Dear Friend,
I am writing to you from jail, the pound to you, or shelter, use whatever name you like; it is all the same to me…. I am alone and frightened.
This has given me time to think about all the things I long to do. Like you I have dreams, they are more “ in the moment” than yours are, but stirred deeply by things in my genetic code. Mostly I want companionship, predictable and dependable. I don’t want you petting me one minute and hitting me the next. In case you didn’t know, screaming is verbal hitting and counts as spiritual abuse.
I would like a yard and access to it; exercising normal bodily functions should not be a luxury. Please, reserve the crate for trips.
I don’t care how small our home may be, only that it is stable. Motels aren’t homes. If they are to you, wait until you are settled to get a pet. I don’t want to be part of an insecure lifestyle. The myth that I am happy anywhere so long as I am with my human, is just that, a myth. I wasn’t put on this Earth to meet your needs, but I will walk beside you and be your friend. It must be based on mutual respect.. For friendship that means you give the best of your time, not the leftovers. I am not a small child with fur, I am not a knick- knack, I am a dog, with the needs and dreams of a dog….
If you don’t have a home , don’t take me.
If you don’t have a source of income, don’t take me.
If you “ hope you can pay my vet bills” don’t take me.
If you think your partner “ will get used to me” don’t take me.
Don’t feel like a hero for rescuing me, when you can’t provide a home.
I remember resting with my head on someone’s knee, I remember being touched, I remember believing in the world as a good place. I am asking you bring back my trust…..
In a world shattered by broken promises, I am asking you to change the world,
“One kept promise at a time”
If you can provide a home, with all that entails, I will live my dreams with you. Our spirits can touch and we can heal each other, but my heart cannot survive one more cruelty; if you cannot keep me forever, please pass me by.
15 comments:
Oh my God. I thought the shelter work had toughened me up, but that brought a tear. How true that people come in all the time getting dogs they have to hide from the management company; we only find out when they bring the dog back. I wish resources would let us do more of a home check. It would save returns and mileage on the animal. Also, we need tighter restrictions on who we let adopt.
I cried. Have been yelling for years, better adoptions, better adoptions, better adoptions. Stop pushing them out the door to keep the public off your back. We do understand why the shelters have to do this with the likes of Whine-ograd running around but it is not right. I would rather see them dead than adopting out to become a "guard" dog at the end of a chain. P.
In Reno before the current Exe Director, the Nevada Humane Society did go check EACH adoptors fence/yard/home BEFORE the dog went home. They also called the landlord to confirm that pets were allowed. If any question arose over the ownership of a residence, staff called the County Assessor's Office to confirm whose name was on the tax list and/or requested mortgage papers/utility bills.
Winograd and Brown feel that these types of checks inhibit adoptions and changed the adoption procedures after they took over running the day-to-day affairs of the shelter.
NHS used to have strict fencing requirements as well. Supervisory staff used to the ability to stop an adoption if anything seemed wrong or if there was any question over the intent of the adopter.
Speaking of Winograd, the dog blogger has another article written by Winograd on his blog comparing Washoe County with Austin, Texas. I commented to his blog pointing out that this was an unfair comparison. Robison has not added my comment to the blog--no surprise there.
Winograd is trying to compare the NHS 2006 stats with those of Austin. The only problem is that the NHS stats for 2006 are wrong which is well known. The computer system was not up and running and untrained staff messed up the records. I know this for a fact since I was in management at the shelter during this time. The stats are not for the full year, etc. In addition, the population of Reno/Sparks is about 200,000, and Austin is about 750,000. It would be impossible to accurately compare the two organizations. But, that never stopped Winograd from trying to make a buck or convince another organization to buy into his rhetoric.
Both the former staff member and Colan bring up very good observations. Our thought over here is, how hard would it be to have saff discreetly run an address on Google Earth ? When I see a big " returned because landlord didn't like dogs" I get ticked becase the majority of the time I have seen that dog at the shelter before.
Thank you for bringing up the apples and oranges thing, I did read on his blog that they may be taking him down. I believe as inaccurate as his presentations are , that would be a good thing.It is very nice to have you with us Pet Protector.
Anonymous is right, stronger adoptions, home checks and take the time to listen to what the adopter is SAYING. There is usually a warning in that conversation if we learn to listen. At the shelter last week there were two young men looking at one of the pits; they were discussing what a BAD MF he would be. It went on and on, if there had been any staff on the floor they would have caught it. I don't think they would have stopped the adoption, but it could help if they would be on the floor sometime. It seems so hopeless, how can we get our shelter back ?
Update
The Dog Blogger finally did put up my comments regarding Winograd's comparison of Reno to Austin.
I'm surprised he did so since many of my posts on his blog never see the light of day so to speak.
Yyou es, Oreo and I saw your comment, it was intelligent; that could have been it's downfall. The one directly beneath it was good to as I recall. For any readers not in the Reno Area....we don't want you to feel excluded. The blog we reference is a local guy who is incredibly biased, that in itself, one can live with; but only putting up one side of the issue is not right. These animals need and deserve a permanent home, they are setting them up for failure with the plan they have. Speaking of censorship...Oreo's has only had to reject 2 negative comments, and those were for what, we thought, would have been sinking to the level of the MD. One referenced Marks "orientation" and the other called BB a very short slur name. Other than tha we have been pretty damn civilized, considering the passion we feel.
To the question in the email from the profile, yes Oreo did write the letter, and the pit is shown elsewhere on the blog. and we did lose him, he was lovely, but pet overpopulation is not a myth, and NHS did not take him. For him Euthanasia was the kindest thing. He was self mutilating after 3 days. Just a bloody mess the day I went to see him. The good vet care was obvious, and they had certainly tried to contain the damage, but he was chewing his tail off and had started on his foot.
So on we go, crying and loving and hoping.
They were very detailed in Sac when we got our puppy. I did see one man get turned away for trying to adopt a Rottewiler when he lived in an apartment. Somebody must be checking there. After we got him then the puppies came in up here. The longer I live in Reno and make the necessary runs back to Sac, the happier I am with the move. My wife has put in to volunteer at the SPCA; I hope they can work something out. Her office is just a few blocks away and she wants to walk a dog on her lunch hour. We haven't had any visitors to our blog yet. It's called movin'to reno and I hoping to network with new friends for hiking and cycling.
Thank you for the pit picture Oreo, we were getting a little paranoid.It looks like Dozer, do you know when or where it was taken ?
You do know that sometimes unexpected vet bills come up? I mean with what we read on Oreo we all know you face vet bills, but a little compassion for people who want a dog, but are low on cash is okay, ya know. Are you saying don't adopt pet until you can cover all the bases ?
Jeannie, not trying to mean, but yes I do mean you get your life in order and then get the dog or cat.....And surprise bills happen all the time, but pet lovers know that this is a living creature that will require maintenace and they put something to the side. I have been with dogs in many arenas over the years, and see to many people on high speed internet, munching on fast food talking on the cell, and crying they can't afford the vet bills. So yes, be prepared to make some life changes to afford your pet
I volunteered at NHS when it was run well and I do remember having guidelines. I walked dogs and did brushing and occasionally helped the employees with their work load. It is not the same and I haven't been there at all since the no kill thing took over. I think I made it through one month. All the staff changed, and the rules.I don't know how it is now; I never went back. Maybe we have met expetcop.
I have never had the chance to "chose" my pets. I have been chosen by them and I take what they give, no matter how bad or good it is. You stick with them, like Jeannie, and you change your life for them. Sounds kooky but that is the way it has been for me. I know they come with baggage but I accomodate. Hope one day I can chose but then again I don't which ones I would take. Easier to let them chose me and I deal with whatever they bring. P.
Amen !!
There are 2 Sharon's now; so I am King County Sharon. We are getting some more good stuff up here. I hope you read KCAS and stay abreast of our efforts to get a better shelter. Oreo did a good job on that piece, it is true that taking dog without the means to provide for it does no good deed at all. It does come as a blast to some rescues though. They mean well but if a rescue takes an animal home it may take a while to place it. So, are we adressing how long to keep a dog or cat in Rescue ?
We rescue GSD's and I don't have a home when I pull one from the shelter, but we only allow one resident dog and one foster dog per family. We do that to ensure that the dogs are not just kenneled somewhere else, and that they get the needed attention to be rehabilitated.
Still working my way around the blog. all shelters seem to have the same problem, to many animals for the number of qualified homes. we cannot adopt our way out of this, it will take more time with spay nueter and pre-adoption counseling. Know before you adopt. One problem we have had to address is overzealous help tell visitors if they " don't take that dog, it will be killed" I am certain these workers mean well but they do alot of harm. And, they need to stop. If it happens at our shelter the worker is terminated.
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