A local news station in Chicago went undercover to see the conditions at Chicago Animal Care and Control. They found pets in need of veterinary care, sick pets housed next to healthy pets, and overcrowded conditions. According to the report, the shelter director states on her Facebook page that her goal is to make the shelter no kill. “WGNTV gave her an opportunity to respond to the story and she chose not to. She called the news director and asked that the story not run.” I can’t think of any shelter directors who are truly working toward no kill who wouldn’t welcome an opportunity to get exposure for their pets on the local news. Odd. (Thank you anonymous tipster for the link.)
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We were recently discussing the topic of immediate shelter killing of pets in the comments. Polk Co AC in Florida is going to start being more up front with anyone surrendering kittens about the likelihood of immediate killing, regardless of health or temperament.
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According to “experts” from ASPCA and BFAS (neither of whom support Oreo’s Law which would mandate the rights of rescuers to save pets from shelters), 25% of animal hoarders start out as rescuers. I am not at all sure that there is sufficient science or understanding of this condition to make such a claim. I’m beginning to question so much media hype on the subject of animal hoarding. And frankly, I can’t help but wonder if it’s political posturing on the part of ASPCA and BFAS to come out with these “expert” statements in light of the likely re-introduction of Oreo’s Law next year.
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From The Underwhelming Files: People in Gaston Co, NC have been asking the shelter to add additional hours so that working folks can come by to adopt pets. In response, the shelter is going to add one additional hour, on 3 weekdays, on a trial basis. If they don’t see an increase in adoptions, they’ll probably drop the extra hour.
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A city councilman in Lebanon, TN has proposed an ordinance to control nuisance dogs. The community is reacting negatively because basically barking dogs would be killed. The councilman says that’s crazy talk, he’s a dog owner himself and people are misunderstanding. It’s more of a 3-strikes-and-you’re-out type thing. Out meaning out of life, out of existence, out of this mortal coil. The mayor vetoed the ordinance but the city council could override that at the next meeting, set for today. (Thanks Clarice for the link.)
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Good post and discussion on how to write effective listings for adoptable pets
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HSUS reports that subsequent to their undercover investigation into bear baying, the AKC has banned the American Plott Association from membership.
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Bowl designed to slow down your chow hound
It’s Chicago. What do we expect? Their police have even traveled to other jurisdictions to steal animals.
Speaking of hoarders, I’d like to know what percentage of animal groups hoard money while the animals who need that money get sacrificed.
You know, how say the ASPCA can take in $120,000,000 in one year alone, but animals down the street at the city pound don’t get enough food or they can’t treat kittens with URI so they send them to the pound to be killed or they don’t have the resources to treat dogs like Oreo, while a much smaller group across town says they do.
Or let’s say, how Best Friends takes in $40,000,000 per year, but only takes in about 600 animals per year (at a rate of about $700,000 each), the same amount that the Nevada Humane Society takes in in three weeks.
I’d also like to know what percentage of animal groups hoard power.
As say, when they have it but refuse to share it with other 501(c)(3) non-profits because those groups are smaller. You know, how the Mayor’s Alliance, a 501(c)(3) can dictate which rescues can save animals and which can’t, even though they are all supposed to be equal, with the same rights and responsibilities before the law? Or how Best Friends can save a dog declared dangerous from a shelter, but they refuse to give others the power to save kittens and puppies not declared so?
I’d ask the ASPCA & Best Friends to study that and report back to us
snap
I just watched Animal Ark’s shelter tour, and apart from a bit of jealousy, I think things like that can help educate people.
I live in Des Moines Iowa, one state south of where Animal Ark is located. As with Animal Ark, our local shelter has a contract with Des Moines animal control.
Why doesn’t our shelter look like that?
There is Pets Alive in upstate NYC, Nevada, models around the country, and the question should be on the current shelters to explain why they are not run like that.
Does anyone know if this study concerning the incidence of hoarding in rescue will be appearing in a referreed journal anytime soon? Or are they hoarding data as well?
This alleged fact might die a slow painful death like the non fact that 1 pair of cats turns into 420,000 cats during 7 years.
I read a news article last week in which a shelter director used that stat to explain why her shelter could not become no kill in her grandchildren’s lifetime.
On the story about hoarders, there’s no indication I can find that the 25% factoid comes from any research intended for publication, or that either it or the 5% also mentioned apply to any data more solid than ‘estimated 6,000.’ So, I’m filing it under ‘HSUS bloviation.’
Ironically, the article references HARC, which *is* involved in research into animal hoarding, and whose webpage somehow fails to make a connection between rescue and hoarding. Rather:
“Sometimes hoarders … masquerade as animal rescue activities. They should never be confused for these legitimate and worthwhile efforts.”
http://www.tufts.edu/vet/hoarding/abthoard.htm
They also don’t mention euthanasia as an acceptable means of addressing animal welfare issues at a shelter, btw. So something tells me they’re likely to be philosophically at odds with the anti-No Kill crowd.
I have a very similar bowl to the one linked at the bottom. It works a treat – my Bertie actually stops to inhale while he eats these days.
Thanks for that link Eucritta. For those wanting a snapshot model of how people become animal hoarders according to Tufts, check out this: http://www.tufts.edu/vet/hoarding/picts/wrkngmodel.jpg
Re: “I’m not a hoarder, I’m a rescue.”
Just because someone claims that she is an interpretive dancer who happens to use a pole in pursuit of her art and keep a rented room at the theater does not mean that that’s what she is.
It is not terribly difficult, by and large, to recognize a skanky ho instead. For sensible people, that is.
Just because there are prostitutes who call themselves interpretive dancers does not mean that dancers are prostitutes, or at risk of becoming prostitutes, or “nearly” prostitutes.
Just because Mrs. Grundy calls the Bolshoi ballet pornography and the dancers whores does not make it so.
So you’re saying 25% of whores start out at the Bolshoi? :-O
LMFAO!
I should add that a skanky ho with a 501(c)3 designation is still a skanky ho.
And she can’t lobby.
Yes, but your “contributions” will be tax deductible.
“According to “experts” from ASPCA and BFAS (neither of whom support Oreo’s Law which would mandate the rights of rescuers to save pets from shelters), 25% of animal hoarders start out as rescuers.”
Note the terms used. “Rescuers”, not “rescues”. Does being the type of person who will feed and shelter any stray animal they come across describe the term “rescuer”? Yes, I think it does, and this certainly does describe most hoarders I have dealt with. They take in needy creatures with good intentions, and generally it’s the rampant breeding and inbreeding that follows that really explodes the situation.
Now, is this a “rescue”? Not by my definition.
Could a hoarder, upon discovery, claim to be a rescue to try to avoid prosecution? Certainly, although I’ve never experienced this first hand. Generally these people simply understand that local AC will euthanize the stray cats they are brought and feel that they are the cats’ only hope for a life. Sadly, in a lot of situations they are quite correct – not that I am condoning such behaviour.
Do I believe that 25% of hoarders started out as “rescues”? No. “Rescuers”? No – I think the percentage is probably higher. Think of every time you’ve seen a hoarding case… how many times do people have a collection of different purebreds? No, they start off with a handful of rescued animals and mother nature takes care of the rest.
Update on proposed dog barking ordinance:
http://www.wkrn.com/global/story.asp?s=13115245
Mayor’s veto upheld – whew!
Kim, judging from the info on HARC, which I’ve linked above, the disordered thinking that leads to animal hoarding may well be present before any animals are acquired.
The website Pet-Abuse.com:
http://www.pet-abuse.com/
has an on-site Google search, and a quick run through it turned up very numerous hoarding cases with assortments of purebred animals.
I’ve only had any personal knowledge of two cases, but both primarily involved purebred cats, including rare breeds. Moreover, in both cases almost all of the cats had been sterilized.