Pursuant to my post about the silence from the “big three” animal welfare organizations on the DE shelter pet legislation, I’ve been checking for updates. Although I still haven’t found anything from HSUS or ASPCA, I did see a post from BFAS on DE’s landmark legislation dated July 26. It does not include any mention the No Kill Advocacy Center or their Companion Animal Protection Act (CAPA). (Note: CAPA is the No Kill Advocacy Center’s model legislation to protect pets and help build no kill communities.)
The BFAS post put me in mind of their statement on why they didn’t support Oreo’s Law (which they refer to as “Kellner/Duane”) earlier this year:
In January of this year, we detailed our preferred template for a shelter access bill that we could support and posted it on our website. The Kellner / Duane bill never fully conformed to this despite our collaborative efforts with the bill’s sponsor, Micah Kellner.
[…]
Despite our growing belief that Kellner / Duane would not clear the first hurdle, we worked directly with Kellner’s office until mid-March, attempting to bring the bill into line with our preferred model.
On July 23, Nathan Winograd blogged the following regarding the DE legislation:
The law was modeled on the No Kill Advocacy Center’s Companion Animal Protection Act […].
While the No Kill Advocacy Center worked with supporters on the language of the bill, we did not discuss it publicly, fearing that the large animal protection groups would work to undermine its passage, just as they did in New York, just as they did in San Francisco, just as they tried to do in California in 1998 (Hayden), and just as they try to do everywhere reform advocates are trying to end the systematic killing of animals in their communities.
Thoughts?
Further, as I alluded to in my previous post, there seems to be a shift in Best Friends’ interest in Delaware’s efforts to work toward no kill. In 2008, they appeared to be supportive of the No Kill Advocacy Center and Nathan Winograd’s efforts to inspire DE on no kill. In 2010, when those efforts came to fruition in the form of legislation, nary a word about either. Again, from the BFAS statement on Oreo’s Law:
We want the infighting to stop now. […] Collectively we can accomplish progressive things without beating each other up. Simply put, the humane movement needs to be humane. Our goals will never be accomplished by being hateful. Without question, that will ultimately be self-defeating. This is one of the founding principles of Best Friends.
[…]
At every turn we have opted for inclusion of as many people as possible who share our vision, whether they work in rescue or animal control, large organizations or small.
Those sound like good principles that a lot of us could support. But are those sentiments consistent with what appears to be, in my view, Best Friends’ exclusion of people who not only share the same vision but have achieved success in legislating that vision in DE?
Again, I would love to hear your thoughts.
Without going into detail, part of it stems from the actions of an individual who has angered and alienated a lot of groups. Infighting is always going to happen – goodness knows how awful it is in other social justice movements. Different people and organizations respond differently to infighting. The larger you are, the more likely you are to have a vested interest in remaining less confrontational and more likely to keep the dirt under the rug, so to speak…instead, infighting in this movement has become more public than private.
confrontation exists on BOTH sides. One of the problems is that EACH side refuses to recognize its own role in the “infighting” and public bashing. Typically though, ONE side presents itself as morally correct and therefore immune from criticism. I have been there, done that, with more than one social justice movement.
And then again, for a bombthrower to complain that his target might feel justified in returning the bomb is just a wee bit, shall we say.. incongruent?
I feel the more public infighting has largely come from the frustration of dealing the large groups, with their closed agendas and control paranoia. As to the “single” individual who’s angered them, IMHO he’s only the most visible one of many. I certainly don’t see BFAS as “…less confrontational”, instead they say one thing in nice words, then do something else.
As for being “morally correct”, perhaps the question is if they speak the truth and have the animals as a priority. There, I feel Winograd is much closer than BFAS.
BFAS says “Our goals will never be accomplished by being hateful.” But, tell me, have you ever been “shunned”? That’s a common phrase among people who worked there and asked too many questions, until they finally left the area. Now, wouldn’t you call that “hateful” behavior?
http://exfriender.wordpress.com/
You are right on target.
It’s a matter of wanting to shoot the messenger…the gifted messenger being Winograd.
…it’s not Winograd’s truth, it’s simply the truth (he’s written that) – No Kill will work – now those that benefit from the tragic system of killing will deny, delay and do whatever else to say No Kill is not possible.
MaryFrancis, I agree what you said is true for some. But for those like BFAS, consider the following may also be true.
If Winograd influences the DE effort, he will gain a little more support. Notice he said nothing until it was real, then only reported on it. He works for the results, and the animals.
But, if BFAS controls an effort, they control the timing to allow their publicity machine to ramp up their donations. For this, timing and control are everything. Truth and animals are secondary or less. With details hidden, exaggerations and tear-jerking stories are easy and there’s usually just enough good done that those who find out the real story don’t want to hurt that good, and so the donations come in, and in. It’s rare to find them ever giving help without controlling the publicity. Except, of course, for some in Utah that BFAS directly controls.
Exfriender thanks for your comment – without experience with the particular players I have to guess – but I know what I’ve dealt with (all politics being local type of thinking) and the proof is in the pudding – millions of dogs and cats continue to be killed in AC’s nation wide – and what do the biggies with bucks do to stop it?? – (and in my area mostly dogs and some cats are sent off for research – an added touch of shock and awe) –
what you say rings true it’s about control, power…money – and “the people” will figure out the truth – I’m not any one special and I have.
Some time ago, before BFAS censored their forums, their donors heard some issues. About that time, one of the BFAS people sent one of the stories directly to one of their large donor mailing lists. Also, the original blog that I copied my current one from was then active, with much more information.
With all of this, I estimate that less than 3% of the BFAS donors responded, and BFAS made up for this with their next few publicity campaigns. I read an article some time ago that categorized and explained types of donors, showing why BFAS, HSUS and ASPCA continued to receive all those donations. Sad to read, but that’s the world we live in.
Many folks who donate money to BF don’t want to hear the truth about the place. They “need” to believe in a place that is perfect, that all the animals that live there, live happily. No such place exists, of course, but BF does a really good job in selling the “happily ever after” story.
Emotional needs will always override the facts for most people. But, exfriender, even if you reach just ONE person, ONE BF donor, who, after reading your posts, decides to donate funds to someplace else, a struggling shelter, for example, then all the shit is worth it. Because the money the struggling shelter receives just may save an animal’s life. Please, keep up the good work. We need people like you.
BF certainly censors their forums…you mention the words “HSUS”, “ASPCA” “PETA” and “Killers” together in a sentence, and your account will be in jeopardy.
Even Fidel Castro allows a little free speech. lol
I still think that BF are a great group who made a stupid mistake on Oreo’s Law. Former BF President Michael Mountain was IN FAVOR of the law, so they arent all bad….they deserve a chance at redemption, I think, because they have saved millios of lives….
Matt, if you think that BF is a great group, they you have obviously spent little time there and are only buying into their spin doctors. You say they have saved millions of lives (I think your numbers are highly inflated) but they have also hurt many lives: employees, volunteers and yes, animals. They have kept some dogs that could have gone to good homes, just because those dogs have made money for them. They have refused to adopt out animals with no good reason. Did you ever read the story of Blue Bear? That was a real disgrace. There are so many others. Then they adopted out a pitty without a home check and the dog attacked other dogs. An owner of two of those dogs attacked was also hurt. If you donate the “big bucks” you can do what ever you want there and get any animal you want. Former BF President, Michael Mountain is no longer involved with BF and if you try to get in touch with him, he will answer that he has moved on to bigger and better things. You don’t have to mention all the things you said to get you account censored. All you have to do is question anything that BF has done. They have made many mistakes and never owned up to them such as when one of the Vic pits died while undergoing a dental. They were asked over and over again if the dog had the proper pre-op testing and they would NEVER answer. They said that the dog had tons of testing but when they were asked if it was the proper testing, they went strangely silent. The minute anyone said anything that was not in line with the BF policy, they were deleted. If BF is so wonderful, why would they do that? If you think they are a great group, you are either sadly misled or maybe an employee being paid to say you think they are great. Which one is it, Matt.
Now, Holly’s mention of Blue Bear is a story I haven’t heard mentioned for a very long time. It’s still around, though some entries have been censored. Others, there and in their forums, were from caregivers forced to write what they were handed from BFAS. This I know, because this I saw.
http://news.bestfriends.org/index.cfm?page=news&fps=1&mode=entry&entry=E6763E36-A624-6A36-EE3AAB6B8A788B7A&pn=1#cmtHead
The missing part was how the 2nd leg was lost. That this other dog had a history of attacking others and was moved next to old Blue Bear. The caregivers complained, asking for either a Plexiglas barrier or to move one. The dog manager, Michelle Besmehn, refused saying there was no money. One morning Blue Bear, who had one bad hind leg, was found missing the other, which was being eaten in the next run. A caregiver spent his own money to buy a wagon to pull Blue around in, and BFAS wrote it up as a story to pull in more donations.
So many places, so many times, we find many bad things seem to be tied to a single person. Besmehn has a long history there, as the one who know all the dogs better than anybody else. Doubt this, and you’re gone…
http://exfriender.wordpress.com/
I am simply calling ’em as I see ’em, Holly. Giving credit where it is due. If you visit their website, receive their magazine, and newsletters, and visit their online network, you have clear cut cases of life saving measures being taken by them everyday. Right now there are 2,000 souls who would be dead, if it wasnt for BF keeping them at the Sanctuary. Next Year they are building a new house so that they can keep even more cats, especially those with diseases. Numerous visitors to the sanctuary talk of how happy the animals are there and how well taken care of they are.
And when The cruel ASPCA, inhumane HSUS and Unethical PETA, have gone public saying “kill the ferat cats or Vick dogs”, BF has gone on record saying “No, dont kill them, they deserve to live”…except for Oreo’s Law.
Their Guardian Angel Program has taken in many many severely injured animals, and saved their lives and adopted them into loving homes.
I am giving credit where it is due, and Best Friends deserves that credit.
I am not defending Best Friends’ Oreo’s Law inaction..they were wrong, and could have saved alot of lives, and I told them so.
I tell it like it is.
Best Friends are still, as we speak, a great No Kill group who are saving alot of lives.
The day that they show themselves to be otherwise, is the day when I will be the first in line to put my shoes up their behinds.
Every Animal Welfare group “sells themselves”, that’s how they get donations. It isnt cheap taking care of animals and setting up adoptathons and TNR Programs.
P.S. Holly (pretty name, by the way) when you take into account their work on the TNR front and number of lives prevented because of spay/neuter, my “millions of lives saved” estimate, I think, is pretty accurate.
P.P.S. I tried going to the exfriender.wordpress.com page, but all I get are the words “Best of friends, worst of friends” and a photo of a long road…nothing else loads. I’ll keep trying.
I found the following page, which talks about the person’s ( I think their name is Matt, too, but it is NOT MY PAGE). The person had some good views of BF and the animals in their care.
One person’s opinion of course…but then we all have opinions and you know the saying about that. LOL
http://bakaitis.com/the-best-friends-animal-sanctuary/
Oh and lets not forget The Great Kitty Rescue:
network.bestfriends.org/news/postdetail.aspx?np=17003
Sorry, they dont sound like the anti-Christ to me.
They may not be perfect (but then, who is?) but to say that they are frauds who dont save lives…I dont buy it.
Matt, you’re arguing in black and white. Yes, I was around for the Pahrump rescue, and that was a good thing. As I’ve said elsewhere, BFAS has done many other good things. They have many good people there, but their management is another story. Yes, nobody is perfect, but at times I’ve seen about 80% bad. Not white or black, but just a dark gray here.
So what if bakaitis loved them from one visit? People see what they want to see and most seem to need about six visits to even suspect the truth. And his description of Kanab and polygamy is little more than ignorant stupidity. He’s talking about Colorado City, a distance away. If that’s the type of shallow proof you want, it’s easy to find.
Even with their Guardian Angels Program, from what you said you don’t really know what it is or how it’s used. I could talk about that one all day, including the hidden donor levels and benefits.
“Welcome to the Guardian Angel Program.
Here on the Guardian Angel website, we showcase just some of the special needs animals at the sanctuary who are benefiting from your help. See the difference your monthly donation makes for the lives of the animals in the Guardian Angel program.”
This from the BFAS Guardian Angels About page. They have sponsored animals that need extra help, but it doesn’t matter how much you donate, it all goes into their General Fund to be used anywhere. I’ve heard from many who sponsored an animal then visited again and saw…nothing.
As for my blog, it’s on the same servers as this one. Bear in mind that it only has a small piece of what once appeared elsewhere.
Hi exfriender,
I was told the opposite from BF. They said that if I donated to a particular program, the money would go directly there, not to the “general fund”. To be sure I always specified “I want this donation to go to THIS program, not any other one”.
I guess IF what you say is true, then they are misleading (and lied to me), but in the end, as long as the money is used to save animals isnt that what matters?
Now, if they were pocketing the money for themselves or for other things (in search of power), etc., like Ingrid Newkirk, Wayne Pacelle, Ed Sayres do, THAT would be criminal.
As for BF’s leadership, who can know for sure what they’re about? They just took over recently. The verdict isnt in yet. Michael Mountain told me that although he wasnt going to be publishing his editorials anymore, and that he was going to take a vacation, that he wouldnt fully be out of the loop.He’d still be around.
I believe that Mr Mountain, Faith Maloney, and the old-timers who truly love animals and support No Kill, wouldnt wittingly hand over the reigns to frauds.
Perhaps they have been fooled, perhaps there is just a rotten apple or two in key positions of the group, but to group BF in with PETA, HSUS, ASPCA, etc at this point which seems to be the new trend, is ridiculous.
Time after time BF has contacted Mayors, Senators,President Obama, religious leaders, etc. and informed them of the value of ALL living souls.They have personally changed the minds of politicians over killing cats, and instead have convinced them to use TNR Programs. HSUS, PETA, ASPCA cant say the same.
And plz dont tell me that I dont know what the Guardian Angel Program is..I have been a member of it for almost twelve years. It is amazing how many armchair animal welfare ‘experts’ there are out there, telling others what they ‘dont know’, when in fact the ‘experts’ are the ones who need to do the research.Dont believe everything you read.
Ever visit PETAkills.org? You’d think they cared about cats and dogs and were exposing PETA as frauds to stop the killing of cats and dogs by PETA. In truth, they are members of the MEAT INDUSTRY, taking issue with an alleged ( I dont believe anything PETA says anymore) vegetarian group. Not on behalf of cats or dogs, but on behalf of their business interests.
I’m not living in the rabbit hole with Alice, thank you very much, but I WILL defend the Cheshire Cat’s right to live with all of my might.
If you have an inside “informant” at BF’s, I’d like to hear about what they say about the “80% efficient leaders” of BF. Do you have verifiable “inside information”? If so, email me at QMD333@aol.com with the info, as my concern is the truth. If BF’s new leaders are what you say they are (frauds) I will be the first to open up the can of whoopa$$ and unleash it on them like a wildman.
If you want the info kept confidential, clearly state that in the email and I will honor that.
PS Baikatis’ experience is typical with what every visitor to BF that I ever heard speak about them, has said.Everyone says how happy the animals are, how dedicated the members are, how professional they are, etc. I have yet to hear about neglect, the killing of healthy animals, etc. If you have proof of such goings on, I want to know about it, because my support of BF would end.
One more thing if I may.
To put Holly’s (Still think your name is pretty) accusations that I am a “BF Insider” to rest, here is an email that I sent to them when I heard from Nathan Winograd about their treachery re: Oreo’s Law.
Now I ask you, does the following email sound like I will look the other way if BF changes their mission of being No Kill?
—————-
Written Monday July 5th
Did Best Friends Sell Out Cats and Dogs?
I would be devastated if this were true. I have given hundreds, possibly thousands of dollars to this group, because they were obvious animal lovers. I have been a Best Friends Guardian Angel, a BF member for about a decade now, a donor in their “Racing Laps For Best Friends” program, a member/donor to their “Focus On Felines” campaign, the goal of the “Focus On Felines” program, by the way, is to keep feral or “community cats” out of shelters and Oreo’s Law would have done exactly that….and they didnt support it? Why? Has the new leadership that has taken over BF in recent years taken a knife and stabbed cats and dogs in the back?
Will they become scum of the Earth murderers like PETA, HSUS, ASPCA, kill shelters, etc.?
Or will they remain at the forefront of the no kill movement?
I am sending this email to Best Friends, among others, and they better not be what Nathan Winograd perceives them to be. Winograd better be wrong. I am not taking anyone’s side yet (except cats and dogs), but I and others will be watching closely, and as with fraudulent S.O.B’s, like PETA, ASPCA, HSUS, kill shelters and other frauds who consider murdering cats and dogs to be a way of ‘rescuing’ them, if Best Friends have put politics over pets….well, some heads are gonna roll, when the public at large finds out about it .
That’s a promise.
IF I find out that BF are no longer the no kill supporters they have been for 25 years, they will be getting a whole lot less money per year (Zero, nada,zilch, not a penny, not a freakin thing, the big goose egg), no more publicity on Digg, Twitter, Facebook, etc, and a valuable, and now heartbroken supporter who believed in them (me) will be on them like a fly on manure, as I have been on the other “animal loving” groups who betray cats and dogs everyday by taking their lives from them. So much for ‘rescue’, ‘kindness’ and ‘love’.
Say it isnt so, Best Friends. I still believe in you. I wont jump to conclusions about you, until I learn all of the facts…I owe you that in return for the millions of precious souls who you have saved over the years.
Tell me that you are 100% no kill and will not get in bed with cat and dog murderers because politics and money mean more to you than the fate of LIVING SOULS EQUAL TO US HUMAN ANIMALS, do. Tell me that Winograd is mistaken, and explain to me, in plain English, why you sat on the fence and watched the fight for animals’ lives, instead of fighting for their lives like a “Best Friend” would do. Oreo’s Law would have allowed pets to be rescued by rescue groups, instead of being placed in the blood stained hands of the murderers (kill shelter operators). It potentially could have brought us much much closer, much much faster, to becoming a no kill nation and world.
Lets cut through the B.S…..the “humane euthanasia” of healthy cats and dogs is not “humane”, it is murder. That is not open for debate.
The murderers say,: “We’re not killing them, we’re giving them a good death”…so nothing to worry about.
These lost souls need a lobotomy. Not one of them would consider it a “good death” if their backstabbing butts were poked with a lethal needle…they would cry bloody murder. Hence the hypocrisy. I guess they are ignorant of that whole “Do Unto Others” thingie.
Tell me, Best Friends, that you are as much of a no kill group today as you were when Michael Mountain and others were, when they dreamed of a day when cats and dogs would no longer be murdered in ‘shelters’, and built a place where that dream could be furthered with love, hard work and action, instead of being hindered by politics.
A sanctuary, like a shelter, are only true sanctuaries or shelters if they provide….well..shelter and sanctuary..a safe haven for cats and dogs and others. The term ‘kill shelter’ is like the term ‘Holy War’. War is not Holy and a shelter or sanctuary that murders their fellow precious living souls, is not a shelter or sanctuary. It’s a concentration camp. A killing facility. If you are truly the “Best Friends” of animals, then you must rise up against the murderers, instead of playing nice and tolerating their killings. This isnt World Cup Soccer, it’s life. Screw diplomacy.
Diplomacy: Irrelevant political correctness.
Life: Infinitely relevant.
Screw diplomacy. Had we tried it in WWII we’d all be worshipping Adolf Hitler’s dead body today. Precious souls were being exterminated. We put Murder Inc. out of business. Precious souls ARE being exterminated. Will we again put Murder Inc. out of business, or will we join them, and become accessories to murder?
A wise man once said: “To sin by silence when we should protest, makes cowards out of us”. Another wise person once said: “Take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented”.
Whether by gun, knife, gas chamber or needle…mass murder is mass murder, and murderers dont deserve diplomacy. Diplomacy is their ally, because it permits them to continue to kill while the supposed “good guys” dive down the rabbit hole, with Alice, The Mad Hatter and a Cheshire Cat who lost his smile because Alice is taking him to a “rescue group” who wants to give him a ‘good death’. We try to bury our heads in the sand like ostriches, and yet the reality is still there when we pop our heads out of the sand.
Cats and dogs are equal to you and I, and they deserve to live, love, and be loved equally as much as you and I do….our ignorant, arrogant, self praising human egos notwithstanding. That is the Ultimate Truth.
Cats and dogs share our homes with us, our hearts with us, our lives with us, our souls with us.
The act of mudering them under the “humane” disguise must end. It is one of the biggest injustices in the history of planet Earth.
Is Best Friends committed to ending the murder?
I think you are. Tell me that I’m right.
——————-
Next post, BF’s reply
Cont: BF’s response, and my response to their response:
Best Friends Response to my email:
———————–
Hi,
Best Friends never abandoned Oreo or the idea of seeing that good solutions are put in place to protect other dogs like Oreo. We are very much in favor of shelter access, which is the nugget that launched the bill that has become known as Oreo’s Law. Best Friends did not stand in the way of the passing of the legislation, however, for numerous reasons detailed in statements that we put out this winter and again recently, we did not feel we should actively support it. We continue to remain steadfastly a no-kill organization and do not believe that euthanasia is a necessary evil. We do not, however, believe in vilifying those who are trying to work toward no-kill and may not have achieved it yet.
I hope that you will take a moment to read our response, which has been posted online at
http://www.facebook.com/bestfriendsanimalsociety?v=app_2347471856&ref=ts#!/note.php?note_id=405889576178
Here are a few key parts of that statement:
We did not decide lightly to take a stance of neutrality on the bill. To the contrary, we had numerous conversations with those involved on both sides in the hope of refining the bill into something that all of the players could support and a bill that would save lives. Unfortunately, we quickly realized this issue was less about passage of legislation, and more of a nasty fight over ideology and past histories. The dialogue was not constructive and we felt we couldn’t help either side budge. Instead, we chose to focus our efforts on immediate lifesaving work like the Tri-State Super Adoption Festival – an event that found homes for 300 animals in just one weekend.
…
It’s time to leave this dispute in the past, and focus on the future. Best Friends always has, and always will fight hard for the animals, and against the naysayers who are out there trying to undermine the movement as a whole. We will fight alongside any organization or individual who is willing to set aside grudges and grievances to save lives. It will take that kind of action to reach a world with No More Homeless Pets.
Also, you should know that we issued a statement of support for shelter access in January and it can be read here:
http://www.bestfriends.org/aboutus/media/020510_Kellner_Duane_Debate.cfm
Regards,
Aileen L. Walden
Sr. Manager Donor Relations & Stewardship
Best Friends Animal Society
—————————————————–
My Response back to them:
Dear Aileen,
Thank you for your response. It made me feel a bit better.
I hope that Mr Winograd was simply misunderstanding you, and that you continue to work with him, as he is a “Best Friend” to animals, like you. He is the most well known, passionately no-kill man on Earth and he can help you.
Just a word of warning: While not “vilifying” those “who are working towards No Kill”, please be aware that they may in reality NOT be working towards no kill and might just be lying to you. That is the politics of the Animal Sheltering world and I find it intolerable, and ethically criminal.
The Mayor here, after I sent him no kill info and shared your “TNR Calculator” with him, to show him how much money the city could save by “TNR’ ing” feral cats instead of murdering them, well…..I hardly ever received a response. The one time he did respond, he gave the political B.S. that we no kill supporters are all sick of…. He parroted the old : “We have made great strides in improving the shelter and will continue to strive to improve the lives of animals”. Blah, Blah, Blah, Yadda, Yadda. The problem? Their kill rates are THE SAME as they were five years ago. Ten years ago. Eighty percent of cats who go in the ‘shelter’ are murdered. Seventy percent of dogs who go in the ‘shelter’ are murdered. The neanderthals who ‘run’ the place still use the nazi-like gas chamber!! The No Kill Advocacy Center (which Mr Winograd founded) politely contacted the shelter a few years ago, offering them help to make my city no kill. The No Kill Advocacy Representatives were treated rudely, and the shelter operators made it known that the no kill supporters, who threatened their status quo of killing, werent welcome and that they should, in essence, butt out of their ‘business’. These morons deserve to be vilified…they have earned it. To play nice with them is to sleep with a killer. All the attempts to “strive to improve” things at the so called ‘shelter’, notwithstanding, things have not changed. This should not be acceptable to you. It certainly isnt to me, and I remind the Mayor and ‘shelter’ of this regularly.
Moral of the story: Words are meaningless. Actions and results must be the deciding factors in determining who is/isnt dedicated to saving lives.
It is a part of reality that some humans just dont care about putting in the work to save lives. Studying a shelter’s yearly statistics (Save rates vs. ‘euthanasia’ rates), etc. can help you to see if they are truly dedicated to no kill, or just dedicated to brushing you off with excuses, while continuing their killing, like clockwork.
We should treat any animal shelter in the process of “becoming no kill”, as we would a children’s shelter who have been caught killing children, who say that “we will change”. We cant wait too long…..precious lives are coming to an end. Results must be seen, and fast. Yes, I’ll speak the truth: Cats and dogs are living, breathing, thinking, feeling, living, loving, soul-filled Children of God equally as much as You, I and everyone else. That is the Ultimate Truth.
How long would you wait for a murderous children’s shelter to become no kill? Especially if your child was a resident there? How much patience would you have, while they are “in the process” of changing?
Now, apply that to cats and dogs as you would your child.
Perhaps Best Friends can try the diplomatic approach with my local Animal Shelter, and the Mayor. They dont care about what I have to say (The Mayor will, come Election Day). But maybe they will listen to you. Please try. Please let me know how it goes. I hope it goes well.
Thanks again, Aileen, for your response. I will share it with others, so that they can hear your side of the story.
I believe in Best Friends. Please dont let me down. More importantly, please dont allow cats and dogs to die if there is any way, shape or form, that you can save them. For they are Children too….God’s. Individual persons. Individual souls.
Just like You and me. We are one species, one race, one planet, one heart, one soul.
Matt,
Firstly, I doubted you were from BFAS.
Next, you’re quoting stuff from them we’ve already read, which proves nothing.
Next, quoting Aileen Walden (or Bernie Madoff) will not get you points, here or anywhere.
Now, of course BFAS said your donations go where you want them. What else would they say? Did you ever verify that, either directly or by talking to somebody who saw the direct results?
Matt said:”I guess IF what you say is true, then they are misleading (and lied to me), but in the end, as long as the money is used to save animals isnt that what matters?”
Well, there goes your whole argument. You ignored my 20% comment and assumed the world. As Holly mentioned, Blue Bear’s leg seems less important to you than your own good feelings. No, salaries are not high, but look further. At maintained houses for founders, at considerable property they own in Kanab, at form 990 entries that don’t prove out when you look for the results.
Matt said: “As for BF’s leadership, who can know for sure what they’re about? They just took over recently.”
What world do you live in? Over a year ago BFAS publicly promised an outside CEO and leadership. That never happened, and the original founders are still in control. These are facts of record. Mountain was pushed out for not following the party line and trying to help too many animals. Half their board is remote and sees nothing, while the other half is local and in operational control.
Matt said:”And plz dont tell me that I dont know what the Guardian Angel Program is..I have been a member of it for almost twelve years.”
Yet your statement conflicts with BFAS’s words and you’ve never verified anything. Tell me, were you ever invited to the annual Guardian Angels gathering in Kanab? Have you even heard about it? If you’d been a donor to HSUS for 12 years, would that make you an expert and them good and nice?
In the end, you accept “nice” things without question, and demand documented proof of anything else. Have you read my blog yet? You haven’t commented there. I’ll forward your comments and email and see if any other “former” BFAS donors want to respond directly. I could continue here but see no purpose.