Program helps animals find families

     By Tina Allen
     View staff writer
      Kahlua the dog sits patiently at the front of his cage watching prospective families walk past the lines of his yelping neighbors.
      The golden-colored chow, who is missing part of his hind leg, is among the 20,000 animals ranging from cats to pigs, brought to the Animal Foundation each year. Presently, the smallest resident is a pet rat.
      Many are found wandering Las Vegas streets or are rescued from abusive households by the city of Las Vegas Animal Control and another one-third are brought to the shelter by owners who can no longer keep their pets.
      But Kahlua is among the lucky few in the nation's shelters. Most likely, he will not be euthanized, thanks to the efforts of the Animal Foundation's president, Mary Herro, and the city of Las Vegas.
      Nationally, 63 percent of the animals brought to shelters each year are killed within one to seven days. Presently the Animal Foundation provides the animals with 30 days.
      However, 10 years ago after Herro rescued an injured pit bull on Interstate 15 who had fallen out of a truck, she vowed to create the nation's first non-euthanasia shelter in the United States. Immediately, she went to work, creating a proposal and presenting it to the Las Vegas City Council.
      "I get two to three phone calls every day from other cities saying, `We love our pets, too. We want to save their lives, too. What are you doing over there? We want to do that, too,' " Herro said. "What makes a difference here is a city that's listening and cares. That's the difference."
      So far, she has sent out more than 750 copies to animal clinics across the United States of their procedural manual describing how to run a low-cost spay and neuter clinic. It is now serving as a model for clinics from New York to California -- quite a feat for the modest 7,500-square-foot facility, located at 700 N. Mojave Road, which also serves as the shelter.
      More than 108,000 surgeries have been performed at the facility in the past 10 years, more than any clinic in the world. Anywhere from 55 to 70 low-cost spay and neuter surgeries, which range from $10 to $40, are done per day at the small clinic.
      Herro's non-euthanasia goal is still 36 months away from reality, but her dream will be realized once a proposed 35,000-square-foot shelter and spay and neuter clinic goes up directly across the street from the present site.
      The foundation has 18 months to raise $14 million and another 18 months to construct the building. In return for meeting the deadlines, the city of Las Vegas is providing the two-acre parcel where the building will be situated, rent-free for the next 50 years.
      In 1997, about 6,000 of the shelter's animals had to be euthanized because of severe behavior or health problems. Herro said about 25 to 30 percent of all animals entering any shelter in the nation cannot be saved because of these problems.
      Another 600 animals that were healthy and adoptable had to be killed by injection, simply because there wasn't enough room for them.
      "I can't tell you what is more horrifying than putting an animal down because there's no room for you. It's very hard on the staff here," Herro said.
      Since about one-third of the animals are brought to the shelter each year by their owners, the foundation focuses on persuading owners to change their minds through the efforts of Stacie Ellenz.
      Ellenz said the most common reasons why people give up their pets is minor behavior problems or because they are moving. She usually is able to convince one person a day to keep his pet by offering free obedience lessons, free spaying or neutering, free food or educational videos on subjects like barking.
      "I don't rush people, I say take your time to think about it, because this is a really big decision," Ellenz said.
      The foundation's adoption rate at 44 percent is almost double the national figure of 24 percent. Each day animals are brought to four Petsmart stores throughout the valley for adoption by the public. Fees are on a sliding scale, ranging from free to $100. Pets also can be adopted at the shelter.
      Those interested in adopting a pet or donating to the foundation's new building can call 384-3333.