16 thoughts on “Open Thread

  1. Poor young dog abandoned by renter outside in a crate, freezing weather, no food or water. The owner’s ex-wife called Animal Control and said the owner had moved the dog outside with no shelter or provision. Animal Control Officers went to the home – knocked on the door and no one answered so they left a tag and drove away. WTH??? the dog was found dead a week later.

    1. What the hell is the matter with Animal Control? What in the world made them think that it was okay to leave the dog in that condition? Too late now……he’s dead. And Animal Control is guilty of not doing their job properly. I hope they are punished to the max. They should loose their jobs and never work with animals of any kind again.

      1. From the story, it seems as if AC didn’t walk around the property, which had a fence, and they did not hear a dog making any noise, plus they asked a neighbor, who told them he hadn’t seen the dog in a while, so they did the only legal option at the time, hung the tag and left. I DO think they should have called the complainant back to ask if she had any further info and tell her what they did, and then she could have, if close enough, gone to the property herself to look around (she could have said she was looking to see if her ex had thrown out anything that might have been hers (the landlord likely wouldn’t have complained).. She could have gotten back in touch with AC and told them the dog was there, or taken it in herself.

        I also wonder why the neighbors didn’t hear anything. How many dogs, left alone outside, keep quiet? If one of them had called AC, and told them, they might have saved the dog. Of course, the scumbag who left the dog should be prosecuted fully, because he’s the one at fault, and no evidence about what others coulda/shoulda done should have any bearing on his guilt.

  2. Remember the “dogs in the box” in New York? Guardians of Rescue stepped up and got the situation resolved, not be taking the dogs but by helping the man who had taken them. Fenced the yard and built a nice shelter for them, set up vet apts at reduced rates etc.
    The man was not a bad guy, just a person with little money, traumatic brain injury and a good heart.
    http://www.bdtonline.com/local/x1316958200/New-York-organization-helping-animal-lover-provide-better-home-for-dogs
    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=643400835713737&set=a.110518382335321.20641.107867909267035&type=1&theater

  3. That is such a good way to handle this situation–help the man care for the dogs and stay involved so they can make sure the dogs will stay safe. This is so much better for the dogs and the person caring for them than condemning the man and taking the dogs away. As it says in the article, he’s not the ideal caretaker, but he really loves the dogs, he’s doing the best he can for them, and the groups that are helping are providing a better life for the dogs than the owner could do on his own.

    1. On the chance it might impress someone, I’ll say yes.

      But the truth is the Dune reference just cracked me up. And I appreciate manatees every day.

  4. In Buffalo, NY, we are closing in on a new cat ordinance that recognizes Community Cats, TNVR, and the colony caregivers who engage in responsible Community Cat colony management. Just finished putting final touches on the ordinance in the City Council legislative committee, and it will soon go to the full Common Council for final vote.

    To think that just this past October, complaints to council members about cats lead to proposing cat licensing and trapping them and getting them into (already overcrowded local) shelters where most of them would be killed as “unadoptable.” Wow, what a difference a Cat Task Force makes, made up of civic leaders, the heads of several local animal welfare organizations, and an Associate Dean of the University at Buffalo Law School, who specializes in Environmental Law and the writing of ordinances.

    Key provisions?
    (1) Acknowledges the cats as Community Cats, including owned cats that simply roam at large.
    (2) ENCOURAGES citizens to do TNVR and makes it LEGAL to do so.
    (3) Animal Control shall implement and administer the provisions “with the goal of reducing intakes and the eliminating humane destruction of cats via TNVR.” Not at their whim; but with the goal of reducing intakes and killing.
    (4) Friendly or sociable cats MAY be put up for adoption, but do not HAVE TO be.
    (5) It’s ok to LEAVE THE CATS ALONE: “It shall not be a violation of this section to determine that the best course of action for a particular cat, or cat colony, is to be left alone.”

    WOW !!! From a proposal for cat licensing to this!

    1. Congratulations to all those who have worked so hard to make this a reality. And bless those cats who will no longer be victims of the trap and kill mentality.

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