[ SHOWGSD-L ] Humane societies and other animal welfare groups and Oprah
- From: Dawn Restuccia <windwych@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: gsd <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2008 04:25:35 -0700 (PDT)
In doing Rescue, we have spoken to literally HUNDREDS of shelters, humane
societies and animal welfare groups from coast to coast.
They vary widely in the administration of their facilities. Some shelters give
strays 3 days to find an adopter. This includes the day they are brought in,
and then are available for adoption or euthanization on the fourth day. Think
of that...72 hrs to find a home. The facilities also vary in cleanliness and
level of care of these animals. Some spotless and others beyond your worst
nightmare.
In some "shelters", prisoners are brought in to do the cleaning of the kennels.
Many times, animals are not removed while they are being hosed down and in one
instance I am aware of, a newborn pup was washed down the drain in front of the
dam by a high powered hose. The caustic cleaners they oftentimes use also cause
burns on these dogs as they lay in the kennels as evidenced by Blake; the GSD
that Joanne Conboy and Jan Weatherbee were instrumental in saving.
The methods of euthanization run the gamut from IC, IP, gas chamber and in
Burns Flat Oklahoma, shooting them...sometimes in their kennel runs.
Yes, there are the facilities who will call us and work diligently with us to
save a life and for them we are eternally grateful. There are ACO's who cry
with each life lost; Renee Jones of Escambia
County shelter in Brewton Alabama is one of those people. She offers to drive
whole litters of pups north to save anyone she can...this, all on her own dime.
It is a breath of fresh air for us to encounter someone like this while wading
through the detritus that is rampant in Rescue.
One thing I related to yesterday in Oprahs piece was the comment by the Rescue
person regarding the callous disregard for the well being of the puppy mill
dogs. Unfortunately, this is more often than not the case. They think more of
the furniture in their home than the plight and the mind of the dogs in the
cages.
LHSH is busily trying to change this mind set through education, for it is by
UNDERSTANDING that animals DO have needs and that it is the responsibility of
the human race to care for what has been given us, that long lasting change
might be effected.
To that point, we are attempting to be a presence at as many events as possible
throughout the country. We are hoping that we can put together a cohesive
prototype of an "umbrella" organization, a sort of general clearing house of
information. We are a work in progress, no doubt! Rome wasn't built in a day,
but we have come SO FAR in such a short time! If we are able to incorporate the
good wishes of the Parent Club into this, we can then take our prototype to
OTHER breed clubs and show them what can be done when an ENTIRE CLUB gets
behind their breed. Think of the numbers of dogs of ALL breeds that would then
find their way out of the shelter system; all guided by a GSD so to speak. What
a tribute to our breed, that has given us SO MUCH.
I know...this is a HERCULEAN task to be certain. But you have to start
SOMEWHERE..."A journey of a thousand miles, begins with a single step"...
I would like to see Oprah do a piece on the horrors of the shelter system...a
system that is in desperate need of revamping. We will be persuing this
avenue....
As always, thanks for reading my sometimes lengthy posts! I know its not always
easy....but it really IS the best way to reach the greatest number of people
such as yourselves who have a true love of our breed.
Dawn Restuccia
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