I am writing about human shelters and the need for humans to be able to bring their PETS with them to the shelters.

I was told I was welcome at a shelter, in Ontario, Canada, but my pets were not. As a result, I had to stay with an abuser longer than was wise because I could not leave MY PETS alsone with an abuser and the shelter would not welcome US.

Another time, another city, another year, I took my cat with me to the shelter. We travel together and I was moving from a small town with few jobs to a larger town with I hoped more jobs. When it was discovered that I had a cat, I was given two hours to decide whether I wanted the companionship of my cat or shelter. I chose, as many would, to have the companionship of my cat. My cat and I were asked to leave. This occurred in the dark, in a snow storm, in winter. We could have frozen and had no where else to go and knew only one person in town – a pastor’s daugher.
The pastor heard about our plight, spoke to the shelter and the shelter kindly invited me and my cat back.

It is my concern, that families stay intact. That means, to me, pets and their humans.
As a result I am requesting that everyone

a. Find out where your nearest local human shelter is.
This is good to know for your own benefit as well as anyone in your neighbourhood who has an emergency and needs a place to stay to sort things through before the next stelp.

b. Find out whether your nearest local human shelter says “NO PETS ALLOWED” or “PETS WELCOME”

c. If pets are not allowed, and this is not the type of human shelter that you want in your community, gather all your friends and relatives in the area and ensure that the human shelter in your area is as you wish. If you wish the entire family kept intact, humans and pets then make sure that is what you have or start another human shelter in your area that if PET AND HUMAN FRIENDLY

d. Put the information on your refigerator of where the closest human and pet shelter is so that if any of your friends or neighbours have an emergency and need to know where to go quickly, you will be able to give them the information immediately. Also, if ever you or your family need a quick escape, as you run out the door with your pet(s), you can grab the information about where the closest pet friendly human shelter is and be first in line, because you prepared ahead of the emergency.

There are many humans shelters and many animals shelters, but there are few human shelters that welcome humans and their PETS AND KEEP THE FAMILY INTACT -whole animals and people. It is my understanding this is a world wide issue. Therefore this information can be useful in any country.

Everyone needs to know where their closest human shelter is and especially shelters where humans and their pets can go. And, if there is not one close by, then their community needs to organize together for one to exist before an emergency occurs.

SPAY NEUTER CLINIC

in their area.

There are several examples and locations that can be found on the internet that are strictly for that purpose and cost is based on each circumstance.

The food is picked up at places like restaurants, grocery stores, bakeries, coffee shops and specialty shops etc. It is good food that may be from excess supply being sent to a store or food from a restaurant that has not be “plated” and is perfectly good, or day old bread which we would all eat at home but a bakery and coffee shops only sells it freshly made that day.

Please see the websites provided for the examples of where they get their food from and notice that food banks specialize in Non-Perishable foods ie tinned food where as “FOOD RESCUE” is the perishable foods and PLEASE correct where I missed the “re”.

Thank you
R. Burt

I just wrote a comment but not sure if it went through – you may have to from me.
I am a Canadian fan of you and your show and am wondering whether you will help promote a couple of ideas that would help a lot both Canada and the United States. A few people are already doing it but there is room for so much more to be done. I think if people hear on your show people telling about how how they got started and how it’s grown and become successful and so on more people will do the same things and become successful too! and help a lot.

The two ideas that can be reseached on the internet are “PET FOOD BANKS” and “FOOD RESCUE”
Both of these help those who are struggling and both ideas are being done in both countries but one of the places in Canada that is doing this is Quest Outreach or Quest Food Exchange in British Columbia. Their website says they direct 5.77 milion pounds of surplus food from landfills each year which adds up to $7.12 million worth of food…feeding 40,000 people a month, yet they are only capturing 1% (one per cent) of the food being wasted.

They also say we do not have a hunger problem, we have a food distribution problem!

I think people need to see that others are doing it, how they are doing it and that they are legally protected while they do it in the United States by the “Good Samarital Law” signed by President Bill Clinton and that the Provinces in Canada have laws to protect those who are doing it in good faith like in Ontario where I am called the “Donation of Food Act, 1994″ in order to be incuraged and motivated to do it where they live.

http://www.questoutreach.org and http://www.avivacommunityfund.org first page “Community Kitchen”

[PET FOOD BANKS

Pikes Peak Pet Pantry – Colorado
http://pikespeakpetpantry.org

Save Our Pets Food Bank – they have a list of Pet Food Banks they are aware of
http://www.saveourpetsfoodbank.org

Charlies Food Bank (BC SPCA) – British Columbia, Canada
http://www2.vpl.vancouver.bc.ca./DBs/RedBook/orgPgs/4/4760.html

FOOD RESCUE

In Toronto, Ontario Second Harvest collects unused fresh and frozen perishable food, vegetables, fruits, meat etc and they collect enough of this type of food to feed 15,000 meals every day!

http://www.secondharvest.ca

Boston University Community Service Centre has an award winning program where the students are involved in “FOOD RESCUE” and they collect 150,000 pounds of food annually
http:/web.bu.edu/csc/faq/index.html

)checking the term “FOOD RESCUE” even brought up examples of little children helping their parents do it!

The Dream Center in Los Angeles visted by President George Bush because it is runs so well takes the food that is rescued to the public schools where the moms in the needy areas in Los Angeles can get the food at the school while they are picking up their children from school so that they do not have to leave them at home when they go grocery shopping. I think that’s a great idea.
http://www.dreamceter.org

With so many struggling, I think if we get all the big cities, the towns, villlages and little communities doing this bringing excess and perishable foods from everywhere it would help a great deal.

Dr. Phil, do these ideas sound good enough for you to have a show on them?

Oh Dr.Phil I learned about tweeting the other day and pawed over Grammy’s keyboard and sent Robin a shout! Love twitter! Tweeting to a Robin can’t get much better than that for a CAT! Twitter is really all about the birds!

Seriously Dr.Phil too many cats and dogs and bunnies are abandoned every year by humans who claimed they loved them! As for me I don’t need that kind of “love”.

For me life was almost over and I was saved in the nick of time. Now I have a loving home that is almost purr—fect! I say almost because I have to share the house with a six pound Yorkie who thinks he is boss. That is one doggie who has alot to learn!

Only complaint I have is Grammy took me to a lady who took away my manhood! I think she was called a “sanitarian?” or maybe it was a “vegetarian?” . Could have been Presbatarian?”—Oh, the pup just said the word is “veternarian!”– Soo– pups do know some things I admit!

Life is good now! I still am scared of strange people coming to the house but have many places to hide. I bird watch from the safety of the window. When animal friends ask if I miss the great outdoors I meow and say; ” ARE YOU NUTS!” The only thing great about being outdoors was when Grammy brought me to my forever home on her bike! Now I watch the rain from a lovely sunporch swing!

All us adoptees here wish you would do a show for pets and inform people how we need to be treated. We have feelings and need care and love even “dogs”. Lucky and Molly my new siblings were unwanted in the past. They tell me life is fun here and you know they are right!

Don’t forget to spay & nueter!!! It’s one of the most responsible things a pet owner can do in my oppinion.