Truth In Advertising

County decides not to adopt “no kill “policy
After hearing that current practices ensure that few healthy animals die at the Regional Animal Control Services Center, the Washoe County Commission on Tuesday agreed not to adopt an official "no kill" policy. It also agreed to hold a community forum to educate the public about the center, which includes the Nevada Humane Society.
The commission agreed that it did not need to create a task force to draft a formal policy to become a "no kill" community, one option that was presented by staff in an update on the joint facility that opened in 2006.
That policy is misleading, said Mitch Schneider, interim animal control director. Vicious animals and very sick animals, not likely to survive, are euthanized under a "no kill" policy.
He said he prefers "pet friendly" as animal services' goal.
Commissioner Kitty Jung made a plea to create an oversight committee to review operations and policies at the center. Chairman David Humke and Commissioner John Breternitz said they didn't have enough information to consider whether that's needed.
In 2008, Washoe County animal control euthanized 188 dogs and 238 cats because the center had run out of space, and no one wanted those animals, Schneider said.
"There were a lot of pit bulls. There's just not enough homes who want them," Schneider said. "The Humane Society is not going to take all pit bulls."
The Washoe County euthanasia rate is 7.4 animals per 1,000 population. That compares with the national average of 12.5 animals per 1,000 population.
The center took in 11,494 animals in 2008, including wild animals and dead animals. Schneider said the number was up by about 300 from 2007.
The complete article is online, Oreo says " this is enough"

WOOOO HOOOOO !!

Thank you, thank you and a big double thank you...... Today the commission and Asst County Director Childs decided the term
" Pet Friendly Community" was the direction we ( Washoe County ) would take. I cannot thank the the commissioners who took the time to learn the issues and asked the hard questions enough. It was the culmination of two years of hard work for Oreo and she is tired. I have read and copy/ pasted more drivel and bombarded more commishioners than I ever thought possible at my age..... and yet the real heros are the animals who lived day in and day out , confined. It's for them Oreo writes.
Pictured Burley Dog celebrating

Burley Dog Goes To The Vet...

Burley Dog got a hotspot, how a dog who is groomed every day for 30 minutes gets a hotspot is beyond me......but he did it. Always good to talk to animal folk and during the conversation we discussed Oreo, and frankly what a mess she is....... From there we go the " when is when," conversation. He said, quite calmly, our policy is not to put them down if they are still enjoying life and are treatable. Now I have always known these guys didn't spend all their time in college learning how to become a Euth Tech, but it still caught me by surpise to hear the finality of his tone. Please know, I have not one concern that Oreo would be a challenge, they have treated her for so long they know her prognosis.
His office is known for not being fond of euthansia as a policy ( as in, you got an old dog and now you want a new one ) but respecting the owners bond with the dog. I came away a bit unnerved at the thought of someone getting up the nerve to have the family pet put down and having to argue with the vet to do it. My mind began to play and some of the old dogs I saw at the pound floated through my brain. Were these dogs taken to NHS to be put down after being refused by a private vet, and then sent to WCRAS since NHS won't do it.... This was starting to seem like a " Black Beauty" type of tragedy. A 14 year old Mastiff that couldn't walk comes to mind; how did the dog go " Stray " ? It had no hips, was neutered and at the least was 30 pounds overweight. Yet there it was on Petharbor...
I have only two minutes to speak at the commission, to try and sway against the unlimited time used to continue this travesty. What remarks would be your choice dear reader ? Mark R chose to wait till this time to release Winograds old herring about 93% of Washoe County loves NHS.... That is tripe, and should we demand to see the survey ? You and I know 93% of the population doesn't even know NHS exists. My understanding is that the SPCA & Petnetwork are pulling more animals than NHS, thats why they' re on the County page, but we don't have a contract with them...The SPCA may have had a memorandum of understanding when the AC was in Reno, but I can find nothing since the merger indicating SPCA is bound to take animals from AC.
I know the interlocal agreement is being looked at, and the use of Chameleon. Please grant the commission the tenacity to wade through the lies to save more innocent animals from enduring the crowded, crazy conditions. .. A scavenger hunt through the facility, how fun is that ? Over night adoptathons, for the love of God, let these animals have some routine or some privacy.
Pictured is Burley Dog last year at the Truckee....