For sharing shelter pets, links, questions, stories, and Nixon photos.
And if you haven’t already, please share CeCe with your FB friends, appropriate mailing lists, rescue contacts, etc. She (k)needs a bit of luck.
Open Thread
For sharing shelter pets, links, questions, stories, and Nixon photos.
And if you haven’t already, please share CeCe with your FB friends, appropriate mailing lists, rescue contacts, etc. She (k)needs a bit of luck.
Maddie’s Fund is having a free webcast on Thursday, January 26, 2012, at 9 PM Eastern Time with Dr. Julie Levy called “Keeping Community Cats Out of Shelters”. Info and link for registration:
http://www.maddiesfund.org/Resource_Library/Shelter_Crowd_Control.html
The Utah public shelter where a cat survived two gassings will continue to use its gas chamber. The City Council made the decision over pleas from the public to retire it.
http://www.lifewithcats.tv/2012/01/05/west-valley-city-to-keep-gas-chamber-used-on-andrea-the-cat-who-famously-survived/
It sounds as if the state needs to change the law regarding gassing not just that city.
The shelter completely missed the lesson to be learned from Andrea’s survival. Instead of “we need a better way to kill the animals so that they actually die the first time we try”, the lesson should have been “if we publicize our pets, they get adopted.” Leave it to a typical “shelter” to get it wrong.
12 resolutions to help homeless #pets in 2012 http://ow.ly/8kzJJ Great Ideas – SHARE them! #AnimalShelter #PetRescue #Pets
I have read that the no kill shelters that place the most pets are the ones that get their message out in the media the most. Here is some free help on doing that…
“Dozens of Free Publicity Articles, Free Publicity Ebooks
and Thousands of Tips to Make Self-promotion Easy”
http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/free.html
NYT piece about the emerging academic field of animal studies. (Fellow anti-vivisectionists be warned, the lead could be interpreted as flip.)
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/03/science/animal-studies-move-from-the-lab-to-the-lecture-hall.html
URGENT – Final Vote Mon. 1/9 on Shelby County, TN Law that Outlaws Dogs in Vehicles Under Certain Circumstances
http://www.akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=4544
January 6, 2012
The Shelby County, Tennessee Commission will hold a third and final
vote on proposed changes to the county animal control ordinance on
January 9, 2012 at 1:30 p.m. The proposed ordinance includes a
provision that would make it a violation to leave a companion animal
unattended in a vehicle for more than one hour when the outside
temperature is above 70 degrees or below 35 degrees. It is
appreciated that the commission included an exception to this
provision for animals participating in dog shows, sporting events, or
trials, but this exception does not extend to pets that are safely
secured in vehicles for more than one hour during family outings,
travel, overnight stays, training classes, or other events.
As written, the temperature and time requirements in this provision
would potentially criminalize:
– Local pet owners who include their pets in family activities and
who, for any reason, leave their pets safely and comfortably within
their vehicles for 61 minutes or more.
– Travelers with pets who safely secure their pets in their vehicles
while visiting Shelby County restaurants, shopping, hotels, and other
attractions.
– Visitors in motorhomes with pets who utilize the numerous RV
facilities in Shelby County.
These arbitrary temperature and time restrictions are unwarranted and
ineffective for several reasons. A dog negligently left in an enclosed
vehicle in direct sunlight on a hot day can suffer injury or death in
far less than 60 minutes. However, there are countless circumstances
under which a well-cared for pet may be responsibly left in a vehicle
for more than one hour when the temperature is above or below the
extremes stated in the proposed ordinance.
It should also be noted that existing Tennessee state law
(39-14-202(d)) allows seizure of the vehicle and its contents when a
person is taken into custody for transporting or confining an animal
in a cruel manner. Tennessee state law (39-14-210(a)) empowers the
president of any society for the prevention of cruelty to animals that
is incorporated in the county to appoint agents to make arrests for
offenses involving non-livestock animals in that county. It unclear
how these state laws would apply to violations of the time and
temperature provisions in the proposed Shelby County ordinance. Click
here for the State Attorney General’s opinion on these issues under
state code.
The American Kennel Club supports fair and reasonable laws that
protect animals. We are concerned, however, that this ordinance may
unreasonably impact responsible owners who temporarily secure a dog in
an adequately shaded and ventilated vehicle during hot weather.
Further, the proposed ordinance provides no exceptions for pets kept
inside temperature-controlled vehicles such as motorhomes.
Additionally, a dog inside a vehicle is well protected from wind and
winter precipitation. The ordinance does not consider steps an owner
may take to provide warm bedding or a pet sweater (if needed) for a
dog secured in a vehicle while the owner shops, enjoys a meal in a
restaurant, or while travelling during cold weather.
How you can help:
Concerned citizens of Shelby County are encouraged to immediately
contact county commissioners to politely request that the ordinance be
amended prior to the final vote to delete the time and temperature
restrictions. Non-residents may wish to state that the time and
temperature restrictions, if enacted, will cause them to bypass Shelby
County when travelling with their pets.
The contact number for county commissioners is (901) 222-1000. Email
addresses are listed below.
Pet owners are also encouraged to attend the county commission meeting
and express their concerns. Call the commission office at (901)
222-1000 for information about submitting a Request to Speak Card.
Meeting Information:
Date: Monday, January 9, 2012
Time: 1:30 p.m.
Place: Vasco A. Smith, Jr. County Administration Building, 160 N. Main
Street, Memphis, TN 38103
Shelby County Commissioners:
Phone (901) 222-1000
Sidney Chism, Chairman
sidney.chism@shelbycountytn.gov
Wyatt Bunker, Chairman Pro Tem
wyatt.bunker@shelbycountytn.gov
Steve Mulroy, Commissioner (ordinance sponsor)
steve.mulroy@shelbycountytn.gov
Walter Bailey, Jr., Commissioner
walter.bailey@shelbycountytn.gov
Henri E. Brooks, Commissioner
henri.brooks@shelbycountytn.gov
Melvin Burgess, Commissioner
melvin.burgess@shelbycountytn.gov
Justin Ford, Commissioner
justin.ford@shelbycountytngov
James Harvey, Sr., Commissioner
james.harvey@shelbycountytn.gov
Mike Ritz, Commissioner
mike.ritz@shelbycountytn.gov
Terry Roland, Commissioner
terry.roland@shelbycountytn.gov
Heidi Shafer, Commissioner
heidi.shafer@shelbycountytn.gov
Brent Taylor, Commissioner
brent.taylor@shelbycountytn.gov
Chris Thomas, Commissioner
chris.thomas@shelbycountytn.gov
For questions or more information, please contact AKC Government
Relations at (919) 816-3720 or doglaw@akc.org
Donna —
It was <35 today at SAR training. All of the SAR dogs waited in their respective vehicles for their various turns to work and play, for more than an hour each. That's how it goes at unit training. If there is a SAR unit with dogs that operates in Shelby County, those opposing this lame-brained proposal need to get them involved.
Apologies if my post is inappropriate here!
Shirley – thanks for the info regarding Dr. Julie Levy above – I passed the time, etc forward to the local community cat helpers – they plan to have a webcast party.
I came across this on Facebook and couldn’t resist sharing it here.
Yesterday I was at my local Wal-Mart buying a large bag of Purina dog chow for my loyal pet Boomer, the Wonder Dog and was in the check-out line when the woman behind me asked if I had a dog.
What did she think I had an elephant? So because I’m retired and have little to do, on impulse I told her that no, I didn’t have a dog, I was starting the Purina diet… again. I added that I probably shouldn…’t, because I ended up in the hospital last time, but that I’d lost 50 pounds before I awakened in an intensive care ward with tubes coming out of most of my orifices and IVs in both arms.
I told her that it was essentially a perfect diet and that the way that it works is, to load your pants pockets with Purina nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry. The food is nutritionally complete, so it works well and I was going to try it again. (I have to mention here that practically everyone in the line was now enthralled with my story).
Horrified, she asked if I ended up in intensive care because the dog food poisoned me. I told her no, I stepped off a curb to sniff a poodle’s ass and a car hit me.
I thought the guy behind her was going to have a heart attack he was laughing so hard.
Wal-Mart won’t let me shop there anymore. Better watch what you ask retired people. They have all the time in the world to think of crazy things to say
Dot you are the second person this week that has made me laugh so hard while drinking my coffee that I have spewed it all over my PC & desk! I don’t care if you are retired or not…that was GOOD!
I had the same reaction… I wish I was that quick thinking to pull off something like that.
I’m trying to post one of my fosters. I hope it will work. If it does work.. this is Lil” Jett.. she needs a forever home..could you please share her? She is a pocket Pittie mix and is so sweet.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=313255812041262&set=a.291822084184635.74374.100000705384440&type=3&theater..
Tricky Dick appears to be smiling at that dog — but look at his hands.
Not smiling.
does anyone else read this blog?
http://whatikilledtoday.blogspot.com/
My first intro to that blog…thanks for sharing Anne!
Yes.. I did read it one day, but forgot all about it till just now.
you’re welcome! i find it very powerful and moving (i once spent a day reading it from beginning to end when i first discovered it), and thought i should share :-)