Friday, August 29, 2014

#DailyDoseOfIndependence: Great Plains SPCA

Many of you have heard us talk about the dire straits of one of the shelters we support.
Here's the back-story:

Great Plains SPCA "crossed the line" last April - the state line, that is.

You see, the Kansas City metro area straddles the border of Kansas and Missouri, and last year, this Kansas-based No-Kill shelter took over management of the city shelter in Independence, Missouri.

And the Great Plains Independence Campus was born.



It's being run by many of the fabulous people we have known for years at Wayside Waifs, Allie's Alma Mater. And we couldn't be prouder of what they have sought to accomplish: turning a kill shelter into No Kill. Sometimes, we even refer to it as Wayside 2.0 - simply because we don't want you to think we've casually switched loyalties. Both shelters are No Kill, and both deserve our appreciation and support for jobs well done.

But lately, our focus has been on Great Plains, because quite frankly, right now their need is greater.

By the end of the first three months of operation, the shelter had already taken in the equivalent of a full year's worth of cats. And this is a shelter whose numbers had held steady for years and years and years, so this phenomenon was completely unexpected.

At their peak two weeks ago, they had well over 700 cats and the trend looked to top 800.

These little guys are lined up in hallways, stacked in offices - basically every available nook and cranny!

There is speculation as to what might be behind this, but no definitive answers. And to be honest, though the "why" behind the situation is important, especially for shelter management going forward, it doesn't do much to help the situation right now.

No, the only thing that'll help is adoption - and transfers to partner shelters.

We're trying to do our small part by following in the footsteps of the blog, Sebastian the Sensitive Soul, whose owner, Amy Palmer, instituted the #DailyDoseOfIndependence tradition on Facebook.

We're posting there, too. But we'll also be reposting about these eminently adoptable cats right here on A Tonk's Tail, as well.

So without further ado, we present to you today's Daily Dose of Independence: Harvey Dent.


9 comments:

  1. What a sweetie Harvey is...

    You create the best adoption videos...what a wonderful way to help spread the adoption message and introduce kitties we can't help but fall in love with. We sure hope there's lots of adoptions for shelter cats of the Great Plains SPCA.

    xo

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  2. Wow, what a huge number of sweet furbabies. It's staggering. The need is so great in our area this year, too. You're doing amazing work and Harvey is a sweetheart. We are purring he finds his furever home, soon.
    XOXO

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  3. Harvey is adorable! And how awful that there are so many kitties needing homes at Great Plains! I am sure the volunteers there have their hands full trying to help them all. I am sending lots of purrs their way.

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  4. We agree that is a huge number. Bravo to them for their amazing work. Have a fabulous Friday.
    Best wishes Molly

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  5. I can't even imagine how overwhelmed your shelter must feel. We are so lucky here in Vermont. When we participated in Maddie's Days back in May we were able to bring some animals up from down south because we knew we would RUN OUT of adoptable pets! Animals just get adopted so quickly up here. I wish there were more ways we could help out other areas.

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  6. wow - that number is unreal....but we are glad they are stiving for no-kill and we hope adoptions pick up

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  7. That number of cat's sounds really unreal !
    Harley seams to be a real cuddlebug :)
    Keep my paws crossed that he will find his forever home real soon !

    XOXO

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  8. dood...ewe rock...N best bass & flounder fishes two ewe ya finds yur for evers home by de next week :)
    N like everee one else ther az well

    heerz ta a happee week oh end…may de bass bee bountee full in yur bowlz ♥

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  9. That many cats at a shelter is just an inconceivable number. No wonder they're overwhelmed. We hope that Harvey and the rest of his neighbors there at the shelter find happy forever homes soon.

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Coolio! A comment? For US?