Paw-litical Help for a “Recycled Love Zone”

As the Doggone Green Crusader one of my missions is to help end animal homelessness and abuse; a big part of that is supporting shelters, which I dub “recycled love zones.” A shelter’s job is to look after and find “forever homes” for down-and-out pets. Too often, economic woes mean bad times for the animals. These days more and more two-leggeds find they can no longer afford the cost of keeping us or worse pets are given up for adoption or abandoned when their pet parents lose homes to foreclosure or eviction. Shelter over population is on the rise; it is worse for the cats.

Mom and I trekked out to visit Jefferson County Commissioner Kathy Hartman about the new-fangled (and badly needed) Table Mountain’s Animal Center’s NEW Foothills Animal Shelter. I had asked my Mom to set an appointment because I was fed up. This dilly-dally of approving a new animal shelter had gone on way too long. I said the animals were being short-changed. I wanted to know what the hold-up was and what we can do to move the new animal shelter project forward.

In the last several years a number of difficulties seem to have delayed building the new facility. The Denver Post reported that the building at 4105 Young field Street in Golden was built in 1966 as a dog-impound facility. Forty-two years later the center is severely overcrowded, outdated and I say it’s an eyesore on Jefferson County. The center serves the communities of Golden, Morrison, Mt View, Lakewood, Wheat Ridge, Arvada, Edgewater and Westminster. Cities take their lost, abandoned and abused animals to TMAC.

Hartman reports an agreement has been struck that will make the new TMAC facility a reality. She says Commish Kevin McCasty deserves the kudos; both he and Hartman want to get this project up and running. With construction costs rising and no way out of the tight spot maybe the animals can have a fairy tale ending. Whatever set a fire under McCasty’s britches, I say its paws-up. The trio of commissioners passed the following financial plan.

County Cash Contribution: $3 Million

County COP Funding up to: $5.2 Million (Debt Service supported by Dog Licensing Revenue)

Long-term (50 year) County Land Lease: $1/year

TMAC Foundation Donations: $1.5 Million

What’s more, the county’s top dogs say they will pitch in the land at the Jeffco fairgrounds where the new center will be built. It gets better; Hartman maintains they hope to break ground in the first quarter of 2009. See my article from the groundbreaking ceremony on June 30, 2009.

So, this thing is beginning to sound like it’s a Doggone done deal. As always, we have to be on watch, as the animals cannot put up with any more monkey business.

Jefferson County Commissioners ENDORSE Cedar for Mayor (see article and photos)

How can you help?

• License your dog(s). It’s easy and it helps you find your dog if she runs away. It’s the law and the money helps fund the NEW shelter.
• Call or email the Commissioners and tell them thank you for helping the animals.
• Update (paw-litical action makes things happen)
• Barnes and Noble Bookstore Fundraiser is held each year for the Table Mountain Animal Center’s NEW shelter. See me there, shake my paw and buy my books. A portion of the proceeds go to the CedarforMayor™ campaign which raises money to pay for the new building.
• Mom told me this paw-litical stuff could really work, if we give it our best shot. She was right! Here I am with the commish at groundbreaking on June 30, 2009.
• See the article about my campaign from the County Commissioners.
• Help me raise $25,000 for the NEW Foothills Animal Shelter; Vote for me for Mayor, One dollar equals One Vote; Vote Early , Vote Often www.CedarforMayor.com

Bow Wow,
Cedar Dog

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I am Cedar and I approved this ad