Metro Animal Services

Claudia and Riley

By Samantha Carver

It was a beautiful July day in 2008 when cousins Riley Jane Lawrence, 4, and Claudia Faye Wadlington, 5, were crossing the street in Louisville to go to swimming lessons. In moments though, their young lives were cut horribly short when they were hit by a 27-year-old man who was running from Louisville police.

After the girl’s deaths, their families wanted to do something to honor their memories and help others. The Riley Jane Lawrence and Claudia Faye Wadlington Fund was created.

To honor Riley’s mother, Sarah Lawrence, who is an administrator for the Student Doctor Network Web site, SDN members raised money for the fund to help the families with expenses and other organizations in memory of the girls. The money raised was donated to several local groups and the rest is part of a permanent memorial fund at the Community Foundation of Louisville.

This three-part series of articles focuses on the work of each of those groups that has received donations thus far, and why they were chosen by the girls’ families.

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With more than 15,000 animals through their doors each year, the Louisville Metro Animal Services office works to reunite families with their lost members, find homes for those without families, provide medical care for those who need it and at times, be with them until their last breath.

A fostered kitten at Metro Animal Services

“We chose to make this donation because Riley did love animals so very much,” said Sarah Lawrence. “We used to take her to the Metro Animal Services to see the dogs and cats. She especially liked the kitten room. She picked out our poodle, Moe, there. Since it was a place that she enjoyed so much, I though of them for a donation.”

According to Jackie Gulbe, assistant director for community relations, a donation of more than $1,200 was made to the animal care fund of the Metro Animal Services.

“That fund helps us to spay and neuter animals as well as pay for medical care needed for incoming animals,” Gulbe said. “We see a lot of animals that are in need of medical attention. Our resources are limited and without donations, they would be even more limited. We offer a low-cost spay and neuter program to help the community.”

Lawrence said the choice of animal medical care was something that was in keeping with the mission of www.studentdoctor.net as well as something that could provide a gift that would go a long way at the shelter.

“Medical services are one of the greatest expenses of any animal care organization,” Lawrence said. “We wanted to help provide necessary services that were in keeping with the mission of the Student Doctor Network which is an organization for those in the medical field or in training for the medical professions, including veterinary medicine.”

Besides providing medical care, the office handles animal care, education and community relations, administration and animal control.

There is a 17-person staff to care for the animals including a veterinary clinic coordinator, a staff veterinarian, a veterinarian technician, two veterinary assistants, eight animal care specialists, three adoption coordinators and an animal care manager. The Animal Care Center is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Incoming animals are accepted between 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

“We take in more than 15,000 animals here every year,” Gulbe said. “We make every effort to get them adopted or work with rescue groups to get them placed. We return as many as we can to their owners.”

Metro Animal Services provides a Web site to show adoptable animals to the public or has adoption hours at the Animal Care Center throughout the week. They also take many adoptable animals to different locations throughout the city for adoption days.

“We also have a new adoption facility that will be open in March,” Gulbe said. “We have a 10,000 square foot adoption-only facility on Newburgh Road. It is really like what the rest of the facility should look like.”

The 18 animal control officers investigate more than 24,000 complaints each year and bring in thousands of animals. There are also many animals brought in by owners who can no longer care for them. Those officers drive more than 225,000 miles a year when covering Louisville Metro’s 386 square miles. They are on duty from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week, 365 days a year.

The donation to help with animal medical care is not the only one the Lawrences have helped facilitate.

“My husband and I continue to make donations to the shelter periodically,” Lawrence said. “The shelter has placed a plaque in the kitten room in honor of Riley.”

One of the dogs helped by Metro Animal Services

Gulbe said that the Lawrence family made a donation last year around Riley’s birthday.

“They wanted to do something, and we were doing a bed drive,” she said. “I was getting kind of worried because my goal was to get all of our beds by January 1, and we were short 21 beds. Sarah called to see what she could do for us, and the next morning I came in and was notified that we had received our last 21 beds. It was a wonderful thing to do in Riley’s memory. That was so awesome!”

Gulbe said there are two plaques in the room in memory of Riley.

“One is more like something for a little girl with a sleeping cat, and it says in memory of Riley Jane Lawrence, and then below that is one that talks about how she like to come and spend time in the cat room with the kittens,” she said.

The facility is open to families who would like to visit with and help with the animals through education.

Educational programs are provided with the only classroom humane education program in animal welfare in the region. The programs range from classroom visits to interactive core-content related lessons. Students can visit the shelter for a tour or be visited by a certified assistant animal.

Adult education programs are available once a month though volunteer orientation sessions.

Lawrence said the chance to help the shelter is one she appreciates.

“I know that the shelter needs the money and that it will go to good use,” she said. “I hope our gift inspires others to give as well. There are many worthy organizations, and the need is great.”