Tulare, Utah — Members of the Tooele community are seeking a unique solution to the pet overflow problem that has led to controversial changes to the city's shelter.
It has been two months since the Tuele City Animal Shelter closed its doors to the public. This building is mainly inhabited by aggressive dogs.
Some dogs are still available for adoption by appointment, but we are not accepting surrenders.
“They did nothing to solve the problem. They just exacerbated the problem that was already there,” said Brian Belden of Belden House K9 dog training business.
The people of Thule are now wondering what to do with their abandoned pets.
“What we're dealing with right now is a huge influx of dogs that are abandoned in the mountains, abandoned on the street, or someone just opens the door to their house and lets them out. “It's about being there,” Belden said.
Belden said she's heard desperate excuses, some even lying that someone had died to avoid the backlash they would face if they admitted they could no longer care for the dog.
“I understand that you're frustrated and want to rehome your dog and take him to a shelter, but please just give me a few minutes,” he said.
He and his wife, Mikayla, are expanding their training services to include both adoptions and home visits in the hopes that owners will be more likely to keep their pets.
“Usually after one session, people say, 'Wow, I have a completely different dog now,'” Mikayla said.
There are many reasons why people cull animals, but the people of Belden would like to see that behavior no longer occur.
“Some people are in tears over it. Some people don't know what to say because they're like, 'That's not even my dog,'” Mikayla said.
“If you have a skill that can make your community a little bit better, I encourage you to do it,” Brian said.
