Logan residents, students concerned about animals

Logan neighborhood resident Don Winant thinks he's figured it out. "I think she has more than one lover," he said of the abandoned cat he recently took into his home and named Tigress Woods. "Plus she's world-class at what she does best — mousing."

Winant is concerned that more animals, namely dogs and cats, have been abandoned in the Logan Neighborhood since the economy soured. He believes that college students might be abandoning their pets during transitional periods, like the summer months and after graduation. Websites and online research back up his hypothesis, but GU students seem to think otherwise.

Senior Sam Freedgood voiced his experience with student-owned pets, saying that most of the people he knows who have pets either leave them with friends or pass them on to non-graduating students when they leave, sometimes even taking pets with them.

"I wouldn't be surprised if a decent number of the cats roaming the neighborhood were abandoned by students. However I also know at least one or two pets were left by my non-student neighbors when I lived off campus last year, so I don't know," Freedgood said. "I feel like it's a combination of the two, not the explicit fault of any one party."

Allison Fina, founder of Gonzaga's new club Man's Best Friend, seemed to agree with Freedgood.

"It doesn't speak well for students, and doesn't make sense that we would do that," she said. "There is not enough evidence to solely blame Gonzaga students, but it is an issue that the university needs to address."

Fina said this hasn't been the first time the issue has cropped up. She spoke with Gonzaga staff members recently who told her about a woman who lives in the Logan neighborhood who houses about 15 cats. The felines have been acquired over the years from other owners who abandoned them.

Fina thought Winant's actions were commendable. "Because this issue has been brought up by more than one person, I'm glad he's taking the initiative to speak out. Stray cats are a huge issue."

Winant says he is not an animal rights activist, but that he is concerned about the continuation of GU students throughout the years that either neglect or abandon their domestic pets in surrounding neighborhoods.

"There is an ongoing moral issue here that must be addressed within the near future," Winant said. "We, in the GU District try to feed stray animals, or take them to either the Humane Society," he said. "We, in the neighborhood, prefer that the Humane Society adopt out the animals since the likelihood of euthanasia is high at SpokAnimal."

Man's Best Friend works closely with SpokAnimal. After hearing Winant's opinions of the humane society, Fina seemed surprised.

"I have not heard that euthanasia has been high at Spokanimal," said Fina. "I know that they have not euthanized a dog in nearly six years."

But as far as cats go, Fina was in the dark. "I cannot give you an honest answer for that," she said. "All the humane societies in Spokane try and work together to make sure that as many cats are taken in as possible."

By voicing the problem of neglected animals in the neighborhood, Winant hopes to reverse the trend he feels is setting in.

"Grow up! Be mature and be responsible!" Winant said. "People who neglect and abuse their animals lack moral aptitude and/or the moral navigational compass to be truly spiritual beings on this planet."

Fina stood up for her fellow Zags and said, "We have a respect for life and the connection that we make with [pets]; animals become a part of the family."

Other than the abandonment of pets, Winant seems happy with the residents of the Logan Neighborhood. Though he enjoys Tigress Woods, Winant is attempting to put her up for adoption somewhere in the Spokane area. He searched various shelters such as SpokAnimal, Spokane Humane Society and Spokane Valley Cat Rescue/Partner for Pets, but has been reluctant to ship her off without knowing the full circumstances.

In order to help Gonzaga become more involved in animal issues, Man's Best Friend will have an information and educational awareness center next semester about students missing their animals and adopting pets while living off campus. Fina hopes that this booth will aid in creating a level of responsibility and respect for life among students.

During the next few weeks, Man's Best Friend is hosting an event called Furry Wishes. From Nov. 4 until Dec. 2 a booth will be set up in Crosby from noon to 1 p.m. to gather donations for homeless animals at the SpokAnimal Humane Society. Furry Wishes hopes to accumulate as many donations as possible. Money, blankets, toys, treats, collars, medications and anything else students think would be useful to the humane society are acceptable.

"It's just kind of a nice way to keep pets in mind as well so that they have a nice Christmas," Fina said.