53 thoughts on “Open Thread”

  4. Just wanted to share this wonderful video: Blind dog rescued from trash heap has vision restored, http://now.msn.com/living/0326-rescued-dog.aspx

    Illustrates very nicely why I’m for no kill … if she had been picked up by LA animal control in LA she very likely would have ended up right back in the garbage … only dead this time.

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    2. This is one of Eldad Hagar’s videos. He and his wife Audrey run Hope for Paws in LA. Eldad used to go out in the desert and rescue dogs–he can catch any dog with a slip lead and a cheeseburger. Guaranteed–heh–although occasionally he uses a trap, too. He used to rescue a lot of big dogs–this was before he married Audrey who ran a small dog rescue–so now they help all sizes. Eldad has over 100 wonderful rescue videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/eldad75/videos.
      Should be required watching for the staff at MAS.

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    3. Thanks for sharing! What a wonderful and moving story. I loved it when she wagged her tail when they picked her up after her surgery.

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  5. I got a letter from Sheldon Silver yesterday. I had sent him an email and a phone call about the quick kill bill at the very beginning of the campaign. Since I live in NY they took down my name and address when I called.

    The letter tells me they are reviewing A.5449-B and “we are aware of several concerns raised by animal rights advocates concerning this legislation. I will be sure to keep your thoughts in mind during ongoing discussions on this important topic”

    Then he tells me he is against abuse and that he passes legislation to protect animals and that he will continue to advocate for the humane treatment of animals.

    Then a thanks for contacting him and letting him know how I feel so he can better serve the state.

    And that’s it.

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  6. I wanted to, again, thank those of you who donated to Hospets. I also wanted to let you know that we are now officially a 501(c)(3) so your donations are tax deductible. If you need an additional donation receipt sent to you please email me at Lisa@Hospets.org.

    We are now teamed up with Union County Senior Services and will also be working with the Meals on Wheels program.

    We are also on Facebook now, please stop by, we can use all the likes and shares wwe can get. We need help getting the word out.

    http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hospets/142887395824998

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    1. I saw that – it’s an outrage!!! I agree the idiots in NC need to vaccinate their animals but RCAS’ method of keeping 1/2 their runs empty doesn’t work for either. Killing healthy dogs for “room” ? I hate it. I don’t help network that shelter anymore. RIP all you poor babies! :/

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      1. The shelter could vaccinate them when they come in. Vaccines are cheap, and pfizer gives a discount for shelters. An appeal to the community could probably raise the money. More rescues would probably work with them, and be able to pull more dogs (healthy dogs cost them less, and are easier to find fosters for) if they did it.

    2. This has become a really big deal here in Eastern NC. Several adopters and rescue groups in my area have been seriously affected by this and the multiple outbreaks at the Duplin County pound, spending thousands of dollars trying to save sick animals that they pulled not realizing that the shelters were harboring distemper (and parvo in Duplin). People in Duplin county actually donated to pay for the vaccines, but the county manager said they didn’t give them because they didn’t have anyone qualified to (even though by law shelter managers are allowed to give vax in NC regardless of qualification. They did start vaccinating in Duplin 1 week ago, however, probably because of the crapstorm that was brewing and some media scrutiny.

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      1. Oh, but the GOOD news is that the manager of the Robeson shelter is resigning! So … job opening opportunity for a no kill shelter manager! Sure, it’s in a middle-of-nowhere rural NC county … but it’s not too far from the beach ;-)

  13. I’ve spent the past hour trying to find the info on a shelter in TN that is closing due to foreclosure. Does anyone know about this? The name starts with “F” – like F-something. They have 60 dogs they need to place before it closes.

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  14. After your Story – March 12th – of Robeson having 50 Kennels – 25 of which are ALWAYS Empty to keep down Disease – Today March 26th – Robeson has KILLED every Animal in its Shelter due to Distemper – They have been Fighting this Disease for Weeks, Closed the Shelter for a few Weeks for Quarantine – They have Finally Given Up the Fight – So even with their Excuse for NOT Filling the Shelter because of Disease – They End Up Wiping out the Occupants of a Half Filled Shelter because of Disease ( I was told it was a Total of 90 Dogs altogether )- and while this is NOT All their Fault – The Practice of NOT Filling the shelter to avoid Disease obviously did NOT Help – and has cost many lives – I feel bad for the employees that had to Put these Animals Out of their Misery and I feel Sorry for the Animals whose Lives were lost. Another tragedy that might of Been Avoided if the Public would learn to Vaccinate their Animals – If the Shelter had Quarantine Areas for NEW Animals and the Shelter had given Vaccinations to ALL Animals that were Housed there.

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    1. Oh it is most definitely the shelter’s fault! They should be educating the public, supporting vaccination clinics, vaccinating every dog that comes in, and using quarantine areas – and have a vet assessing the health of the animals. If they can’t – or in this case, won’t – do this, then they need to give the job over to a group that will.

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      1. After Speaking with a Friend – I found out that Robeson actually has OVER 100 Kennels and only 50 or So are used – They Killed over 106 Animals in 2 Days and are STILL accepting Animals – They are a Public Facility and can NOT turn these Dogs away – According to the Shelter they are Telling the Public that their Animals may be Killed and they are Leaving them anyway – I also called the Dept of Ag about the Slaughter and they said that the Shelter is Following Protocol and the Vets Advice – This is the Second Shelter in NC that has KILLED its Entire Population in 2 to 3 weeks Time because of Disease – Duplin County KILLED the Entire Shelter on March 9th due to Parvo that they had been Fighting since the Beginning of February – Vaccinations upon Entry to the Shelters are a MUST and the Public NEEDS to Wake Up, Starting Caring and Vaccinate their Animals!

  15. When I helped a neighbor reunite a young, friendly cat with her worried family, I asked the father why he didn’t look online or make a lost cat report with the pound, etc. He was adamant when he stated “People help stray dogs, NOT stray cats.”

    Since his family got their lost cat back, his statement isn’t true, but it’s what he believes. And if he believes that, think of all the other people who probably think the same thing!

    Trouble is, my thinking wasn’t helpful either.

    Like a lot of people, I thought stray cats we found were unwanted or abandoned if nobody answered our found cat ads. I’ve had a paradigm shift in the way I think and ask others to challenge their beliefs about this.

    The truth is, we need do MUCH more to help find and recover lost pets and find the owners of stray animals because most are just lost pets who need our help. When we help return these companion animals to their worried families, fewer end up being killed in shelters and it frees up room in rescue groups for those pets who truly need a new home.

    I think the first step is learning to identify the surprising barriers to increasing the return to owner rate. Then we need to put this info to use.

    (Those who do TNR, rescue or rehome pets or want to create a no kill community REALLY need to be aware of this.)

    This is a fascinatingly awesome free webinar featuring no-kill advocate Kat Albrecht, founder of the nonprofit Missing Pet Partnership pet detective agency:

    “Best Friends Animal Society and Petfinder.com present …
    “Think Lost, Not Stray” (free recorded webinar online),

    http://www.bestfriends.org/recordings/thinklostnotstray/index.html

    More resources on changing our thinking and helping with lost and found pet recovery:

    MPP Recovery Tips: “Think Lost, Not Stray” http://www.missingpetpartnership.org/recovery-thinklost.php

    Cats in the Bag website, all about recovering lost cats, with forum, (recommended by MPP), http://catsinthebag.org/

    No Kill Advocacy Center article by Kat Albrecht:

    “Missing Animal Response: A Paradigm Shift to Reduce Shelter Kill Rates”, http://www.nokilladvocacycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/MAR.pdf

    We CAN do more to save lives.

    Subject: Resources, Proactive Redemption, Increasing the return to owner rate, lost and found pets, No Kill Equation, Reforming Animal Control, Shelter Reform http://www.nokilladvocacycenter.org/shelter-reform/

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    1. I think that is a good idea. putting up found posters and ads isn’t enough. Animals travel – the person who is looking for that animal might be in another town and doesn’t see your ads or posters. Also pets can be missing for a long time. I just read an article about a cat that was returned via microchip after 5 years. When your animal is gone that long you aren’t going to shelters and keeping your lost posters up to date, but that doesn’t mean you wouldn’t love to have your pet back.

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    2. Thank you Cee for your post. We truly need a paradigm shift in the perception of lost cats and how they contribute to the homeless, stray, feral, and shelter cat populations. I blogged last month about a cat named “Bebe” where it took 4 months for Missing Pet Partnership volunteers to recover this skittish cat…and he was only 1 house away from where he escaped. When you consider that the majority of cat owners would never go to the length that we did to recover this cat, it explains WHY our shelters and feral cat colonies are filled to capacity with cats! The story can be found here http://katalbrecht.com/blog/?p=1094

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    1. I liked that article very much! (: Gives me hope that there ARE good people out there to run these shelters and really turn things around for the better!

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  17. Poor Charlie has been at the shelter for too long, and he is now showing signs of kennel stress. He is also heartworm positive. We want to help Charlie, but we can not do it without fosters and funds. The most urgent need is for a temp foster in the Myrtle Beach, SC area who could take care of Charlie for a couple of weeks until he can transport. Without that, we can’t even consider saving him :( If you know anyone in the area who may be able to help, please pass this along. Thanks.

    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=374465542587288&set=a.140114062689105.18696.139771709390007&type=1&theater

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    1. http://www.petharbor.com/pet.asp?uaid=MPHS.A238772

      Three years old? Three weeks old is more like it.

      Oh, here’s the mom –

      http://www.petharbor.com/pet.asp?uaid=MPHS.A238771

      No mention of the small kitten with her, her description used for the kitten, too. I hope someone makes sure the little guy stays warm…

      10 cats up on PetHarbor for MAS today (under “lost” – 1 under “adoptable”). Sigh. I’m told that these things take time.

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    2. As we’ve said before, we’re not criticising at this point for photos that make the pet more marketable, it’s really a matter of making the pet recognizable to the current owner or allowing a potential owner to get a mental image of the animal as a companion. The most basic things are being ignored – getting a clear shot which includes the face, avoiding the appearance that the animal is dangerous, taking photos without piss or vomit in them…

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      1. I have to admit that were I in the market for a cat the picture of the black cat in the box would tempt me. I can’t explain it – it just hits me for some reason. Not sure if I am an exception though.

  19. PLEASE have someone check into the Tipton County Animal Shelter in Munford, TN. They are killing, and I do mean KILLING, innocent puppies who stand a chance of adoption. Recently there were 6 puppies who were surrendered by their owner. A local rescue organization called to notify the shelter they would pull them and already had homes for them! The next morning the rescue organization was told the puppies had been euthanized. Why? no one could really answer that question. The shelter has been given the rescue contact information numerous times and all workers there have been notified that the group would pull any and all puppies as foster space was available. When asked what other puppies the shelter had available, the group was told there were NO PUPPIES. This can only mean the workers went through the cages, pulled all puppies out, and carried them to the GAS CHAMBER!
    They do not remove the animals before cleaning out the cages, merely hose down the concrete floors and wash the waste products down the drain, while spraying the animals with the waste and high pressure water hose. The animals are traumatized enough just being in the cold, noisey shelter, without being treated with no respect.
    This has to stop!

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  20. FDA update on [poisoned] jerky pet treats, link from http://www.,poisonedPets.com

    Over 600 dogs died or been made ill in 2011 after eating treats containing ingredients from China, though the exact contaminant or toxin hasn’t yet been identified.

    “Page Last Updated: 03/27/2012”

    http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/ProductSafetyInformation/ucm295445.htm

    FDA update says:

    “Why aren’t these products being taken off the market?

    There is nothing preventing a company from conducting a voluntary recall. It is important to understand that unless a contaminant is detected and we have evidence that a product is adulterated, we are limited in what regulatory actions we can take. The regulations don’t allow for products to be removed based on complaints alone. This is an ongoing investigation and FDA will notify the public if a recall is initiated. Currently, FDA continues to urge pet owners to use caution with regard to chicken jerky products.

    Should I stop feeding chicken jerky treats to my dog?

    Chicken jerky products should not be substituted for a balanced diet and are intended to be fed occasionally in small quantities.

    FDA is advising consumers who choose to feed their dogs chicken jerky products to watch their dogs closely for any or all of the following signs that may occur within hours to days of feeding the products:

    decreased appetite;
    decreased activity;
    vomiting;
    diarrhea, sometimes with blood;
    increased water consumption; and/or
    increased urination.
    If the dog shows any of these signs, stop feeding the chicken jerky product. Owners should consult their veterinarian if signs are severe or persist for more than 24 hours. Blood tests may indicate kidney failure (increased urea nitrogen and creatinine). Urine tests may indicate Fanconi-like syndrome (increased glucose).

    What should I do if my dog shows signs of illness after eating chicken jerky products?

    If your dog shows any of the signs listed above, stop feeding the chicken jerky product. Owners should consult their veterinarian if signs are severe or persist for more than 24 hours.

    Veterinarians and consumers alike should report cases of animal illness associated with pet foods to the FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinator1 in their state, or electronically through the Safety Reporting Portal2.

    More information regarding How to Report a Pet Food Complaint can be found at http://www.fda.gov/petfoodcomplaints3.”

    Read more at http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/ProductSafetyInformation/ucm295445.htm

    Petition with info about Facebook group, started by a lady whose dog died after eating these treats:

    “Pet Owners, Animal Advocates: Dogs Are Dying: Make the FDA Recall ALL Chicken Jerky Treats Made in China”

    http://www.change.org/petitions/pet-owners-animal-advocates-dogs-are-dying-make-the-fda-recall-all-chicken-jerky-treats-made-in-china

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    1. There is a treatment-not a cure for Fanconi Syndrome! It is called Fanconi Disease Management Protocol for Veterinarians.
      Here it is: http://173.201.244.51/ClubDocs/fanconiprotocol2003.pdf

      If you suspect your dog has this, please tell your vet about the treatment!

      I have Basenjis which can develop the genetic version of Fanconi Syndrome. I presently have one who is 13 years old and has been on the protocol for half her life. She is doing wonderful on it!

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  21. From Bangor Humane Society (Maine): We are so excited that all of our dog kennels are empty! There are currently more humans than animals in the building!! This is how it should be in every shelter!

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