On Tuesday, March 31, an approved rescuer made multiple offers via email to the Greenville Co pound in SC to take dog ID #25277456. This was the response she received from the pound:
On Wed, Apr 1, 2015 at 9:15 AM, petrescue <petrescue@greenvillecounty.org> wrote:
Not available for rescue or adoption.
she had a medical evaluation yesterday and her prognosis is not good.
The vet wrote NO RESCUE NO ADOPTS on her card.
This is the same dog you e-mailed about.PetRescue
328 Furman Hall Road
Greenville, SC 29609
864.467.3983 (office)
864.467.3294 (fax)
http://www.greenvillecounty.org/acs
The rescuer responded:
Sent: Wednesday, April 01, 2015 9:32 AM
To: petrescue
Subject: Re: Another Schnauzer AHHHH, lolWhat is wrong with her? We will treat whatever needs to be treated? What age is she? I will take her no matter what.
Greenville Co pound’s reply:
From: petrescue <petrescue@greenvillecounty.org> Date: Wed, Apr 1, 2015 at 9:34 AM
Subject: RE: Another Schnauzer AHHHH, lolShe cannot be rescued, per the vet.
PetRescue
328 Furman Hall Road
Greenville, SC 29609
864.467.3983 (office)
864.467.3294 (fax)
http://www.greenvillecounty.org/acs
petrescue@greenvillecounty.org
The rescuer did not give up and wrote to the pound again:
Sent: Wednesday, April 01, 2015 10:49 AM
To: petrescue
Subject: 25277456 URGENT!I need to know what is wrong with this dog and if she needs medical care right away?
If the vet thinks she is bad off healthwise I want to get 2nd opinion from my vet. If it is the dog being scared issue, I will take her even if she is biting, we have that form for me to sign. Please do not let this dog be put to sleep without me knowing it, let me know what is going on. I am just worried about her that is all. I am ready and willing to help, I am not trying to cause a stir, I just want to help.
She received a response from the pound’s vet:
On Wed, Apr 1, 2015 at 11:07 AM, petrescue <petrescue@greenvillecounty.org> wrote:
This dog has severe back issues. There are several collapsed disc spaces in the lumbar region and possibly in the thoracic region as well. There may be some calcified disc material in L3-L4 space. There is bridging spondylosis along a good portion of the spine as well as a likely fracture at the base of the tail causing chronic changes in that region. She has significant pain in her lumbar spine and is unable to walk normally. She has been started on pain management and steroids to try and reduce the inflammation in her spine. She is currently still on her stray hold and she is not available for adoption or rescue at this time. If after her stray hold her prognosis improves on the medication she may be available to an approved rescue.
Assuming she responds to her medication she will need to remain on strict cage rest and steroids for a minimum of 3 weeks. She is likely going to need pain management for the remainder of her life. There is a good chance that, if a disc hasn’t ruptured already, it will soon if she is allowed to run, jump, use stairs, climb, or have any excessive exercise. If she does not improve on her medication she would need a myelogram to determine the exact nature of her spinal disease and develop a treatment plan. Considering the extent of her spinal disease, though, she is unlikely to be a good candidate for surgery. For this reason, if her pain cannot be controlled medically, euthanasia would be her best option.
She will be reevaluated at the end of her stray hold to see if it looks like she could have a good quality of life on pain medication alone or if she will need more extensive diagnostics and care.
Dr. Teri Worl
Shelter Veterinarian
Greenville County Animal Care Services
328 Furman Hall Rd
Greenville, SC 29609PetRescue
328 Furman Hall Road
Greenville, SC 29609
864.467.3983 (office)
864.467.3294 (fax)
http://www.greenvillecounty.org/acs
petrescue@greenvillecounty.org
The rescuer again pleaded to be allowed to help the dog:
Date: Wed, Apr 1, 2015 at 11:23 AM
Subject: Re: 25277456 URGENT!
To: petrescue <petrescue@greenvillecounty.org>, tworl@greenvillecounty.orgI am willing to help this dog. If euthanasia is her best option than no offense, I would rather be by her side with my vet than her to pass at the shelter. After her stray hold just please let me know we are willing and ready to help this dog. I think no matter the injury, temperament, or health of a dog, if you have someone that is willing to try and not give up the dog you should give them that chance. In my opinion NO ADOPT OR NO RESCUE should never be a option for any animal unless it is actually laying there passing away and you have no other choice. I am going to take this up with Paula Gucker on changing that policy. […] this dog needs someone to fight for her not give up on her!
Someone willing to fight for the dog instead of giving up on her. Yeah, if only there was some kind of place like that. A safe haven for lost and homeless animals where they could be sheltered and protected from harm. Someone should invent that.
(Thank you to the shelter pet advocates who are trying to help this dog. Please let us know if there are any developments.)
You know, I see this in far too many shelters – not just the crappy “kill them all and let God sort them out” ones, either.
They think that an animal with a serious medical issue is “unadoptable”. When someone comes along and says, “Yes, I will assume all medical costs and care for this animal appropriately”, they seem to think it’s some kind of scam. Or that the person is too naive to know what they’re getting into. Or that they need to protect the person from their own naiveté which will result in wasting money. Or that the animal will somehow be worse off with someone pursuing medical treatment rather than just euthanizing (which may actually be the case, sometimes, but if that’s true, the animal should be euthanized immediately, yes?).
But what I think it comes down to most is, “We have DECIDED. You do not get to supersede that decision.”
By refusing to see the possibilities, they deny the animal any last chance at happiness. Surely 24 hours in a loving home is better than 24 hours in a shelter? Maybe a trip to get a burger on the way to the vet’s office for that last visit? From the shelter’s point of view, it doesn’t really matter, but from the dog’s point of view, I suspect it DOES matter.
Why will so many places not release animals for hospice?
Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. And there is no greater power than life and death.
I don’t run a shelter but if I did, having an approved rescuer involved with my animals who was willing to look at the toughest cases and say, “I’ll take her no matter what her medical problems are. I’ll take her if she’s biting. I’ll sign whatever form you want” would be something I’d be extremely thankful for. Like I’d be baking cupcakes for this person. And cookies. And pies.
this is unacceptable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and unforgiveable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
shame on this so called animal shelter this place is a holocaust!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! they are doing the same thing to the animals that the nazi,s did to the jews!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After reading this article, I was saddened, because even Vets are all to eager to say euthanize. I am sharing this video because one man Randy Grim from Stray Rescue of St Louis said NO, after the vet said euthanize. You will get a new view such as I did. Stray Rescue of St.Louis: Shep Rescue – YouTube
Video for youtube stray rescue shep▶ 6:38
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WooUQ3s1D7A
This struck a chord with me. 11 years ago, I adopted from a pound near me a 5 yr old chow/lab?-x who was subsequently diagnosed by my vet as having the “worst case of spondylosis she had ever seen”. He was put on an NSAID and Tramadol for the pain. Luckily, I own a ranch-style house, so stairs were minimal. I watched him closely for the 7 years I was lucky enough to have him for signs the pain was becoming unbearable, but he lived a good life, went on daily walks, although they were punctuated with frequent rest stops. While I know every dog is different, I tend to doubt that one with spinal arthritis is going to be jumping and climbing and whatever else this shelter vet seemed to be concerned with. To deny this dog the opportunity to live, or worse-case to leave this life with dignity and the comfort of a caring being is just wrong on every level. I cannot fathom how frustrating it would be to deal with this type of hubris, yet we know it happens every day, all over this country. I guess I was lucky that the pound I dealt with was just planning on killing my boy for being a chow, not for his myriad of maladies, and allowed me to adopt him.
Shirley , as always , Nail. on. the. head. Thank you for doing what you do..
To clarify , Paula Gucker , referenced in one of the emails is assistant County Administrator. She serves as the direct supervisor of the shelter director.
This is NOT acceptable. I am a pet owner that just happen to come across this and I am outraged!!! What can we do? What can I do? I am so mad and upset I am shaking. How dare that vet do this!!! They have a very willing and knowledgeable rescue. Can anyone help me understand why this is happening?
Are you kidding me??? For my Christmas present a few months ago, my husband gave a very nice donation to this shelter. If this is the way they work……..no more!!!! We will find another shelter who will work with rescues to ensure the animals’ best interests……..medically AND emotionally……are met!
Cathy, I do a lot of articles for Examiner to help the rescues who save these animals with their vet expenses. It would be good of you to donate to one of them instead of to this shelter. One rescue is paying around $1000 to fix a botched neuter caused by the Greenville shelter. And it’s not the first botched neuter.
We have been emailing the shelter all morning long and have received no response. SNARR is willing to take this dog and they know this. I did finally receive a response back from Ms. Gucker that the shelter supervisor should be emailing me shortly about the dog. I sure hope this dog is alive after all the begging, pleading, and harassing we have been doing to try and save her. We are offering to take her to a Specialist here in town for treatment. At this point it looks like I may have to retain a lawyer to help this girl, which I should not have to do with a shelter willing to work together. I just do not get it!
No one should go this this vet and whoever runs this shelter and the vet ….may God riddle your lives with vengeance for treating His precious creature with such disrespect…especially since He obviously sent can Angel to save this dog. Amen ITNOJ
This little one has FINALLY been approved to go to rescue..Thank you all for your support!
Thank you for the update. I hope she feels loved, regardless of how much time she has left. I hope too that Greenville Co won’t try to pull this “No Rescue/No Adopt” bs on any more animals.
Shirley you’re my absolute favorite writer! :)
TY. That’s a nice thing to read.