As a young man growing up, I often heard that figures can't lie, but liars can figure. Going over the stats in Reno Nevada for the past 3 years as it descended into it's own personal hell, that is a true statement. The final figures for 2010 show a turn in rate of strays to owner surrender that are 3 to 1. The only condition that can create that scenario is No Kill run amuck.
A couple of years ago NHS decided it needed to do something to look necessary, so they began pulling animals from Animal Control. Prior to that time, we only took from the public, and if they wanted an animal from AC we brought it to NHS. Don't misunderstand the ol' preacher, they never took all the animals the public tried to surrender, just enough to keep the good citizens off their back. During that time they turned away terminally ill dogs, and harassed owners with the help desk until they left in shame. Nice folks those NHS types. We could have used Denise at one of our terrorist detention centers. I went out to the parking lot in an attempt to bring comfort to a woman with three small children. She and her children had brought in two dogs adopted from NHS 5 months earlier, The husband lost his job and the home was going into foreclosure, and the issues the dogs came with had worsened with maturity. That means the 9 month old "puppy behavior" was taking on a serious tone. Nobody told her that 2 males pitbulls are not the best idea, She had been told they were a "bonded pair" and would never fight. Having gone to the SPCA and been turned away, I'm certain it was difficult for her and those children to walk into NHS with those dogs.. Like every other volunteer at NHS, I gave her the "secret word" and she walked up the path to Animal Control. Can't anyone see or care that of the 8,0000 dogs in that shelter in 2010, 6,0000 of them were "strays" ? Compare that to Sac or SF or even New York. It's part of a tragic numbers game, and people and animals are hurt. Stop the games NHS do our job , don't hide behind pulling from WCRAS to stay so full you turn away families with pets. At the end of 2011 NHS loses any compensation, they are trying an end run to avoid meeting their cmmitment. Last week I chatted with Denise and she gave me the story of how tough things are in this economy, how many animals are coming in and how they are out of room. When NHS puts the welfare of the animals ahead of Nathan Winograd, maybe then I could respect them.
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Chap, are you in Reno or Sac? Check out Oreo about the hoarding case. Mitch has Animal Services so screwed up he sent the cats to our side. BB is thinking publicity, the rest of us are thinking lawsuit. Those cats were a mess, but all of them came from here. The SPCA won't give her any. Some were on the euth list and terri pulled them for Palamino Valley, then Mary for second chance ( remember she was AC ) The rest came straight from here. I am going for sure. To stressful here, we are stacked to the ceiling, I want our NHS back.
Chap, if I could add a note. Reno is reverse of national trend. Most shelters have a ratio of three to one with owner surrenders being the high number. In Reno we have a ratio of 3 to 1 with strays being our high number. It's hard to explain without the spread sheet before you. The people in Washoe County are being turned away by NHS, that is our ONLY public intake facility. Of course the dog is taken to the other wing of the building which belongs to ACC. Since ACC is only allowed to take in strays, these desperate owners lie and say they found the dog by the road side.
I know the only reason they pull from ACC is to justify not taking undesirables from the public. They take pity cases that we ( ACC ) have already got a vet to fix for free and they take credit. they have done that with dogs where I have negotiated a no fee or reduced fee surgery. Then they throw the pictures in the paper and ask for money to help the dog.
As more and more people come to this sight to research your experience with "No Kill", I thought I would add some what may seem like obvious comments to those living with the problem, but new to those just beginning their research.
First I love my "No Kill" shelters. I also love my Open Admission shelter. They have helped families of eviction, families with horrific biter dogs, families that simply could not plan for the downturn in the economy. They do this without judgement and with compassion towards both people and animals.
I have a concern though. When a shelter becomes "No Kill", the criteria to surrender a pet becomes extensive and at times impossible for a desperate person to accomplish. Looking at Nevada Animal Services (which is next door to Nevada Humane Society, but is not "No Kill") their stray intake is now 3 times that of owner surrenders. Does this mean when an owner cannot meet the criteria or wait on the waiting list of the "No Kill" shelter they then go next door and declare their dog as a stray?
I believe in the public, but can a "No Kill" Shelter turn away their public and their animals in good conscience. I know my local Open Admission Shelter takes in over 70% owner surrenders impacting the numbers greatly. They also take in the most dangerous animals that even the rescue community chooses not to rehabilitate.
Can anyone shed light on this and does it explain why the average shelter has a 50% kill rate. It seems if they limited the owner surrenders coming in their numbers would be just as impressive, but turning away the animals seems to be counterintuitive of the mission of "No Kill".
Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you anon 8:47 Here in Sacramento our euth rate is higher, but it's honest. I would not believe any stats showing lower than 50% for a true open admiassion shelter. That may break some hearts but if the truth gets out there perhaps people will begin to work on issues like neutering. We as a society have an absence of commitment in general today, and that is reflected in the unsocialized often dangerous dogs and cats brought to our shelter.
My google account is not working well. As many of you know, we are in flux with a directer. It will be nerve wracking until we can get his take on things. To the anon poster: I agree with you somewhat. No kill shelters are good for a city if they stay in their own place. It's when they over reach and try to put their personal touch on AC that trouble arrives. I have rescued GSD's for 25 years, I never take from a private party and I give the general public the full stray time to select their new pet. I don't put holds on animals forcing people to come to me. I don't believe any rescue should pull a healthy dog until the shelter can no longer offer it for adoption. I don't wait for the euth list, but when the dog goes out of stray hold, I pick it up & do an assessment. The dog is groomed the first day. The nails are clipped and ears cleaned. Those procedures tell me almost all I need to know about the dog. Can this animal be handled and treated. On the second day we see the vet for a wellness check. Only then is the dog even considered for adoption. Inquiries about a dog that come in with in the first week I have it, are given priority . I've placed a dog back to the people who had been looking at in in the shelter. They had been waiting to get permission from the landlord and it took longer than expected. Happy endings are nice, but not often enough. Dealing with rational staff allows the public and rescues to make decisons that are best for the animal and the adopter.
I am not a hero, I will not pull a dog that fails handling in shelter, handling is part of a dogs well being. No kill attempts to find a home for every healthy animal; hey Ted Bundy was healthy and good looking ! I sure wouldn't want to bring him home. The sad truth is the shelters are full of malajusted animals and there are not enough qualified homes to foster them. Not killing a suffering animal is inhumane, Our euth numbers are reflecting the nature of the shelter population, not the staff.
Excellent point Sharon. Dogs that assess well in a shelter may display aggression on the outside ( like well mannered inmates ) the shelter is not theirs so no territorial behavior. A dog that cannot be handled in the shelter for basic needs will be worse in the real world.
The real reason people move off and leave innocent babies is because they don't care in the first place. Uncaring owners and lazy shelter directers are the problem.
Thanks for dropping by excuses. We don't get many ignorant comments here so I work to be sure and get them up quickly. I don't like to argue with people who are brainwashed, so instead I'll offer up a special prayer for you tonight and any unfortunate animals caught in your snare.
sharon's approach is amazing. those are the things that must be part of a dogs life and the sooner they are imersed in them the better.
I think there is a better way to build a mousetrap. All the gimmicks to increase adoptions only push the cats out the door. All over the country there are public private partnerships, those including animals are losing ground. No kill open admission is a failure every single place I have tried to find hope. it does not or cannot work. I don't know why the no kill people won't look at reality, to busy watching their wallets ?
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