What a wonderful idea
The following email was passed to me by a good friend. Because Mike and I recently found what we believe to be Cleo’s remains in the woods behind the house, this woman’s project really hit me in my heart.
I share it now on my blog with the hope that those who are reading might be inspired to do something similar in their home turf to call attention to the needless slaughter of shelter animals-
I am working on a project to bring awareness to the people of our town about what happens to the animals at our shelter.
I am using “art” to educate the people of Brigham City Utah (a very small town) about what is happing at our shelter. I am tying it into Utah’s week for the animals (October 15-21).
I am putting “flags” in on the lawn of our shelter to represent each animal that came through the door in 2005 and what happened to them. I am using 8×11 scrapbook paper that will be attached to 3 foot long wood dowels.
There were 1012 animals that came in to the shelter
638 were destroyed
235 were claimed by owner
132 were adopted/rescued
7 died or were doa
The flags will be arranged on the lawn of our animal shelter in sections. I.E. all the killed (white) in one. All the Adopted/rescued (yellow) in another. And all of the claimed (red) in another. There will be a vinyl banner on the
shelter with all of the total numbers spelled out, and then a vinyl banner in front of each section with that number as well.
My flags (killed) will have stupid breeding reasons, relinquishment reasons, photos of shelter pets killed in 2006, graphic shelter euthanasia photos, pictures of letters that people left with the pets at the shelter, pictures of registration AKC papers of pets that were left and anything else that might move someone in some way.
Some of the happy flags (claimed or adopted/rescued) are being done by children-teens and I am pasting them together.
I am leaving room for walking between rows. My hope is that the parents of the children will come down and look for their Childs artwork-story-poem and then walk through the other flags out of curiosity. And hopefully they will
finally “get it”.
I am hoping if it all goes well and the weather cooperates that after the time is up the flags can be removed from the poles and put into a binder for later viewing.
The shelter and I are also going to increase adoption hours (currently they are open only 1 hour a day) during that week and I am hoping to get every animal at that shelter adopted during that week.
It is a weird idea I know but I really hope it makes people think. I am still working on all of the flags and have made myself a goal to have it all done by the 8th of October so all I have to do is worry about the weather.
I need your help. Allot of help actually. I am trying to make every flag count. I want each one to say something to someone. I have put up poems and stories and pictures and graphic pictures and funny sayings (on the “happy” flags) and I am running out of ideas.
If each one of you who receives this e-mail will send me a picture of an animal that you lost (you in rescue know what I am talking about the one you could not save because they were to far gone or you were to full..) and a story or a poem or details I can print it out on my computer to put on the flag.
If you do not rescue but have loved an animal and would like a memorial flag added to this important event, (or if you do do rescue and there is a happy adoption that you will never forget) please send me a picture and story or a poem or what ever for the “happy flags”
If you do not want your name on the flag that is ok just let me know. I think it would be great for everyone who sees the project to know that the world cares!
Please forward and cross post to the people you think will help.
Thanks for reading this novel (c:
Phylene Anderson
Brigham City Utah
artforlife@xmission.com