February
2001
A
Friend to “Junkyard” Dogs:
Regina Massaro
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What
are “junkyard” dogs and why do you feel the need to rescue
them?
The reason I rescue “junkyard”
dogs is because no one else does. They are the forgotten. They’re
not only forgotten, they’re not even acknowledged. It’s almost
as if they’re not worthy of being saved.
A “junkyard” dog is an unspade/unneutered dog that is living
on commercial property and is basically allowed to roam the neighborhood,
reproducing. If they’re confined to the property, they are living
with other dogs and breeding there. They then find themselves at the
Center for Animal Care and Control. We suffer from what I call “junkyard
syndrome;” the reason that the shelters are overcrowded—especially
in Brooklyn—is because of these dogs. There’s no question
about it.
I understand that you approach some of the property owners about
the dogs on their property.
I politely approach them and explain the problem, and offer to arrange
a spay/neuter at no cost to them. Usually they refuse. I go on to tell
them that it is against the law to have an unlicensed, unvaccinated
dog; still they’re not convinced. Then I tell them that I am going
to file a complaint against them (it’s my right to do that) and
they will be responsible for a hefty fine, which I believe is $200 per
violation. Most of them then say yes. I pick up the dog and have the
dog vaccinated, spayed/neutered and returned to the junkyard; it stops
the breeding right there.
I started doing this on Jamaica Avenue and Fulton Street in the East
New York section of Brooklyn in 1997. When I first started, there were
11 strays on that one corner. Now, whenever I go back, I never see a
stray there. I cleaned up that block. Imagine if the city did this,
if they set up a task force and sent inspectors out.
How can you offer free spay/neuters?
I take them either to the ASPCA Henry Berg Animal Hospital, to the
ASPCA spay/neuter van, to the Fund for Animals, the Humane Society,
or certificates are donated to me and I take them to a private vet.
Many vets do not offer low-cost spay/neuter.
It’s a financial, physical and an emotional burden. I take these
dogs into my home, a two-bedroom apartment. It’s very difficult.
The leaders in these communities need to start doing their job. I have
reached out to Al Sharpton—people have criticized me for that.
It’s a fact, not a racist comment, it is a fact that this problem
exists in the black and Hispanic communities. That’s not to say
that this doesn’t exist in other areas, but we need to address
that. We need to know why that problem exists and we need to correct
it so that it doesn’t continue.
The City is allowing this to happen. I propose to begin a relentless
campaign against the City of New York, Mayor Giuliani, the Department
of Health and Consumer Affairs to force them to do the job that they
are charged with doing. There should be no need for rescue people.
Where do you tell people to go to spay/neuter their critters?
I refer them to the same places I go to—but they’re not
going to do it. They’re not going to get on a bus or in a car,
take time off from their job and take their dog to get spay/neutered.
So what is the solution? A mobile spay/neuter van. That’s what
I’m working toward.
Are the majority of the dogs “mean” pit bulls who have
been abandoned, or are they a whole rainbow of critters?
It’s a rainbow, absolutely. They’re a wide variety, from
Cocker Spaniels to Rottweilers, even a Saint Bernard.
What should people do if they find a stray dog?
That’s where the problem is. When most people find a stray
animal, they try to give it to rescuers, but those groups are underfunded.
I have a “buck for a bark” program. Imagine if every single
New Yorker that owned an animal donated one dollar per year; there are
95,000 licensed dog owners in Manhattan. With $95,000, I could take
that stray dog from you.
What I say to people is: don’t wait to find the dog. You need to
treat the root problem. Go to a junkyard and offer the owner a spay/neuter.
Take it upon yourself. It’ll cost you $100. That’s the gift
of life.
What is the root problem that is causing the huge numbers of homeless
animals in the NYC area? What changes do you think can help alleviate
this?
If you built ten shelters, there’d only be ten more places
to bring animals. You need to attack the root problem. And the answer
to the pet overpopulation is not euthanasia; it’s birth control.
Most people who visit a shelter see many beautiful adoptable dogs; they
won’t believe it if you tell them that they’re going to be
put to sleep. If you take them to the street and show them—then
they will grasp it.
Death isn’t such a terrible thing, it’s how they lived before
they were put to death. These dogs have never been loved, they’ve
never had a good meal, they’ve never had a good night’s sleep.
The reward for pain and suffering should not be death. It should be
a chance at a new life. They don’t have this chance right now because
the shelters are overcrowded.
I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would be doing this because
I didn’t know it existed. But I know that for every day that goes
by, more and more people are becoming aware of what’s going on.
About how many dogs do you deal with in a year?
Overall, about 1,000 dogs.
How many dogs are fostered in your home before being adopted?
Last year, I’d say approximately 200.
What are your hopes for the future?
What I hope to see in five years is a spay/neuter van working in
each of the five boroughs.
To learn more about Roxy’s Sanctuary, contact P.O. Box 780537,
Maspeth, NY 11378; Tel: 718-335-5899.
