragic situation in Hendersonville—where All Creatures Great & Small is being shut down and over 500 animals’ fates lie in the hands of the Henderson County Animal Shelter. I don’t necessarily disagree with the rescue group being shut down, but [having] the state of North Carolina require that Henderson County take on all these animals in less than two months is a cop-out on their part. The shelter has capacity for 30 dogs, and 75 percent of their animals are put down. How can they possibly be expected to handle over 500 animals?

The media needs to get involved to report what is going on and get the word out. If WNC is such an animal-friendly area, why aren’t we making sure everyone is aware of this horrible situation in our own backyard? I know people would come forward to help. Please, don’t just focus on how pets are pampered. Let’s see how much people in WNC really care about animals, and let’s get the word out about this so these innocent animals have a fighting chance.

— Ellen Lukens
Asheville

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Webmaster
Mountain Xpress Webmaster Follow me @MXWebTeam

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

One thought on “Animal-friendly? Then help!

  1. Dionysis

    I agree with the writer. These poor creatures need to be given a chance to live. Hopefully, continued focus on the plight of these animals will spur people to consider taking one or two. It would be nice of the Mountain Xpress would provide updates on the situation.
    I have several pets myself, but will probably try and take at least one more. Anyone who cares about animals and is in a position to help, even a little, should do so.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.