Jeremiah, best friend to Eric and Terri Bissell, party animal extraordinaire and former candidate for Key West Mayor "With Integrity" went on his way to Good Ol' Dog heaven in December.
When his memorial service was held at the Green Parrot last month, there wasplenty of meatloaf cake with gravy icing for his many canine friends. And his human buddies showed their respect by donating $500 to Lower Keys Friends of Animals in Jeremiah's name, which will be used to spay and neuter large dogs, over 35 pounds.
Jeremiah's legacy is sorely needed. Spaying and neutering a large adult dog can cost almost $200. "Some dog owners can't afford the expense," said LKFOA president Cheri Morgan, "so we have Jeremiah's money to help them out."
Morgan espouses early spay/neuter for dogs and cats. "Puppies can be spayed or neutered as early as 12 weeks with no adverse reaction," she said. "The younger the dog, the faster the recovery. And the cost is so much less.
"And there's good medical reasons to spay and neuter your animal," said Morgan. "It really reduces the rate of testicular cancer in males and mammory gland cancer in females."
Spaying and neutering has long been the anthem of international animal welfare organizationsconcerned about the overpopulation of domestic animals. In our town alone, there were over 200 dogs and cats euthanized in the last six months of 1999. Many of these animals—Gwen Hawtof of the FKSPCA Shelter on Stock Island estimates as many as 30-50-percent of them-- were healthy and young. The only reason for killing them? They had no home.
One of the primary "mixed breeds" known as `Keys' Dogs' are part Shepherd, Rottweiler and Labrador-- big dogs. Many of the dogs left at the Shelter are a mixture of these breeds. And they have lots of puppies, "as many as six to nine per litter," said Morgan.
But thanks to Jeremiah's legacy it will be possible to spay and neuter five large dogs for those who haven't got the funds to pay themselves. And Morgan urges everyone who loves their dog and cat to have them spayed and neutered. "There's just not enough good homes to go around."
Have a large dog that needs to be fixed but can't afford it? Call LKFOA at 294-9445. And
thank Jeremiah.
Last week, the Morning Star printed a letter which purported to expose "the dirty little secret they don't want you to know" about the Lower Keys Friends of Animals Spay Neuter Clinic at the rear of the Cat House in K-Mart Plaza.
The dirty little secret? That if you take your pet there for surgery, it will be exposed to all sorts of dread diseases, because of the "mass batching of stray and household pets (that) presents an excellent chance for the spreading of disease," and that "death of your family dog"(or cat) can be the result.
The writer also proclaimed that the "surgery performed on your pet is not the same procedure your family vet would recommend," and advises us to "take them to a local vet for proper care."
Cheri Morgan, LKFOA president, responded in kind.
"Your article implies that we do the surgeries in a `backroom.' That `backroom,' as you call it, is a complete surgical area. We have an anesthesia machine, surgery table, surgical light, an autoclave (to sterilize instruments) sterile instrument pacs, sterile gloves— everything one would find in any vet's surgery area.
"You further imply that all the animals are exposed to dread diseases. We do not perform surgery on sick animals.
"And," she added, "whether you are a human being, a pig, or a cat or a dog, surgery involves risk! Our stats are exemplary."
"So," asks Morgan, "where do you suppose you can find sick animals? At the vet's.
"My point is, your animal is at no greater risk at one of our clinics. And you are also misinformed about the number of strays done at our clinics—the majority, if not all the animals, are people's pets.
"Last year we spent over $20,000 at local veterinary offices. Our local emergency vet is Dr. Lisa Bramson of All-Animal Clinic. Local vets, however, cannot accommodate all the surgery that needs to be done. Many of the animals we spay/neuter would never be fixed without our low-cost and free spay/neuter programs every month.
And finally, in response to the statement that the clinic is "a friendly, back-room butcher shop," Morgan replies, "LKFOA has been an advocate for the animals on this island for over 20 years, and to imply that we would do anything to hurt an animal is obtuse.
"Our veterinarian, Dr. Gissendanner, is an exceptionally qualified surgeon who has been practicing veterinary medicine for many years. He is employed as a spay/neuter vet for many county-run facilities and other non-profits."
Morgan is perplexed about the letter writer's claim that LKFOA runs an "unsafe, shoddy and unsanitary clinic." "How in good faith can he make that claim? He has never once visited our clinic!"
And what about permits? Morgan responds, "At all stages of the building process for the clinic all permits were applied for and received. We followed the guildelines of the State of Florida Dept. of Business and Professional Regulation and Board of Veterinary Medicine, to receive our premises permit."
"It's Permit #VE277."
So, where's the beef?