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Orange County Animal Services Sheltering Practices and Philosophies 55 <br />A World Apart: Navigating the Road Between Dreams and <br />Reality <br />By Nancy Lawson And Carrie Allan <br />Reproduced from the March-April 2002 issue of Animal Sheltering magazine <br />In Part 2 of a six-part series exploring what it would take fo stop euthanizing <br />healthy, behaviorally sound animals and ensure a home for every dog and cat, <br />Animal Sheltering examines the disparities among communities rich and poor, <br />urban and rural, animal-friendly and not-so-animal-friendly. Exploring their goals <br />for the future, shelters are emphasizing the importance of assessing the needs of <br />human and animal populations, tailoring services toward those needs, and <br />ensuring that animal comfort and care is not sacrificed along the way to the <br />proverbial paradise. <br />In Part 3, we'll bring you ideas for laying the groundwork of a good shelter, <br />gleaned from interviews with people all over the country who have managed to <br />procure a healthy dose of government funds and garner support from their <br />communities through effective outreach strategies, <br />In case you missed Part 1, "We're All in This Together,"Animal Sheltering <br />explored the dynamics behind the debates over euthanasia and profiled groups <br />that are working hard to bridge the philosophical gaps that have divided fhe <br />movement for so long. If you didn't receive your ropy of the January-February <br />issue that included this article, or if ,you would like extra copies to distribute to <br />reporters or other members of,your community, contact us at 202-452-1100; <br />asm@hsus,org. <br />Last year in northern California, the Marin Humane Society and local animal <br />activists were fighting to save off-leash areas for canines and theirtwo-legged <br />companions, In media reports, Web postings, and petitions regarding "off-leash <br />dog rights," they touted the importance of providing exercise to stave off <br />aggression, curb anxiety, and enhance the relationship between pets and their <br />people, At the same time, the nearby San Francisco SPCA was making similar <br />arguments in its community, leading the charge to preserve pieces of city and <br />national parklands as doggie playgrounds. <br />Meanwhile, a continent and another world away, an animal group in Taylor <br />County, West Virginia, was struggling to convince local officials of the need to <br />connect the local "pound" to a panning water line, And in the neighboring state of <br />Virginia, officials in another county were questioning why shelters should have <br />heat; after all, they reasoned, it's only natural for animals to live outdoors. <br />The dogs and cats in all four communities are lucky enough to have caring, <br />humane people working to ensure better living conditions for bath owned and <br />homeless animals.. In small towns and big cities across the United States, <br />advocates like these are responding to the specific needs of animals and people <br />