thedrifter
08-05-08, 11:21 AM
Marine recruit seeks home for pets
By Emily Banks
Leader-Telegram staff
Servicemen and women make exceptional sacrifice. One Eau Claire resident who recently enlisted in the Marines is struggling with a sacrifice before even leaving for training.
Jay Olson, 24, is looking for a home for his two 8-month-old pit bulls.
"I never thought I'd join the Marines," Olson said. "I never thought I'd be put in a position like this."
Lately the dogs have been staying with friends and family, as Olson moves around for work, spending a few days in Wausau, and then a couple in Appleton, back to Eau Claire and then off to Iowa. He's been waiting for laborer's work to pick up.
But when a friend who enlisted in the Marines a year ago came to town recently, he tried to recruit Olson.
"He slid his card over to me, then he slid another one," Olson said.
Olson decided to look into opportunities with the Marines. He talked to other friends in the service, read about the different options and took the appropriate tests. He decided to work in intelligence. He'll spend a year at school in Virginia, starting in either early September or November - depending on when he can find a home for the dogs. He doesn't know where he'll be sent after training.
Capone and Bella, born last November, are siblings, and Olson hopes to find a home where the two dogs can stay together. They've been to obedience school, have all their vaccinations and have never fought with other dogs, Olson said.
They socialize well with other dogs, walk on a leash, come to a whistle and will sit, lie, speak and shake hands, Olson said. They'll likely grow to about 45 or 50 pounds. They haven't been spayed or neutered.
"Capone loves to jump up in my arms, and then he gets all excited and wants to do it again," Olson said. "He loves going down the slide at the park too."
Olson said the dogs are free to a good home.
Animal shelters go through a cycle of increased pets surrendered during military action, said Vickie Price, shelter manager at the Chippewa County Humane Association.
"It's hard enough finding homes for your animals when you need to surrender them, and I think these are especially emotional when you're patriotic and serving in the military," Price said.
It also can be difficult to find long-term temporary care for pets, Price said. But more often than the service member surrendering a pet, a family member or friend who offered to care for the animal will later surrender it to a shelter if it doesn't work out, Eau Claire Humane Association Executive Director Lauren Evans said.
The Chippewa County shelter took in four animals last year and another four this year from service members.
Price said that because the dogs are pit bulls, finding a home for them might be even more difficult.
"When you look at behaviors, that's one thing," Price said. "But when you look at the stigma and the reputations ... it's sad to say it sounds like an almost impossible situation. But we have those situations all the time that do work out. That's why we do the rescue work we do."
Price and Evans recommended that if people like Olson try to find animals a home, they should have references available for the dogs' behavior and also ask for references from potential owners.
While screening for owners, people should ask to see vaccination records of any other pets and make sure their landlord allows pets.
Banks can be reached at 830-5840, 800-236-7077 or emily.banks@ecpc.com.
Ellie
By Emily Banks
Leader-Telegram staff
Servicemen and women make exceptional sacrifice. One Eau Claire resident who recently enlisted in the Marines is struggling with a sacrifice before even leaving for training.
Jay Olson, 24, is looking for a home for his two 8-month-old pit bulls.
"I never thought I'd join the Marines," Olson said. "I never thought I'd be put in a position like this."
Lately the dogs have been staying with friends and family, as Olson moves around for work, spending a few days in Wausau, and then a couple in Appleton, back to Eau Claire and then off to Iowa. He's been waiting for laborer's work to pick up.
But when a friend who enlisted in the Marines a year ago came to town recently, he tried to recruit Olson.
"He slid his card over to me, then he slid another one," Olson said.
Olson decided to look into opportunities with the Marines. He talked to other friends in the service, read about the different options and took the appropriate tests. He decided to work in intelligence. He'll spend a year at school in Virginia, starting in either early September or November - depending on when he can find a home for the dogs. He doesn't know where he'll be sent after training.
Capone and Bella, born last November, are siblings, and Olson hopes to find a home where the two dogs can stay together. They've been to obedience school, have all their vaccinations and have never fought with other dogs, Olson said.
They socialize well with other dogs, walk on a leash, come to a whistle and will sit, lie, speak and shake hands, Olson said. They'll likely grow to about 45 or 50 pounds. They haven't been spayed or neutered.
"Capone loves to jump up in my arms, and then he gets all excited and wants to do it again," Olson said. "He loves going down the slide at the park too."
Olson said the dogs are free to a good home.
Animal shelters go through a cycle of increased pets surrendered during military action, said Vickie Price, shelter manager at the Chippewa County Humane Association.
"It's hard enough finding homes for your animals when you need to surrender them, and I think these are especially emotional when you're patriotic and serving in the military," Price said.
It also can be difficult to find long-term temporary care for pets, Price said. But more often than the service member surrendering a pet, a family member or friend who offered to care for the animal will later surrender it to a shelter if it doesn't work out, Eau Claire Humane Association Executive Director Lauren Evans said.
The Chippewa County shelter took in four animals last year and another four this year from service members.
Price said that because the dogs are pit bulls, finding a home for them might be even more difficult.
"When you look at behaviors, that's one thing," Price said. "But when you look at the stigma and the reputations ... it's sad to say it sounds like an almost impossible situation. But we have those situations all the time that do work out. That's why we do the rescue work we do."
Price and Evans recommended that if people like Olson try to find animals a home, they should have references available for the dogs' behavior and also ask for references from potential owners.
While screening for owners, people should ask to see vaccination records of any other pets and make sure their landlord allows pets.
Banks can be reached at 830-5840, 800-236-7077 or emily.banks@ecpc.com.
Ellie