OK PetGazette - Volunteers for Animal Welfare

	Volunteers for Animal Welfare
Visit VAW	A Strong Voice on Many Fronts	Back to OKC Animal Welfare

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You may not have heard of the Volunteers for Animal Welfare, but chances are you've seen their work. When you see an animal cruelty investigation in the news, it's likely someone from VAW is involved. If you saw animals being rescued in the 1999 tornado, VAW volunteers were there. Did you sign a petition to ban cockfighting? Did you know the city is building a much needed brand new animal shelter–VAW. Your kid may even come home from school with more respect for the family pet, thanks to the organization.

Today, there are many animal welfare groups. There weren't in 1974 when Melinda Goemaat founded VAW to speak for those that can't. Now, 1,100 members and supporters serve as a strong voice for animals throughout the Oklahoma. One voice stands out, the one on the other end of the phone belonging to Executive Director Shirley Coble, who has been with the group for 16 years. And the phone rings often – 4,000 times a year in the small office where she sits behind a desk cluttered with paper and animal knick knacks.

"We do get a lot of calls," she says. "When it involves cruelty, we try to educate callers on the proper way to turn in a complaint, who to contact, what's legal and what's not. Sometimes we'll contact officials if the caller needs our support."

And sometimes Coble, a certified investigator, will go out herself. "I don't have legal authority, but I can go out with someone who does, like an animal control officer or the sheriff. But the main purpose of being certified is to know how an investigation should work so I can teach citizens how to be effective advocates, and I can take several calls a day as opposed to going out on one investigation."

Coble considers her primary job to be serving as a "clearinghouse" of information. And the computer age has made that task even more far reaching. "The Internet has opened up a whole new world of inquiries," she says. "I'm so surprised when I get letters from all over the U.S., even other countries. They know from the Web site this is a local group, but they have no where to turn. And I feel obligated because they've reached out for help. I give them information that applies to their area. If I don't know the answer, I try to find a source for them."

VAW has always been a strong advocate for spaying and neutering. Coble is quick with the reason. "One of the root causes of animal cruelty is overpopulation. Those who would torture or maim animals can find them anywhere. They're so accessible, so easy to throw away."

Blunt but true. She doesn't mind laying it on the line, nor does the organization. That's why it took a leading role in the initiative petition to ban cockfighting, why it fought against other blood sports like dog fighting and abuses in puppy mills.

The fight, though, isn't only in the trenches. VAW focuses on education. They've provided training programs for legal authorities, social workers, animal control officers and humane groups about the connection between animal abuse and human violence. They helped educate the city's animal shelter staff in humane euthanasia methods. In fact, following their recommendations, over 80 cities in Oklahoma have improved their facilities and corrected their methods.

They talk to neighborhood groups about responsible pet care. Newspaper ads, billboards and video tapes inform the public about animal-related issues. They have a lost and found pet registry. Then there's the school outreach through the Adopt-A-Teacher program. VAW "adopts" one fourth grade teacher per Oklahoma City school. Thus far, over 20,000 children have learned about treating animals with kindness.

Perhaps the most noticeable accomplishment is the construction of the city's new animal shelter. VAW established a citizens advisory committee when a 1996 investigation revealed serious problems.

"We discovered the method of euthanasia was faulty," says Coble. "That room and the shelter were inadequate. Actually, the place was literally dilapidated, unsafe for animals and employees. This resulted in a study by the city manager. He sent an engineering team that recommended it would be less expensive to completely replace the shelter."

Inspite of all her work and all her rescues, it's not difficult for Coble to pinpoint one incident that sticks in her memory. The massive '99 tornado that tore through the south side a year ago was no respecter of life in any form.

"I contacted the U.S. Humane Society and asked them to send their disaster team," she says, "but our group had to go when the Del City Police Department requested our help. We put together a crew and, under military escort, they went in with a couple of trucks loaded with crates, supplies, food, water."

She shakes her head at the thought. "I was stunned by the devastation; couldn't believe anything lived through that. A lot of pets didn't, but a lot did. Many were roaming free. Many were injured and taken to nearby clinics; some had surgery by candlelight. We found some in houses that were basically intact, and since the citizens weren't allowed back in yet, we left food and water."

A smile replaces the frown. "There was one instance where a lady had been away from home when it hit. Then she couldn't get in. She asked our group to check on her dog, though it had been three days, and she was sure he was dead. When they got to the house, or what was left of it, they saw a patch of black fur under some rubble. They figured he was dead too, but they went in and cleared away the rubble. And they found he was just pinned–he walked out okay. That was quite a reunion."

So, haven't heard of the VAW? Bet you've seen the results.

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