This March, Amador Shelter Partners joins A-PAL in urging all dog and cat owners to help reduce the number of unwanted animals by spaying or neutering their pets. A decades-long effort to limit the reproduction of dogs and cats in this country has finally shown encouraging results -- a reduced number of animals euthanized each year. There is still much work to be done. All dogs and cats from Amador County Animal Control's Adoption Center are spayed /neutered before being adopted, but not all pets are acquired through shelters. Continued success depends on a committed change in the mindset of every pet owner. You can become your own animal advocacy by encouraging the pet owners you know to make this change. It has never been easier to get these procedures done. A-PAL underwrites several free and low-cost programs right here in Amador County. Let's keep the population of unwanted animals dropping. Love = Spay or Neuter.

The Rusty Fund is a private account founded and managed by volunteers at the Amador County Animal Control and Adoption Center. Its purpose is to make extra money readily available when the overburdened budgets of the animal shelter and A-PAL fall short, as they inevitably do. The account was opened 12 years ago with an unexpected windfall of $1,000, donated by an animal lover who made no demands as to how it should be used. The Fund depends entirely upon donations to stay solvent.

It was named as a memorial to a Rottweiler mix who was brought in to the shelter as a stray. It was found that Rusty had torn cruciate ligaments in both knees-a painful condition requiring a difficult and expensive surgery to repair. Because there was no extra money available, Rusty was euthanized. Since then, in his name, dozens of dogs and cats have been able to get a little extra help when they need it, thanks to some compassionate volunteers, generous donors, and a dear, young Rotti who couldn't afford his own treatment.