INJURED ANIMALS NEED YOUR HELP

AWESOME MATCH:   **** We have a generous donor who has agreed to match every single dollar you give UP to $20,000 until April 19, 2016. Please consider making a donation – particularly because if you do it now, it will be doubled!****
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Imagine you are a dog. Now imagine finding yourself in the most desperate of straits – like the worst you can imagine: you’re seriously injured, you’re alone and you are in the middle of NOWHERE. Now imagine that after wandering around suffering, trying to find help, at long last someone finds you and transports you to salvation: a shelter!

Imagine how crushing the disappointment would be to arrive and discover that while there are are warm beds and kind attendants to look after you, THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO FOR YOUR INJURIES. You just lie there suffering with your injuries….which perhaps may force the shelter to ultimately have to euthanize you for humane reasons.

The California City Animal Shelter is located in Kern County, one of the poorest areas in all of Southern California. Most inhabitants live at or below the poverty line and the only source of employment within many miles is a private prison. Sadly, the stray dogs and cats in California City don’t fare much better.

While yes there is a shelter here  (the California City Animal Shelter) and wonderful Animal Control officers, this shelter has no medical unit. Dogs and cats that are rescued have to be adopted out INTACT (i.e. not spayed or neutered). This also means that when a dogs is brought in that is injured, there is a good chance that it may have to be put down – EVEN IF HIS/HER INJURIES COULD HAVE BEEN FIXED, because there is no medical unit to do so.  A local vet helps out when he can, but it’s not enough.

Last year alone 68 animals at California City Animal Shelter were euthanized for medical reasons….injuries that most likely could have been taken care of if there had been a medical facility to treat them.

Ruby & Rizzo – the two pits in casts pictured above – were dumped in the desert. Both were hit by cars and found on the side of the road by commuters reporting to Animal Control. They must have been so relieved when they were finally brought to the California City Shelter: SALVATION!! But alas for Ruby (the dog w/the double casts) it was bittersweet. Help arrived too late: she ended up losing one of her legs because they weren’t able to treat her right away and infection had set it. (Rizzo happily did not lose her leg).

There are people here who want to adopt these animals, but sending these dogs and cats out unaltered is simply adding to the problem of an already-exploding dog and cat overpopulation. Dogs and cats may not be able to add or subtract, but they sure can mulitiply! Unwanted litters of puppies and kittens often get dumped in in the high desert (up to 110 degrees in summer)!

Video of shelter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLJBroLvYO0

We need to raise $59,000 to cover the costs building a medical unit, and the first year’s operating expenses.

The California City Animal Shelter is run by the California City Police Department. On November 16th, 2015, Mr. Eric Hurtado, Chief of Police, asked Basic Needs Foundation for help to build the Medical Unit and treatment costs for the first year. On December 19, 2015, The Building Official of California City received the Bid Package . Dr. Trimnell from California City Pet Clinic will be the shelter vet.

Please help by donating. The animals need your help.