An Arizona man who's found and rescued hundreds of abandoned animals in a 110-acre preserve over the years is now bringing his efforts to cyberspace.
Donald Bloom, a volunteer at Riparian Preserve where hundreds of abandoned animals are found annually, has started a website, www.savethecatsarizona.org, in his quest to link discarded pets found in the preserve with new homes.
Bloom, who's volunteered at the preserve since 2000, has said he's rounded up 18 pets in the preserve since November, but has found homes for only three. His concern is the diminishing space available to house the rescued animals.
Becker said some people dump their unwanted pets in the Riparian Preserve thinking its more humane than giving them to a shelter, but many animals raised in homes have a tough time foraging and surviving in the wild.
Often, animals set free in the preserve get attacked and killed by predators.
Also, abandoning pets in the preserve can disrupt the preserves ecosystem, according to Jody Becker, the areas chief park ranger. It is a felony to let a domesticated pet loose in the wild, he said.
Posted: July 6, 2006, 5:00 a.m. EST