Don’t be surprised to see big repercussions after a comprehensive review of the Dallas Animal Shelter and the city’s animal services department is presented to the city next month. The independent review is being conducted by the Humane Society of the United States. The Metroplex Animal Coalition is covering the report’s $25,000 cost. A similar Humane Society review in 2001 uncovered a number of violations at the Dallas operation.
According to insiders, the Dallas County D.A.’s current investigation of alleged animal cruelty at the shelter is just the tip of the iceberg. They cite a “growing number of issues” there including reports about a lack of air conditioning at times, poor building maintenance, animals unaccounted for, and screw-ups involving cruelly treated animals. Assistant City Manager Forest Turner, who oversees the animal services department, hasn’t returned our calls. But he told the Dallas Morning News last year that he welcomed the new review.
UPDATE: Assistant City Manager Forest Turner called and said, “We want to do whatever we can to make the shelter better. … Right now, the shelter is operating as it was designed. … We want to focus on responsible pet ownership–reducing the number of strays we have to pick up every year.” Turner also said that: he thinks the animal-services staff is doing a good job, he’s instructed staffers to cooperate fully with the D.A.’s investigation, and he’s looking forward to getting the Humane Society report. “If anything comes out showing that we can be better,” he added, “we want to do it.”
81 comments
I’ve had two insiders per this story contact me via email to tell me they had information on these issues in hopes I would get involed, write about it, etc. Both have left & felt powerless & afraid to act on their own.
Readlarrypowell.com has been writing about these “inside” problems for a while…Like, for example, bad maintenance in the building wrecking the expensive, custom-designed air-conditioning system…
I get the feeling that the Dallas SPCA is overwhelmed to the point of insensitivity. Last November I took my 4-month old male kitten to be neutered, as promised when I adopted him. He died on the operating table.
After grieving over his loss for several weeks, I contacted the SPCA to see if they would waive the adoption fee for a replacement kitten. They said No. I then called the Director of the SPCA Dallas, relating my story, not blaming them for my kitten’s untimely death but noing that waiving the adoption fee under the circumstances would be a Win-Win situation…. they have one fewer cat to euthenase and i can afford a replacement kitten. Again, “No”. There is a banner at their spay/neuter clinic saying “Do The Right Thing”. Is this policy “the right thing” to a pet owner trying to do the right thing but in doing so lost their pet??
It’s the abuse & cruelty & ‘disappearing’ animals…. that made me cringe when those total strangers contacted me to share info w/me that they felt powerless to make public.
@Marty: I’m so sorry to hear about your experience with the SPCA. In the business world, that would be called poor customer service.
Please go to the Dallas Animal Shelter or one of the cat rescue groups like Texas Pawprints. There has been an explosion of kittens being born this year. As you know, the DAS has to destroy animals even kittens and puppies daily, so you would truly be a lifesaver.
@ marty wynne –
Dallas Animal Services and the SPCA of Texas are not the same organization. However, both operate shelters in Dallas.
Not sure which organization you had trouble with, but it’s important not to confuse the two.
Dallas Animal Services gets your tax dollars; the SPCA is private, and does not.
Marty, the SPCA and the City of Dallas Animal Services Shelter are two DIFFERENT entities.
I’m one of the people who contacted Rawlins.
An acquaintance was recently fired from the Dallas Animal Center for playing classical music in his work area. This was after an attending vet had commended him for that because his animals were all calm and relaxed. At the time he was fired, he said you could hear the loud music coming through the walls from the other areas- where the animals where agitated and barking loudly.
Of course the real reason hew was fired was because he had complained several times of abuse and negligence on the part of other employees. Each time he did this he was presented with a non disclosure form to sign or lose his job.
He had mentioned seriously abusive practices several times to us over the course of his employment there.
When we told him of the cat in the wall story being on the news, he said if they ever looked in those walls they’d find more than one cat. Apparently, that’s a pretty common occurrence there.
The animal problem reaches far beyond the obvious. It’s a health issue, a financial issue, a sociological issue. Animals, both dogs and cats, roam the streets and spread disease. We throw money at the problem with no true insight or vision. Abuse and neglect of animals is just the first step for child abuse and neglect.
Why can’t Dallas gut up and create a leadership role so we can get this problem solved and move on to other issues?
The pound (let’s call it what it is), the zoo, the aquarium and other animal-oriented programs need to be put under the direction of an animal expert with goals like any business.
this will be glossed over and some underling will be fired b/c nothing can touch the assistant city manager in charge of this mess. he’ll throw everyone in his path under the bus.
Last year, we adopted a dog from the city shelter. The first time I went to pick her up, they told me that I’d have to wait two weeks, because she had a runny nose and congestion.
Two weeks later, I picked her up. We had her two months before she started showing very obvious signs of distemper. She deteriorated quickly, and we had to put her down.
Our vet said that if they had tested her when she came in, she likely would’ve been distemper positive. But since they just brought her in and vaccinated her for distemper immediately, any test would be inconclusive, because the titers would show up regardless now that she’d had the vaccination.
I’m glad we had her for the time we did, but I can’t help but wonder how many other people brought home dogs that were given a clean bill of health, only to find later that their dog or cat was indeed quite ill.
Want to know how to have a pet for you and the kids, particularly if you don’t have any money, and particularly if you want a free burglar alarm?
You find a stray, or better, lost, cat or dog (for the burglar alarm) and you just start feeding it. During the day while you’re at work, it can roam around and enjoy your neighborhood. If animal control comes around it can run back and hide in your back yard. When you come home, you feed it and the kids can play with it. If anybody in authority ever questions you, it’s not your dog or cat, it’s someone else’s. If it gets sick or starts acting up, you go dump it somewhere else and start over. Rinse and repeat. And the latest animal ordinance passed by the City Council guarantees you can keep doing this forever.
Do you have a friendly dog, likes people, a good barker? Keep it locked up. Someone probably needs a free rental replacement right now.
If you are looking for a wonderful place to adopt a dog or cat, please visit straydog.org.
It’s in Gun Barrel City but I have been out there and the people and facility are amazing. They are a no-kill shelter and most of the dogs they get are strays who have been rehabbed back to health. A really great place with people who are trult comitted to the well being of animals.
I would like to know how the H$U$ is able to make a qualified report, seeing that they don’t run any shelters and they are staffed by lawyers, not animal experts.
There may be problems at the shelter but consulting someone other than H$U$ might help them get on the right track.
Is this the same HSUS study that was done in April of this year and has been kept SECRET? or ANOTHER ONE?
I have to agree with ap, they don’t know any more about animals for real than the ASC does!
Given PETA’s track record, (98% of adoptable animals brought to their ONE shelter in VA are killed), maybe the problem is the Dallas shelter is actually being run by PETA.
The H$U$ will, without fail, find “problems” in any shelter whose trustees make the mistake of ponying up their obscene, extortionary fees, since both the H$U$ and PETA’s primary, stated goal is the extinction of all domestic species and the criminalization of all human contact with animals.
Given “Wacky” Wayne Pacelle’s repeated statements to this effect, and given the H$U$’s penchant for illegal raids on law-abiding pet-owners, if I ran a shelter, I would think twice about giving my scarce funds to a multi-million dollar AR lobbying organization masquerading as a “humane society”.
OH PETA, well they are not above throwing an employee in to take money from them AND the supposed business and help to take them DOWN, they have done that just up the road from Dallas’s Shelter RECENTLY…..and BADKarma is right in that both PETA and H$U$ want all animals gone!! and the Chairman of the Shelter Commission has received awards from both of them!! and PETA’s doctor group, PCRM!!
I’d like to clarify some of the comments posted regarding the Shelter Evaluation being done by The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). It’s absolutely correct that The HSUS doesn’t operate any shelters. That’s not their mission. When they do a Shelter Evaluation, they bring in professionals from respected shelters around the country. The team members who came to Dallas the last week in April were from shelters in Oregon, Arizona, Florida and Ohio. Each had an area of expertise: veterinary services, sanitation and animal care; management, HR, community outreach; field operations and cruelty investigation; adoptions, intake and animal housing. They spent a week in Dallas and also solicited public comments prior to their visit. We’ve known all along that it would take about 16 weeks to compile their 200+-page report. The report has not been kept “secret”; the team is on target to present the report to City staff in early September. I hope this clarifies some of the misconceptions regarding this important, comprehensive and much-needed evaluation of Dallas Animal Services.
I still don’t buy into the HSUS evaluation. For one thing, it’s horribly overpriced. For another, they’ve already evaluated Dallas Animal Services back in 2001. And will the HSUS pay to repair the faulty air conditioning? Will they pay for any other improvements? Check out their annual reports at their own Web site. The HSUS has the money. Ultimately, why should we trust the HSUS to help the shelter management lower the euthanasia rate? Their 2001 report didn’t do the trick. The killing will only begin to decrease when Those In Charge at City Hall realize that our current approach to shelter management has to change radically.
sorry ..Johnnie England is full of sh** The HSUS supports KILL shelters.. and does not advocate for NO KILL.. they run .. nor fund NO shelters but cry for funds to “help the puppies and kitties” on every TV show you can think of. thye are advocates for a VEGAN lifestyle which in turn allows to no one to have pets…. at least pets that eat meat Their “leader’ owns NO pets.. not one cat or dog.. has never rescued anything in his whole life.. except his bank account..
taek a hard look at their TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND dollars “report
for Dallas and then look at another from another city.. can you say BOILERPLATE?/ This shelter was “reviewed” less than ten years ago for another BIG FEE.. why again by the same agency..?? Follow the money
Most people are becoming aware that the HSUS is an animal rights organization that does nothing for the human-animal bond
http://www.humanewatch.org
$25,000. It is a shame that anyone would pay a radical Animal Rights group to conduct such an evaluation. Guess Dallas and the “The Metroplex Animal Coalition” have money to burn, and are clueless when it comes to the Animal Rights agenda, or, more obviously,they eagerly support it. Letting HSUS oversee such a thing is like asking criminals to run the courts. Hello? So let’s get this straight, HSUS has hundreds of millions of dollars but needs to charge to assess a shelter that is charged with being cruel to animals. Maybe the police should charge a fee to pull you over. What an upside-down wacky world the Animal Rights people live in! Oh, yeah, guess they are making everyone live in their wacky world. Wake up everyone!
Thank you Ms. England for taking the time to clarify and explain the actual situation regarding the upcoming HSUS report of DAS. There are always gross misstatements and untruths that appear anytime the report is mentioned – put forth by those who are not in a position to do anything other than guess or speculate about the issue. The 2001 report was performed a long time ago. There was improvement for a while, then many things at DAS began to go downhill. Currently, with very few exceptions, DAS management is in need of change from the top down – but then, so is the City of Dallas. It is anticipated that the HSUS report will be the beginning of change and improvement for the animals – certainly it will do more than misdirected, uninformed, complaints will do for them.
Why did the Shelter Commission try to hide a secret meeting to hear what H$U$ wanted to say back in June? Yes you got caught in the SUNSHINE LAW but held a meeting less than a week after you held another meeting, also breaking the SUNSHINE LAW the week before but wanted no one but ASC members to hear the “results”…..after asking for DONATIONS to pay for that Animal Rights “assessment” no one said a WORD in PUBLIC……Winograd should have been the one to have for the latest assessment if you really want to improve the shelter…
Actually you helped change laws that did much damage in the community when “merely” enforcing the ones you had did not alienate people and limit rescue groups, but then you don’t really want rescues to come in!
Dallas would be a joke if their actions were not so seriously sad for dogs and owners. Their laws have caused more dogs to enter shelters and fewer people who can get them out. Now, they once again have payed HSUS, this multi million dollar lobbyist group, $25,000. to evaluate their shelter when HSUS has no experience in running one and totally lacks the knowledge of properly taking care of dogs. The joke is that Dallas continues to do the same thing with the same horrible results. How does that saying go???
But, HSUS wants to label any one with X number of animals as mentally ill hoarders.
‘Insanity is Doing the Same Thing and Expecting Different Results” Albert Einstein
If any of this is true, sounds like there is quite a scandal brewing not only at the shelter but within the City of Dallas. Have laws been broken? Hmmmm… Allegations of non public meetings related to an expenditure of $25,000 going directly to a radical, very wealthy Animal Rights group that has a strong political lobbying component (huge understatement. WOW! Maybe the state needs attorney general needs to take a look at what in the world is going on in Dallas?! Shouldn’t city officials have concerns about a political lobbying group being tied to the “results” of an “investigation” of their shelter that will have “potentially biased” recommendations? If HSUS was not so active trying to pass anti-pet laws across the state and country, maybe a few more people might actually consider them an “acceptable” evaluator. Perhaps the media should take a much closer look at all this.
In response to Reasonable’s comment: Considering how many Animal Shelter Commission meetings I’ve attended – with others who share my concerns – I resent your accusation that we are misinformed. We see our tax dollars at work in person, and we’re not impressed. We’re angry. Animals deserve much better than what DAS is providing.
I agree with Joe Smells a Rat ‘what in the world is going on in Dallas?’
I agree with Kay ‘Winograd should have been the one to have for the latest assessment if you really want to improve the shelter’
Humanewatch is actually part of a consortium of public interest groups run by the Center for Consumer Freedom.” The umbrella organization is actually run by an ex-lobbyist who used to represent many clients in the food and beverage industry (which is why they’ve taken issue with HSUS)
Here are a couple of interesting backgrounders: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/18/us/politics/18berman.html?hp=&pagewanted=all
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/politics&id=4140447
As for what’s going on at the DAS, let’s take all of the emotion off the table.
Here’s this new $16.3M dollar shelter that has been open for less than 3 years. Citizens approved it in a bond election. It was built, in part, to facilitate more adoptions and to help deal with the huge numbers of animals who come into the shelter.
As someone whose tax dollars are funding operation, I expect this new custom-built green A/C unit to work consistently – especially in the summer. (I understand that it’s been taken care of, but know that it’s been an ongoing issue.)
More importantly I expect the staff to be trained on animal care and sheltering (some are, some aren’t). In the same way I would like the city swimming pools to have trained life guards and the person who oversees recreational field maintenance to know something about how to keep grass from dying.
From my standpoint, this job market we’re in is a tight one. At work, I’m expected to come in, do my job well and uphold my company’s mission statement and objectives or I’m out on my ear. It’s a matter of job performance. DAS states on their site “We are committed to providing care and control of the animals that are brought into our facility .” I realize that there are people in the DAS organization who are doing just that, but as a tax payer I want to make sure that all DAS employees are striving to do their best work.
Another vote for Nathan Winograd. His methods have shown positive results, even in cities and states hardest-hit by the recession.
As a CONSUMER, I don’t care who (that is not involved directly with the government!) is helping me keep meat, eggs and bacon on the table! I’m not a VEGAN and don’t want those who are trying to force me into becoming one! I do know much about animals and how they should be raised and feeding them to the hawks and coyotes isn’t good for me.
Consumer Freedom can’t publish inaccurate information so I’ll stick with them, thank you and if Humanewatch.org is run by them, then I’ll be thanking them for their information as well.
I consume and I have pets and have worked with rescue so God Bless those folks…and now, lets return to Dallas and how unapt friendly they have become and how poorly that expensive shelter we built with taxpayer $$ can be utilized with different people who truly care to take CARE of animals and not just do HSUS/PETA’s bidding of killing them all.
Dallas needs to change the “new ordinances” including the last one added this summer, back to what they had in ‘92 which was animal friendly, and then they need to ENFORCE THOSE LAWS!
A number of HSUS staff members have worked at animal shelters, and as Jonnie England noted, our shelter evaluation program also utilitzes independent consultants. For more information, go to http://www.animalsheltering.org/programs_and_services/shelter_evaluation_program/. There are different options, depending on the needs of the shelter.
Well an HSUS employee riding in to “save the day”….but, while you are here, perhaps you can explain why you charge so much to help the little animals, why not spend more than .5% and REALLY help them!!?? you planning to retire soon and need that money in your pension plan in a hurry? and if you don’t eat meat then you shouldn’t have to spend a bunch on food!!
A few points: (1) The Center for Consumer Freedom and http://www.Humanewatch.org – who cares if they are backed by “industries” that employ honest, hard working people. Let’s look at what they are saying and judge their message on the merit of the message. It is hard to argue about the obvious, well documented truth.(2) People are learning that HSUS and other groups have become radical animal rights groups spending a fortune on laws to end the eating of meat, dairy, eggs, etc. If someone wants to be a vegan, well bless them, but don’t mislead the public while you are working hard to replace burgers with tofu. Be honest. (3) HSUS is a political lobbying “machine” and it is inappropriate to have them run any sort of investigation that will impact anything that uses tax dollars to operate. (4) It is insane to pay HSUS $25k to help a shelter. Will churches, synagogues etc start charging for people to pray? HSUS should want to help and use their millions of dollars of donations to help shelters get better. Period. Oh yeah, but that is not what they are really about, I forgot. Dallas needs to wake up to what is really going on. (5) HSUS=PETA. Look at who the top execs are at HSUS and where they worked before. Then think about this: PETA’s “Animal Record” report for 2009, filed with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, shows that the animal rights group killed 97 percent of the dogs and cats in its care the last year. During all of 2009, PETA found adoptive homes for just 8 pets. DO YOU HONESTLY WANT THESE PEOPLE “OVERSEEING THE EVALUATION ANY SHELTER”. Really??
@ Edwards Mom….of course we forgot that Dr. Pippin, is PETA/ACT and PCRM all vegetarians/vegan? mentioned in the NY Times article, so why would they not go after a group that was NOT VEGETARIAN?! people who don’t know a lot about animals from my past experience!.
No, I think we are right back to direct connections with people who are not interested in saving animals in Dallas’s shelter or anyone else’s, only interested in seeing them killed off, and then there were none, grandchildren seeing photos of what people once owned but are now extinct.
Whose respected shelters. I would like to ask Johnnie England if any of the four shelters mentioned are no-kill shelters. (Oregon,Ohio,Florida,Arizona)It is insane to give HSUS $25k for anything…much less an inspection of a shelter. Winograd should have been the one to conduct the evaluation of the shelter. If the primary reason for the evaluation is truly for the good of all animals then the HSUS would never have been involved in Dallas. Dallas had a great animal friendly ordinance in place before AR became the “expertise” (tongue in cheek) to advise the Dallas City Council. Dallas doesn’t have the resources or knowledge to enforce the exhisting ordinance….such a shame for our animals and the people that live in Dallas…nothing ever changes…just more politics!
Got an extra letter in there “existing”. That’s what happens when I think of the AR people that are in charge in Dallas.
Since the City of Dallas would be so clueless that they would let their city look the fool for going to bed with Animal Rights Radicals while animals die in their city from neglect, I wonder how long until meat, eggs and dairy are banned from restaurants in Dallas? Maybe HSUS can move it’s headquarters to Dallas? Perhaps one of the recommendations from HSUS will be to start feeding the shelter pets their vegan dog food. LOL. Really, the $25 K could have gone to help the needy animals if only Dallas had a clue how to run a shelter. What waste. What a shame for the pets.
Most folks dont know the real story behind shelters. When cities are picking up more animals than they can handle whos fault is it? With budget cuts and economic downturns whos fault is it when shelters cant operate at peak??
Ask yourself these questions and then go work for a shelter for a year. Then speak up and say something because most of us cant open our mouths! Its great to bash shelters but when you work at one its different.
You want to back a shelter, donate!! Time money equipment and help!! Dont sit and open your mouth unless you got the funds to help!
The HSUS is notorious to show bad results when the shelters are only capable of doing what it can with less manpower, funding and increase in supply cost.
When is the public going to see that animal shelters can only do so much and then it has to fall back on the public. Unwanted pregnancies, no funds to spay/nueter pets for low income all play a part. Every child and family would like a pet, they just need help and education to keep that pet.
BTW there is no such thing as a no kill animal shelter!! Its a farce, and they arent a animal shelter if they say that to you. They are a pet shop!!
I repeat, Dallas laws have caused more dogs to be dumped and surrendered to shelters while limiting pet numbers and allowing fewer people who can get them out. Beaver man, the goals of animal control should be to encourage pet owners to keep pets not abandon pets. This should be the new motto of Dallas when considering laws. Is there a department of experts to help teach owners how to change the bad behavior of a dog before the owner surrenders the dog? Or did all the tax payer money go only for the big new building?
HSUS is a farce. They do raids on private citizens. What happened to the laws set forth in the the US Constitution and Bill of rights? HSUS is currently being looked at involving the RICO statute. Who gives HSUS the right to remove animals from private citizens without due process. If you are HSUS and working in a shelter as far as I’m concerned you are a ’snitch’ for the HSUS and once discovered should immediately be dismissed. You ARE a problem and a far cry from the solution and should be publicaly exposed. HSUS doing a evaluation on a shelter when they have never run one is a joke. The evaluation like everything else they do doesn’t even have the value of toilet paper.
In case anyone on here has any doubts at all about the real concerns expressed about the shelter in Dallas using the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)to provide guidance for their shelter operations (for an outrageous sum of $25,000), please take a moment to read: http://www.nathanwinograd.com/?p=2318 . Dallas– how can you support this?
Beaver Man, you say go work at a shelter, some of the locals volunteered, or tried, and you don’t want our expertise and time, you just want a blank check…give that one up….take volunteers instead of running them off, TAKE rescuers instead of running them OFF! These people really don’t want to save the dogs and cats they want to kill them. They don’t want to pick up the loose ones, they went 10-15 years not picking them all up, and then they caused more to be turned loose by criminalizing pet ownership for the average person!
Skeeter, the four shelters run by the HSUS are not for dogs and cats. They’re sanctuaries for horses, rabbits and wildlife. The sanctuaries supply great PR for the HSUS, and I’m happy they’re spending a little of their money on animal care. But as far as homeless and stray cats and dogs are concerned? Fuhgeddaboutit.
Well, I see Hillary from HSUS didn’t stick around long, those people just can NOT handle the FACTS!
Now, no one wants to spit out what the “study” from HSUS back in April said, in PUBLIC, I mean…how come????
I guess that was why Johnnie England couldn’t answer my question. I asked because in her “clarification” she made it sound like those four evaluators really knew what they were doing even though HSUS doesn’t have a clue….now we know why she couldn’t answer the question. There was no answer. Thanks for keeping on top of this activity.
She is up to her EYEBALLS with MUNCH in HSUS because they helped set up Metroplex Animal Coalition with GUYTON!
Kay, Skeeter, Feline Provocateur(who are you anyway?),life support, Dog Gone It, Joe Smells, Alice in LaLa Lane: Why don’t you
do something positive with your anger and rage instead of criticizing those who are actually making a difference for animals?
Most of your comments contain personal attacks and bad information. Get yourselves down the shelters and rescue every single animal available for adoption. Post yourselves at the shelter doors and take every animal coming in from owners or people who find animals. Drive around and pick up every lost animal you find. Post your hate filled comments on your special websites. Get together with your white sheets covering your faces to avoid exposing your true indentities and rally against the animal rights activists you seem to loathe. Go to the Barnum and Bailey Circus while they are in town and give them a big cheer for abusing the performing animals.
Jonnie England, Dr. John J. Pippin are
dedicated animal welfare advocates and the
animal’s best friends.
BTW: Feline Provocateur supports and defends
animal abusers like Laniq Adams. I can’t wait to hear the comments now……
Reagan, you are the one who’s uninformed and want to throw stones at others…..People like you either are completely uniformed or want to get us all to be convicted as criminals, most of the things you are suggesting for us are against the law in Dallas! Go read the laws in Dallas these days! and the shelter doesn’t want volunteers in there to see what they are doing!
As for the circus, its just one more thing that shows how much you know about animals! they don’t work for you if they don’t want to do it!
Regan, you really don’t know what we do as far as rescue and saving animals from a sure death at the Dallas shelter. I didn’t throw stones at any one person. I ask Johnnie England a question and so far she has not answered it. I want to know if the professionals, from “respected” shelters, that were brought in for the evaluation were from a no-kill shelter. I just suppose the answer is no since I have not received an answer from Ms England. We do what we can but the laws that were passed this past year require us to stay incognito.
Hi Kay,
I am very informed about animal welfare and animal cruelty. What “things” did I suggest would be illegal? B & B Circus and all other circuses that enslave animals to perform use training techniques that are very, very abusive. The animals are forced against their will to perform or are tortured like prisoners of war to break their spirits and will. There are many undercover investigations with photos and video to prove this.
As a veteran animal rescuer, foster care-giver, animal activist for stiffer penalities for animal abusers, I have years of experience fighting the good fight for the animals who have no voice.
It saddens and angers me to see other animal advocates who seem want to condemn and criticize others who have devoted their lives to the welfare and protection of animals. I will defend and stand by Jonnie England, Dr. John J. Pippin from insults and unfounded attacks on their integrity as animal welfare advocates. And I will speak out against those to continue to defend others who are guilty of animal abuse even inspite of overwheling evidence. Just because someone is acquitted or convicted of less crimes does not mean they are innocent.
This type of support is called enabling and
denial. People like Alicia Marie Martin, Laniq Adams, Karen Starr Wakeland all who claimed to the animal’s best friend are guilty of horrendous animal abuse crimes.
It takes months and months and sometimes years to fully investigate large scale animal abuse regarding animal rescue organizations and groups. John Stossel of
ABC 20/20 did his sleezy report a couple of years on puppy mill breeders in East Texas.
He put such a spin on his report that it made the good guys like the SPCA of Texas look like the criminal rather that the disgusting, dispictable puppy mill breeder.
Should I ever encounter Ms. Stossel I would spit in his face.
I do my due deligence investigating and reviewing the facts before I comment or take aaction.
There is so much more I could say but my time is best spent saving the animals and
lobbying on their behalf for protection and proscecution for those who abuse/kill/torture.
United we stand or divided we fall. The choice is yours.
Reagan,
“The world is a dangerous place not because of those who do evil, but because of those
who look on and do nothing.” Albert Einstein
Skeeter,
I do know what is involved in animal rescue
for local animal shelters. It is hearbreaking, very expensive, self-sacrificing work. One time I added up the amount of cat litter used for 6 months of fostering in our home. It was over 2,000 lbs.
Recently we spent over $2500 of our personal income to help rehabilitate and foster dogs rescued from Dallas Animal Shelter and The Colony Animal Shelter. The dogs are now in the most perfect forever home you can imagine. I know the heartbreak and emotional turmoil that a foster experiences when they must release the animal to the new owner at the point of adoption. This why the new owner must undergo an intensive backgroud investigation and application process.
Do you know who was involved in trying to rescue the animals from the Ferris Animal Shelter in the custody of the psuedo-animal rescue organization known as D.A.R.E.S.S?
It was JOHN PIPPIN and many others including myself attempting unsuccessfully to save these animals from the fate that followed by James Soaring Eagle Vonda. AND, PJ Boosinger who supposedly loves animals even contacted this animal criminal to offer her professional services. ARE YOU KIDDING ME! OUTRAGEOUS..
It sickens me to know that a cat was trapped iwithin the walls at Dallas Animal Services and allowed to die a slow,painful death. Those responsible should be held accountable,charged with animal cruelty and fired.
Kay – I have been giving you the benefit of the doubt while reading your posts on this issue – but with the following statement, you have proven that you know nothing:
“As for the circus, its just one more thing that shows how much you know about animals! THEY DON’T WORK FOR YOU IF THEY DON’T WANT TO DO IT.” [emp added]
Ever seen a sharp bull hook and do you know how it is used – pressed into the soft tissue around an elephant’s anus? Ever seen the pictures on television of baby elephants bound and dragged behind tractors to break their spirits by sadistic circus trainers? You really think a tiger jumps through a ring of fire because a trainer is holding a little treat that it will be fed when it reaches the other side? Do some research on circus animals and how they are trained before making such a ridiculous statement. You have negated any shred of credibility you had.
Reagan, once more you read and choose only the words that you want to hear. I did not question your efforts at rescue and fostering. I did say that you don’t know what I do. I do the same as you and have for many years…only much quieter. The animals welfare is always in my heart and my actions are a result of that love. Let’s stop this nonsense and spend our time taking care of those we love. By the way, my question has still not been answered by JE.
Get a clue Skeeter. JE does not spend her valuable time reading comments from fools. She was gracious enough last week to try to educate and enlighten some of the posters to this blog who so obviously knew nothing about the purpose of the HSUS audit of DAS. Her efforts were returned with vulgarity and ever more ignorant comments. She has long since returned to the important work that she does trying to help animals – and she certainly does not monitor this blog for questions or comments from you or your ilk.
Reasonable, I watched the videos you are referring to, the difference is I watched them WITH and WITHOUT the sound….I saw no hook being used on them at ALL ANYWHERE and I saw the elephant being moved ON DEEP SOFT DIRT in order NOT to HARM IT….you seem to see things others do not see and you can’t see anything accurately without taking off the blinders!
Animals do what they want to do out of love, most of the time, perhaps love for the humans involved and with TRUST and receiving treats. Its obvious that you never have had any true hands on work with one! or you haven’t even thought WHY you did it if so!!
Kay, You need help. You need an intervention to help you see what you refuse to see and believe. This sounds so much like the die hard supporters of animal hoarders. People who refuse to acknowledge the obvious. Reagan.
Beleive me when I say that Johnnie England is no busier than I. I just had a simple question and I have yet to have it answered. I don’t have time for this discourse either. You are certainly not being reasonable…better change your name.I have attacked no one and there has been no vulgarity from me…just a question that I would like to have answered. Especially since JE worked at a no-kill rescue organization, Operation Kindness. I do have a clue. I’m signing off this blog. It does no good and wastes time that could be spent doing what we all love to do…taking care of those we love.
Reagan, all you can do is name call, I’m signing off just as Skeeter has, its obvious that you are not interested in truth.
I am always seeking the truth….
The mega-commenter Reagan seems to forget that some of the people he (or she) is accusing of “horrendous crimes” were found innocent in a court of law.
One example: Laniq Adams was found NOT guilty of misdemeanor abuse in 2008 in literally nine minutes. Reagan can obtain court records of the trial if he/she is really “seeking the truth”.
Reading Reagan’s Aug. 8 comment over again, I’m guessing that he/she is well over the legal limit of animals and is perhaps hoarding them. How else does someone use all that cat litter – over 2,000 pounds in six months?
Reagan, you toss around libelous comments about Ms. Martin, Ms. Adams and Ms. Wakeland with no thought of proof, which should be no surprise because it’s difficult to provide proof where none exists. I would be careful if I were you. Those statements could land *you* in court, albeit civil rather than criminal. You erroneously state that Ms. Adams is guilty of animal abuse even though a jury of her peers found her not guilty of all charges (in under 9 minutes, no less!) despite the perjured testimony of several witnesses for the prosecution. Based upon many of your comments and the amount of venom in several of your posts, I wonder if you’re part of the coven (analogy intended) who were in large part responsible for those unfounded charges being brought against Ms. Adams? Those women like to *call* themselves rescuers, but when the work gets too hard or too dirty, they absent themselves from the tasks and adjourn to their ivory towers. POT. KETTLE. BLACK?
One quick question for Reagan: You seem quick to make accusations against people posting here for not revealing their “real” names, but I see that you post only as “Reagan,” with no identifiers and taking advantage of the same cloak of anonymity. Another case of POT, KETTLE, BLACK? The truth is a witch with a capital B, ain’t it, sweetheart? Are you willing to come out from behind your curtain? Or shall we all just treat you the same as the little man who did the same in the “Wizard of Oz?”
Speaking of anonymity, there isn’t a permit to rescue (that’s the law now you know!) under the name of Reagan, who can’t see the truth because his eyes are closed, so who’s name is your permit under? and have you been inspected yet?
This post has resulted in many interesting comments.
It has also shown that as long as those interested in helping the animals squabble, the animals will pay with their lives and continue to be victims of abuse.
Also, our community will have even greater problems with dog bite incidents, feral cats and other issues.
If we’re supposed to be the superior animals, can we please put aside this bickering and accomplish just a little more than sounding like “those crazy animal people”?
Does anyone play tennis?
Fly fishing sounds better, in the mountains. Catch and release of course!
OH and barbless hooks!
I could continue debating with confidence since I do have the facts surrounding the Adams, Martin and Wakeland cases. It would take too much time and space to respond. Plus, I am in agreement with the sensible and rational Ms.Prejean.
“For Mercy’s Sake”…..in memory of Mercy the pitbull.
There is a NO KILL CONFERENCE in AUSTIN on Sept 28, are any of the Dallas Shelter people going to attend that? Its Nathan Winograd
Excellent point, Jeanne, and with that, I will discontinue any bickering or responses to that. In answer to Joe’s question (although I believe it was directed to Reagan, though I may be mistaken), I do not have a “permit to rescue,” nor will I apply for one with the City of Dallas, because I believe that the “inmates are in charge of the asylum” with respect to Dallas’ City Government, but I’ve been doing rescue work for over 30 years, and currently have more than the “legal” limit of animals. If I reveal who I am, I risk having the same thing happen to me that has happened to all too many rescue groups and individuals in the recent political climate in Dallas.
To everyone who does rescue work, I applaud your efforts, and I grieve along with you with the loss of each and every one that doesn’t get helped.
Nathan Winograd Conference: I would love to attend but don’t have the funds. Austin is a very animal friendly city.
Although I agree that squabbling solves nothing, I also believe that unfounded allegations such as Reagan’s help keep DFW euthanasia rates high. There are two reasons for this:
1. Rescuers who are the victims of petty vendettas will be hampered from future rescuing because they cannot afford to retain an attorney. This is why Companion Animal Network is closing its doors.
2. When lies are spread about legitimate rescuers, more people will make the choice to surrender animals to kill shelters instead of rescue groups.
If Reagan has proof of her accusations, I suggest she send them to me via my blog (along with her real name) so I can publish them.
Kay, do you know any of the details on the conference in Austin? Where, etc? I would definitely like to attend. TIA.
Winograd and many directors of No Kill Shelters will be in Austin for a No
Kill Conference in late September. I hope to
see many more of Texas people there: we need to help make this happen.
http://nokillaustin.org/blog/ — go here for details.
This is going to be a well worthwhile investment of time and if you don’t spend the nite, its not that expensive even with late registration!
Kay, thanks for the details. I checked it out, and unfortunately, I won’t be able to attend because I have to work. I hope that friends who will be going will keep me updated on everything that happens. Thanks again.
Who is the shelter advisory committee? How are they connected to HSUS? If things have been so bad for so long, why haven’t the committee members been making some noise? We give and give and give and the numbers don’t get any better for the animals! Who are the committee members sleeping with? Make a list of all orgs and positions that the members are involved in and you will see the money trail and the reasons behind the status quo.
There will new leadership at DAS and I invite all to come in for a personal tour.
Especially “Feline Provocateur”.
How does one accept an invitation from a Mystery Guest?
Just come down to DAS and ask Mark Cooper to find me. He knows me very well. Maybe we can find some common ground in which to help animals in peril. What do you think?