WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. (WKBW) — Shoving a dog into a trunk, slamming the door, and getting ready to drive away. The act caught on camera has gone viral. Sara Perry, 27, of Florida was caught on camera after she asked a shelter to take or euthanize her dog and was turned away because the shelter was too full.
Chris Wiehe, the director of a Purr-fect Fit Animal Rescue Center & Adoption Center in Williamsville, said shelters are not there for people to drop off their unwanted pets. The cats at here center are mainly ones rescued off the street.
"Bringing an animal to a shelter and saying you don't want it anymore, and I don't care if you kill it, is not something that is acceptable," Wiehe said.
Wiehe said many rescue centers, like Purr-fect Fit, is stretched for resources. This includes volunteers, space, and money for basic needs like food. That's why she said she has no choice, but to turn away people everyday that try to bring their pets in.
"I'm packed, jam packed here," she said.
Wiehe said that being a responsible pet owner starts with proper planning before bringing your furry friend home.
"We always tell people you should designate a person, just like you would with a child, if something happens to me or I can't take care of the animal, can you take care of it for me," she said. "So it doesn't have to come back to a shelter."
For those pet owners who do need to give up a pet, Wiehe said just expect to be on a waiting list. She said the SPCA has one right now, as well as other shelters.
"If you want instantaneous results, you're not going to get that," she said.
Wiehe said the best way for people to be part of the solution is to volunteer, donate, and spread the word about their local organizations.
