Oreo has long questioned Mr. Winograds theory of "parallel populations" One population prancing about on white horses with 501 c embroidered on their saddle blanket, the other a shiftless, lackluster lot, sporting 5 o'clock shadows and reeking of bad spirits. We contend that you cannot solve a problem with the thinking that created it, and people, as people will, can change..... The person who has lost their home today and stands before the counter surrendering that pet is often the same person who took it home last year.
How quickly No Kill Shelters forget the good done, thus they focus on the surrendering party as a villain who is abandoning a trust.
This works in a similar vein to what happens when an adopted shelter dogs bites aggressively, the shelter is damnned for releasing a vicious dog. Often this is a dog that the rescues shouted down the evaluators on.
Seriously people, we need less interference from the peanut gallery on who can surrender, and what can be released. Triage, guidlines, discipline in carrying out the role of processing these animals into their new lives.
Pictured is Oreo and Oz Miller in their younger days, always happy, always missed...
13 comments:
A little compassion for the people giving up their pet ? What a concept. We get many people who are impulse adopters and in three days there is a remorse return. Do we resent them for the return or the rescues hanging on every parking lot with cages of dogs ?
At least twice everyday I hear someone say "we didn't want him to be put down" Until shelters quit shoving animals out the door with anyone who will take one, things will get worse. The first job of a shelter should be to protect that animal and society by taking it. No questions, no appointments and no adoption guarantee. Compassionate, humane treatment for both parties. Well barked Oreo.
Thanks Spirit, I'm Priss :) Oreo is blogging in Heaven at the moment. The core of that post was suggested by a shelter director friend. I do agree, we hope for an adoption, but can't promise one.
We can treat everyone a little kinder though ( thanks for that Corva )
A friend sent me here. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I have 2 pit mixes very nice dogs. I adopted them 7 month's ago from the humane society in Reno. They came with issues, but have come a long way and are good pets now. When I adopted these dogs I did not know the house I was renting was in foreclosure. The humane society said they called landlords, I don't believe that now. I came home from work 2 months ago to an eviction notice. Since that time I have put the dogs on craigslist, and put fliers everywhere. My friends know the dogs, think they are nice enough but they don't want them. I have been unable to find anyplace who will rent to me with pitbulls because of insurance. I finally took them back to the nevada humane society with all the paperwork. They treated me like I was scum. They accused me of not having adopted the dogs from them because they would have called the landlord. I showed the paperwork and the current license for Washoe County I had purchased, it was a nightmare. In the end they told me they would have to kill the dogs if I left them that day. I had no choice. I contacted 3 rescues online and they said it was a bluff, leave the dogs there. That's what I did. It takes a lot of money to move, power and electric start ups, no money for 1,000 pet deposit.
I am not trying to place the dogs here, they're over at the humane society with a couple hundred more homeless pits. I just want to not feel like a piece of crap.
I am so sorry Anon. If you read the blog further you will see we are trying to help a friend who is going through the same thing. My condolences on all of your losses, I believe the time with your love brightened the dreary world the dogs had been living before.
There are owners who don't use all efforts, but even they deserve to have the animal accepted quickly. To be honest the worse I thought the owner was, the more pressure I would feel to get that dog out of a bad situation. The good owner will keep trying to surrender the dog somewhere else. A bad one will just tie it to a post. There is more good than bad in the world.
@ freespirit. The number one reason people do impulse adoptions is to " save a life" that is the mantra of the rescues and shelters. It works, but not for long. We all have a little hero complex, but in mentally unstable people it gets out of hand. I have never met a hoarder who was not kind, loving and compassionate as their animals lay dying of neglect.
The shelters are so desparate to unload the animal, they obvious is to often overlooked., just sayin.
The intake is a little to quick at MAS, I think we could use a little more protocol. But if you say surrender counseling, the animal will be dumped. I love Memphis, we are unique in many ways, but our take on animals is rural southern even in urban areas. It's not that we don't love our animals, but our larger focus is on children, family and church. A dog is a dog. We are never going to fit Winograds model, animals are not the center of our world, and we have thousands of citizens who would no more have a pet than fly to the moon. I want us to provide better care, but we are not San Francisco and we don't want to be. I most enjoyed the story Doggie Dreams Pass Me By. To many people getting a dog that can't care for it.
I really appreciate your take on things Girl, my roots drift south to Florida. I obviously love dogs or I wouldn't be working with them all the time, but I do think some folks have tipped over.
I hate to use the term " do gooders" but it does seem to fit. We have to look at the human and animal bond and realize it's different for some folks. I don't want a yard dog, but I don't want my dog eating off the baby's plate. We have to respect each other.
What is the intake policy at East Baton Rouge, I saw the story on there about emergency euthanasia. I hope they don't use that for a reason to turn animals away. I could agree to some form of help desk if it never got to talking the owher out of bringing the animal in. I cannot see anyway that would not be abused. If they could keep the advice neutral, and not get into pushing for the owner to do extreme efforts, won't happen.
The more I look at your shelter online, the more I think how the hell did they think Memphis & Rena are similar. you have twice the money and half the dogs. I don't know of any shelter that could not be picked apart by 24/7 scrutiny. I hate to tell Stale Biscuit that half the dogs she is whining over are probably not pets. Some of the dogs in that shelter are feral and while they look ( and are ) terrified in the screen grabs, they will nail you in a heartbeat. Dogs and pets are not interchangeable and I would like for Shirley to take a few of her pity party for pets home.
@ Southern Girl and Truckee, one I don't think the Baton Rouge shelter was open admission to begin with, and I know many of the dogs taken in, at least here in Reno, should never be adopted out. Most dogs look pretty cute and sad in the kennel, it takes a couple of days or weeks before the real personality comes out. Sadly the resident dog is often injured or killed by the dogs Shirley wants to see as adoptable.
A word can make all the difference. At the shelter that I managed I found this truth in action.
There was one employee who had been with the shelter forever, who was a generous, kind-hearted but often very busy person, who would say to folks coming in the front door, "Can I help you?". It often came across a bit short and could put folks off if they didn't know her.
I thought it over and asked her if she could simply add "how" to her greeting so it became "How can I help you". This brought across the idea that we could and would help, not that maybe we could be of help. The whole tone was changed!
We need to be positive members of our community.
As we preach kindness, we must lead by example - toward all (two-footed as well as four-pawed).
Thanks for sharing dog logic....Courtesty is the key to sucess. I am sad to report that the Baton Rouge director resigned 2 months after starting her No Kill plan. the place became overwhelmed quickly and the directer from Chicago Paws declined rather than Euthanize. I do smell ego on this one. I would not hoard in the name of No Kill.
Post a Comment