Thursday, December 24, 2015

BEST OF THE HOLIDAYS TO THE STAFF AT DEVORE

This was a posting on facebook and I thought I would share with you.

I don't understand the outrage over Christmas and New Year's Eve, and the concept of employees having a nice Holiday being somehow offensive to people?
Shelter staff are human beings with feelings.
Why are people asking them, expecting them, to sacrifice their children's Christmas mornings, so that more "rescues" can have access to the dogs?
It's just a manufactured crisis wrapped up in a hoax, this story of evil shelter workers who refuse to work Christmas for the dogs, making it "impossible for rescues to rescue".
I am tired of the myth of rescues beating down the doors, and the shelter shutting them out so they can go celebrate the Holidays.
It's just not so..
I'm sorry that the dogs landed in a high kill shelter.
Shelter workers didn't breed and dump these animals.
You'd think they did, by reading the FB comments on pages that ought to know better by now.
If not for the shelter, these dogs would have nowhere to go.
Shelter cannot say no.
They cannot turn their backs
They never do.
But they do have to euthanize for space, or for behavior, or illness.
It is the RIGHT thing to do for those animals.
The shelter staff sees and deals with things most cannot imagine.
Making them feel horrible for doing their job is a form of insanity and an exercise in futility.
And making them feel horrible for taking Christmas off when the City offers it as a benefit?
Please.
Shame on those people who are hating right now.
The shelter employees deserve to have a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year..
I know you understand.
Maybe we can spread the word, combat the hatred, and gently remind people that we are all in the same boat.
Fighting Animal over population together.
Have a Blessed Holiday Season, and thank you all, so much, for caring about the shelter animals after they are pulled.

Monday, December 14, 2015

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY LOOKING GOOD AGAINST MANY OTHER ANIMAL CONTROL AGENCIES

The 2014 Annual Report of Local Rabies Control Activities is out and I would like to do a comparison of San Bernardino County as a whole, compared to neighboring counties. 


San Bernardino County 2014 (Incorporates all the individual agencies that have their own jurisdiction.)

Total live admissions for dogs - 39,933
  Reclaimed - 5,402 or 13.5% of intake
  Adopted - 21,322 or 53.4% of intake
  Euthanized - 9,484 or 23.7% of intake

Total live admissions for cats - 30,580
  Reclaimed - 284 or 1% of intake
  Adopted - 9,800 or 32% of intake
  Euthanized - 15,133 or 49.4% of intake

Riverside County 2014

Total live admissions for dogs - 39,037
  Reclaimed - 6,700 or 17.2% of intake
  Adopted - 12,729 or 32.6% of intake
  Euthanized - 11.154 or 28.5%

Total live admissions for cats - 26,978
  Reclaimed - 419 or 1.5% of intake
  Adopted - 6,316 or 23.4% of intake
  Euthanized - 18,126 or 67.2 of intake

Los Angeles County 2014

Total live admissions for dogs - 97,492
  Reclaimed - 15,860 or 16.3% of intake
  Adopted - 45,517 or 47.7% of intake
  Euthanized - 20,068 or 20.5% of intake

Total live admissions for cats - 83,963
  Reclaimed - 1,193 or 1.4% of intake
  Adopted - 20,544 or 24.5% of intake
  Euthanized - 44,092 or 52.5% of intake

Remember the statistics listed above are for all animal control agencies which provided reports in the respective Counties. 

Now I will referenced Fresno. You may remember they contracted out animal control services to a private vendor and recently have now contracted with a “rescue group” to provide animal control and sheltering services.  A newspaper story reflecting what is occurring in Fresno can be found at: 
http://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article33209376.html  Obviously, their euthanasia rates are high and adoption rates low.

Fresno 2014

Total live admissions for dogs - 21,289
  Reclaimed - 2,414 or 11.3% of intake
  Adopted - 4,947 or 23.2% of intake
  Euthanized - 11.990 or 56.3%

Total live admissions for cats - 11,701
  Reclaimed - 151 or 1.2% of intake
  Adopted - 1,624 or 13.8% of intake
  Euthanized - 9,147 or 78.1% of intake

As for the County of San Bernardino itself and it's owned shelters, the numbers are pretty good if you compare to the above agencies.

San Bernardino County owned shelters only 2014

Total live admissions for dogs - 5,667
  Reclaimed - 631 or 11.1% of intake
  Adopted - 3,985 or 70.3% of intake
  Euthanized - 909 or 16% of intake

Total live admissions of cats - 4,605
  Reclaimed - 37 or .8% of intake
  Adopted - 1,474 or 32% of intake
  Euthanized - 2,925 or 63.5% of intake







Friday, December 11, 2015

STOP THE DUMPING ONTO CANADA

Canada loosened their regulations on importing dogs during the Katrina crisis to help us. But the US has taken advantage of that. Canada has now their previous regulations in place. Are the transporters adhering to that? Nope. Scanning facebook posts, one can see that rescues show no concern for these regulations, no concern for bringing in diseased dogs, no concern for the Canada dogs that die from the taking of homes by imports. They even are tagging dogs as emotional support dogs. Lies, more lies, just so certain people can feed their egos. Many of the transported dogs are ending up in shelters in Canada. Many fall off the face of the earth. 


Less than 8 months of age fall going to another rescue is a commercial category. So false paperwork is done listing foster homes as private adopters. Again, scanning facebook posts, this means that contrary to the public relations done by these transporters/rescues that the dogs have homes waiting for them, the dogs are actually up for grabs. 

Demand regulation of these transports. Actually, demand that they stop. We can't continue to dump onto places that are still euthanizing for time and space. It is immoral and very unethical. 


Sunday, December 6, 2015

CANADA: MECCA FOR RESCUE OR EXCUSE FOR DOG FLIPPING?

In a series of three articles, Canadians are exposing the lack of regulations concerning transports of dogs into Canada and what is happening to these dogs.

The stories are heartwarming, saving a thousand dogs at Thanksgiving, flying them all over the country. But is it really that heartwarming? Inhumane transports, dumping with questionable 'rescues' in shopping center parking lots, is this what we want for our shelter pets? The highway to hell is paved with good intentions.

Series of 3 articles



Friday, December 4, 2015

NO SHELTER SHOULD TURN AWAY A VICIOUS DOG INTO THE COMMUNITY

A woman takes a pit bull to a shelter because it has become aggressive and she can't handle it. The shelter turns her away. A shelter's first priority should be the safety of the community, yet this shelter turned away a threat to their community. This is how No Kill works, how No Kill disregards the first priority of shelters and animal control, the first priority of community safety. 

Why did this shelter turn away a vicious pit bull, what did the shelter think this woman would do with that vicious pit bull? What if she had kids at home? 

""Later on Saturday, animal control officers received reports of a roaming pit-bull near Maltby Lake and looked for the animal, but it was too late."

Instead this explanation was offered by a member of law enforcement, of all people. 

“We don’t have the facilities. We don’t have the resources to take all these animals and, especially if someone comes in and says, ‘Hey my dog is vicious.’ That’s not the city’s responsibility to take your dog that was mistrained.” Tamarro said.

Hey, you take the dog and euthanize it. What resources do you need to do that? This is the No Kill mentality. And West Haven Animal Shelter does list itself as No Kill. 

http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/Police-Investigate-After-Pit-Bull-Owner-Tried-to-Give-to-Shelter-Dies-360106151.html

Thursday, October 22, 2015

CANADA - STOP THE TRANSPORTS, WE HAVE ENOUGH HERE TO DEAL WITH !

Load 'em up, move 'em out, is the cry of the latest breed of scams - transporting. 

Canada has become a dumping ground, and the Canadians can't figure out why. They know they have their own share of a pet overpopulation problem, so why is the rich country of the US dumping their unwanted pets there. 

http://pawsforhope.org/paws-for-hope-condemns-bc-spcas-secret-internal-proposal-to-import-dogs-for-adoption/

“At first glance, B.C. residents may think this is a grand gesture by the BC SPCA to help more animals in need – wherever they may be – but if you read between the lines of this report, you’ll see that this is more about public appeal and financial support than provincial animal care,” stated Kathy Powelson, Executive Director of Paws for Hope. “We are concerned this confirms that the BC SPCA is unable to penetrate the hundreds of B.C. communities with severe animal welfare and dog overpopulation issues, including many that pay bounties to those that deliver the tails of stray dogs they kill. This is not a time to overlook what’s needed within B.C., the very province they’re supposedly here to serve.”

Public appeal and financial support. It also serves to stroke the egos. With the advent of the No Kill movement, what would have been classified as abusers and hoarders, have become 'rescuers' instead. Every week, horrible stories emerge about these 'rescues' who claim to be followers of No Kill. Shelters included too. Pets are becoming pawns in a deadly game of Dr. Feelgood. 

This is a letter written to Wings of Rescue about their bringing in California pets. Wings of Rescue brought in diseased pets as well, putting Canadian pets in jeopardy with disease they don't deal with much there. 

Shannon Cripps
Yesterday at 1:44pm
This is the email I wrote to Wings of rescue. I do not think it will be well received, or even acknowledged really but we shall see.


"I am a volunteer and board member with a Pit Bull specific rescue here in Alberta Canada. It was brought to my attention through several outlets today about a transport scheduled in early June you have facilitated. I read through your post online regarding your "When Pitties Fly" campaign and while I admire your dedication and commitment to saving these American dogs, I would like to ask you to take a few things into consideration before continuing your endeavor.


Our rescue group has been in the Alberta officially since 2005, specifically Calgary. We relocated to Edmonton in 2009 and have functioned province wide since. In the past 4 years, we have seen a literal explosion of bully breeders and importers alike, and it has come with a huge amount of concern and alarm in the past 2 years especially as we see the full circle impact both are having on our province. For approximately 3 months in 2013, our group imported a small number of dogs from California. We realized, in that brief period of time, that we were in fact having a very negative impact on our efforts to rescue and rehome local dogs and immediately ceased any and all operations pertaining to the importation of dogs into our group.


I would ask that you consider the following information when you choose to relocate dogs into Canada, and perhaps rethink the methods and feasibility of the mass transport of 200 plus dogs a year into our country.


First off, I need to address the one comment that prompted me to write this email at all; Canada does not have a shortage of pit bulls. This is a complete and utter fallacy and whatever source that information stemmed from is vastly misinformed. As a country, pit bulls in Canada are the number one euthanized dog nation wide, and while we may not show the staggering numbers you do in the US, I can assure you that we euthanize tens of thousands of them yearly in our country. Our group alone receives dozens of requests weekly to take pit bull type dogs from our local provincial shelters, clinics and humane societies, to say nothing about the massive numbers of requests we get from nation wide groups in the BSL province of Ontario where a complete ban on the breed still exists. It also needs to be said that the sheer numbers won't hold up for long as the province of Alberta is populated with approx 4 million people, while California holds a population of over 38 million. In fact, the entire population of Canada is still 3 million less than that of the state of California! Last year it was estimated that over 10,000 dogs were imported into Canada, while over 600,000 were euthanized in our shelters.


Secondly, we are seeing full circle what happens to many dogs brought up here. We have received numerous requests in the past 2 years since importation boomed to take in US dogs that have landed back in Canadian shelters. We get weekly pleas for help from adopters who cannot get assistance from their adoptive groups. In a worst case scenario, these animals are ending up on Facebook sale sites, Kijiji and Craigslist to be sold to another family. Usually, the reasons are the same as why they landed in the US shelters to begin with- behavior problems, health problems, lack of available housing, lack of training support from the adoptive rescues, financial hardship and the worst in my mind- the dog doesn't fit the family or isn't what it was represented as. It has become apparent that far too many of the rescues spearheading these imports are not capable, nor willing, to commit to the needs of both dogs and adopters long term. Poor rescue practices are being illuminated by these returns to the Canadian system and they are becoming the responsibility of other groups in the areas, pulling resources from our own dog population and in the worst cases, posing harm to our community health both animal and human.


We have recently (in the past 10 days) seen 5 separate dog attack incidents in Calgary, 3 of which are confirmed pit bull type dogs and one suspected pit bull. The temperature of acceptance towards pit bulls in the city is cooling rapidly in light of these recent events and BSL is once again on the table thanks to a very pro-BSL head of the animal bylaw department. In our own experience, many of these imported dogs are not sufficiently behaviourly assessed prior to placement, nor are they given suitable "down time" prior to adoption to ensure the best placement possible. Behaviour issues are being brought to us (and other non related groups) for help because the import rescue is unable to assist and lacks the resources needed to deal with the challenges. In some cases, this has resulted in dogs being surrendered to other rescues (again pulling resources from local dogs), or back into our shelters where they are most often euthanized.


It was recently highlighted in several online forums and discussions that most of the dogs imported into Canada are "cherry picked" as the best of the bunch available in the high kill shelters of the US, leaving the less desirable dogs behind to face their death. In essence, we are taking the most adoptable dogs out of the US and leaving behind the dogs most at risk anyways, thus not really improving their plight.
While I can understand the position you are in and we are all well aware how awful the outcome is for may pitties in US shelters, I hope that you will take the information I've shared with some consideration as to the long term implications of sending masses of dogs into Canada, where our population base is not any better equipped to handle more homeless pets than yours is."


This blog is addressing the problem of bringing disease. Authored by a well known Canadian vet who has concerns about the importation of diseases not prevalent in Canada. 

http://www.wormsandgermsblog.com/?s=import 

We need to think about why and how dogs are imported, and we need to address these questions: 

Is there a net benefit to the dog population, or does importation harm local adoption efforts? 
Is the vanity factor why most people get an imported dog? (Yes, you have a nice new phone, but look at Vladimir, my rescue dog from Siberia.) 
Is it because there is truly an unmet need for certain dogs in North America? 
Is it because there is inadequate education about the over-abundance of local adoptable dogs? 
Do our lax importation rules create risk to our dog population and the public? 

Georgia has just passed regulations addressing transports. 


GA - Of interest to rescue organizations, concerned advocates, and anyone engaged in the interstate rescuing of animals
Press Release on Persons Authorized to Obtain Animals on Behalf of Licensed Animal Shelters/Rescues
October 19, 2015
Georgia Department of Agriculture
Gary W. Black, Commissioner
www.agr.georgia.gov
Persons Authorized to Obtain Animals on Behalf of Licensed Animal Shelters/Rescues
Anyone or any group that obtains animals from a licensed Animal Shelter/Rescue with the intent of re-homing the animal is required to apply for and obtain an "Animal Shelter License" from the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
Georgia Animal Protection Act Rule 40-13-13-.02 (9) states that The Commissioner may refuse to issue or renew or may suspend or revoke a license on any one or more of the following grounds:
(d) allowing a license issued under this chapter to be used by an unlicensed person
In Georgia, Animal Rescue Organizations are required to operate as a non-profit organization. To obtain the non-profit status they must be incorporated with the Georgia Secretary of State https://ecorp.sos.ga.gov/
Georgia Department of Agriculture rule: 40-13-13-.01(5) defines what is considered to be an "Animal Shelter in Georgia and rule: 40-13-13-.01(30) defines what is considered to be an "Animal Rescue" in Georgia.
40-13-13-.01 (5) “Animal shelter” means any facility operated by or under contract for the state, county, municipal corporation, or any other political subdivision of the state for the purpose of impounding or harboring seized, stray, homeless, abandoned, or unwanted dogs, cats, and other animals; any veterinary hospital or clinic operated by a veterinarian or veterinarians which operates for such purpose in addition to its customary purposes; and any facility operated, owned, or maintained by a duly incorporated humane society, animal welfare society, or other nonprofit organization for the purpose of providing for and promoting the welfare, protection, and humane treatment of animals. Only government agencies or organizations that are contracted with a government agency to perform animal control services have the authority to impound animals.
40-13-13-.01 (30) “Rescue Group” means any association or corporation operated as a non-profit organization and for the purpose of providing care and shelter to animals. Except rescue groups for equine, a rescue group that takes possession of animals and provides care and shelter must be licensed as an animal shelter or under written contract with a licensed animal shelter, in which case it will be considered an agent for the animal shelter and not an animal shelter itself. An equine rescue group operating for that purpose and maintaining any facility (including, without limitation, providing temporary care at a person’s private property) must meet all the requirements of a licensed stable. Rescue groups are not authorized to impound animals unless they are contracted by a government agency in Georgia to provide Animal Control Services.
In order for a person to obtain animals from a County or municipal Animal shelter with the intent of re-homing that animals, they must be the corporate president, one of the corporate officers of the Licensed Rescue organization or a person that is authorized by the Rescue to obtain animals on their behalf.
To obtain animals on behalf of a licensed Animal Rescue organization the Rescue president or one of the corporate officers must certify the authorized person by presenting the Animal Shelter with an authorization letter approved by the Georgia Department of Agriculture. A template for this letter can be found at http://agr.georgia.gov/animalprotection.aspx
The Authorization letter shall state: The name of the person that is obtaining the animal The persons address and phone number – email if available A form of personal identification The letter must be signed and dated by the authorized person and the Animal Shelter and will be kept on file at the Animal Shelter. This agreement may be terminated by either party at any time for any reason.
If at any time the Authorized person becomes "Unauthorized" to obtain animals on behalf of the licensed rescue, the President or corporate officers of the rescue must notify the Animal Shelter in writing within 7 days. A copy of the termination correspondence must be kept on file at the Animal Shelter. This correspondence may be by email; however, it must be signed by the President or Corporate officer of the licensed rescue.
Out of State Rescue organizations that are obtaining animals with the intent of rehoming them must apply for a non-resident license with theGeorgia Department of Agriculture Companion Animal Section. The contact number is 404-656-4914. The annual fee for a non-resident license is $400 annually. Out of State rescues must adhere to the same policy concerning the authorization of individuals that may obtain animals on their behalf. An additional requirement for non-resident Animal Rescue Organizations is to execute consent to the jurisdiction of the Courts in this State as outlined in O.C.G.A. § 4-11-6 § 4-11-6.
Applicability of article to nonresidents; consent to jurisdiction; service Any person who is not a resident of this state but who engages in this state in any activities for which a license is required by this article shall be subject to this article as to such activities. Each nonresident applicant for a license required by this article shall be required as a condition of licensure to execute a consent to the jurisdiction of the courts of this state for any action filed under this article; and service of process in any such action shall be by certified mail or statutory overnight delivery by the Commissioner.
A consent form template and application can be obtained on our website at:http://agr.georgia.gov/animalprotection.aspx
This consent may be also be emailed with the license application to gdalicensing@agr.georgia.gov
An Animal rescue organization or transport may also be subject U.S.D.A. regulations (Animal Welfare Act). See regulations on our website.
And to show you a typical transport, and ask if you think this is humane.





Wednesday, October 21, 2015

HATE DOESN'T PAY !!

For the past couple of years, the No Kill movement led by Nathan Winograd and No Kill Nation, have been in a condemnation campaign against PeTA. PeTA is standing alone on many fronts, TNR and pit bulls mainly.

The Huffington Post is enabling Winograd to pen poison articles about PeTA in his usual fashion of distorting the truth. Another came on the scene backing Winograd and No Kill Nation, Douglas Anthony Cooper, with scathing articles in the Huffington Post, articles with no credibility. 

When PeTA was accused of stealing a dog and euthanizing it, No Kill made all kinds of accusations when in truth they were supporting the irresponsible dog owner. PeTA was never charged with anything. Within a day of learning of the incident, No Kill Nation wrote a letter to Sam Simon, creator of the Simpsons, trying to get his money. Sam Simon has always been a supporter of PeTA, a major player in Los Angeles for spay/neuter, and he was on his deathbed when No Kill Nation wrote that inappropriate letter to him appealing for him to leave them his money. 

All this conniving by No Kill and No Kill Nation turned on them. It appears that their hatred for PeTA has driven followers from them and donations for PeTA rose while theirs fell. This does not include Sam Simon's estate.


http://delawarecapa.blogspot.com/2015/09/hate-doesnt-pay-but-good-deeds-do.html

Sunday, October 18, 2015

NATIONAL PIT BULL VICTIM AWARENESS DAY

The Inland Empire has suffered more deaths by pit bulls than any region in the country. We need to honor those victims on October 24th with a moment of silence.

NationalPitBullVictimAwarenessDay.org is set to raise awareness of the social and financial costs of pit bull attacks. The initiative, sponsored by Daxton’s Friends for Canine Education and Awareness, seeks to call attention to the scope and severity of this urgent public safety issue.

“Despite clear evidence that pit bulls are responsible for a substantially disproportionate number of attacks, maimings and deaths, humane groups and tax-payer funded animal shelters continue to encourage the public to adopt pit bulls by specifically promoting them through initiatives like Pit Bull Awareness Month.” According to Clifton’s research, since 2010, 30 pit bulls and 7 bull mastiffs adopted from shelters have killed people.




http://www.miheadlines.com/2015/10/18/pit-bull-crisis-prompts-support-groups-to-declare-october-24th-national-pit-bull-victim-awareness-day/

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

TNR - IS IT SPREADING MENTAL ILLNESS AS WELL AS DISEASES?

We all realize that cats carry several diseases. Now recent studies show a link to mental illness. TNR, the movement that re-abandons cats, neglects the public safety issue, denies it even against the face of science.

http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/cat-parasite-linked-development-mental-illness-owners

"This study, published in the journal Schizophrenia Research, examines whether the ownership of a cat during childhood is more common in families with members who went on to develop mental health disorders later on in life. The researchers state that two earlier studies came to this conclusion and, using an extensive survey, attempted to replicate the finding. They were successful, reinforcing the link between early cat ownership and later-life schizophrenia and other serious mental illnesses."

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/284681.php

"A fifth of schizophrenia cases 'may be attributable to T. gondii infection'"

"Schizophrenia is one of the leading causes of disability in the US, affecting more than 3.5 million people."

A few years ago in Los Angeles County, children in a daycare center were becoming ill. The illnesses were traced to a nearby feral cat colony.  

http://knabe.com/2008/10/23/wild-cats-to-be-removed-from-rancho-los-amigos-after-increased-public-health-concerns/#.VB2d80pX-uY

Due to the large number of feral cats on the campus, estimated at 150 – 200, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH) has determined that the current conditions pose a public health risk. Evidence of fleas, flies, and feces associated with the cats has been observed throughout the campus, including adjacent to a child day care center, a County Crime Laboratory, and a County Public Health Laboratory. Unmanaged colonies of feral cats could potentially pass on organisms related to human disease such as rabies, plague, endemic typhus, toxoplasmosis, and cat-scratch disease. These pathogens can be transmitted via bite, scratch, fleas, and exposure to fecal matter.

Beachgoers in Miami became infected with hookworms, again traced to a feral cat colony nearby. 

"The thought to know that your child has a living larva in his skin is horrible," she told Miami Herald news partner WFOR-Ch. 4.

A girl in Northern CA contracted rabies from a feral cat. 

The public health investigation identified contact with free-roaming, unvaccinated cats at the patient's school as a possible source of infection.

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6104a1.htm

With all of this, why are we allowing this movement to jeopardize the safety and well being of our citizens? TNR has evolved into nothing more than outside hoarding, it is rarely done properly. Food stations attract more than cats, attracting wildlife, attracting owned cats, luring them from their homes. TNR is not the way to help cats, it is the ultimate cruelty to re-abandon cats. 

This new research probably explains the actions of many in the humane community who shouldn't be there.

Sunday, October 11, 2015

TRANSPORTS? ARE THEY BEING DONE HUMANELY?

Transporting of pets has become the biggest scam to hit the humane community. The movement of No Kill has created a new type of rescue, the Saviors. These types are given credibility by No Kill with the call of saving them all, quality of life be damned. The founder of No Kill himself, states the pets would be better off on the streets.

"The last place an animal advocate should wish an animal to end up, including those animals who live on the streets, is the local shelter. Life on the street is safer than a stay in an animal shelter." Nathan Winograd, March 12th, 2013

In steps the Saviors, pulling dogs from the shelters, and no accountability. Recently a man was arrested for raping dogs, dogs that he got from networking online. Dogs that were transported to him, no checks, no nothing, just get those dogs from the shelter and dump them on whoever will take them, including this rapist. The drama queen advocate over at the City shelter stated online that she had almost 300 mutual friends with this dog rapist. Can't help but wonder if she played a role in his acquisitions. 

Here is another example of these transports. 

"The encounter was familiar to police and animal control authorities, who say a multistate, lucrative network of questionable and illegal dog sales runs a pipeline of puppies from the South to the Northeast.
    
Dog sellers present the canines with heart-tugging tales of Southern kill shelters. They also describe residents of the South as uninterested in preventing unwanted puppies through regular spaying and neutering.
    
This is big money: at $300 per dog, a rescue operation that does not give the animals proper medical attention or humane transport conditions can make $420,000 a year for 1,400 dogs, said Raymond Connors, an animal control officer for the state.
    
"It's a multimillion-dollar industry," he said."

A million dollar industry that nets almost nothing for our shelters and for the most part, costs our taxpayers. 

And here is how many of those are carried. Do you think they receive potty breaks along the way? 


We are told that other areas are desperate for these transports. Really? I think not. Most are begging California to stop these transports, especially Canada. It is an unregulated business that is harmful to the animals and to areas still suffering a pet overpopulation problem, a problem that No Kill followers deny. Thus they can justify their actions to their conscious, if they have one. 

"It was basically an unregulated industry, and anyone could do it," Connors said. "We saw people setting up in parking lots or strip malls and adopting dogs out for $300. Now, when animals are imported into the state of Connecticut, the person needs to be licensed with the Department of Agriculture, and they need to have an agent in the state." 

Contact your officials at the State level and ask them to take on this issue. Regulate at the very least these unscrupulous grifters who think they are heros. Save our shelter pets, please, from these people.

Sunday, September 27, 2015

DO "NO KILL" SHELTERS HARM OTHER SHELTERS? EXCELLENT ARTICLE ON THAT ISSUE.

Sharon Quillen Adams, former director of the Virginia Beach SPCA, chairs the executive committee of the Virginia Alliance for Animal Shelters.


"Public policy debates have become increasingly fractious and ugly, with opposing sides demonizing and bullying one another. Emotions and opinion replace facts, analysis and critical thinking.
When a policy debate is about a group that can't speak for itself, such as animals, arguments become more about the values of the advocates than anything else.
Animal sheltering began almost 125 years ago, and now 74 private shelters in Virginia serve a variety of communities. Each shelter operates independently, using a variety of names, such as SPCA or humane society.
While there is no requirement that organizations perform the same functions, for over a century in Virginia, private and public shelters worked in unison. Private shelters shared equally in the burden for their community's animals. An organization representing mostly private shelters had as one of its principles: No member shelter shall turn away any animal in need.

Traditionally, private and public shelters accepted stray and owner-surrendered dogs and cats, believing that citizens should have a place to take animals they could no longer keep, rather than abandon them to the outdoors, leaving them to starve or suffer in some other way. Bringing a companion animal to a shelter was the humane alternative. Since the community financially supports both public and private shelters, sheltering was viewed as a public service, as was euthanasia.
By 1995, before the current antagonistic climate, spay/neuter outreach and adoption resulted in an almost 75 percent drop in the number of animals euthanized in shelters."
Please visit this link and read the entire piece. So much damage has been done in the name of No Kill.

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

NATIONAL DOG DAY IS TODAY !!!

For eleven years, we have celebrated man's best friend, the dog. Why not? The dog has served man in so many ways. 

Where might we be if it weren't for the dogs who guarded those flocks from wolves and such? What about the herding dogs who kept flock from wandering off? Or the hunting dogs that helped put food on the table? The list can go on and on. Where would we be without their help? 

Dogs have adjusted to the rise of mankind too. We have dogs who are serving in war, on police forces, bomb squads. These jobs didn't occur only a short while ago. Service dogs, therapy dogs, they can do it all.

So let's have everyday be a celebration of the dog, the dog has earned it.

http://www.nationaldogday.com/

Starting today till midnight (PST), post a photo on ourFacebookTwittter or Instagram pages of your dog with the hashtags ‪#‎NationalDogDay‬ and ‪#‎DogDayCutestDog‬. The winner will receive the following:

-A special feature on our website

-Your dog's likeness depicted in art on a National Dog Day tee shirt. (All photos submitted are given the express permission to use the likeness of your dog on special promotional items. For any likeness used, owner will recieve a complimentary tee shirt.

-A Two (2) night stay at a Luxury Beach House in San Diego, CA offered by Luv Surf Vacation Homes

-A wonderful car seat by PupSaver

-A fashionable Sofie Rover collar, leash and dog bed byCapturing Couture

-A Dog Day Goodie Box valued at over $500

Winner announced August 27th. No limit on photos submitted! 

Monday, August 3, 2015

ARE ANIMAL CONTROL AGENCIES BEING HARMED BY NON PROFITS?

This blogger is expressing an opinion and has come to believe that specific non-profit organizations do not want to address the lack of funding for Animal Control's programs or services.  Image a world in which Animal Control agencies had sufficient resources to enforce all laws; provide free or heavily subsidized spaying/neutering; provide excellent humane education programs and offer supportive services to animal owners instead of just regulatory actions.

Imagine a world where cats were no longer abandoned and if they were, they were already spay/neutered from existing requirements along with financial aid from Animal Control. All cats would be microchipped for free or low cost via funding provided by Animal Control. No need for TNR if the cat population were reduced via adequate funding for programs to address cat owners.

Bottom line is, if sufficient funding could be obtained for a consistent level of services to truly address or solve pet overpopulation, why would organizations like the ASPCA or HSUS or Alley Cat Allies be needed.  We know of the solution, and it requires sufficient and adequate funding and programming.  The non-profits who benefit from what some will call the "ineffectiveness of Animal Control" will never allow for a consistent Statewide model of funding that would provide enhanced resources and programs to address the issues at hand. To do so would spell the beginning of the end of those organizations. 

Why do you think Hayden continues to be suspended?  Surely by now, HSUS or the ASPCA could have advocated and lobbied the State to fund Hayden if they feel this legislation should be financially supported. The primary reason is, the Hayden paid jurisdictions for those animals that were euthanized after the additional holding period had expired.  The simple fact that jurisdictions were paid for those animals euthanized, caused great concern to the national organizations.  This is why it continues to be suspended, manipulated and misinterpreted.


Until the "funding issue" to support Animal Control is addressed and resolved, those who attack Animal Control will always be able to point to various agencies deficiencies.  Dog license fees need to be replaced with a more accurate and consistent funding model to support programs the public desires. If you don't sit through budget meetings, speak up to officials to support Animal Control, and get involved in the 'politics', then don't complain when your visions don't become reality.


TO THE DEDICATED PEOPLE IN ANIMAL CONTROL

We are there with the police, fire and EMTs when they need a home cleared, and we stay once they have moved on to their next call. We remove the injured and deceased animals, and respectfully carry the dead bodies of the pets we never got to know back to an understaffed, ill-equipped facility to try to mend their wounds, or wish them farewell as they cross the rainbow bridge. Unlike other first responders, we are our own drivers, detectives, crime scene investigators, expert witnesses, jails, hospitals, nurses and in the end, medical examiners, and yet, when we fail to deliver the caliber of services of police, fire, and EMTs, without the resources or support provided them, we are labeled as uncaring Murderers and useless Dog Catchers.

Animal control workers make the daily sacrifice of putting our desire to make a difference and to ensure those precious souls have someone that cares about them before our own emotions. We cry ourselves to sleep, when we can sleep, and if the never ending stream of cruelty and unkind gestures of people towards the animals we care so deeply about doesn’t kill us, or force us to move on to a healthier career choice, we get to suffer the injustice of just how truly cruel people can be, not only to animals, but to those that devote their lives to them.

Read more of this shelter director's letter at:

http://sixdaysatthefair.com/2015/08/02/letter-from-a-shelter-director/


Friday, July 31, 2015

DEVORE ANIMAL SHELTER - DOING BETTER THAN MOST

Recently this blog reported the Grand Jury report for Devore. 

http://devoreshelterfriends.blogspot.com/2015/07/grand-jury-completes-investigation-of.html

While other shelters are cutting their days and hours, Devore has adhered to the suspended Hayden Law hours. Why? Because Devore cares, they know these extended hours are crucial to owners trying to find their pets after work. Or for those who work and want to adopt can find it easier. Even No Kill's great Rancho Cucamonga experiment has them closing one day a week. 

Other shelters are being mired in lawsuits. 

·         Week of May 24, 2015 – SAN DIEGO COUNTY:  A Veterinarian employed by the San Diego County Department of Animal Services files litigation against the County which alleges animal abuse, failure to following various State Laws pertaining to veterinary medicine and animal care along with discrimination.  The following link will take you to a news report regarding this litigation:http://www.sandiego6.com/news/local/Ice-puppies-at-county-animal-shelters--305253741.html and this link will take you to the filed lawsuit: http://media.utsandiego.com/news/documents/2015/05/27/pupsuit.pdf  San Diego County Animal Services has been presented as a model for municipal animal shelter services which others should replicate.   

Or their Grand Jury wasn't so nice.

 Week of May 17, 2015 – ORANGE COUNTY:  The Orange County Grand Jury issues a scathing fifteen (15) page report alleging, “The County’s lack of leadership and lack of commitment to animal care.”  The report can be viewed at:  http://www.ocgrandjury.org/pdfs/2014_2015_GJreport/OC_animal_shelter.pdf  This report follows a critical 108 page performance audit that was authored by the County and released on March 24, 2015, which can be viewed at:  http://cams.ocgov.com/Web_Publisher/Agenda03_24_2015_files/images/O00315-000276A.PDF  The Department’s Director resigned in late 2014.  Several critical news stories have been published about the current state of affairs at Orange County Animal Services and the following link will take you to just one of those many stories which is entitled, “Grand jury report rips Orange County over crumbling animal shelter”  http://www.ocregister.com/articles/county-662724-jury-grand.html

Or are in turmoil because of No Kill activists.

         Week of June 7, 2015 – CITY OF IRVINE: The Irvine City Council receives a summary report from the private consultant JVR Shelter Strategies hired to assess the operations of the City’s animal shelter facilities after the Director of Animal Services resigns along with the City’s Chief Veterinarian who oversees shelter operations.  Animal Welfare Advocates aggressively attacked staff and personnel which forced the Director and Chief Veterinarian to resign.  The Irvine Animal Shelter has an operational budget of approximately $4,000,000.00 for shelter operations exclusively, not including field services or other operations, and was once presented as the State’s Leading Municipal Animal Shelter facility.  The City Council will be allocating additional funding and positions in FY 2015-16 as they continue their recruitment for a new Director.  The update for the City of Irvine can be viewed on the City’s website at: http://www.irvinequickrecords.com/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=4902&doctype=Agenda agenda item 5.1.

·         Week of June 14, 2015 – CITY OF HESPERIA: On Tuesday, June 16, 2015 the City Manager, Mike Podegracz authors a report pertaining to suspended Animal Control Laws (Hayden Bill-Senate Bill 1785).  The report can be located on the City’s website at: http://legistar.granicus.com/hesperia/meetings/2015/6/1022_A_City_Council_15-06-16_Meeting_Agenda.pdf agenda item 11.  An animal welfare attorney attends the City Council meeting and states the report is significantly deficient and inaccurate.  The report appears to be inaccurate.  The City of Hesperia has been under attack by animal welfare “advocates/activists” for the past sixty (60) days and the City currently has a 50% vacancy rate at their animal shelter. 

Speaking of turmoil, the City of Los Angeles is a slow learner. They continued to hold on to No Kill, and this will be their second failure. 

·         Week of June 28, 2015 – LOS ANGELES CITY: A protest involving approximately 150 individuals has taken place this past weekend in front of the home of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.  The following link will take you to an ABC7 news report of the protest:  http://abc7.com/news/animal-rights-activists-allege-severe-animal-abuse-in-los-angeles-shelters/813282/  and the following link will direct you to a YouTube video outlining the protest:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBildE1idpo&feature=youtu.be  You may remember the City of Los Angeles was the agency that “bonded”  $154,000,000.00 to upgrade the City’s animal shelter facilities in early 2000.  The total project budget actually grew to in excess of $184,000,000.00 to build or remodel the City’s animal shelter facilities.  The total annual operating budget for Los Angeles City Animal Services is in excess of $43,000,000.00 and is arguably the highest funded Animal Control Agency in the State of California.

THE FAILURE OF NO KILL MEANS PETS SUFFER

“Unfortunately, it seems like the no-kill movement has evolved 

from noble into the no-kill people on one side and the shelters 

on the other,” says Stacy Smith, vice president of Animal 

Advocacy, Humane Society of Flower Mound. “It’s a shame 

considering one was created to help the other. No-kill was out 

there before Nathan Winograd grabbed onto it, but what no-kill 

meant was you save the ones you could save. There was a 

whole plan laid out as to what was considered adoptable. There 

was logic and reasoning to it, and it was manageable and 

doable for any shelter to get started on it. I hate what it has 

become,” Smith continues. “Now it’s accusatory toward the 

shelters. These are the people who are putting in 60-70 hours a 

week. A lot of times they’re the only ones working in some of 

these rural shelters. It breaks their heart when they have to 

euthanize an animal. Then, you’re going to come along with the 

no-kill movement and accuse them of being murderers. It’s 

demoralizing.” 

The above is an excerpt from this article, an excellent article, that describes the pitfalls of the No Kill movement by Nathan Winograd. 

http://www.fwtx.com/articles/fwtxmag/features/state-sheltering