Hernando Co, FL has proposed an AC ordinance that criminalizes feeding stray animals, designates pet owners as “kennels” based upon number of dogs relative to acres of property, thereby subjecting them to at-will inspections, and prioritizes cat killing at the pound for “overcrowding”:
(1) Sick, diseased, or injured;
(2) Feral;
(3) Unadoptable.
I could find no definitions for “sick” or “unadoptable”. There is quite a bit more to this proposed ordinance, just as troubling, and definitely worth your time to investigate if you live in Hernando Co. You may also wish to attend the Board of County Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, October 23rd, 2012 at 9:00 a.m to make your voice heard regarding the ordinance.
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A bit of insight into why dogs continue to starve at Memphis Animal Services, perhaps? In 2009, a Memphis police officer whose job was to respond to animal cruelty calls was charged with animal cruelty herself for starving her dogs. She was fired but later rehired and promoted by MPD.
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The trial for former Memphis Animal Services veterinarian Angela Middleton is scheduled to begin today. She was one of three people charged in connection with the 2009 raid on the pound.
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A shelter in NM has given away 15 Pitbulls to screened adopters this month. This prompted PETA to post an action alert because natch, PETA would prefer to see the dogs in its walk-in freezer, in a Piggly Wiggly dumpster, or being killed on live television (which this same shelter also does) rather than being given away for free.
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Video of Canadian consumer protection group reporting on the chicken jerky treats associated with illness and death in Canada and the U.S.
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The Kansas City Zoo was fined by the USDA for allowing a 13 year old chimpanzee to starve to death.
Wednesday is the 24th. I’ll bet no one in Hernando County AC even tries to say, “Well, no one *wants* to kill animals…”
TY – corrected.
It starts out bad with the requirement that one who finds a stray and does what is proper and notifies animal control (like in case someone calls them looking for the animal) and then animal control can take the animal.. What about the idea of using a willing finder to foster the pet, and if someone comes looking, the finder/foster returns the pet?
Reading on, such goodies as not being allowed to refuse animal control entrance to ones property – should they not get a warrent for entry like other Law enforcement?
Then the lovely five days and down policy…. five days is just not enough time to assess temperament… cats are my specialty… cats will act in ways that the uneducated will think is “feral” in a fear state. Cats will not fare well at all under this. as many beloved pets will be called feral due to NORMAL cat behaviour under stress!
It goes on further down to make immune anyone doing euthanasia who makes an oopsy! Also enforcement officers are immune from proesecution for mistakes…
Misdemeanor charges if you refuse to sign a citation – what if you are uncomfortable with what it says? Signed under duress?
And yes the lovely part where if you own enough pets to require a kennel license, then yep, your home, can be inspected as though it were a zoo or grooming facility – does that mean you must, as a multipet owner follow any same requirements that a business must? This is Discrimination against those who can afford and can care for more than one dog or cat! A sneaky way to do a limit law
There is much much more in this mess, but time limits prevent comment or analysis of alot of it….However what i do not see is anything governing the running of the local pet killing facility in regards to standards of care. Why do they want to regulate what the public does, but never what they themselves do?
Read the legislation. Wow it’s a full frontal attack on all “animals” in Hernando County. Open season. Be scared very scared. I put animals in quote because of the statute’s definition. “Animal means any living, dumb creature”. Seriously.
Angela Middleton, DVM is suing the City of Memphis over her firing and the court dates have been set-the first date is a pretrial hearing. Here is the information regarding the court dates and the original story about the lawsuit:
http://www.tnwd.uscourts.gov/calendars/February/11.html
http://www.tnwd.uscourts.gov/calendars/February/19.html
http://www.wmctv.com/story/15230550/former-animal-shelter-veterinarian-files-lawsuit-against-city
Thank dog that, in the NM shelter piece, 4 out of 5 commenters blast the reporter for using ‘crazy lady at dogsbite’ as a source of worthwhile information. That was nice to see.
I thought so, too! Nice that word is getting out!
Wow. Thats a lot of depressing news to read all at once. And having it be illegal to feed stray animals?? Seriously?? Who is it hurting?? Sheesh.
Thank you for sharing info about the video on the poisonous dog treats that are still on the shelves in the U.S. and Canada.
Slight correction: The story is by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) for their TV news program called “Marketplace”, it’s not by a consumer protection group per se though they sound like it when they refer to their show as “Canada’s Consumer Watchdog”. I don’t know if we have any real consumer protection groups or not. I think we lack good consumer protection laws.
“Now in its 40th year, “Marketplace” continues to be the CBC’s highest-rated television current affairs series…” http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/episodes/about/
I’m very glad the CBC did this story as some people were referring to the issue as a hoax because Snopes had info about it. The truthfulness of the story on Snopes is listed as “undetermined”, not confirmed true or false, because it’s unclear what exactly is causing the dog deaths and illnesses. The CBC video report shows there is an unidentified substance in some treats tested where dogs that ate them and got ill, http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/chickenjerky.asp .
Update on Hernando County, FL:
Action delayed after dozens decry proposed Hernando County animal services ordinance
http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_citrus_hernando/action-delayed-after-dozens-decry-proposed-hernando-county-animal-services-ordinance