Please use this thread to share questions, comments, and links on any animal related subject. Go wild. Or go domesticated. Just go.
And here is a good graphic from the Shelter Pet Project:
Open Thread
Please use this thread to share questions, comments, and links on any animal related subject. Go wild. Or go domesticated. Just go.
And here is a good graphic from the Shelter Pet Project:
Any reports from last night’s MAS advisory board meeting? I followed on No-Kill Memphis’ FB page, but would love to hear impressions from those who were there.
I was thinking about the board meeting, too. Since I’m not on facebook, I can’t access their page. Anything stand out?
Sept intake 1056
Euth. 757
I can see why they made it so difficult to get Calvin out. They must be aiming for 100% kill rate this month.
Marching on excellence.
They certainly do set a new low standard there . . . I think Shirley might be onto something. Maybe they’re running a contest or something like that. The killers can win something for killing (wonder if they get bonus points for torture/abuse before killing?).
Simply disheartening . . .
Completely disgusted with our “Humane Society” here in Carroll Co., MD, (AGAIN) Here is the letter I just sent of to the county commissioners & BOD regarding the most recent BS. It tells the story. Thank you for the additional opportunity to vent my disgust.
At the beginning of this month, the Carroll Co. Humane Society posted on their website that for the month of October, a spayed or neutered kitty could be adopted for only $30.
As we have done with every special the shelter has run recently, the Animal Advocates of Carroll Co., MD, Inc. set about marketing this special, to help as many cats make it out of the shelter as possible. We included the info. on the “Adoptable Pet Fliers” we post throughout the county, and put the info. in several places on the internet. Last weekend, it appeared that our efforts were paying off. 11 cats left the adoptable list on Friday & Sat. (Oct. 5 & 6) alone. In that time, the shelter was only open for 9 hours, and for 6 1/2 of them, most people would have been at work, yet they seem to have adopted out more than 1 cat per hour,. If all of these cats were, in fact, adopted, that is the highest rate of adoption I have ever seen there.
On Monday, Oct. 8, the shelter website was changed to indicate that the adoption special for Oct. was that a spayed or neutered cat could be adopted for $50. I emailed Ms. Ratliff, and let her know that we had very heavily promoted the $30 price, and I really felt she should honor that price for the entire month. I let her know that if she was concerned that they would run out of spayed & neutered kitties, and not have the funds to have more spayed or neutered, I would discuss w/ our BOD the possibility of using our funds to have more cats altered for them.
Ms. Ratliff replied and indicated that they were no longer having any adoption special for the month of Oct. No explanation was given, and she said if we were to continue to promote the pets, we should not include a price.
Please note that better shelters plan their adoption specials well in advance, and have their promotional materials designed, and distribute them to their volunteers and supporters to be posted in the community well in advance of the special, to ensure it is successful in getting as many pets adopted as possible.
If a store had engaged in the activity our shelter recently has with this special, it would be illegal. Ms. Ratliff is showing complete disregard for getting the animals in her care adopted, and for the community her organization is supposed to be serving. Shouldn’t we be able to expect more professional behavior from a shelter director whose salary WE are paying? How much longer will this community have to endure her foolishness, and watch thousands of animals die every year on account of it?
Laura – I reached out to Ms. Ratliff via e-mail after I got your message about this and asked her for clarification. No response yet.
Thanks, Shirley. I don’t expect you will get one, but I appreciate the effort!
For all the bad that happens at the Maricopa County & AHS open admission shelters, all I can say is thank God it isn’t illegal for cats to roam, and they don’t need to be licensed. The law is on our side in those respects. Can you imagine how much more death and destruction there would be otherwise? Members of the public have to physically bring them in. The only time ACOs will pick up cats is if they are visibly sick or injured. It keeps more ferals and indoor/outdoor pets out of the line of destruction. County also charges $96 per stray, and AHS has finally started a TNR pilot program. Hopefully they actually decrease their killing accordingly.
Shelters should not accept trapped ferals from the public unless it’s for TNR. Community cats already have a home. Unless they appear to be medically hopeless and suffering, let them live.
Exactly. They are not pets. They should not be brought into animal shelters. They should not be allowed in animal shelters. Fortunately these shelters are not “enabling” disgruntled people by lending them traps, like some places do.
But they definitely don’t do enough to educate them, either.
One day I was up by the adoption desk and an older lady was complaining about cats yowling, spraying, and existing near her house. The clerk simply informed her that the ACOs don’t pick up cats and that she should call the spay/neuter hotline to get the cats trapped and fixed.
I was the one who had to step forward and tell the lady WHY that would benefit her. (Decrease in behavioral problems, more cats wouldn’t move in, etc.)
These shelters occasionally inform, but rarely educate. Some individuals go out of their way to explain the full benefits of spay/neuter, refer to the pet food bank etc.
Another problem is them waiting til the person shows up with the animal. Lots of people call ahead and no one bothers to ask questions or provide resources for keeping pets out of the shelter in the first place.
I am posting this, not for donations, but because it is about a Flat Coated Retriever and I know Shirley has this breed. He is a search dog who has been to Iraq. What a beautiful and happy dog.
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2012/10/09/search-rescue-dog-needs-donations-for-cancer-treatment/
All I have been able to do since the posting about the MAS “jail” sentences for Elliot and Lightfoot is lie in a fetal position and hugs all my furry mugs…snap out of why don’t I???
Okay, I have to ask all of you how you keep yourselves sane with all of this awfulness going on. I feel like I’m always on the edge and the hardest thing is not being able to do anything to make it better for these animals. I do what little I can and they are still tortured/abused/killed. How do you handle this?
Give each other free therapy on YesBiscuit Open Threads. How are you feeling today, db?
Oh db, it is hard. BUT, you must remember that there are more good people in the world than bad. The bad are also getting fewer all the time – we’ve come such a long way from, say, the 1800’s as far as animal welfare goes. Do we have more to go? Yes, we do. But in the long view, we’ve made tremendous progress.
And that’s what I think it is – perspective. Perspective that while the bad people make the news, there are so many good people quietly plugging away, making a *difference*. Perspective that while some people seem to think that abuse is fun, *most* people see it for what it is and would never even consider committing such horrific acts.
Did you read Nathan’s blogpost here –
http://www.nathanwinograd.com/?p=10483
It might help.
Thanks – that piece by Nathan Winograd really hit home. We have made progress, and I need to keep my focus on just that. Perhaps I need to take some time away from these very disturbing posts and regain a more positive perspective. It just hurts my heart so much to read about bad things happening to good animals. To see the pictures is even worse.
You all are amazing . . .
I keep myself sane by reminding myself that I am working for the time when these things will no longer happen and animal shelters will truly be shelters. It will happen. The cruelty and killing will end. Shelters will be a place where animals are protected.
On a positive note, outrage by advocates, legal minds and large animal welfare groups has stopped the Alabama State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners from creating new rules which would have shut down the state’s existing nonprofit spay/neuter clinics. The war is not over but this particular battle is won. This was a power play based on greed and arrogance and I feel the media coverage and public outrage shamed the Board into inaction. We’lll see what happens in the months to come. I had been working on this spot anyway for a new set to air after the general election, and finished it today so I’ll share to celebrate this small victory.
Ugh and Michael Vick now does have a dog. Am I the last one to see this? I just threw up in my mouth a little
http://www.tmz.com/2012/10/11/michael-vick-dog/
Here I go again..needing help..Back in April my rescue dog Progie needed knee surgery. Thanks to donations she had her surgery. Jump forward 5 weeks post surgery… she severed the ligament in the other knee. To top that off, one of my other dogs Celie, also needs the same surgery.
It truly is heartbreaking having two of my dogs in such pain. Progie is such a trooper.. she does the best she can, but wants so much to walk and play again.. Celie is in so much pain she refuses to walk except to got out to potty. I keep her in the house and she stays in her crate so none of the other dogs hurt her by accident. I have to keep both girls on pain medication. Please donate if you can, every dollar will help.. Please share.. Thank you
http://helpmaxgetvettedandhome.chipin.com/2-sweet-pittie-girls-are-hurting-and-desperately-need-knee-surgery-asap..
I went to the MAS board meeting last night. Having never gone to one before, I didn’t know what to expect. I got to see the “song and dance” live and in person. Saw James Rogers’ presentation/spin. Not one thing was said about the recent sentencing of the MAS criminals. It was surreal.
The numbers were horrifying. There were two on the board that actually seemed to be waking up to the reality (that we’re not just wacky tree huggers, there is something awful going on at MAS) and showed signs of life…
Please tell me more
Was the meeting recorded by anyone, or is there at least a transcription of what was said?
I had my recorder on but it was the first time using it and I sat 4 rows back – I’ll know better next time, I can’t make much of it out unfortunately.
This sweet kitty, named Kit Kat, is 20 years old. She is at the NY Animal Care & Control shelter on Staten Island.
Instead of everybody celebrating her longevity and sharing her, one person on her thread is arguing for having her killed. I have shared Kit Kat on my FB page and hope others will do the same . . . instructions for helping her are in the comments. Thank you!
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=505380332807137&set=a.255779241100582.77234.155925874419253&type=1&theater
I just looked .. it says she is safe.. :)
:-)
An update at the bottom of the thread says she was pulled by a place called Anjellicle Cats in NY, to be taken in by someone with a soft spot for senior cats.
Seems like the swing voter is always the most sought after :) lol But I do agree, it’s important for those people to hear the good things about shelter pet adoption. I don’t care so much if people buy from breeders, as long as they are not directly or indirectly profiting puppy millers. That’s where I draw the line.
The good news, and this corresponds to what DB was saying up above too, that we are making progress in this country. Yes it may not be ideal or to the level that we want, but it is progress nonetheless. Back in the 50s, it was not uncommon for people to kill dogs themselves by ANY means necessary and shelter dogs were looked upon with a lot more disdain. Today I think the majority of people know the good in euthanizing an animal when needing to end their suffering and adopting from shelters. Eventually we will reach a larger portion of those swing voters. And, look at other countries like Romania and Turkey where dogs (and cats) have like no chance of survival whatsoever. But I’ll save that for another day. So, point being, it will take time, energy, money and patience, but we WILL get there! Do NOT give up!
Memphis Police shoot child’s labrador retreiver. Are MPD that dumb that they can’t tell playing from lunging?
http://www.wmctv.com/story/19796835/mpd-officer-shoots-loose-dog
I wish there a running tally on the companion pet being shot by police before asking!
This just keeps happening way too often. It’s sickening. I feel bad for that little girl and all children who lose their dogs because of things like this. If policemen are that trigger happy, then they shouldnt be policeman. Theres a Facebook group about this very thing. People should check it out and “like” it, if they want to. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Justice-for-the-Murder-of-our-Family-Pets/153738424764166
Thanks for the link.. I wonder if they have a running tally?
@Dot- No problem.:) Re: the tally- I dont know..Id be too afraid to know what it was! LOL Because I heard of this happening TOO too many times before I even found this page.
I looked at their wall.. this latest murder is not yet there… :(
@Dot— Here could be something that you were looking for: http://cops-shooting-dogs.blogspot.com/p/total-no-of-dogs-shot-by-state.html.
We need to help in this area, and do something to stop it. Maybe we should write a “sample letter” that we could use, email it to each Governor, Director of Police Depts and other things in each state (but change the names of states and names, obviously) so that way they are more aware of the outrage over this issue? It will take some time because we have to do it 50 times, but thats what you got to do sometimes because even if we write to Texas, that doesnt mean it will solve a problem in New Hampshire. How does that sound?
I’m not very educated, but I do know how to hit the share button. Come up with a letter and I’ll help send out emails.. just need to know who/what department to send it to.
@Dot- I will type out a sample letter tomorrow. You can use it if you’d like. And then when it comes to the names of the states or police department directors, you can just switch out the names. It’s going to take some time for sure so I might not have it ready soon but it will get done.
For Dot or anyone else who would like a copy to use for themselves to send out, shoot me an email and I’ll give you a sample letter. It may not be the best written letter, but it will get the job done LOL. My email address is Stellarchick86@cox.net.
,
sounds good.. and I will do my best too. Maybe we can get a few people and split the States up
Yesterday after I wrote a check to the vet for $706 for dentals for 2 rescue poodles, we decided to try this really out-of-the box fundraiser on ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Poodle-Teeth-Proceeds-Benefit-Rescue-/290788804282?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43b45d06ba
Please share.
I placed the starting bid and shared on FB.. I think I may have to try something like this to raise some funds for my two dogs that need knee surgery. I need $1600.
Dot, I hosted a yard sale at my house that raise a little more than $1,100 for rescue! It took some work, and it wasn’t just me (lots of people helped), but you would be amazed at what people will donate to a fund-raising yard sale!
that’s great… Our local shelter had a yard sale.. you wouldn’t believe the crap they were selling, but people were buying just to help.. I think it’s great. I wish I could sell some things.. I’m making necklaces and hoping to sell them to raise some money for my two dogs that need knee surgery. But I live in the middle of nowhere and don’t have a car..
Fundraising ideas: Our local groups do a variety of fundraisers, including cookbooks, photos with Santa, bake sales, telethons, yard/garage sales, electronic waste recycling, aluminum can and cardboard recycling. I also know there are rain barrels available for non profit groups to sell. There is an international comedy group, Raise The Woof, that will travel and do fundraisers for local animal charities.
Not to change the subject, buuut…thanks to a YB reader (sorry, I can’t remember who!) our Sanctuary is a participant in the Kuranda Bed Giveaway program, and now that we have lit our first wood fire for the season here in the North Country, we could sure use some more Kuranda’s. Cats esp. and doggies med to lg would be greatly appreciated, if anyone can do it.
Morgana, can you post the link to Kuranda and the name of your sanctuary (and state – I think they sort by state) so everyone can find you easily?
Dearest Mikken: Thanks, forgot that. We are Welcome Home Sanctuary, 868 Martindale Road, Craryville NY 12521. If you google Kuranda Dog Beds, you will get a choice to go directly to “Donate a Bed”, and you can even donate a bed in Memory of a beloved companion! Thanks to one and all…
Now here’s a beautiful post of a beautiful girl in need.. If your on FB.. please share..https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=366972953385699&set=vxywtia.1350263078.1350263079.101240716625592&type=1..
here we go again… another dog shot.. cop at the wrong address.. uggg..http://www.examiner.com/article/texas-family-dog-shot-by-officer-responding-to-wrong-address?CID=examiner_alerts_article..
Ug. Wrong address, the call was “report of deceased person”, officer goes into privacy-fenced back yard without even knocking on door. Dog trots up to cop and stops at his feet, makes no threatening move at all, cop tells dog to “get back”. Dog doesn’t move so cop steps back and shoots dog? WTF?
Then cop pounds on window of house, guy thinks it’s someone trying to break in because cop does not identify himself. They discuss that he’s at the wrong house, then 20 minutes later, cop mentions that the guy may want to check on his dog??? Oh, btw, I shot your dog who never so much as growled at me? He’s bleeding there in your back yard…
Wow. Raging incompetence. Clearly this cop should not have a gun. Or a car. Or a pencil.
I want to know more about this idiot cop.. how old he is.. how long has he been on the force.. what he plans on doing about the dog he shot for no reason.. I also want to know if he owns a dog!
I am so so tired of reading about dogs shot by cops! There is no excuse for it. There are other means to stop a dog. In this case the dog did nothing at all. This cop should pay for all the vet bills and he should be taken out of the filed. Anyone who shoots a dog that does nothing does not need to be holding any guns. I hope the family sues the department.
I hope so too. But I think citizens winning cases against cops may be few and far between. Because cops are “revered” in society and cops would have to testify against other cops, I see them sticking together and the citizen looking bad. Sort of like trying to sue a doctor is hard because the doctors all look out for each other and either dont testify or stick up for one another if they do, even if the doctor did something wrong and is worth suing against. *sigh*
here another post. Please help me share this. It appears that another rescue is closing down, but not sure. Only the animals in need are posted.. 7 dogs risk going to the shelter… Please help me share. All the dogs are completely vetted.
https://www.facebook.com/notes/sherry-lebow/urgent-in-north-carolina-these-dogs-need-fosters-rescues-or-adopters-or-will-be-/473737852648301..
How’s this for a bed.. for puppies?https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=173491322739894&set=a.190352744387085.49608.100002370814932&type=1&theater..
i need help with an foia request for intake and live results numbers from our local shelter, there is a form and it says where to send it but the “texas public information act does not require the City to generate information in a format other than in the format in which the document is originally generated” so i have to ask for existing records – does anyone know how i can find out what records are kept so i can request them?
Judith, you don’t have to know what the format is, just request the records. If they’re in a computer form that your machine cannot read, then we might be able to help with that, but it’s likely that you’ll just get copies of paper records.
I interpret that to mean if the document you request is kept by the city on paper, they are not required to scan it and generate an electronic format for the requester. And vice-versa. So as mikken said, just request the records you want and see what you get. You can certainly request the format in which you would like to receive the records but they are letting you know in advance they are not required by law to honor your request.
ok, i didnt even think about the format, i meant i dont know what records they keep or what they call them, do i ask for ‘intake records’, ‘intake statistics’, ‘euthanasia statistics’, ‘return to owner statistics’ – i dont know what the titles of the documents are or how to find out… also i would want transcripts of city council meetings that had the shelter on the agenda, im wondering if i can just request it in that general language; what records have other people requested from their city or county govts that run their shelters?
For North Carolina resident.. here’s a link to a voter guide. it shows who is FOR Animal Welfare. http://ncvaw.org/2012-voter-guide/..