Record Number of Pets Abandoned by their Owners

As told in the Telluride Daily Planet on October 22, 2023 by Leslie Vreeland:

One by one the pets arrived, animal companions surrendered by their humans. By Oct. 14 of this month, the Telluride Humane Society had rescued exactly that many pets. By Oct. 20, the number of “owner surrenders” had climbed to 20, meaning one pet per day is presently being given up in this region.

“By any measure, this is both a sad and overwhelming number,” Ellen Williamson, the society’s founder, said. “The noteworthy aspect is, we have kept these pets out of shelters, and from being abandoned as strays.”

You may wonder where these dogs and cats, which have included a purebred Golden retriever puppy, a purebred Australian shepherd, a purebred Border collie, small mixed-breed terriers and cats ranging in age from kittens to “13-to-16-year-old seniors,” are right now, and who rescued them.

After all, you can’t visit these animals in a pound. The answer: either the animals are in safe, compassionate foster homes, or they have been adopted by now. Either way, their lives were changed because of Williamson, a volunteer herself, and an all-volunteer- network of animal-lovers who believe deeply in the THS’s work and keep stepping up to assist, time and again (learn more at telluridehumanesociety.com).

The organization is driven by sheer grit and determination, but has had no physical presence in this region ever since its founding in 2018.

“We’ve been fueled by compassion, advocacy, dedication and a damn hard work ethic,” as Williamson put it. Read Full Article Here