Herald Englewood
ENGLEWOOD 2.1.13 February 1, 2013
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A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourenglewoodnews.com
Arapahoe County, Colorado • Volume 92, Issue 51
Shuttle to keep rolling City and RTD OK funding deal to keep free bus By Tom Munds
tmunds@ourcoloradonews.com
Ahmia Bennett plays Jan. 23 with some of the kittens taken to the Humane Society of the South Platte Valley in Littleton. Staff members at the shelter are working on socializing the kittens and making sure they are healthy before making them available for adoption. Photos by Courtney Kuhlen
Kittens cute, but challenging Local shelter receives dozens that were rescued from hoarder
PET REQUIREMENTS Many cities have ordinances limiting the number of pets in a home. In Littleton, there can be no more than a combined total of three dogs or cats older than six months, and no more than one litter at a time. Also against the law are nuisance odors and barking, exhibition fighting, abandonment, cruelty, inhumane killing, neglect and disposing of a dead animal in any way other than burial, rendering or incineration in a facility approved by the animal-control officer. Pets are also required to wear a tag proving they’ve been vaccinated against rabies. HSSPV can help with that - HSSPV has a low-cost spay/neuter clinic, and even will even spay/neuter and vaccinate feral cats and kittens. Their adoption fee includes vaccines, a microchip, spay/neuter and a 14-day limited health guarantee.
By Jennifer Smith
jsmith@ourcoloradonews.com Even for the Humane Society, getting more than 30 cats from a hoarder — most of them kittens — is a challenge. “Situations like this are unfortunate, but we are grateful that we could help give these little ones a chance for a better life,” said Leslie Maisonneuve, facilities coordinator for the Humane Society of the South Platte Valley. She declined to say where the cats had been. “Oftentimes in these hoarding situations, folks feel like they’re helping these cats out by providing them food and shelter,” she said. “But when the cats are not spayed or neutered, the situation can get out of hand rapidly.” The sudden influx of kittens left employees and volunteers scrambling to feed them - they weren’t yet eating on their own when they arrived, and Maisonneuve said they were super skinny and really scared. They’ve been fattened up now, their caretakers feeding them special milk from a dropper until the babies figure out how to eat gruel from a bowl. “That is just so cute,” Maisonneuve said. “They also didn’t know how to play, but now they’re learning and bouncing around.” Complicating things further, one kitten is blind and all are on antibiotics to treat a contagious upper-respiratory illness.
A Humane Society staffer holds a blind kitten Jan. 23 that was brought in with about 30 others that range from 4 weeks old to 2 years old. “If one gets it, somehow it spreads like wildfire,” Maisonneuve said. And therein lies the problem. Animal hoarding often leads to unhealthy environments, not just for the critters but for the people in the home, too. The Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium identifies the following characteristics as common in hoarders:
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Accumulating a large number of animals, overwhelming the person’s ability to provide even minimal nutrition, sanitation and veterinary care. Failing to acknowledge the deteriorating condition of the animals (disease, starvation and even death) and the household environment (severe overcrowding, very unsanitary conditions). Failing to recognize the negative effect on health and well-being of all household members. HARC found that nearly 80 percent of animal hoarders also hoard possessions. “While no study has conclusively identified the psychological underpinnings behind animal hoarding, research in areas of [obsessive-compulsive disorder], addiction and delusion and attachment disorders may be useful for providing insight on hoarding,” says HARC’s website. The new batch of kittens will be ready for adoption in about four weeks. “Helping these babies is very challenging on our resources,” Maisonneuve said. “Help from the community would be so appreciated.” Money for medicine is the biggest need right now, she said, but also welcome are blankets, towels, cat litter, food and volunteers. For more information, visit www.HSSPV. org or call 303-703-2938.
Rose Cruz smiled when she learned she can continue to rely on the Art Shuttle services now that the city and RTD agreed to fund the program for another year. “The free bus gives me independence and freedom I wouldn’t have otherwise,” she said as she waited at the stop by Walmart. “My husband died about 18 months ago, I don’t drive so I had to depend on someone to take me to doctor’s appointments and shopping. Then I learned about our free shuttle bus. It is great. I can get groceries, shop a little, visit friends and get to the doctor without depending on anyone to drive me there.” The route is a 19-stop, three-mile circuit from the light rail station, through central Englewood, to the Swedish/Craig campus area. The return route wends its way through downtown to the light rail station. The shuttle is in operation Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. with a bus scheduled to arrive at each stop about every 15 minutes. Getenet Dagnew was driving the shuttle on Jan. 24. “I have been driving the shuttle for about seven months and I like to drive this route,” he said. “Most of the passengers are good people. Just about everyone thanks me for the ride as they get off. I don’t think you would hear that so often on a regular bus route.” Englewood’s shuttle bus began operation in September 2004, thanks to a federal grant that covered 80 percent of the cost of the project When the three-year grant ran out, the city worked out a cost-sharing agreement with RTD so the bus would continue. The city’s share, $60,328 for 2013, is based on a survey to determine the estimated amount that would have been collected if it cost to ride the shuttle. The remainder of the cost of operation and fuel, $278,310, is paid by RTD. Ridership has exceeded expectations from the start. Over the last three years, there has been a steady increase in ridership. In 2010, the average monthly ridership was 14, 255. Last year, more than 190,000 people rode the shuttle, which is an average monthly ridership of 15,852. Facing a budget crunch in 2011, the city council considered eliminating the shuttle. Residents came to council meetings to urge that the bus continue to operate, and the community stepped forward to help pay the city’s share. That year there were donations from Craig Hospital, Swedish Medical Center and residents who lived in Orchard Place, Simon Center and the Meridian. This year, there were donations from the Englewood Lions and from the Englewood Housing Authority on behalf of Orchard Place and Simon Center. Harold Stitt, community development senior planner, said donations from Art Shuttle supporters are applied to the city’s cost for the project and the remainder of the money is taken from the budget.