Rescue, What's Behind The Name ?

I have a new friend who hates the term "Rescue" She feels it's overused and has lost it's meaning......I'm on the fence about it. I dislike the drama of the FB pleas of "URGENT" I don't think pulling an animal from a private sanctuary shelter is a rescue, I don't think it's true rescue if you don't have a plan for the dog. Get that on the front page.....There is another post on here somewhere ( I refuse to link back to my own stuff, makes me think of Winograd ) but it's " are you getting a pet or saving a life" at least I think that's it. but, just look til you find what you need. There were several really good points in there that I don't want to type again :) Some "Rescues" brag about their placement rate and many beg for money. the world of " chipins" has grown to absurdity. I want to talk about the 'REAL RESCUES' they're the ones you don't hear alot about.

Those folks pull from shelters that have an open door policy who must euthanize for time and space. Since everything on this world is finite, so are the people who do the pulling......the ability to practice best use of resources is essential if the group is to stay afloat. These people are taking the animals that have the best prognosis for finding a home, why would they do anything else ? Today there is much talk of "hospice for animals" whose needs are served by that? Surely not the animal who lives in the moment, and has no fear of death, but may be terrified in the shelter. I think relocating sick animals into a temporary place when there is no hope for recovery, is cruel.

Many years ago I met a woman in the lobby who was returning a cancer ridden dog to the No Kill shelter who had pawned it off on her 2 weeks earlier. They knew the dog had cancer, it was in his notes ,which a person who worked there at the time provided for me. The adopter and her children stood in the lobby crying , the No Kill shelter never admitted to the woman they knowingly adopted out a terminal dog. That woman is one of Oreo's most staunch followers today and she works tirelessly to get the truth about No Kill out there. I am being vague because the woman started a " rescue" to get healthy adoptable animals out of the open door shelter.

She is one of my placement heros, she goes in, makes a judgement on health and dispositon and pulls the animal if she has room. Taking animals from crates in a shelter to crates in your basement is not rescue, if you cannot offer them better than they had, it's not rescue. That's not up for discussion so don't go there.......

True rescues ( I do prefer placement partners ) have a plan for the dog, and a protocol. the dog is socialized and gets medical care, it's always moving toward the goal of placement. Sometimes animals have problems that don't come up until they are out of shelter, dogs that had potential during " hold times" become aggressive when given their own " turf" Or, a bump on the shoulder turns out to be cancer, a good rescue will put that dog down, even when it hurts........ So for this blogger a " rescue" is a group or a person who pulls an animal from immediate danger with reasonable expectations of placing the animal is a permanent home. I'm still undecided on pulling before the public gets a chance to adopt, if the animal is injured or stressed in the shelter which would keep it off the adoption floor, then bring in the rescues. But pulling a healthy GSD the day of intake is bad form in my mind, and KCACC Sharon is the GSD rescue that taught me that. Found an amazing site, here is the link. Beneath it is the link to the "rescue" that started this post.

http://pro-shelter.com/2012/07/kill-no/

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=400191956701778&set=a.103903862997257.10725.103900609664249&type=1

Thanks Chap, For A True Look At The Beast.....

Avanzino recommends picked up strays, without identification, should be turned over to rescues immediately, with the understanding that there will be a record kept of that animal that is placed in case they are reclaimed. The animal holding policy was put in place as a safety net,.
If a cat or dog comes in with identification, the shelter holds onto them for at least six days, but if the animal is not wearing identification nor has a microchip, the dog or cat should be immediately placed up for adoption, especially to the rescue groups. “Only 2% of cats in California and 25% of dogs are redeemed. This has not changed over the past ten years,” Avanzino said. “We are holding onto stray cats, particularly kittens during kitten season, by phenomenal numbers. ( author's note : this indicates how the movement fails to consider demographic differences )
Avanzino proposes that before rehoming an animal, a picture and description would be posted on the ACC websites and a record would be kept with the shelter of where that dog or cat was placed. If the owner does come forward to claim his pet within those six days, the new adopter has to surrender to the original owner. Probationary custody is not an uncommon concept; it is regularly exercised when adopting children. This practice would open up space in the shelter, plus the statistics are in the favor of the new adopter that reclaiming won’t happen.
“When a shelter is full, an owner who wants to surrender their pet should be refused,” Avanzino said. “The pet owner should assist in finding their animal a new home or they can be placed on a waitlist.” The owner should have the responsibility of holding onto their animal until room is available. If animals only come in that will get saved, a shelter would then operate in the true sense of the word, as a refuge.
Avanzino also suggests that animal control agencies prohibit taking owner surrenders if they’re at capacity. "There is no state requirement that animal control has to take in animal surrenders," Avanzino said.Avanzino advises that animal shelters should ban taking feral cats into shelters. Shelters should refuse taking in wildlife for the purpose of killing it.

Oreo usually doesn't do the Bible thing....... however, I didn't want you to miss a single blurb. I will link to the video at the end of this post, with special thanks to Jake who posted it on Chap's blog... The sheer stupidity of the proposition is an insult to anyone who truly is for animal welfare. Any shelter accepting money from this group should look at the strings attached. Avanzino has gone completely bonkers as the world he wanted to create falls down around his feet. This is an attempt to destroy Animal Control as an effective part of public safety and fill the world with " adoption centers " while leaving helpless animals on the street to fend for themselves........How dare they, how inhumane and cruel to turn these animals away.

Make no mistake it creeps in on the cats feet of TNR and " Help Desks" it uses the guise of returning in the field. Returning in the field can be a good thing if it's not manipulated into keeping the intake numbers down, that is where it usually evolves to........

Please, please, for the love of the animals caught in this nightmare, watch the video, really listen to what Rich is saying.where does he think these turned away animals will go ? I can tell you; they will be left in the backyard when the house is foreclosed on, the TNR cats become "roadkill" and our numbers will absolutely shine. Is that what we want ? Admiration for lying ?? This sick desperation to save face on the backs of innocent animals must be called out for what it is.

Our Animal Control is not for sale, our animals have a right to be protected along with our citizens... Please wade through the first 6 minutes of smooth talking to hear what the " nice man" is really saying........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8qSHNx2cH2I

Pictured is Boomer, a nice dog..

Maddies Fund Trying To Save Sinking Nevada Humane Society Ship.

In a move reminiscent of the Nixon years, Maddie's Fund has jumped into the murky waters of Washoe County Animal Planet.  Let the cover up begin as Maddies Fund attempts to prop up the rapidly sinking NHS..  Below is an exerpt from a local newscast,

Maddie’s Fund, The Pet Rescue Foundation, is honoring these organizations with their Community Lifesaving Award in recognition of the 94 percent communitywide save rate for dogs and cats entering Washoe County animal shelters in 2010 and 2011. The agencies receiving funding from this award for their collaborative efforts and lifesaving successes include Pet Network Humane Society, SPCA of Northern Nevada, Washoe County Regional Animal Services, and Nevada Humane Society.

The Community Lifesaving Award of $1.3 Million is being divided between the four organizations based on pet adoption numbers for the three private shelters (Pet Network Humane Society, SPCA of Northern Nevada, and Nevada Humane Society) and on live releases for Washoe County Regional Animal Services. Pet Network Humane Society is receiving $100,000, SPCA of Northern Nevada is receiving $200,000, Washoe County Regional Animal Services is receiving $200,000, and Nevada Humane Society is receiving $800,000. These funds are to be used for the care of animals.
This generous funding is a huge boost for the community and helps these agencies meet the needs of homeless pets. In order to sustain their lifesaving work, the three non-profit agencies are dependent upon the ongoing support of generous individuals and businesses within the local community.http://www.mynews4.com/news/local/story/Four-local-animal-rescue-agencies-recognized-for/EpIgt-353UekDbfc8PTRBQ.cspx

I shall begin my critique of this propaganda by first addressing the final ( italic ) paragraph. This donation is not a
" boost for the community"  It's a thinly veiled bailout of the Nevada Humane Society. $800,000.00 is about half of what the Nevada Humane Society loses in one year. The deeply troubled NHS has been behind on it's bills for years and only recently became " current" to a mild degree.This is a matter of public record as the result of a recently completed audit.  The County agency received $200,000, the same amount that  much smaller ( 30 dog /30 cat ) shelters were given.  it's an insult, not an appreciation.
 There is no community that could/or would support this absence of good judgement. There are no 
" generous individuals and businesses within the local community."
To be certain there is a small core of locals who are always willing to reach into their pockets, but major donors have backed away, and for good reason. 
The article quotes the year 2010-2011  as being 94% community wide " save rate" total rubbish !  Rubbish, they should have shame to their grave over.  The " Community wide" poppycock is to prop up the misleading information being spread about the Nevada Humane Society being successful.  Animal Control always had one of the highest rates of return to owner, long before the regionalization took place.  it's commonly known the "figures don't lie, but liars can figure" and the manipulation of numbers is rampant in these type of situations.
We have all heard how certain institutions are " to big to fail" that is how No Kill views the Nevada Humane Society, it's the only horse they have in the race and it's crippled. Maddie's Fund gave up on Spay Neuter donations because they ( Maddie's ) were running out of money.  They now just hold up dying shelters to hide their failure to achieve " No Kill" I used to admire Avanzino, I felt he was a true ( somewhat misguided ) believer in the philosophy of the Assilomar Accords; now I think he is becoming part of the problem.  Washoe County will take their $200,000, who wouldn't? But they are not fools and we all know what this is about .  It's time for the County to find a new partner, although this old man thinks it wiser to travel the path of of animal control alone. 
All over the country, these partnerships are falling like drunks in a subway station, they fall because they can no longer stand up; it's as simple as that.
For the love of Christ,
Chap