Someone using the name and photo of an ACO at the Humane Society of Carroll Co in MD (Ed Smith) posted a message on the pound’s Facebook page yesterday. It’s one long… thing so I will be breaking it up with my responses. The text from the FB posting is in italics below.
A message to all. Hope I don’t get in trouble or offend
This is what people say when they are about to say something offensive.
but, please don’t believe that NO KILL Shelters work, They simply do not.
Attention open admission shelters in Austin, Reno, Duluth and dozens of other places saving 90% or more of incoming pets: You simply do not work. Please don’t believe that you do.
On the surface they sound like a great idea (Like no child left behind), but in reality many of them end up neglecting the animals as much as they were treated before. You simply can not lock an animal up in a cage 22-23 hours a day and expect them to have a QUALITY” life all in the name of “SAVING” them. This is exactly the mentality of horders. I believe in Quality over Quantity.
No doubt. Because if you believed in quantity, you might be obligated to explain the killing of 2457 of the 3053 cats your facility took in last year. Awkward.
I take abuse from misinformed people everyday in this business who are under the delusion that everybody at our shelter enjoys killing animals
You’re abused? I wonder how the 2457 cats in your kill room last year felt.
(We do not kill, we eunthanize- look up the definition).
And if you find a definition under that spelling, please share with the class.
NOTHING could be farther from the truth. We ALL wish we never had to do it, but ignorance is bliss in this country when it comes to the animal laws and respect of all life. We DO NOT torture animals, we do not gas, electrocute, suffocate, drown, hang, or shoot (unless in very specific wildlife/large farm animals cases that require that type of action). We do not (can’t believe I even have to say this, but there are idiots who believe it) WE DO NOT NOR HAVE WE EVER thrown them in the pond on the shelter property to drown. (BTW Mikey from the Life cereal commercials also did not die from eating Pop Rocks with Coke). We use them same method and protocols that vets use when HUMANELY putting an animal to sleep.
Anyone have a vet whose “protocols” include the killing of friendly, healthy pets? I guess I better check with mine.
We also do not send the body out to a rendering company (a company that uses the animals fats for the very products, the people who complain about killing animals use everyday.) We send the unclaimed bodies to a Pet Memorial service that cremate the remains and mass bury them.We offer reduced rates to those who choose to have the ashes returned and place bodies in very professional body bags (suitable for burial) if a person chooses to bury their pet on their property.
What a delightful sounding death business you’ve got there. Maybe you should change the pound’s name to Very Professional Body Bags R Us.
I’m curious though – on the pound’s 2010 tax form, there are itemized expenses on page 10, one of which is $22,213 for “rendering and trash removal”. So when you say the pound does not send the bodies of pets to be rendered, what was the $22 grand spent on? The rendering company doesn’t charge you to NOT render animals, does it?
This ,by the way; on a small (in comparision to other agencies) budget.
The total revenue on page 1 of the pound’s tax form is listed as $914,596. Or wait – are you pulling a Mitt Romney on us there?
The people I have the privilege to work with are hard working and dedicated to EVERY animal that passes through our doors.
Hard working. Well, it is hard work. I mean 80% of your cats aren’t just going to kill themselves, right?
Local advocate Laura Shenk inquired about taking cats to offsite adoption events in order to try and save their lives since the pound offers limited hours to adopters (9:00 am – 3:30 pm weekdays and 9:00 am – 11:30 am Saturdays). She says her offer was refused by the director who cited a concern for the cats’ health. I get that. Because they might get exposed to germs at an adoption event. Ew, germs. And a germy cat will totally mess up the very professional body bags.
We may argue and pick amohg ourselves at times (Stress relief), but my respect to them is without measure because of how long they have continued to make at least this county a great, safe place for all animals. It is why I feel luck and honored to have been selected to work there. Thank You All. – Ed
By all means, do something to relieve the stress of needlessly killing thousands of friendly pets every year. I hear finding a new job far, far away from animals is a good remedy.
A message to all. Hope I make trouble for those defending the killing in Carroll Co – or at least offend their sensibilities – and please don’t believe that posting lies about no kill works. It simply does not.