CENSUS: INLAND EMPIRE HAS NATION'S HIGHEST POVERTY RATE

Sad, disgraceful, but true. And this has a major effect on the animal shelters in the Inland Empire. 

"About one in four children in the Inland Empire are living in poverty, according to recent statistics, said Gregory Bradbard, CEO of Inland Empire United Way."

Who would adopt when they can't feed their children? If they have pets, they don't have the money to have them spay/neutered and more come into the world. They can't provide medical care and then abuse sets in. They dump, they abandon.

The City of San Bernardino is hit hardest. Do the activists care? Nope. They are filing a lawsuit against a City in bankruptcy, when programs for children are being cut, these activists expect animals to be treated better than children or the elderly.

"It’s seen in the numbers for the city of San Bernardino, which according to the Census Bureau’s American Communities Survey had a poverty rate of 31.1 percent and an unemployment rate of 17.5 percent in 2012, the year the city filed for bankruptcy."

Despite the downturn in the economy, the County of San Bernardino's animal control/shelter has continued in the quest to be the best they can be for animals. The County has a 35% euthanization rate when many shelters are well over 50% and higher. 

"In 2012, 20.4 percent of San Bernardino County residents lived below the federal poverty line, an increase of 1.1 percentage points from the year before and 6.0 percentage points from 2008."

So at least 21% of the population of the County would probably not be in the market to adopt pets from the shelter, and probably contribute to the shelter population because neither can they afford to alter their pets. It's a vicious circle.

http://www.sbsun.com/social-affairs/20130919/census-inland-empire-has-nations-highest-poverty-rate

I congratulate the County of San Bernardino and the Devore shelter for continuing on against these striking odds. They deserved more praise than condemnation. 

DOUG SMITH: AN HONOR WELL EARNED

Homeward Bound Project Adopt

Liked · 12 hours ago 

Captain Doug Smith honored as the Department of Public Health’s Employee of the Month for April 2013.

During the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health’s (DPH) quarterly Employee Recognition Event held in September, Captain Doug Smith who oversees the Shelter Services Section for the Animal Care and Control Division was honored as the employee of the month for April 2013. Captain Smith’s Supervisor, Greg Beck wrote the following:

Captain Smith is willing to go above and beyond his regular position duties to make sure that Animal Care and Control's two shelters are maintained at the highest level possible and that the animals that are housed at the shelter receive proper care. On June 18, 2013 over 130 dogs were seized from a hoarder situation for a criminal animal cruelty case from a location in the County area of Apple Valley and impounded at the Devore Animal Shelter. During the impound process, the dogs were examined by a veterinarian, photographed and placed into their kennels. Smith coordinated this effort with field and shelter staff in a process that extended past the normal closing time of the shelter and past the end of his and staff’s shift. During the time that these dogs were housed at the Devore Shelter, Smith managed normal shelter operations and coordinated staff's efforts to clean and maintain above average number of animals at the shelter. Smith interacted with a number of local and national rescue groups that would eventually take and care for 131 of the dogs. Smith’s hard work and dedication he made sure that a difficult situation was handled professionally to shine a positive light on San Bernardino County Animal Care and Control and the Department of Public Health.

We are honored to see the Captain Smith received this recognition on behalf of the over 800 employees who work in the Department of Public Health. 

We would be remiss not to acknowledge the entire team at Animal Care and Control that assisted with this case, from the kennel staff who worked tirelessly to care for the additional animals at the shelter, to the field animal control officers who worked overtime to impound and care for the animals initially, to the supervisors at ACC who assisted in compiling and filing the criminal complaint in this case.  We also need to acknowledge the expanded efforts of our rescue group partners who ultimately accepted the animals for long term care and placement.  Truly a case of this magnitude can not be successfully managed without the help of many unsung heroes who have stepped forward to help those animals in their time of need.

DISTRICT ATTORNEY RAMOS NAMED TO THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF US NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT COUNCIL

What an honor for San Bernardino County. Congrats to DA Ramos. We expect great things from this association.

http://www.vvdailypress.com/articles/county-41801-humane-ramos.html

"Members of the council are chosen for their leadership in protecting animals from violence, neglect and other types of crimes, according to a news release from the Human Society. Supporting state and federal legislation involving animal laws, promoting animal protection training tips and raising awareness about the HSUS are some of the activities members of the council may undertake."

Ramos is quoted:

“I am honored to have been selected to be a part of the National Law Enforcement Council,” Ramos stated in the release. “I look forward to working with my fellow council members from across the nation to make sure that we are doing all we can to protect our animals from illegal animal cruelty.”

Lots of ticked off people with this information, too bad. 

NO KILL ACTIVISTS TRYING TO BRIBE PEOPLE TO 'WITNESS' BEFORE ANIMAL COMMISSION

In a court of law, if a witness is paid for his testimony, it is usually not considered credible.

I received a comment under a post about the animal commission.

Witnesses call 323 529 4885
Rewards offered

So how many people will take advantage of this offer and come before the animal commission to lie for that 'reward' money. 

Is this showing ethical behavior? Of course not. In fact it shows that the activists are desperate and will do anything to back themselves. This is despicable behavior for any group. If you haven't already presented your 'evidence', it's because it ain't there. You've had your chance with the Grand Jury, the ABC reporter that was sent without notice, the press. 

This will be reported to the Commission members. They will have it in the back of their minds whenever any of you speak. You have done more to destroy yourselves than this blog could ever do. Give No Killers enough rope and they will hang themselves always. Would it be appropriate for this blogger to thank you at this point?

MORE MONEY COMING TO AID IN SPAY/NEUTER OF PIT BULLS

On the Board Agenda today, the County of San Bernardino Animal Care and Control officially received a $15,000 grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture to provide additional spay/neuter vouchers for Pit Bull type dogs. The County will be offering 500 additional $30 vouchers which can be coupled with the existing $50 vouchers for a grand total subsidy of $80.

“As pet owners, we have to take responsibility for our animals—that includes spaying or neutering our pets,” said Supervisor Josie Gonzales. “Every year thousands of animals come through the county’s shelter system. If we can reduce that number, we will not only generate savings for taxpayers, we will reduce the number of animals euthanized and help increase pet adoptions.”

The national award winning spay/neuter voucher program still has the $180,000 per year allocated and has not received a cut since the inception in 2001. This grant from the State will add the additional $15,000 for extra Pit Bull vouchers exclusively. Total voucher funds available this year will be $195,000 to serve a human population of approximately 300,000 or .65 cents per capita. The per-capita funding for our spay/neuter voucher program is one of the largest funded spay/neuter voucher programs on a per-capita basis in the region.

By comparison, the City of San Bernardino has a human population of approximately 200,000 and no voucher program. Most larger cities within the county have human populations of between 150,000 and 200,000 people. The vouchers are to serve people and animals in the County's unincorporated areas exclusively.

Now I wonder what kind of hook the Examiner will put on this.

OH DEAR, HERE WE GO AGAIN, SAME OLD SONG, SECOND/THIRD VERSE

The County of San Bernardino entered into animal shelter agreements with the Town of Apple Valley, Town of Yucca Valley, City of 29 Palms, Barstow Humane, City of Ridgecrest, and Inland Valley Humane. The County is larger than nine (9) states in the U.S. and contracts with shelters in outlining areas of the County to make it easier for pet owners to locate their lost pets.  It is expected that the activists will probably concentrate themselves on these contact shelters rather than on Devore, since they have failed so miserably in their efforts to degrade Devore. 

A recent facebook post shows the same old stories, same old accusations, just a different name. I do have a question, if $315 were already raised, why didn't someone take this dog out? It was more than enough to adopt it. The dog was there 14 days, well beyond the hold time by law. The "rescuers" left the dog there until it was getting sick. Shades of Zephyr in Carson.

And this poster blames "Donna" for the dog being PTS. How does that figure? Where was the rescue after 14 days? Devore held onto this dog well beyond the legal hold time, you would think the rescuer would be grateful for this extra time for her to get it together.

Along with these accusations comes the plea for more donations.

"In his honor, I would like to have anyone that donated (for the one left to be PTS) to put on another dog that we will get out of a shelter (they didn't take the dead one out with $315), in fact a rescue group has said they will take 2 Labs or mixes, in honor of the 4 month Lab from Apple Valley, and now Stanley from Apple Valley."

The shelter is not for private boarding, 14 days is ample time to get a dog out. The rescuer is the one who failed the dogs, not the shelter. Raising money when a pet is still in the shelter seems unethical to me. What do you think?

http://devoreshelterfriends.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-schemes-and-scams-of-no-kill-are-in.html

HOARDERS DOGS OVERWHELM DEVORE, HATE MAIL SENT TO THOSE WHO RESCUED THESE DOGS FROM DEVORE

As reported in the Sun and Press Enterprise, Devore took in 137 dogs from a hoarder in Apple Valley in the past two weeks. This hoarder had gotten a non profit status just two months earlier.

Prior to admission, some rescues came forward to take the adoptable dogs from Devore to make room for these hoarded dogs. Kudos to those who cared enough to help.

But it appears that not all wanted a good ending to this story. A group that pulled several puppies has received HATE MAIL for doing so. Who would begrudge a group from saving lives? Give you two guesses and the first one doesn't count. I would like a count of all those lives saved by the No Kill activists who stand in front of Devore with their signs telling the public to go away. Then to make accusations that Devore refused help? Use your common sense, why would Devore refuse any help offered.

From the group's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rescued-for-Life-All-Breed-Dog-Rescue-Rehabilitation/173071829421514

All of the Devore puppies are healthy and doing great !!

Which is amazing in consideration what they have been through.

and the amount of time they have spend at the Shelter.

It's obvious that the Devore Shelter keeps the kennels very clean

and has a great sanitation system in place. Only two out of 19 pups

have a mild kennel cough.

... We like to thank the Devore Shelter for their great effort to keep these puppies healthy and alive. It would be nice if people would give this Shelter some credit for a change instead constant criticism and scrutiny. Lets be fair for ones.

In all of this we received a few hate mails, because some people just can't handle it if you take their joy of hate away. Pictures are in circulation on facebook, claiming to be from the hoarding situation. These pictures are false, non of the pictures taken from the scene are released. They are part of the evidence.

Hello, this is just common sense, right!!

Please evaluate carefully what circulates on facebook before you pass it on. Sadly people make up all kinds of stuff.

So many lies are spread. Yesterday someone posted that the HSUS offered help and Devore refused it. They have reached out to everyone. The public like to believe that these large organizations are coming to the rescue right away. This is not always the fact. Often it's the smaller rescues who are

right on the spot. The entire ordeal is a good example and will be a wake up call for many. If we have a good animal welfare system in place now it has the chance to proof itself. If just one dogs out of the group has to die because our big brother turned his back, people need to start to questioning their integrity.

Instead calling the Shelter and giving them a hard time, it would be more effective to place a call or send an email to the larger organizations, ask them where they are and why didn't they showed up last Friday, the day the dogs have been offically released.

A huge thank you to all the people who contacted us to help or like to adopt one of the dogs. As you can imaging an undertaken of this kind is overwhelming. We apologize if we haven't gotten back to you or answer your questions on FB. We'll try to catch up, but

for now the welfare of the puppies and organizing a plan to get some of the adult out has priority. We have things covered in some areas and not in others.

We'll post soon what exactly is needed.

Another post on this same facebook page praises the efforts of Devore.

EXTREMELY URGENT -- DEVORE SHELTER/ CALIFORNIA

over 100 dogs confiscated from a hoarding situation waiting of rescue! They only have days to live -- where is rescue???????????

Countable times Devore got bashed in the past. We like to let everyone know that the ACO in charge and his staff went out of their way to reach for help.
This is a HUGE letdown for Devore and proofs that we are fast to cast the stone, but from what we are seeing now we are NOT ENTITLED to do so. 

Rescued for Life went this weekend to California and pulled 19 puppies, the smallest one and most susceptible to disease from the group of over 130 dogs.

Over one hundred dogs will be euthanized if rescue doesn't steps up. A mass euthanization..... and the Shelter is NOT to blame for that -- WE ARE !!

Please share far and wide to stop the huge amount of life to be lost !! Thank you all for caring!

Thank you to this group for saving these lives. Thank you also for acknowledging a shelter that strives beyond the call of duty to do the right thing. Keep us posted on the puppies.