Leech Lake Stray Pets Taken To Humane Society By The Dozen

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - It's hard to imagine anyone abandoning a litter of puppies, but that is the reality for many dogs and cats on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation.

There is an effort to find those pets good homes. Each week, the Leech Lake Legacy group loads up more than a dozen surrendered or stray animals and brings them to the Twin Cities.

It's rare to see an empty kennel at the Animal Humane Society, but one day every week, there is a sudden rush of pets that need a new home.

"I brought down about 15 dogs and cats," said Jenny Fitzer, co-founder of Leech Lake Legacy.

Fitzer drove a van full of animals from the Leech Lake reservation to the Animal Humane Society.

In 2011, Fitzer heard of a problem with stray, abandoned and neglected pets on the reservation. She wanted to change their fate and co-founded the Leech Lake Legacy group.

"I'm just a big animal lover, and there's a lot of need," Fitzer said.

Each week she drives five hours round trip to pick up dozens of dogs and cats that are surrendered or picked up on the reservation and brings them to the Humane Society.

"I think it's up to us to step up and make sure we're giving them a good life," Fitzer said.

"We're one major stop we can bring these animals to, to find new homes," said Kathie Johnson, Senior Director of Operations of the Animal Humane Society.

The first few minutes of a dog or cat's new life is a rush of weigh-ins and vaccinations as veterinarians check to see if the animals are injured or need extra care.

"Some of the animals are in tough shape, with mange or skin issues," Fitzer said. "A lot of them haven't been eating well all their lives, so they're underweight."

Each potential pet is spayed or neutered and undergoes a behavioral evaluation. Many are available for adoption within a day.

"This is what we're here for, so it's nice when we can reach beyond our community, out further into our state to help," Fitzer said.

Some of the pets brought in are sent to other Twin Cities rescue groups, but 70 percent go through the Humane Society. Over the last four years, the Humane Society has treated 2,400 pets from Leech Lake.