Looking for a New Puppy? Don't Buy the Pet Store Lies

Photo credit: Frank Schemberger

If you are still in the pet store looking at puppies, even after you know the truth about the "USDA licensed breeders"  from my blog last week; here are some of the other lies and spin that the pet store staff will try to feed you.


1. The Adoption Trick


Today's pet store puppies comes to you from Madison, Wisconsin. A large, popular store that uses the term "adoption" in their marketing. You could "adopt" a pug puppy for $800 and feel all warm and fuzzy about the wonderful thing you are doing.

Adopting pets is very trendy right now and the pet store industry is trying to cash in on this trend with clever marketing and wording.   Some pet stores will purposely keep their puppies in extremely stark, small cages  to make the shopper feel sorry for them. Then the shoppers can feel like they are "rescuing" the puppy by "adopting" it. Don't buy the lie. It's not an adoption or a rescue - it's a sale. A  pet store sale of a puppy mill puppy.


2. The Money Back Guarantee


Some stores will try to lure you with a promise of a money-back guarantee knowing  full well that you will be emotionally attached to that puppy about five minutes after you walk out the door with it. Customers rarely return puppies, because they are afraid of the puppy's outcome; so the pet store doesn't have to make good on the "money-back guarantee". Instead, the customer will absorb the cost of the vet bills when their puppy becomes ill or has genetic flaws, as many pet store puppies do.

The worst case scenario? The new owner can't afford the vet bills and the puppy is surrendered to an animal shelter, contributing to our already overburdened shelter system.


3. The Small, Local, Reputable Breeder Lie


Pet stores will try to convince you that their puppies come from small, local, reputable breeders. Don't be fooled. Small, reputable breeders don't supply pet stores. They have enough demand for their puppies already; because their puppies are sociable, healthy and home-raised. Why would they pay a high margin to the pet store, when they can get the full sales price themselves? Pet store puppies come from commercial breeders who are only concerned with profit.

Some pet stores will tell you that they will reveal the breeder's name and location; but not until you've signed on the dotted line. Again, they know that once you walk out that door with the puppy, the likelihood is very low that you will return it.  If pet store staff  do give you the name and location, call their bluff and check out the breeder and his facility. You should be allowed to see both of the puppy's parents and the whole facility . You should be allowed to interact with the puppy's parents; checking their temperament and their health.


4. The "Mark Them Up, then Mark Them Down" Trick


Most pet store puppies are overpriced to begin with. It is very common to see the original price "slashed"out in red crayon on the glass, with a "reduced price" below to make it look like the puppy is a good deal. Be an educated consumer and check the prices at your local shelter and at the truly reputable breeders in your area.


Don't buy the pet store lies this Christmas season. Real adoptions occur at shelters, humane organizations, or rescues. Adopt, Don't Shop.  


Thank you to my friend and Wisconsin Voters For Companion Animals advisor, Frank Schemberger for providing the photos and the details of the Christmas pet store puppies. A series of these photos and writeups are circulating on Facebook and in local Wisconsin on-line publications. Frank has worked tirelessly over the last several years, photographing and exposing the cruel pet store trade in the Midwest.

The Pendulum Swing

This fall, the two organizations I am involved with, Lost Dogs of Wisconsin and Wisconsin Voters for Companion Animals have been attending several pet-related events around the state.

On one such occasion,  I took the back roads and thoroughly enjoyed the drive:  through scenic farmland and rolling hills. Most of Wisconsin is like this and I was travelling only a very small portion. We are the nation's largest producers of cheese, cranberries, oats and snap beans. Wisconsin ranks second (only behind California) in the number of organic farms and the value of organic sales. There are 78,000 farms in Wisconsin totalling more than fifteen million acres.  Agriculture is second only to manufacturing, as the driving force behind Wisconsin's economy. This doesn't include the thousands of hobby farms and acreage dwellers.

I started to think about  how much of our animal welfare community has lost touch with reality and the rest of Wisconsin. The pendulum of animal welfare has swung so far past the middle ground - into the realm of unrealistic expectations of "perfect" inside homes.

One of my good friends has spent most of her adult life working in animal welfare. She used to manage a small rural shelter in Wisconsin eighteen years ago. They adopted out barn cats then. Not so anymore. It saddens me to think of the lives lost because one small shelter changed a policy. Then multiply that by the hundreds of shelters and rescues  in Wisconsin, many who have implemented increasingly restrictive adoption policies in a misguided attempt to save lives. Thankfully, some shelters are reversing the trend,  to more open adoption policies that actually DO save lives.

Restrictive adoption practices: no farm dogs, no barn cats, no children, must have fenced yards. The KC Dog Blog wrote an excellent piece on this a couple of weeks ago " Loving Homeless Pets to Death"

I recently received this email from a rural Wisconsinite who had stumbled across my blog about barn cats:

 "I just read this blog of yours and am contacting you about the same situation with dogs. Specifically, since you are in favor of Barn Cats, are you also in favor of "Barn Dogs'? I want to adopt a dog (not a puppy) that will be kept outside, but obviously there is no shelter or rescue group that would ever let this happen. I am tired of being judged on how it is better to kill a dog than let it enjoy a yard with a family, food, and shelter."

Unfortunately, I didn't have a good answer for her.

Small,  rural shelters will suffer the most from these bad policies. If you aren't a welcoming place for your whole community you are doomed. If you deny adoptions and make judgmental decisions about the people who walk through your door, then don't expect donations to come flooding in when you ask for them. At a small shelter, the pool of available donors is pretty small - so you better not have turned them away or turned them off  when they came to you to adopt, surrender or find their lost pet.

When will the pendulum swing back to  the middle ground of common sense? When shelter and rescue staff , volunteers and management realize that their misguided philosophies are killing animals, instead of saving them.

Bravo to the Myth Slayers

This is Little Belle. She was fostered at Community Cat  for THREE YEARS and then adopted on the first day of the October black cat promotion. The new owner has  emailed about  how well Little Belle is doing, how quickly she acclimated, and what an amazing cat she is. 

Rumors are easy to start but hard to dispel. More often than not, more people read the original incorrect story than ever hear the correction that may be made later.  They regurgitate the same old myths for weeks, months and even years. Last week a rumor circulated like wildfire via social media that nails had been found in bits of cheese in dog parks in Chicago and Massachusetts.  A picture of a handful of cheesy nails accompanied the story and I must have seen it a hundred times those first couple of days.

Well, the rumor was just that. A rumor.  Snopes investigated and found the original story had come out of Argentina in July. There never were any cheesy nails or antifreeze in water bowls in dog parks in America as the story had reported. But I’m not sure if the truth circulated as widely as the rumor and I wouldn’t be surprised if there are still dog owners avoiding dog parks because of it. Poor dogs, sitting at home during the most beautiful fall weather of the year, because of a rumor.

When we allow ourselves to be held hostage by rumors and myths we lose. And animals in shelters potentially lose their lives.

I am thrilled to see that Community Cat from Whitewater, Wisconsin is facing down the myth of Black Cat Halloween adoptions head on. This is such an old wive’s tale that I couldn’t believe that people even bought into it anymore. But apparently they do.

Community Cat announced on their Facebook page: 
"OH YES WE ARE! Black cat adoption fees will be reduced to $13 for the month of October! Happy Halloween!";

Several fans commented with their concerns. The same thing happened late last week when Rock County Humane Society announced black cat specials. Facebook fans immediately jumped in to express their unhappiness.

So, if you STILL believe that Satan worshippers are waiting to scoop up black cats out of shelters for Halloween – here’s an article from Best Friends Animal Society for you.  And besides, adopters are still screened with normal adoption criteria. If someone flies in and parks their broom outside your shelter door you always have the right to deny them.

Austin Pets Alive has “ Putting the FUN in fungus “ adoption events – where cats with ringworm are adopted out with a goodie bag full of the treatment supplies.  I Love It! For goodness sakes – it’s a FUNGUS, not a life threatening disease. But some shelters are so worried about the consequences of going public when they have a ringworm case that they’ll  “depopulate’ and kill every animal with a hint of a ringworm spore rather than face the fungus head on and educating the public about this minor skin condition.

Most good shelters and rescues now realize that the Christmas holidays ARE a good time to adopt out pets. People are off from work and school and have the time to spend with their new pets.  Last year the IAMS Home for the Holidays promotion resulted in over 1 million adoptions throughout North America. This year they are aiming for 1.5 million adoptions.  How’s that for a live-saving myth buster?

What other myths does your shelter or rescue bust?  Kudos to you. I’d love to hear them.

Trying to squash a rumor is like trying to unring a bell. - Shana Alexander

Aspen's Story: Unadoptable? Says Who?

This is Aspen. He was one of the last remaining Bichon Frises from the Puppy Haven buyout by Wisconsin Humane Society in 2008. As controversial as this was,  it did result in the closure of this breeding facility and you can read more about it here in the Milwaukee Magazine article entitled  Puppy Hell.

Aspen didn't meet the criteria for adoptability at a local shelter. He was too shy. He was not fear aggressive and would never have bitten anyone.  He was just incredibly shy and shut down. He was transferred to Bichon and Little Buddies Rescue in Mukwonago to have another chance at life.

Aspen just needed some time and some understanding. Car rides were first because he had no idea how to walk on a leash.  He would sit in his little seat belt and we'd go to the McDonald's drive thru for a coffee. Then I'd park and hold him in my lap so that he could watch the people coming and going from McDonalds and the grocery store. It was the first time I ever saw any life in his eyes. One of my friends said - "It's like he has no soul. There is nothing when you look into his eyes."

I used to take him back and forth from the rescue but pretty soon I was taking him home for sleepovers. He enjoyed those a lot. He also loved the dog park and it was the first time I ever saw him run. It was also the first time the other dog park patrons saw me run (not a pretty sight). I would run across the open field yelling "Run, Aspen Run!" trying to encourage his little stiff legs to go faster than a trot.

His eyes started to light up for meals and treats and pretty soon he was jumping through a hula hoop and running through an agility tunnel in our backyard.

I remember telling prospective adopters "Aspen is really, really shy, but he knows how to jump through a hoop!'' in my best salespitch-type voice. A useful life skill, indeed.

By this time Aspen was living full-time at our house. We needed to make arrangements for our dogs while we went on our fall vacation to Best Friends and the No More Homeless Pets conference. An interested family said they would try him at their home while I was gone.

Aspen struck it rich. The wonderful, caring family decided he was a perfect fit for their quiet household and lifestyle.  Although I miss him tremendously, he is living the life he deserves. Something to erase those first five or so years of his life that must have been so horrible. The years that removed any expression, any "soul" from his eyes.

So here are some pictures of Aspen with his new family who don't think of him as unadoptable, just adorable.

Aspen's first Halloween

Chillin' out.

Aspen waiting for his dinner in a motel room while on vacation.

Aspen's first camping trip!

And here is a picture of an aspen tree taken at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in the fall. It stood out glowing yellow on the hillside,  a reminder to me that a dog that was once "unadoptable" is now the shining light of a family's life.

Return? Or Sleep-Over?



Julep, from Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, on an outing.

 I thought this story was interesting enough to share. I could identify the shelter involved but I won't because I can see this happening in many shelters. I always wonder if shelter directors ask "secret shoppers" to come in and then relay their customer service experience, so the director can implement training for staff that are treating customers (potential donors and adopters) badly.

Here's the story:

A 55'ish woman (I'll call her Beth), professional but semi-retired,  divorced , no kids and self-sufficient; was thinking that it would be nice to have a dog for companionship. She had the time and resources to spend and was a little lonely. She thought she would like to adopt an older dog that needed a home and who would enjoy walks and outings. So she headed off down to her local shelter with a hopeful heart. Her family had a black lab when she was growing up so that's what she decided to look for.

Wouldn't you know it? The shelter had just put a litter of black lab puppies onto the adoption floor. Beth visited on a Thursday afternoon and fell in love with a puppy (who doesn't?). She filled out her application form and went home to anxiously await a decision. The shelter said that she should hear by Friday if she had been approved. Friday morning came and the shelter called to say Beth had passed all the requirements with flying colors.

Beth headed to the local pet supply store to buy the latest and greatest pet supplies in eager anticipation of her new arrival. Friday afternoon she went to the shelter to pick up her puppy, sign the adoption papers, pay the adoption fee and head home with her new little bundle of joy. Somewhere in the next few hours she realized she had made a horrible mistake. She realized she had gotten a puppy on impulse and that this little guy would make a perfect dog for a family with an active lifestyle.  She needed an older, steady companion. Saturday morning she packs up the puppy with his puppy supplies and returns to the shelter before they opened so that he would be back on the adoption floor for the busy Saturday hours.

She was hoping to explain her situation and be able to choose an older dog that would suit her needs. She really didn't think there would be a problem.

Guess what? She was not able to choose an older dog OR receive a refund for the puppy. She was treated with disdain and disgust. The staff made her feel like she was the most horrible person in the world for returning the puppy.

Stop for one minute and think how you would feel if you were treated this way in a retail establishment? You bought something and returned it in good faith and then were made to feel like the scum of the earth. Would you tell a friend? Or two? Or ten -  about the bad treatment you received? I think so. Maybe you would put it on Facebook and tell a hundred or a thousand people.

Why do shelters consider returns as failures? Best Friends Animal Society has a sleepover program. You visit their sanctuary, volunteer for the day, and then can check out one of their sanctuary dogs for an overnight stay at your hotel. In the morning you bring the dog back and fill out a short report on the dog's behavior and experience. It's a win-win situation. The dog gets socialized, it gets out of the sanctuary for a few hours, and it gets more on it's "resume" that can be shared with potential adopters. You have a great time with a great dog. It's not a return - it's a sleep-over. The program is SO successful it is now being offered with cats.

Some of my best memories of being at Best Friends are the hours I've spent with a dog that I've taken out.

Back to Beth's story. Beth chalked it up as a learning experience.  She headed to the next closest shelter where she chose her new best friend . She has become a loyal supporter and donor. And she has told more than a few people about her bad experience at the first shelter.

We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts.
It’s our job every day to make every important aspect of the customer experience a little bit better.
Jeff Bezos, CEO Amazon.com

Why Are You Killing the Cats? (Part 2 of "The Correct Answer is...")

Puma, a healthy happy barn cat

A couple of weeks ago I started a blog series on questions that you can ask your shelter director to determine their commitment to life-saving. These questions will help you decide if it is the sort of place that you want to give your hard-earned money to or volunteer at. If it is an animal control facility or a private facility which holds the stray contracts for the municipality,  then your tax dollars are going there also and you have a right to know the answers to these questions. Remember, emailing is okay! Emails give you written proof of the responses.

Today I'm going to focus on the outdoor cat questions, a biggie.  Nationwide - over 70% of cats that enter shelters are killed. (Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission killed 69% of cats entering its doors in 2009 and 67% in 2010) How did cats get in such a bad way? Basically, because sometime in the 1980's humane societies began endorsing adoption policies that only allowed indoor cats. Many animal shelters have never let go of this notion.  Cats have lived outdoors for thousands of years and yet most Wisconsin shelters have "indoor only" cat adoption policies. Really? In the Dairy State? With all of those farms and barns and mice for cats to manage?

Try it for yourself. Go into your local shelter and ask if you can adopt a barn cat. Watch as they gasp and sputter in horror and deny you before you are even allowed to fill out an application. These shelters would rather kill cats with litter box or behavior issues which prevent them from being house cats, than adopt them out to good farm homes.

Many shelters consider feral cats, shy cats or cats with litter box issues "unadoptable". So shelters can say they are saving all the "adoptable" cats because they have twisted the words to defend their killing.

The other problem is that many shelter staff cannot distinguish between a true feral cat and a scared, lost cat. Many lost pet cats are killed because they were deemed "feral" when they were really just terrified of the noises and smells of the shelter.

Yes, feral cats are unadoptable and should be spayed/neutered, vaccinated and re-released where they were found. Shy cats or those with other behavior or litter box issues are very adoptable as barn cats (or other workplace cats).

Below is the euthanasia policy for cats for at one Wisconsin shelter. Ask to see YOUR shelter's policy. On the flip side, here is a Model Feral Cat Policy put out by the No Kill Advocacy Center as well as their Life Saving Matrix. Compare the three documents and see the difference for yourself.

xxxx Humane Society
Criteria for euthanasia are as follows:
1. Cat is feral.
2. Cat is positive for FIV or Feline Leukemia
3. FIP is suspected
4. Ringworm is confirmed
5. Health is poor
6. Behavior issues - may include issues such as; not using the litter box, not socialized, bite cases
7. Owner requested


So you can see that it is pretty tough for a shy, feral, or litter box-challenged cat to have a second chance at life at the above "shelter".  Why then is it called a shelter? Shelters should be about life, not death.
Here's my list of questions  to ask your shelter director regarding outdoor cats to make sure they're getting a fair chance at life:

1.   Do you participate in a Trap Neuter Release program? The correct answer is yes. If the answer is no, and most Wisconsin shelters do not have TNR programs; then they get a big fat fail. Every national animal organization now endorses TNR (except PETA) and there is no reason for a shelter not to do so. Even the National Animal Control Association supports TNR.  Listen very carefully to your shelter's answer. Some shelters are appearing to support TNR on their websites when in fact, they're not (more on that soon). The only thing I dislike worse than a bad shelter, is a shelter that lies to the public to get donations and support.

If they claim that they can't do it because of local ordinances that prohibit it, then ask -

1a) Do you have a volunteer political action committee in place to change those ordinances? The correct answer is yes.  Shelters need to take an active political stand in their community on the side of life-saving. Shelter management and board members that are hiding behind the coat tails of their city council to defend their killing are not acting in the animals' best interest and do not deserve your hard-earned money.

1b) Are you working with a group that does the TNR for you and re-releases the cats. Some of these Wisconsin groups are listed on the left hand side of my blog. (if your TNR group is not listed please contact me).  If the answer is still no - then I seriously question the shelter's commitment to lifesaving. Feral and outdoor cats are our biggest issue in Wisconsin shelters right now.

2. Does your shelter rent or loan out cat traps? The correct answer is no. If the answer is yes and they are not actively involved in a TNR program then they are participating in the failed model of "catch and kill". Here's a blog entry I wrote on this - The Magically Disappearing Cat

3. Do you have a Barn Buddy or Barn Cat program? The correct answer is yes.  If the answer is no, ask why. Many cats lives could be saved with a Barn Buddy program in place. Barn cats are spayed, neutered and vaccinated and then adopted to good farm homes that agree to provide food and shelter. Most farms value their cats and the mousing services they provide.  Here is a blog I wrote regarding the barn cats where I board my horses: Still Mousing After All These Years

Some shelter directors will argue that if they start a Barn Cat program it will send a mixed message to the public about cats living outdoors. Really? You think the public is that stupid? Please, give people some credit.  Put a sign on the cage - This cat is for an indoor home only. Or - This cat is suitable for a farm home. Use the opportunity to educate people and show them that you value all life - not just the lives of indoor cats. It's a win-win situation. The cats get to live, and your shelter shows compassion (and probably picks up some extra donations at the same time).

In closing, I want to make it perfectly clear that I don't recommend that people let their inside cats outdoors. Living outdoors comes with risks (living indoors also comes with risks: stress, obesity, boredom). But the biggest risk for cats right now is not living outdoors. The biggest risk is ending up in an animal shelter.

Next time I'll focus on  health and behavior questions for both dogs and cats. See you then! Be brave, take your courage pills and ask the questions! I would love to hear the answers. My email address is on the left hand side of the page.

For more information on lifesaving ideas and information for outdoor cats go to AlleyCat.org and voxfelina.com

People that hate cats will come back as mice in their next life. ~Faith Resnick

Who's On Board for a No Kill Nation?

Good Morning,

I'm sitting on the 14th floor of the aft deck of the Celebrity Solstice as I write this, watching the deep blue waters of the Caribbean ocean slide away behind the cruise ship. My husband and I are enjoying an anniversary cruise, a gift he gave to me that he says is payback for the horrible winter months we spent last year while he recovered from total knee replacement surgery and I was his nurse and chauffeur. Hey, for better or for worse, right? Well, I'm enjoying the better now.

This is our first cruise and the jury is still out on whether it is our type of vacation or not. We're generally more of the national park, drive and hike, type of people. But regardless, I defy anyone; even those who hate cruising to not be amazed by the efficiency with which the cruise ship staff house, feed and entertain over 2500 people while still making you feel like you're the most important person in the world. I'm still trying to find a way to stuff our cabin steward into my suitcase when we leave.

Yesterday, we were docked next to Allure of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world, making our little ship look like a Yorkie next to a Great Dane. And still, people we talked to in port said the service on board that mammoth ship was excellent also.

So what does this have to do with animal sheltering? Somehow animal sheltering staff seem to think that they have cornered the market on "impossible" problems to solve. That they alone have staff, logistics, inventory, and customer service problems that are unique. Sorry, I just don't buy it and when those types of lame excuses cause shelter deaths in our communities it makes me furious.

Service With a Smile: How many times do we hear that shelter staff have low morale because it is a low paying, long hours, dirty work type of job? Staff on this ship work for six months in a row without any days off. AND they smile and say good morning to everyone that walks by. Many are from different parts of the world, but not all. Most I have talked to love their job - whether it is cleaning rooms, attending the restrooms, tending bar, or squirting endless hand sanitizer on us as we enter the food service areas.

How many times have I walked into an animal shelter and not even been acknowledged by a staff member or volunteer? One local shelter has a comment card at the front desk, a great idea. It has check boxes so that you can check off how many minutes you waited before being served. Funny thing is - there is no box for NEVER, which was my experience. Even though there were several staff and volunteers in sight, chatting amongst themselves; nobody ever acknowledged that I was there. I finally had to figure out which door to go through to see the adoptable dogs on my own.

Inventory and logistics: Somehow cruise line food and beverage managers figure out exactly how much needs to be on board. I'd bet they'd chuckle at what animal shelters consider monumental problems - not enough small dogs in the north, too many kittens at one time of the year - not enough at another; a shortage of canned cat food some days; too much laundry on Mondays.

On the first day, my husband and I sat on deck and watched the K9 unit sniff the cargo as it was being loaded on board. Hundreds of pallets of food and supplies, let alone getting 2500 people's luggage delivered to their stateroom door in less than two hours. Not forgetting, they had just docked and unloaded 2500 people from the previous cruise at 7 a.m. that same morning. Plus... the busy cruise port had eight other ships leaving at approximately the same time as ours. Delivery trucks, airport and hotel shuttles, taxis, all getting to the right place at the right time. It boggles my mind. Getting all that food, drink, luggage, fuel on board for on time sailings. And they do it every day. Safely and efficiently.

Customer Satisfaction: The ship's crew always has the attitude of how they can make it right for the customer. Last night my husband and I were seated in one of the ship's speciality restaurants - serving Asian fusion cuisine. The older couple at the table next to us were experimenting for the first time and had obviously never had sushi before. The wait staff and maitre' d couldn't have been more helpful. They explained the menu, brought samples and kept a good sense of humor - even when the couple curled their noses at some of the food. Does the staff at your animal shelter do that? Or do they roll their eyes and comment on how some people just "don't GET it" when they have to explain housebreaking and exercise requirements.

Needless, to say - the couple at the next table left satisfied - happy they had tried something new. They may not eat sushi again for awhile , but I bet they won't have any problem recommending the restaurant to friends. Wouldn't it be nice to think that everyone that left our animal shelters and rescues felt the same way? Even if they didn't choose a new pet, that they felt like they had been treated respectfully and patiently?

So other than the feeling of being well sanitized, I kind of enjoy this pampering. Some people would say it's over indulgence. And I'm usually one of those types of critics. I often gauge prices in "spay and neuter" economics. My mind is calculating - just think of how many spay and neuter surgeries that could have paid for. But then I  smack myself in the head for that narrow minded view and think of the bigger picture. Commerce makes the world go round. The money spent by tourists both in ports and onboard helps animals also. Staff, families and townspeople whose lives are dependent on tourism have pets. When people have a better way of life - so do their animals.

And with that - I'm signing off from the Celebrity Solstice. Good Day.

Today I Mourn

Today is the one year anniversary of the death of our Jack Russell Terrier, Jasper.  He would have been fourteen.  He developed heart problems in the last couple of years of his life and he died in my arms as we were driving to the vet to have him euthanized. He was the light of my life and my constant companion for over thirteen years. The picture at the top of my blog is one of the last I have of him - taken on a sunny day last fall.

We got Jasper in 1996. I wanted a Jack Russell and wanted to adopt a dog.  I thought I could give a rescue dog a second chance and a good life.  Anybody that knows Jack Russells know that they are big dogs in a small body - they are a highly energetic, happy, happy, happy,  play, play, play kind of dog. They are sometimes purchased or adopted because of their small size and clean appearance by people who don't understand their prey drive, hunting background and need for a lot of exercise.  So they are often  surrendered because of behavior issues that arise from a lack of mental stimulation and physical activity. 

In 1996 - the AKC had not yet "recognized" the breed. There were no "Parson Russell Terriers" yet.  Only Jack Russell terriers who were registered by the Jack Russell Terrier Club of America. The JRTCA was and still is determined to preserve the working characteristics of the breed.  In 1996 there was not the confusing array of rescues that exist now.  There was no Petfinder.  To adopt a JRT I went to the only source I knew - the national rescue that was run by the JRTCA.  I was denied because we didn't have a fenced yard.

So I did what any determined dog lover would do.  I contacted a breeder.  She had a pet quality puppy that would be perfect for me.  I didn't really want a puppy - I wanted to give an older dog a home. But what's a girl to do? The breeder didn't ask me if I had a fenced yard. She did give me a lot of information about the exercise requirements and breed characteristics of Jack Russell terriers. So the puppy came to live with us.  We named him Jasper.

We lived in four locations over the years without fenced yards: Maryland, Texas and two in Wisconsin. We don't like fenced yards. We choose to live in subdivisions without fences.  Jasper never ran away.  He never got lost. 

Jasper and I went to Jack Russell events.  He enjoyed everything. He did Jack Russell racing, Go to Ground, agility, obedience.  He achieved his Canine Good Citizen certificate.  He flew under the seat in the cabin on airplanes. But his true love was flyball.  We played on Just Say Go, a flyball team in Texas from 1998 until 2005 when we moved to Wisconsin.  We then joined Hair Force One, a team that we played on until he retired at the age of twelve.  We travelled around Texas, Missouri,  Florida, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa staying in hotel rooms and playing flyball.

Was I such a bad owner? Did I really not deserve a rescue dog? I guess I'll never really know or understand.

So today I mourn.  I mourn for my beloved Jasper.  But more than that, I mourn for the dog I could have adopted and given a good life to.  And I mourn for the hundreds of thousands of dogs that have lost their lives because of denied adoptions.  When one is saved - room is made for another.

Still Mousing After All These Years

Squeak, the barn cat - twelve years old

This is Squeak. That's not his real name, but that's what I call him because of the silly noise he makes when he's trying to talk me into getting the cat treats out of my tack trunk.  He has trained a bunch of us at the barn very well.

Squeak is one of three barn cats at the boarding facility where my husband and I keep our horses. They were all from the same litter of kittens many years ago. They are neutered and at least twelve years old.

The other day I was sitting on the bench removing my riding boots (Squeak likes to help me with the laces) and I asked him this question. I said "Squeak, would you have been better off dead?" He looked at me with horror and I swear his squeak went up three levels.

"Cause, you know Squeak, a lot of people feel that having a cat in a barn is inhumane. That it would have been better off to kill you than adopt you out to a nice barn home."

I daresay that I think Squeak and his two brothers are VERY happy barn cats. They behead mice and leave them for us to discover. They dodge barn swallows. They sleep in the hay on warmer nights and on the coldest nights they have a kitty door that goes into the laundry/feed room where their beds are. They have plenty of food, water and a never ending stream of visitors to feed them kitty treats. They can often be found on the laps of visitors watching riding lessons. They have the largest litter box in the world (the indoor riding arena). And if they could speak I'm sure they would assure you that they would rather not have been dead these last twelve years.

This farm is only one of many that I have either worked at, boarded or visited over the past 25 years. I can probably count on one hand the number of poorly cared for barn cats that I have seen on horse farms. But unfortunately we still have shelters here in Wisconsin and around the nation that will not adopt out cats to a barn home. They have an "inside cat only" policy. (Thumbs up and a big thank you to the shelters that DO have Barn Buddy programs.) 

"Inside only" cat policies cause cat deaths. It may be fine for the cat that is waiting for an inside only home - but not so great for the one waiting in the wings to get onto the adoption floor. And barns NEED cats - how else do you manage mice and rats - through the horrendous use of poisons that cause a slow and painful death and endanger other pets and wildlife?

I talked to a lady at the dog park the other day. Her husband, a retired farmer, had gone to a shelter to adopt an indoor cat. They looked at his address, knew he was a farmer and assumed he was lying and that he was going to let the cat live in the barn - so denied his adoption. Good grief! So now adoption counsellors are trained in lie detection? Why not just take a chance and save a life?

If you have an inside cat, great! I'm not advocating that you let it outside. There are risks involved with outside cats, especially those in urban neighborhoods. But there are also risks involved with having indoor cats - including obesity and the diseases that accompany it.

It's time for shelters and rescues to get over the concept that a cat is better off dead than to have a good home on a farm. Especially those that have been surrendered for litterbox issues or for not getting along with other cats in the home.  Squeak and his brothers vote yes to barn life!

The Elderly - How We're Failing the People Who Need Their Pets the Most

Any of you that know me personally know that I'm a low maintenance type of person. Everything I own has to be wash n'wear. My hair, my clothes, my dogs. I've always had short haired terriers and every once in awhile after they've rolled in something stinky, I toss them in the laundry sink and suds them up. Other than nail trimming, that's the grooming regime.

So it came as a huge surprise when I fostered a puppy mill bichon frise last summer to learn how much I didn't know about dog grooming. It seemed like every time I turned around he was looking like a pitiful little dirtball. Our daily four mile hike in the woods required a half hour de-burring afterwards otherwise he spent the day looking sort of like a hedgehog. I got sticker shock when I found out the cost of professional grooming - more than several days worth of groceries for a lot of people.

These types of dogs (which for lack of a better term, I usually call small fluffies) are generally perfect for senior citizens. They are small, low shedding, pretty agreeable in temperament, and do not usually have the same high exercise requirements as the working terriers.  They fall into the "highly adoptable" category in our shelter and rescue system. Especially if they have come from a home environment (not a puppy mill) and are well-socialized and house broken.

Now, I am speaking from a Wisconsin perspective. And I would be interested to know if this phenomenon is happening elsewhere around the country.  When there are small fluffies with the above characteristics available in a brick and mortar shelter - they are usually adopted within a week, often within a day, and sometimes within an hour, of hitting the adoption floor. There may be several applications on one dog and there may be a lineup of people waiting to see that dog at opening time. They attract people to the shelter - kind of like a "door buster" special on Black Friday. So even though there may be only one small fluffy on the floor - the additional traffic generates other adoptions and retail sales in the shelter. Highly adoptables have no fear of being "euthanized" and most of the shelters wish there were a lot more of them.

So, back to my commentary from my last blog. Here's the scenario:

The small fluffies are owned by elderly folks in the city. The dog has a happy home and life, but then one day, maybe the owner needs a new prescription for their health or an extra trip to the doctor, or whatever. The dog is still well fed and healthy but the time between groomings often lapses into longer and longer spans. Pretty soon the dog is having that slightly neglected look. Plus it's hard with arthritic hands to brush coats and trim nails. The dog for whatever reason ends up at animal control. It is assumed to be abused and neglected. It is considered a "stray". Not a lost pet.

The elderly often:
1) have no computer or internet to check to see where the dog is
2) have no transportation
3) have poor English or poor hearing
4) do not have enough money to reclaim their dog (without sacrificing their rent, groceries, prescriptions, etc.)

And guess what - the dog comes off of stray hold and wham, bam, it's adopted to a nice, rich family in the suburbs.

I don't want to get into anecdotes here, for fear of identifying people, but I could fill a book with the stories that I've heard about how older people could not afford to reclaim their dog and were made to feel guilty and irresponsible.  So they just ask that someone would give their beloved dog a good home.

I find it embarrassing and inconceivable that we as a society allow this to happen. Need I say more?

Successful shelters and animal control facilities of the future will have services for seniors - volunteers and staff that are specifically trained to help seniors of all ethnicities  - whether it be with transportation, pet food and grooming "pantries", lost pet assistance,  and safe keeping for hospital stays.  Pet ownership has significant health and emotional benefits to seniors that has been well-documented in several studies. The goodwill that these services  generate will more than make up for the lost revenue from the small fluffies.

We Take From the Poor - And Give to the Rich (What's Wrong With This Picture?)

I just finished reading an article in the latest edition of Best Friends magazine (link not yet available) regarding the City of Calgary's Animal Services division. This is only the latest in a string of accolades for the department and for it's director, Bill Bruce. I have followed the stories closely, both out of a sense of national pride ( I am also Albertan) and an immense admiration for the success that the program has had. I have listened to Bill Bruce speak at national conferences and I enjoy his no-nonsense style.

I totally agree with Ledy VanKavage, senior legislative analyst for Best Friends Animal Society in a recent blog - Bill Bruce and his department would be  good candidates for cloning.

What I want to highlight is the numbers from this latest article - nothing short of amazing. In 2009, Calgary picked up 4291 dogs and 3711 of them were returned to their people. Of those dogs, 1163 were driven directly home and never saw the inside of the shelter.  (That means -  it never cost the taxpayer money in vaccinations, drugs for upper respiratory infections, spay/neuter costs if adoptable, euthanasia drugs, cremation costs, body disposal costs; let alone the labor costs for caring for the animal during the stray hold period or while awaiting adoption).

I would like to clear up any confusion for those of you newer to animal welfare to a couple of definitions and the problems with them.

Animal control is a service provided by the local government that was originally designed to protect the public from dangerous dogs and rabies outbreaks from stray animals. It is paid for with tax dollars and the level of service varies upon the municipality or county where you live. The term animal control is outdated and implies that the animals are "out of control". Some newer more progressive agencies are changing their name to Animal Services or other variations.

Animal shelters may or may not hold the animal control contracts for the county or municipality that they serve. So the funding they receive may be partially taxpayer, all taxpayer, or all donations. I think the name "animal shelter" can also be deceiving because it implies that the animals are "safe" once they have arrived there. Of course, we know that nothing is further from the truth. But, orginally, animal shelters were designed to protect animals from irresponsible people.

So, in a nutshell, animal control protects people from animals. Animal shelters protect animals from people. Two very different concepts. Watch the 20 minute video Strayed - How Animal Welfare Lost It's Way for a more indepth look at this.

To make ends meet a lot of animal shelters need to hold animal control contracts. Animal control contracts provide a stable source of income, whereas income from donations can fluctuate widely depending on a number of factors.

Humane societies and animal shelters are interchangeable terms. There is no national governing body for any of the above although there are several national agencies that provide resources and guidance.

Okay - on to the new stuff:

We have focused for so long on adoption numbers in the past - that we have overlooked the number of animals brought in to a shelter as an opportunity to reduce shelter killing. By bringing down the "intake" numbers they can't be killed. You don't believe the strange looks I get from people when I talk about this. I guess they can't wrap their heads around it yet.

They think that every "stray" dog and cat out there needs to be "saved". But is bringing them into a shelter "saving" them? I see it as a sort of reverse Robin Hoodism. Let's snatch the pets away from the irresponsible poor people of the inner city and find them "better" homes with the rich people in the suburbs. Hmm. Arrogance at it's finest.

Works fine for the highly adoptable dogs - but not so fine for the majority of mid to large breed mixes. We can't expect every one to want to adopt a large mixed breed dog.

Why not return them to their owners?

Once an animal is at animal control - the dollars (reclaim fees) start to quickly add up. Some shelters charge a call out fee, every animal must be vaccinated and then there is daily boarding. It is not unusual for the costs to reclaim your dog to be well over $100 for a 24 hour stay at "the pound". Then of course, there is a strong likelihood that your pet will come down with an upper respiratory infection common in overcrowded municipal shelters.

Start to multiply this by a few days and pretty soon you could be looking at what would equal the car payment or the rent for a lower income family. Don't forget - not every one has a credit card or the money in the bank. They might need to wait until the next payday to come and get their dog. Pretty soon - it's become more than they can afford.

Here's a few more reasons for unclaimed dogs:

1) no transportation (and you can't take your dog on the bus)
2) no computer or access to the internet to see if the dog is there
3) work several jobs and are not able to get the dog during business hours
4) do not speak English and by the time they figure out where their dog is and how to get it back they can't afford to
5) have outstanding warrants and are concerned about coming to a government agency to reclaim their dog
6) are illegal immigrants and are concerned about coming to a government agency to reclaim their dog

What does it boil down to? The dog gets left at animal control. Taking up the space of a needier animal when it had a perfectly good home that it could have gone back to. 

I'm not talking fighting dogs or mistreated dogs here. I'm talking about family-friendly mid to large breed dogs that have not been abused and are showing up by the hundreds in our shelters.

And the reality is: these were dog-loving owners. So at some point - they're going to go out and get another dog. And the cycle begins again.

What can be done to improve the system?

An aggressive licensing program that helps animal control officers immediately know where dogs belong. Calgary has a 94 percent licensing rating. This income is what funds the department. Many dogs are never brought to the shelter - they are immediately driven back home.

Animal control officers that love people as much as they love animals. They become a resource in the community and have an established "beat". They spend their days on the streets getting to know the residents and their pets. They show an interest in people and willingness to educate instead of the attitude of disgust and arrogance that is so prevalent in animal welfare.

Animal control officers that are comfortable in the communities they work in - that understand the cultures and speak the languages.

Return the pet, hand them a voucher for low cost spay/neuter and vaccinations, maybe even offer to arrange transportation to the clinic. Start to end the cycle instead of perpetuating it.

Will we still have to take some animals away for their own well-being? Of course. But if we could only return 20 or 30 percent more to owners - just think of the impact that would make.

Okay, I'm going to stop there today. And next will focus on how this same problem is affecting the elderly and their ability to keep their small dogs in our inner cities.

Be Careful What You Wish For

This article out of San Francisco has come across my radar screen in several formats over the past few weeks.

It is a story regarding the proposed ban of all pets in pet stores except fish. Sounds great - for about thirty seconds. Don't get me wrong - I'm all for enforceable regulations that provide for the humane treatment of animals in pet stores and in the places where they are produced. And I don't see a need to sell kittens and puppies in pet stores. We need responsible breeders for that, plus there is still plenty in most of the shelters in this country.

But do we really want our children to grow up without the opportunity to have a small pet to care for? How will they learn compassion and responsibility? My sisters and I had guinea pigs when we were growing up. There are a lot of lessons to be learned (with parental oversight of course) from caring and coping with small pets.

A budding young starlet with her precious piggy,

 Pumpkin enjoy a sunny outing - 1967.

Remember... for every action there is a reaction.  And banning small pets now may mean there will be less homes for large pets in the next generation.
***

Head on down to your local shelter (Tell them I sent you)

I re-read my last few posts and decided I must sound like the shelter witch. That's witch. With a "w". And I really like shelters. Really! I've spent the last 3 years volunteering at a local shelter one or two afternoons a week. I am amazed at the speed at which dogs and cats are adopted.  If I remember correctly from a recent seminar, the average length of stay for a dog at Wisconsin Humane Society is five days. I don't know the statistics for other shelters because transparency is lacking at best.  I was also amazed at the "traffic" the shelter got especially on Friday afternoons in the spring and fall.

People in America are getting the "Adopt, don't shop" message. They WANT to adopt. They are often waiting for the shelter to open for viewing. Why would people choose a shelter (over a rescue) to adopt from? Here's my top five reasons;

1) They can see a variety and good selection of animals in a short amount of time.

2) It is more convenient. They don't have to make an appointment and the viewing hours are usually good.

3) They don't have to jump through the hoops that they would at a rescue (home visits, pre-approved applications, etc.)

4) They have donated to the shelter in the past and feel that it is part of the community.

5) They feel comfortable adopting from a brick and mortar facility. If something doesn't work out they have a reasonable chance to get satisfactory help and/or recourse from the shelter.

I truly believe that a pet's best chance for a quick, successful adoption in Wisconsin is at a shelter. There are some good breed rescues who are also doing an awesome job. But there are also a lot of disreputable Mom and Pop type rescues popping up on every street corner and in every neighborhood. There are also the endless "Dogs in Danger" types of postings on the Internet where you can "save" a dog from a southern shelter. (more on the pitfalls of this in a future post)

Some of our Wisconsin shelters have problems, no doubt. A lot of them have not changed with the times. They are not ready for the next generation of sheltering that is upon us. But I want to see our shelters work. Really!

They are the safety net for our animals. And that's why I am using this blog as an educational tool for the volunteers, the donors, the public, and the staff. Wisconsin has the resources and the ability to lead the way in the nation in animal welfare. Let's do it!

No Kill By Any Other Name is Still No Kill

A few weeks ago I was sitting in an animal shelter waiting for a friend. I heard one of the front office staff answer the phone. I only heard one half of the conversation but I assumed that the caller was asking if the shelter was "no kill" and was trying to surrender a pet. The staff member went into a long explanation of how no kill shelters were horrible places - they were warehouses, run by animal hoarders.  Obviously, this staff member has not picked up an animal welfare magazine or been to any kind of conference or staff training in the past five years. Even mainstream magazines, available in your local grocery store, such as BARK and Cat Fancy have recently run articles conceding to the fact that a No Kill Nation is not only possible, it is probable.

I am not going to go into the whole no-kill controversy here. There is plenty of reading material on the subject, email me if you would like me to steer you towards some of the more relevant articles.

I do want to talk about the the definition - which is highly misunderstood. Nowhere in the definition of no-kill does it say that dangerous dogs or untreatable medical conditions should be saved. Many shelters in Wisconsin may already be falling into the parameters of "no-kill".  But the words have stirred up such controversy and negative connotations that it has not been until this past year when the Humane Society of the United States and Maddie's Fund started to openly use the term, that it is losing it's "dirty word" image. These two groups, along with the Ad Council started the Shelter Pet Project - an ambitious advertising campaign to sing the praises of shelter pets. (As a side note, I do find it amusing that the HSUS, who had not been a big supporter of no-kill in the past, saw a parade and decided to get in front of it. But hey, I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. As far as I'm concerned, the more the merrier.)

To avoid the "no kill" controversy, shelters and organizations have come up with catch phrases which mean the same thing - "low kill" and "adoption guarantee" are two that come to mind. "No More Homeless Pets" is another - what a mouthful that is when you try to say it fast.

No Kill - Just say it!  When you are saving all the healthy and treatable animals in your care you are a "no-kill shelter or rescue". Who doesn't want to be that?  What we would like to see is "no-kill communities". So that the burden of the killing does not fall to other organizations.

Can it be done? Of course it can. Yesterday NASA moved two people into the space station - we have the intelligence to deal with this.  It is being done in communities in every part of this nation. Today. Regardless of the economy, the geography, the demographics, the climate, the politics, the number of street lights in town or whatever other lame excuse gets thrown in.

One more definition: euthanasia. Euthanasia is death to end the suffering of pain. Most shelter animals that are put to death are not euthanized.  They are not in pain, thus, they are killed.  Using the "k"  word freaks shelter staff out because they don't like to feel guilty about the job they have to do."Putting to sleep" is an even more pathetic phrase. You put children to sleep (bedtime). Are we going to say that next to take away the guilt? I'm going to put Fluffy to bed now because he doesn't have a home.

So, I'm going to take the blame away from the shelter staff who do the actual deed. They don't do the killing. The killing is done by the shelter directors and the Boards of Directors of shelters who refuse to update their policies and implement progressive animal welfare practices that are working elsewhere.

Some people believe change can happen overnight. I believe there is a lot of work to be done, most of it being a paradigm shift by the people in charge. But even small steps make huge differences. Logistics and inventory are our big ones right now. And keeping the animals out of the shelter in the first place! If they don't come in, you can't kill them!

Shelters and rescues that will be successful in the future are those that are striving to achieve no-kill status now and are proud to say so. I just checked the numbers. The No Kill Nation on Facebook has 54,165 fans; Best Friends Animal Society has 90,943; the Humane Society of the United States has 263,776; Maddie's Fund has 3562; and the Shelter Pet Project has 13,794. Sure some of those may be duplicates.  Nonetheless, that's an awful lot of people that are getting the message that no-kill is not only possible but probable. Shelters that "trashtalk" no-kill on the telephone to their customers are looking pretty foolish.

The Wind of Change is Coming - Will We Be Ready?

Recently I read an article in the Wall Street Journal about how Barnes & Noble book stores has suffered huge losses in recent months. They have been blindsided by the success of the Amazon Kindle Reader and the release of the Ipad. They had smugly thought they were immune to electronic media - that the good old brick and mortar book store was here to stay. Now, even if they do play catch up and start selling digital books - the profit margin is so much smaller that they will never be able to afford the overhead of their mega stores. Their only hope  is massive restructuring and perhaps selling a much wider array of merchandise than just books. If only they had looked ahead....


I see the same thing happening with animal shelters and it breaks my heart. Because it is not just bricks and steel and mortar. It's living breathing animals that will suffer. Animal sheltering is changing by leaps and bounds and those directors with their heads in the sand are going to get blindsided by the changes that are coming. It's been in the works for years - but unfortunately the nature of animal welfare work is for everyone to be head down, butt up, full steam ahead without having the time or resources at the end of the day to think about planning for the future.

I would like to share some of these changes and challenges in upcoming blogs.

What's coming? Here's a sampler:


1) The public is getting wise to the realities of animal sheltering. The dirty little secrets are out. The power and speed of the internet has linked animal lovers across the nation who are exchanging shelter horror stories with the click of their mouse. The public will no longer accept the old methods either morally or financially. Shelters will have to step up to the plate or risk financial ruin when their donations take a nosedive.

2) Gone will be the  old days of "adopt out the best and kill the rest". As we are closing in on  no-kill status and more people than ever are choosing the adoption option - the numbers of highly adoptable animals is falling. Already, shelters in northen states have to pull from the south to meet their needs. So shelters of the future will have to be willing to spend more time and resources rehabilitating shy and behaviorally challenged dogs.

3) It will be acceptable to buy a dog from a reputable breeder. Dog rescuers and shelters will have to stop looking down their noses at those that "shop" rather than "adopt". They should be reaching out to good breeders now, forging relationships for the future, and working together to end the misery of commercial breeding facilities (puppy mills).

4) Shelters will have to become centers for information. They will need animal help desks, lost and found services, services for seniors, behaviorists, animal advocacy centers, and more. These services are what will generate goodwill and donations.

5) Shelters will need to focus on "intake" numbers rather than outgoing numbers. Much more on this later because this is a biggie.

6) The latest census has shown that we are becoming far more diverse as a nation. The following is Friday's USA Today article which shows that minorities are quickly becoming the majority in many parts of the nation.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/2010-06-10-census-minorities_N.htm?csp=obinsite

Animal welfare, which has typically been dominated by white, middle class  women will have to learn to reach out to all ethnicities and races, income levels and family dynamics. Shelters will need diverse staff and volunteers; who are open-minded, understanding of different cultures and perhaps have at least one Spanish-speaking member on staff.

Okay, I'm going to let you chew on that for awhile. Because there's much more to come.

The Chipmunk Alert is at Level Red!

I've never seen so many chipmunks as this year. They are in our downspouts, under our deck, in our window wells, everywhere. My terriers are in a frenzy. They spend hours in the yard - stalking, watching, waiting, pouncing. Score so far: Terriers 2 - Chipmunks 3459.  My dogs would rather be chipmunk hunting than anything else on earth (except perhaps eating). 

A conversation came up the other day about dogs having a "job". Dogs need to be needed. They feel better, behave better and sleep better. It is bred into them. They were domesticated for a reason. All the fancy beds and toys and clothes in the world don't replace their instincts to do their job.

Rescuing a dog doesn't mean resigning it to a life indoors on a fluffy pillow. Shelters and rescues are missing out on a whole sea of adopters by making stringent requirements of what they think is best for an animal. No barn cats or farm dogs? What? Some of the happiest animals I've seen are barn cats and farm dogs.  All those mice to manage. And a farm dog has a very full day - people to greet, chores to help with, cows to herd, rodents to chase. 

This  "indoor only policy" is going to come back to bite the shelters and rescues in the butt.  Bored, understimulated pets (dogs and cats) can develop serious behavior problems and are often returned or euthanized. Cats often have serious health issues by being grossly overweight and may develop litterbox problems as well.

Do your dog a favor - google his/her breed and find out what they were bred for - then try to incorporate some of those skills into their lives. If you're having trouble coming up with ideas check with a positive dog trainer. Use the money you would have spent on fancy toys and clothes and try one of the many fun new dog sports  or a membership at the dog park.  Your dog will thank you for it!