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X'Xv. Kn'XVIVW'XVX;; It started out as a dynamic concept--an organization which would place pets in "good" homes, animals which could no longer becared for by present owners. ' -- - > ./•>>/ What has happened through no fault of its own is-- well, suffice it to say that Pet Welfare has literally "gone to the dogs." The concept of placing dogs in good homes has fallen by the wayside, replaced because of despicable souls who threaten to shoot their animals between the eyes unless Pet Welfare comes out and takes the dog IMMEDIATELY. Thus, Pet Welfare is now more of a dumping ground for unwanted dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens, with the original concept, that of placing dogs in good homes, being overshadowed. After all, there are only so many hours in a day, and when time is totally taken up with driving miles and more miles to save a six-week old puppy from immediate death, there isn't a lot of time left to seek out "good" homes in which to place the animals. Find it hard to believe that persons call Pet Welfare threatening to kill their pet unless it is immediately picked up? Just ask Erika Frey, who heads Pet Welfare. She reports getting calls at 1 a.m., threatening to kill an animal unless she drives out immediately and picks it up. What has happened to Pet Welfare, with the assistance of an inconsiderate public, is a modern- day "catch-22". Pets become unwanted and Pet Welfare is called upon to pick them up. The more time spent picking up unwanted dogs, the less time there is to find a home for the pets Pet Welfare already has. Since a great portion of the public refuses to spay and-or neuter their animals, more animate become unwanted, more calls are made to Pet Welfare, and more time has to be spent jacking up dogs than trying to place the ones already collected. Where does it all aid? . Unfortunately, for too many animals, the end result is the same for animals Pet Welfare picks up as it would be if left in the hands of an unloving owner. . Mrs. Frey takes the position that a humane death, euthanasia, is better than either a cruel death, or allowing the animal to run free, where reproduction could occur, resulting in even more unwanted animals for Pet Welfare to take in. • • Staff fates By W«yM Gaybrf There aren't too many of them around, but Erika Frey, head of Pet Welfare, has found a couple of families in McHenry who serve as "foster" parents to animals until suitable owners can be found. The George Hay household is one such family. They have converted their garage into a pen for the dogs offered for adoption. It's a family project," Mrs. Hay said. "Sure, it's work, but anything worth having is work." Mrs. Hay has fostered six dogs thus far, and treats each of them like the two dogs her family owns. Mrs. Barbara Schiavone is a foster parent to kittens. In the picture above, her daughter holds two of three kittens which were dumped on a doorstep by some inconsiderate person. Directly to the right, Erika Frey sits with four puppies of a nine-puppy litter which came .about when a dog jumped a fence and impregnated a collie. Being \ foster parent does not come cheap. There is the cost for food, medication, shots, etc...all the costs which go into the caring for rone's own dog. But, there are rewards in being a foster parent. As Mrs. Hay said, "we do it because we want to do it." It would be nice if more persons wanted to do it. For more information, call Pet Welfare at 385-1771.