The Power to Kill

This is the story of  a young cat named Funny Face as told to me by the owner, Jennifer S.

I emailed the Fox Valley Humane Association twice, asking if they would like to comment or share their side of the story. I did not receive a reply.

A young cat  wandered into a garage last year of an animal-loving family near Appleton. The family called him Funny Face and he quickly befriended the family's two dogs and learned to use the doggie door. He was a very lucky cat and became the family's inside/outside cat. He had five acres and a shop to mouse. He wears a bell so the family knows where he is. But a couple of weeks ago Funny Face was limping and a trip to the vet was in order. The vet felt that nothing was broken and sent Funny Face home with some pain medication.  A few days later, it wasn't better. So Funny Face went back to the vet for x-rays and another exam. The x-rays showed nothing but he did have a swollen lymph node so he was sent home with some antibiotics and more pain meds. Total vet costs about $280.

When Funny Face didn't make his appearance through the doggie door on Tuesday night, the family noticed but weren't overly alarmed.  He generally didn't wander far, and perhaps he had just found a warm corner of the shop to snuggle up in.  No sign of him Wednesday; and Jennifer, the owner was really worried by Thursday. She called the town constable  and surrounding humane societies. Fox Valley Humane Association said that a cat had been brought in that matched Funny Face's description. It would be $96.20 to reclaim him. They said that if she filed a lost cat report with the police department they would probably be able to work something out. I'm not exactly sure what that has to do with anything, but the owner complied..

But when she made her visit to "work something out" to the shelter, they backed out of the deal. Pay up, or no cat for you!. Jennifer was told that Funny Face would be killed on Wednesday, March 14 because he was "unadoptable". The shelter claimed he didn't use his litterbox and nobody adopts a cat that doesn't use his litterbox.

Money was already tight because of the $280 vet bill. Jennifer asked for a payment plan. The shelter refused. No cat for you!.

Jennifer asked if she could pay the difference between the euthanasia fee and the reclaim fee.  The shelter refused. No cat for you!

This shelter has FREE cat adoptions ( a program I usually love). But the shelter told Jennifer that they suspected that Jennifer was going to have a friend adopt the cat who would give it back to her. No cat for you!

These are some excerpts from Jennifer's Facebook page:

"I brought the kitty his food. At 2:30 p.m. they had told me he already was fed 2x that day and would start the food tomorrow, but that they were not going to bring him out for me to administer his medicine or see him.."


"....he was filthy and starting to get mats when I got there Friday and Saturday when I brought his medicine and food they wouldn't let me see him. (had the sheriff "request" me to leave both times)


"It's going to cost them over $200 to keep him and euthanize him on Wednesday. "


"I offered the difference between their euthanization fee and the reclaim fee and they said no. So I sit there every day asking to give him his medicine so I know it was administered and they say no... when I tell them I'm not leaving, they call the cops. Second day in a row, and the same thing will happen Monday.  It's ridiculous, we could have the cat back and they could spend that money on something else."


"So rather than give us our cat back, or accept the difference between the two fees and give us the cat back, the organization has said, too bad so sad, are planning on putting him down Wednesday.  Try explaining that to a two year old girl - How TERRIBLE that the organization is not willing to work with us or meet us halfway in order to get our cat back. "


"I'm sure next week AFTER I get paid, I could move a few bills around and make it work.... They are choosing to spend money putting our cat down instead of giving him back." 


Fox Valley "Humane" Association's "vision" from their website:  "No animal need in the Fox Valley goes  unmet." and their motto is "Caring for Pets and Their People".

Hmm. They missed the boat on this one. I would say that Funny Face's needs went unmet.   His need to live. His need to have his medicine and be with the family who love him. His need  to not be put to death by power-hungry people who think they are proving a point and "if they make this exception, they will have to make it for everyone." (apparently what one of the shelter staff told Jennifer).

This is not a situation of a lost dog or cat that the shelter thinks they should adopt out to a "better home". This is a situation of a "shelter" choosing death over life for a cat that had a perfectly good home already.  Just because they could.

My husband says that when you give little people a little bit of power, there is usually trouble. I think he is right.

Funny Face, recovering from his stressful ordeal,  asleep on Jennifer's two year old daughter's coat.

Funny Face is safe at home now with an ID tag on his collar. A family friend paid the reclaim fee and the family will reimburse them.

Welcome home Funny Face! Your family really, really loves you.

March 25, 2012 An update from Jennifer regarding the situation: "They gave me the wrong food back, when I picked up the right stuff, I saw they never fed him any of it.  And I requested all their paperwork but got nothing."

 

What's In a Name?

Almost two years ago I wrote a blog about the term No Kill and how it was misunderstood.

I think it is time to revisit that.  There are now 29 No Kill communities in the United States: big and small, rural and urban, north and south, east and west. Elmbrook Humane Society in Brookfield, Wisconsin recently made the list. A No Kill community is one that is maintaining a 90 percent or better live release rate for the animals that it takes in. That leaves plenty of leeway for the truly dangerous or hopelessly ill animals. It can be done and it is being done. It is not impossible.

A lot of progress has been made. Yet, here in Wisconsin, there is still serious misunderstanding of what the term means. A lot of old school animal welfare people still don't "get it" and still spew the falsehoods that No Kill shelters amount to hoarding and warehousing. Of course, perpetuating these rumors is in their best interest because it helps them defend their practices; the killing of healthy or treatable shelter animals in their care.

I copied the following from the FAQ portion of the website of the Fox Valley Humane Association  in Appleton, Wisconsin to give you an example of what I mean:


WHAT IS YOUR POLICY ON “NO KILL” SHELTERS? 

Euthanasia is never a pleasant alternative. It is, however, a HUMANEone! There are many questions to ask yourself:

• Is it fair to keep all those animals in cages day after day after day when they have experienced loving homes?
• What does it do to an animal to keep it indefinitely in this kind of situation?
• What happens at "no kill” shelters when they are full?
• What happens to all the animals they have to turn away?
  In many cases, these shelters ship the animals elsewhere for euthanasia. Therefore, our policy is to continue to perform euthanasia whenever it is necessary.

Obviously whoever wrote this for their website is totally out of touch with the reality and facts of No Kill sheltering in America in 2012.


No Kill is a name.  The most common excuse I hear to not embrace it is"I don't like it". Well, I don't exactly like the name Pobloskie either, but I've learned to live with it. So I suggest if you don't like the name No Kill, get over it already. Because it is here to stay.

And, honestly, there isn't a much better option right now than the words No Kill. It is something that the public readily identifies with. It is now mainstream and is appearing a couple of times a week in the mainstream media. Changing the name would be a massive undertaking costing considerable time and expense. Time and money that is  better spent saving animals.

I like to informally poll the general public about animal welfare issues.  When I ask  people what they think the term "adoption guarantee" means, most respond that they think it means that if they adopt an animal and it doesn't work out they can return it for a refund.   So perhaps we need to file that one in the pile of bad ideas.

The one thing that the public does agree on: killing shelter pets is no longer acceptable. For the remaining dinosaurs out there, the sheltering world as you knew it is over. Change or become extinct. It is your choice.

It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory. - W. Edwards Deming

What's Your Agenda?

I help out with several organizations with a strong social media presence. They include Barn Cats Rock - a resource page for people who own and appreciate barn, outdoor and working cats; Lost Dogs of Wisconsin, a group of volunteers helping reunite owners and their lost dogs; and Wisconsin Voters for Companion Animals - a grassroots political advocacy group to encourage voters to participate in the lawmaking process and achieve better laws for companion animals.

I am often asked if I have a "hidden" No Kill agenda, because as most people know; I'm a pretty vocal No Kill Advocate. Well, I'm here to tell you - YES! Of course! It's kind of a silly question if you ask me.

I am seriously skeptical of animal welfare groups and shelters that don't have a No Kill agenda. If their goal isn't to eliminate the needless killing of shelter animals  in this country, then what is it? Makes me wonder....

I have only so many hours in a day and days in a week. I have no interest in participating in anything that isn't working towards No Kill.

That's my agenda. What's yours?

Thumper's Rule

One of my most vivid memories from childhood is my mother's constant reminders of Thumper's rule (from the Bambi movie). Thumper was the little rabbit that said "If you can't say something nice, don't say nothin' at all." When my mother sensed I was about to say something bad  she would give me a stern look and warn me saying "Thumper, Thumper.." as a reminder that I should hold my tongue and be silent.

It took many years to shake that off and I still believe it's good advice when an aunt gives you an ugly sweater for Christmas; or you are eating a not-so-tasty dinner at the neighbors. But I don't think that it applies to our work as animal advocates.  We would still be wallowing in the mire of the status quo if it hadn't been for the courage of those who have led the No Kill movement. Those few who bravely spoke out about atrocities and mis-management at animal shelters when nobody else was doing it.

Thanks to their efforts,  shelter deaths have been reduced from about 17 million in the 1970's to where it stands today; estimated to be somewhere between 3 and 4 million. That being said,  I personally draw the line at character assassination. Not my style, and I'm not sure it is helpful.

Nowadays,  I've come to believe that a better rule to live by is one that my friend's husband suggests. He says: "Don't point out a problem, unless you can also offer a solution." And solutions are eveywhere! There are now 27 No Kill communities in the United States that are serving as a blueprint to stop the killing. There are  more seminars, webinars,  articles, and conferences, than ever before; and with a click of a button, we can share the information where it is needed.

When more people speak out, more progress is made. We can reduce the number of shelter deaths to zero. Please, get involved, speak up when you see something wrong, and offer the solutions that can help end the needless killing of shelter animals.

Sorry Mom, I've broken Thumper's rule a few times!

To solve any problem, here are three questions to ask yourself: First, what could I do? 
Second, what could I read? And third, who could I ask? - Jim Rohn

Lowering Stress Saves Lives

I wrote this last week while on vacation.

Stress.  I don't have any right now. My husband and I are on vacation, a Caribbean cruise on board the Celebrity Solstice, the best stress relief I can imagine. I blogged about the cruise ship experience last year and I am equally impressed this year.

No Internet, no telephone, no traffic. The hardest decision we have is what time to eat, and whether to sit by the pool with a book or go ashore for a walk.

Unfortunately for shelter animals, stress is common. Stress causes death. Stress-related problems becomes the excuse that shelter directors use to kill.

Stress in cats cause a weakened immune system and vulnerability to upper respiratory diseases that make cats sick. Sick cats are usually the first to be killed because they will be deemed "unhealthy" and many shelters still hide behind the phrase "we adopt out all healthy and adoptable animals". 

Stress in dogs also causes health problems. But worse than that, stress causes behavior issues that make otherwise calm, happy dogs exhibit behaviors that deem them "unadoptable".  Sort of like road rage, in people. But we don't kill people with road rage, do we? Some shelters call it "cage or kennel crazy". But it is just stress. 

Stress then builds up in animal shelter volunteers and staff that see perfectly adoptable, treatable animals get killed. Their stress causes them to quit out of frustration and despair. The very thing that brought them to an animal shelter to begin with - a love of animals, drives them away. They become overcome with frustration because they aren't able to help the animals they love.

Stress in shelter management erupts because the revolving door of staff and volunteers and animals causes more stress, more turnover and more death.

What's the answer? Other than sending the whole works out to sea on a cruise? Common sense. Empower the volunteers and staff to research and implement easy stress reduction methods for the animals. Don't kill the animals because they are stressed; instead figure out ways to reduce the stress. 

Cats need to be able to hide, perch and scratch. These are feline needs; that when met, will lower the stress in a shelter cat's life and keep their immune systems strong. Appeasing pheromones like Feliway will reduce anxiety in cats. Products like the Stretch and Scratch and the Hide, Perch and Go cat carrier have been developed specifically for shelters. Shelter supporters can be asked to donate these products. 

Here is a link to an excellent webinar by Sue Cosby. It is full of easy suggestions to help save the lives of shelter cats. The title of the presentation is "Saving Cats in Busy Shelters Through Better Handling" and it is down towards the bottom of the page. Why not have a lunchtime get together of volunteers and staff at the shelter to watch the webinar and discuss these cheap and easy techniques to save lives?

Dogs need exercise, companionship, playtime, and mental stimulation. Throw a little bit of doggie massage into your toolbox too. Diet also has an influence on stress in shelter animals, but I am not a nutritionist so I don't want to get into that here. 

Aimee Sadler of the Longmont Humane Society is helping shelters around the country  use playgroups to reduce stress in shelter dogs to great success. Most report improved save rates for dogs, including large dogs and pit bull type dogs.  For those shelter managers who still shudder in horror at the thought of having pit bull type dogs in play groups, I really encourage you to do try to get to one of Aimee's speaking engagements or contact a shelter that she has worked with and listen and see the results first hand.

Animal Farm Foundation has a whole section devoted to kennel enrichment ideas for dogs. 

Volunteers can be an invaluable asset in the whole process. If a shelter empowers volunteers to research and implement stress-reducing techniques for shelter animals; they are in effect, empowering the volunteers to save lives. Volunteers that are saving lives will feel like they are making a difference. They will be inspired to stay on and do more. There isn't any greater motivational tool than positive results.

That's all for now.... my deck chair is waiting. 

Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into a positive one.
Hans Selye

Stop the Cycle of Cruelty - Adopt Don't Shop in a Pet Store This Christmas

Photo credit: Frank Schemberger

Today's Christmas Pet Store Puppy is also from the former Petland store in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. Thankfully, this store has now closed. A small independent store took it's place for a few months, but that has also closed.


 This Golden Retriever pup could not lay across the wire floor of his cubicle without scrunching his head on the display glass. He has only a rabbit waterer to drink out of. Conditions that are so unsettling that many consumers might feel compelled to buy this puppy just to get him out of there so he can stretch his legs and feel the ground under his feet.


What happens to the puppies that don't sell? This disturbing thought is often what drives a purchase. But "rescuing" that pet store puppy just allows the vicious cycle to continue, the puppy miller will breed more pups to supply the pet store to sell to well-meaning, but mis-informed consumers.

The cycle has to stop. And although I have no hard evidence, and only anecdotal accounts; I don't think the puppies that don't sell come to the terrible end that most shoppers fear.  They are either discounted until they do sell, or if the store is going to go out of business, a shelter or rescue will step in to take the last remaining pets.

Please, adopt don't shop this Christmas. Let's stop the demand for pet store puppies. Then they will either close (as this store did) or find another, less cruel way to make a profit and stay in business.


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.

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 Pet Store / Puppy Mill Connection

Photo credit: Frank Schemberger

Today's Christmas pet store puppy was in a store in Greenfield, Wisconsin; just south of Milwaukee.

This little Poodle pup found the only soft spot in his cage was his food dish. No exercise, no blanket or pad, no life. His parents are probably somewhere in a mill in in the Midwest.

If you ask the staff at a pet store where their puppies come from they will proudly tell you a "USDA licensed" breeder. Sounds impressive, right?

Wrong. USDA standards are minimal, minimally enforced and a far cry from what the average person would consider humane.

The USDA inspector's job is to make sure breeders are adhering to the minimum standards set forth by the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). They can look at a facility with hundreds of dogs in small cages, desperate for human attention, and note no violations. That’s because the Animal Welfare Act (a federal law) does nothing to ensure dogs are happy, or live a quality life.

Here are some quick facts about the minimum standards set forth by the USDA:

• Cage size: must be 6 inches larger than the size of the dog, on all sides
• Up to 12 dogs can be housed in one cage
• Dogs never have to be let out of their cages. Breeders only need to have an exercise plan (seldom enforced)
• There is no limit to the number of dogs a breeder can have—many have over 1,000
• There is no age limit for breeding dogs. If a dog is able to produce puppies for 10 years, that’s how long they could be in the facility
• Inspections are “Risk-based,” meaning that facilities that meet a certain criteria are inspected as seldom as once every 2 to 3 years. There are only about 70 inspectors for over 10,000 facilities.

Photo credit: Frank Schemberger

The second picture is from a USDA approved breeder in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin. This is the picture that the pet store owner does not want you to know about. He wants you to envision Momma dog and puppies running and playing in a grassy field somewhere. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Pet store puppies come from large commercial breeders (puppy mills). 

Wisconsin's Act 90, a new law which provides state regulations and licensing for dog sellers came into effect in June 2011. These are an improvement over the USDA standards; but a Wisconsin pet store can still be using a supplier from a state that doesn't have oversight of it's puppy mills.

When you buy a pet store puppy you are fueling the industry, and encouraging the breeders to produce yet another litter, in their "USDA approved" facility.

Adopt, don't shop this holiday season.

The Virtual Suggestion Box

A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I were having issues with our cell phone carrier. We spent countless hours humming to the music while on hold and talking to different customer service reps who had no authority to do anything to solve our problem.  Out of desperation I finally posted on the wireless carrier's Facebook page.

I was polite and brief in my post. In less than fifteen minutes, a Facebook administrator came on and  I was given an email address to write to with details of my complaint. I did and I received a response with the phone number of the direct line to the person who could help us. And she did. To our satisfaction and beyond; so we will remain a customer.

What is the lesson here? When I was talking on the phone to a customer service rep it was a private conversation. I wasn't taken seriously. When I put the complaint on their Facebook wall, potentially a whole lot of people could see my complaint - possibly damaging their reputation and hurting sales. It had to be dealt with in a timely fashion.

Dinosaur - minded  businesses, organizations and shelters are grumbling about this new virtual suggestion box. They say it is too easy for people to "bash" them on Facebook or Twitter. But, if you have ever run a business, you know that your most valuable tool is feedback. Companies used to spend a lot of money to get customer feedback - suggestion boxes, mail surveys.  They would even give away coupons or prizes if you filled in a survey and mailed it back.  Now, thanks to the Internet, customer feedback is instantaneous and it's free!

Customer feedback helps you streamline and improve your operations, spot trends and develop marketing strategies. It helps you retain customers and provide excellent service.

Whether you're a business or a non-profit, if you are ignoring, deleting or otherwise remaining unresponsive to feedback you are making a big mistake. Some Facebook pages have their "walls" set to a setting where nobody else can comment. How silly is that? "Social" media. Doesn't that imply there should be a conversation going on? It's like going to a party and then standing in a corner with your face to the wall.

The good news for the customer and the animals is that mediocrity is no longer acceptable. The Internet does not allow for mediocrity in business or animal welfare. Those who aren't striving for excellence every single day will get called out. Like the dinosaurs who failed to adapt, they will fade away into extinction, - where they belong.

Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning. - Bill Gates

ASPCA Opens Mouth and Inserts Both Feet

Tuesday started like any other day for me. I poured my first cup of coffee and sat down to read what Google Reader had dumped in my inbox overnight. I read Bert Troughton's ASPCAPro blog that was along the lines of "can't we all get along blah blah stuff" that she has addressed before. But I was in a hurry and I didn't click through to the links at the end of the blog.

It wasn't until a couple of hours later that Ryan Clinton's post about the ASPCA's documents attached to those links rolled through my ticker feed on Facebook.  Ryan Clinton doesn't post anything insignificant so I thought "Whoa, I'd better go back and read that again." Ryan's organization in the city of Austin is one of those that are specifically mentioned in the document "The Tactics of the Extremist Agenda".

If you haven't had a chance to read the two documents please take the time to do so and think about the full implication of the words.  They are here and here. Later that afternoon the same blog and links were sent out in an email blast from the ASPCA. And the subject line of the email ironically was "Can't We All Just Get Along?"

By early evening the links had been removed due to the uproar, but luckily John Sibley, a fellow animal welfare advocate in New York had captured and reposted them.

I normally have a really long fuse. Too long, most people would say. Not much gets under my skin. But I found this whole situation both funny and infuriating at the same time. Extremists? People that are willing to speak out about the plight of homeless animals in their communities are extremists? On what planet?

I could have let this roll off my back.  But I can't.  I spend a large part of my time convincing people to get politically active and exercise their democratic right to demand that their taxpayer dollars be spent to save animals lives, not destroy them.

I encourage people to call their legislators, make wise voting choices and get involved in the issues. Many people are reluctant to speak out. Heck, some of them, I can hardly get to email their legislator; let alone attend a public meeting. Many people don't like to challenge the status quo. But along with our great team at Wisconsin Voters for Companion Animals we've been making progress. And just when we think we're making headway - WHAM - the ASPCA labels us as Extremists; something that most Midwestern folk don't want to be called.

So, as the extremists of the nation wait for an explanation and an apology from the ASPCA,we'll just keep on keeping on, doing what we do best: advocating for homeless animals that are being senselessly killed in our nation's shelters.

I imagine that the top brass at the ASPCA are huddling and reading two of the other documents linked to the blog "5 Steps to Crisis Management" and "Crisis Management - Before, During and After it Hits the Fan".

By the way, I really doubt it was a "mistake" on the ASPCA's part. Here is the last line of Bert Troughton's blog post:
"P.S. If you're going to be at the SAWA conference next week, any one of us from ASPCA, HSUS, the National Federation or SAWA would love to chat with you further on this topic. Look us up!"

So, when you hear Sarah McLachlan sing that sad, sad song in the ASPCA's television commercial (the one that is supposed to make you run for your checkbook); remember where your donations are going. To produce and distribute documents designed to undermine your democratic right to speak out for the animals you love.

More excellent blog posts on the subject:

Francis Battista, co-founder of Best Friends Animal Society "The Paranoiacs Handbook"

Michael Mountain, co-founder of Best Friends Animal Society ""When a Humane Organization Sounds Like a Tin Pot Dictator

Shirley Thistlewaite, Yesbiscuit blog "Best Friends Calls Out ASPCA" and "I Want My Puppet Regime!" and "ASPCA Got 99 Problems but a "Glitch" ain't one"

Valerie Hayes, No Kill Advocate, Georgia  "The ASPCA and the case of the extremely elusive documents" and "The ASPCA: Too big to care"

Nathan Winograd, No Kill Advocacy Center "The ASPCA's War on Animal Lovers"

Cindi Ashbeck, No Kill Advocate, Wisconsin  "ASPCA Blunder"

John Sibley, No Kill Advocate, New York, author of "In Dog We Trust" blog - ASPCA "Saves" Dogs by Transporting Them To Kill Shelters

No-Kill Tallahassee, Florida "Another ASPCA Scandal"

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.

Good Leadership Required!

Lakeshore Humane Society is a small limited admissions shelter in Manitowoc, Wisconsin that takes in about 1000 animals a year. In April, one of our Lost Dogs of Wisconsin volunteers, agreed to attend a public meeting on behalf of our organization to see what the outcome of the city's stray contract would be. Our group is very concerned that many Wisconsin shelters are giving up their stray contracts. 


Animal control contracts are often being split up and given to private individuals, some that hold the dogs and cats in their garage, a warehouse, or a barn.  They often don't have microchip scanners, websites, Facebook or even internet access. One we know of doesn't have a camera.  This is making it virtually impossible for lost pet owners to try to find and reclaim their pets, especially since we know that it is possible that the animals could have wandered a long distance and/or crossed jurisdiction lines.

Cindi Ashbeck, our Lost Dogs volunteer,  a soft-spoken but very intelligent woman attended the meeting. She called me the next day to say that not only was the status of the contract a mess, but the whole humane society was a mess. Not one to let a "mess" deter her, she has dived in head first to make change for the animals in Manitowoc County.

One of the interesting things about this humane society is that it has an open door membership policy. Anybody can pay their $35 and vote for the board (after a 60 day waiting period) even if you don't live in the county. Board members of shelters are supposed to "steer the ship". When you don't have the correct people at the helm, the whole operation is doomed, no matter how well-meaning the director, staff or the volunteers are.

The old time board members of Lakeshore Humane Society do the same song and dance that is heard over and over again in shelters around the state and the country. "It's the irresponsible public, it's pet overpopulation,  killing is kindness, blah, blah, blah..."  Change is scary, it is easier to defend the old ways than to try something new. 


There is a handful of great new people that are on board or want to get on board, Cindi Ashbeck included. They have been reading and absorbing all the information and facts that are out there. They are well-armed with the truth. Cindi attended the Great Shelters Conference in Ohio to learn as much as possible about good sheltering practices.  She has started a blog and a Facebook page to inform and educate the public.

The city council also wants change. They want a board of directors that will be honest with them and negotiate the contract. They don't want to go elsewhere. But they will if they have to. Here are details from one of the council member's website.

Pretty obvious to all involved, is that some of the old-school board directors need to go. Dave Evans and his wife, Renee Evans have sat on the board for many years. I'm sure they have supported the humane society in their own way, but times are changing, methods are changing and board members need to keep up.  

Dave Evans  made the following comment at a meeting this summer.  "When they stop making ugly animals, we'll stop killing them."   Really? Those words are coming out of the mouth of a board member of the humane society? Unfortunately, Dave Evan's term does not end this fall. He has another year. Dave Evans also made comments at the meeting this week that the humane society's bylaws were not needed and didn't have to be followed. 

Another board member's rudeness and arrogance broke down the talks with the city. 

One  board member, Brenda Meverden, who is running for re-election and a new candidate, Kim Repinski  who is running for a director position  did not even have the courtesy to show up at the Candidates' Forum to answer questions by the members. This tells me that they don't take their responsibility to the animals and the humane society seriously.

Elections are October 18. I'll be there. I've paid my membership fee and I have a right to vote. I believe in democracy and the will of the people. It is time for change in Manitowoc County.  The animals are depending on us.

"Success and growth are unlikely if you always do things the way you've always done them. When you stop changing, you stop growing." - John Mason

Ask Your Shelter Director - Part 3

I hope over the last few weeks that you've had the courage to ask about your shelter's intake reduction policies and their outdoor cat policies, the two topics I blogged on previously. Shelters can dramatically decrease their kill rates by focusing on returning lost pets back home; providing animal help desks and low/cost spay neuter;  and supporting TNR and barn buddy programs for cats. This gives them more "breathing room" on the health and behavior issues. Less animals in the shelter means they have more time and resources to spend on the animals that truly do need rehabilitation and new homes.


It is important that your shelter uses some type of a matrix to evaluate animals. Here is a copy of the No Kill Advocacy Center's Life Saving Matrix.  Your shelter should also have a document called their Euthanasia Policy. Both of these documents should be available for donors to see (preferably on the shelter website). If it isn't - it certainly brings up concerns about what is going on behind closed doors. This is called a lack of transparency. 


 If you can't find your shelter's matrix or euthanasia policies; either on the website or in print, then your shelter director should be willing to sit down with you and explain their policies and philosophy. If they aren't, I'd suggest closing up your checkbook and running the other way as fast as possible to a shelter that DOES value its donors enough to let them know what is going on.


Remember - a shelter that says they are saving all "healthy and adoptable" animals could be playing the smoke and mirrors game. Shelters are creating their own definitions of "healthy and adoptable" to defend their killing.
A shelter doesn't have to perfect. But it does have to be transparent. Then you have a baseline to work from.


The biggest "gray area" is in the definition of healthy and adoptable. That's why the 90% save rate bar has been set for No Kill status. The remaining 10% gives plenty of leeway for those dogs and cats that are truly unhealthy or dangerous. And in reality, this number should probably be more like 95 %. (but more on that in a future blog).

Fox Valley Humane Society in Appleton, Wisconsin has their criteria for "adoptable" on their website. Click this link to see their criteria for adoptable dogs and cats.  Note that it says a dog must be reasonably housebroken to be adoptable.  So when this shelter proudly announced that they placed 100% of "adoptable" dogs, there is a lot of room for interpretation.


"Adoptability" is highly subjective, but it shouldn't be. That is why it is important for your shelter to use a matrix to help. Here are some questions to ask your shelter director about their adoption criteria for behavior issues:


1) May I see your Euthanasia Policy or Matrix that you use to determine which animals are going to be determined adoptable? The answer should be yes. Anything else is a fail.


2) Do you have programs in place to help shy dogs and cats and resource-guarding in dogs? The answer should be yes. There is a wealth of good information out on these subjects now.  These are no longer acceptable reasons for killing. Volunteers can be trained to read to shy dogs, socialize shy cats, and hand-feed resource guarders. 


3) Do you have a sufficient network of trained foster families that can accommodate animals that need extra time, care or an environment away from the stress of the shelter? The answer should be yes. Developing a sound foster home program should be a major priority of any shelter.


4) When and how do you temperament test? Temperament tests should not be a pass or fail, black and white evaluation. They should be used as an assessment of what a dog needs to get him onto the adoption floor and into a home. Here is an excellent article on the shortcomings of temperament testing.  http://www.nokillnow.com/TemperamentTestingDirtyLittleSecret.pdf


Ask the tough questions. Remember, No Kill advocates don't want their local shelters to fail. We want them to succeed.  Success will come when shelters become transparent, implement all eleven components of the No Kill Equation, and regain the public's trust and support. Donations will improve and animals' lives will be saved.
Isn't that what we all want?

The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.  

-  Alan Watts 

A Picture is Worth .... an Animal's Life

This is a kitten's (?) intake photograph at MADACC. 

Over the last couple of weeks No Kill Milwaukee have focused their attention on trying to get the quality of intake pictures improved at the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission(MADACC). It may not seem like a big thing to some people - but it is to that animal. It can be the difference between life and death.

Many of the animals that are brought into MADACC are "strays" or in other words, lost pets. Pets that have escaped the custody of their owner or guardian. They are picked up by animal control officers and impounded. During the intake process a quick picture is snapped of them and then uploaded into the Pet Harbor software that the shelter uses. The website is updated every morning and the intent is that the owners of the pets will be able to look online and see if their pet is there. A great concept ... except...

a) The animal has to be recognizable.
b) Those animals not reclaimed, transferred or adopted  have a 53% chance of getting killed at the hands of the shelter. MADACC killed 6241 animals in 2009 (52%) and 7064 in 2010 (53%).

Even if the animal is not reclaimed by its owner, the website is viewed daily by the numerous shelters and rescues that "pull" from MADACC to restock their own shelters. Many Wisconsin shelters have a very high adoption rate by running successful adoption programs. An animal with a good picture is far more likely to get pulled than one without a good picture. In essence, those pictures are the animal's ticket out since MADACC does not have a full-fledged adoption program (Despite efforts by volunteers to make this happen).

No Kill Milwaukee supporters  have been emailing and calling MADACC and the MADACC board members to complain about the quality of the pictures. This is a copy of the letter that I wrote a couple of weeks ago:

Good Morning,
I am one of the founding members of Lost Dogs of Wisconsin. We currently have 35 volunteers, many who spend their evenings doing online lost and found matching for lost dogs.

We appreciate the speed with which you get the photos of impounded pets on your website. We also appreciate that you provide pictures. Many Wisconsin shelters don't. But the quality of the pictures is diminishing. Our matchers are having trouble. So I must think that owners who are searching for their lost pets - perhaps even on their cell phone, are having trouble as well.

Would it be possible to improve the quality and closeness of the pictures so that we can hopefully make more happy reunions happen?
Thank you.
Kathy Pobloskie


After many requests by many people,  the pictures improved slightly for a day or two; but are dreadful again. Obviously, because the quality is so inconsistent, some staff members care and some don't.

Excuses by defenders of the shelter include:

1. There isn't enough time or money to take a good picture. Umm - sorry, I don't buy it. It doesn't take any longer to snap and upload a good picture than a poor one. Move a little closer please.

2. The camera is on a table. Is the camera nailed to the table? And how is it used to take the cat pictures then? That appears to be a roving camera.

3. Sometimes the animals are squirming around. Possible excuse - but then just click a few (up close, please) and use the best one.

4. The camera is old, so I (meaning me, Kathy Pobloskie) should donate a new camera. What do I look like - the camera fairy? (*see note below) Please explain how the old camera can take a decent one now and again?

5. I (meaning me again) should volunteer to take the pictures at MADACC. Sorry, I already am heavily involved in running two animal welfare non-profit organizations which take upwards of twelve hours per day. The staff at MADACC are paid to do their job which includes taking intake photos.


*I learned my lesson on this one. I donated a camera to another local shelter over a year ago to take pictures of their "stray" animals on intake. They don't use it. I guess it was far too complicated for the staff to figure out how to use a Kodak Easyshare and upload the photos. Funny, they all seem to be able to use computers and cell phones. So, no.  I am not going to spring for a new camera for MADACC.

The only conclusion seems to be that a failure of leadership at MADACC is causing the poor quality pictures to continue. When management doesn't care - how are they supposed to inspire their staff? Or as Bill Bruce of Calgary Animal Services likes to say "Fish rot from the head down."

Please remember, if you are behind the lens of a camera at a shelter - think of the implication of that picture you take. It could be the difference of life or death.

"Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well." - Phillip Chesterfield

Smoke and Mirrors

In my daily travels, volunteering for  Lost Dogs of Wisconsin,  I am able to spend a lot of time communicating with dog owners.  I get a lot of insight on what the average pet lover thinks about Wisconsin shelters.

Many shelter and rescue folks tend to forget that the majority of pet owners in this country are not in tune with the goings on at animal shelters. In fact, they may not even know where their closest shelter is. So I treasure the conversations I have with average dog owners, because I feel like I get a good snapshot of the pulse of public opinion. Some people may criticize the public's lack of knowledge about their local shelter; but you have to remember -  most people are wrapped up in their work, their children, their lives. They love their pets, but they don't live and breathe animal welfare day in and day out like we do.

It came as a big surprise to me when I realized how many Wisconsin residents believe that their local shelters are no kill. Some people that I've talked to think that the whole state is no kill (in my dreams). They are horrified when I explain the truth. They've been deceived by the smoke and mirrors marketing and correspondence sent out to the public or posted on the websites and Facebook pages.

Most of this deception comes through the twisted use of  the words "healthy" and "adoptable".  Instead of clearly defining what a healthy, treatable or adoptable animal is, by using a matrix like the Life Saving Matrix of the No Kill Advocacy Center, shelter management manipulate the definitions of the words for their own benefit. Very few Wisconsin shelters have any type of statistics available for public viewing. So it is very easy to keep the donors and the public in the dark.

How do shelters kill and get away with it? They may say they save every healthy and adoptable animal. Or they may say they never kill a healthy, adoptable animal for space or time. It's all in the definition of healthy and adoptable.

Shelters will call feral cats "unadoptable" and they usually are. But feral cats should be trapped, neutered, vaccinated and returned. Instead they are killed but because they are considered "unadoptable" the shelter absolves themselves of the guilt of killing them.

Dogs that entered a shelter perfectly healthy with good dispositions, get labelled "unadoptable" if their behavior regresses because of a lack of proper enrichment opportunities or foster homes.

Cats that come into a shelter healthy but develop upper respiratory infections are labelled "unhealthy" and get killed.

Cats that are surrendered with litterbox issues are labelled "unadoptable" and are killed.

The possibilities are endless. Dogs with kennel cough, cats with ringworm;  treatable conditions but classified as unhealthy or unadoptable.

Twisting the words to trick the public into thinking that the shelter is no kill or low kill is common practice.

Elmbrook Humane Society in Brookfield, Wisconsin  is a shelter that does a lot of things right, but they've missed the mark on their new "adoption guarantee" policy.  Transparency isn't their strong point. As a matter of fact, there isn't any statistical data on their website at all.

A few months ago they came out publicly saying they are the only "adoption guarantee" facility in Waukesha County. Well, there are only two shelters in Waukesha County so I guess they are thumbing their nose at HAWS (Humane Animal Welfare Society of Waukesha County). Most people understood this statement to mean that Elmbrook was becoming a no kill shelter. I'm sure their donors and supporters were thrilled. But, here's the catch...

Here is their statement from their Facebook page:

"EBHS is the ONLY adoption guarantee facility in Waukesha County. EBHS has no deadline for animals in its care. Animals are placed for adoption as long as they have an adoptable temperament, have reasonable health, and there is room at the shelter."

If it weren't so sad, it would make me laugh. It's like somebody saying they're a vegetarian... except on Friday when they eat fish; and on Sunday they like a nice roast beef dinner; and oh, after 9 p.m. they often eat a hot dog.

You either are or you aren't a vegetarian. You either are or you aren't an adoption guarantee shelter. There isn't all this wiggle room allowed.

So donors and taxpayers:  please be smart and ask the right questions. My next few blogs are going to focus on knowing what questions to ask and what the correct, life-saving response from the shelter management should be.   Don't let the smoke and mirrors fool you.

A half truth is a whole lie. ~Yiddish Proverb

A Tale of Four Cats

In America, everybody is entitled to their personal opinion on any given subject. But, I believe that if you are in a position where you have been entrusted by the public to save lives, you need to do your job, regardless of your personal opinion.  That includes shelter staff, shelter directors and especially shelter board members. They are supposed to be "steering the ship."

I think it can be compared to a pharmacist who won't fill a birth control prescription because of religious beliefs. I respect that the pharmacist has a right to her beliefs, but they prevent her from doing her job. So she should be relieved of her job. Just as shelter staff and board members who uphold personal philosophies that support killing rather than life-saving,  should be relieved of their jobs.

My blog this week has several links to news articles regarding the vastly different attitudes towards Trap, Neuter, Return in Wisconsin. Four counties, four stories. I'm not going to say much - I'm going to let you read and process this information....

All of the national organizations, except PETA, recognize Trap Neuter Return as an effective method to reduce the feral cat population. It saves lives, saves taxpayers' money, and it works.

Here is the link to the Best Friends Animal Society Community Cat Fiscal Estimator, which will help you determine how much money you can save in your community by starting a TNR program. So, even if you don't like cats, but you like money, you can see that Trap Neuter Return will save taxpayer dollars.

OUTAGAMIE COUNTY
"The Town of Greenville and the Fox Valley Humane Association are working together on a trap-neuter-return program as a long-term solution to Greenville’s feral cat problem. Greenville constable Vicki Prey is a key player in a cat population management program. In just the first year of the TNR program, the shelter has seen a 63 percent decrease in the number of feral cats brought in during the first quarter of 2011 compared with the first quarter of 2010. "
http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20110603/APC0904/110603085/Trap-Neuter-Return-program-finding-success-Greenville-

My note regarding Outagamie County:  A successful collaboration between the town of Greenville and the local humane society is working. The proof is in the numbers.

MILWAUKEE COUNTY
Wisconsin Humane Society's Jill Kline talks about their feral cat program:

"The Wisconsin Humane Society has participated in the program for 10 years. Since 2005 more than 2,000 feral cats have been trapped and neutered or spayed. We think it's a great community program," Kline said. "About one in eight feral cats brought in to the Humane Society are adoptable. Some are ill and must be euthanized, but most are healthy.  Kline said the "trap-neuter-return" program helps curtail overpopulation of cats as well as cuts down on nuisance complaints since the cats no longer fight, spray or howl."

http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/123593059.html

My note regarding Milwaukee County: Great work by Wisconsin Humane Society. Unfortunately for the cats of Milwaukee County, the animal control contract is held by the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission (MADACC) where they do not have a TNR program.  The past Executive Director was not a supporter of TNR and subsequently 68% of cats that entered MADACC in 2010 were killed (or 4763 cats). In 2009, 65% (or 4363 cats) were killed. So you can see that killing cats did not improve the situation.  The good work of Wisconsin Humane Society will be negated by the poor decisions at MADACC, unless a  progressive director is hired for the vacancy at MADACC.

WALWORTH COUNTY
Lakeland Animal Shelter is the county shelter in Elkhorn. It has neither a TNR program or a barn cat program. BUT.... Walworth County is the home of Community Cat, Inc., whose co-founders, Tammy Neumeister and Lela Schuster are avid feral and barn cat advocates.  They believe that every cat has a right to live, and Tammy had this to say:

"There is an important factor that people against TNR seem to miss. The fact that these are healthy cats. The cats we TNR are generally as healthy as house cats, if not healthier. They are in good condition. They have colony caretakers OR they are making it on their own. They have a source for food, water, and shelter. If we found a skinny, injured, non-healthy cat, we would not TNR. It's obviously not doing well where it is. Those we take in, make well, and then try to find a new location with a caretaker, usually on a farm. Some of these are obvious strays. They don't know how to care for themselves out there. These we take in as house cats. Some are closer to "house ferals" but that's OK too. Most of them come around once they are healthy again and see that we help. Then they can be adopted out. The true ferals are fine. They are in great shape. They know what they are doing out there and it's all they know."

My notes: Tammy should know what she is talking about. Her small group of volunteers at Community Cat in Whitewater, Wisconsin  has assisted in a TNR program and the spay/neuter of  3000 cats (and 400 dogs) since 2009. Although they work with all cats and dogs, their real passion is the free roaming "community cats".  

SAUK COUNTY
A recent story in the Washington Post alerted me to the anti-TNR opinion of the president of the board of directors of the Sauk County Humane Society in Wisconsin. Her name is Dana Madalon and her comments in the story are on the second page of the link.  The story even mentioned that Ms. Madalon withdrew her financial support from the Washington Humane Society (D.C.) because of their TNR program.

 I contacted her and asked if she would like to clarify or defend her position and the following is her response. I agreed to post it in its entirety.

"I realize it’s often difficult to have meaningful dialog about TNR as it is so filled with emotion but we all come from the same place which is love for cats. I personally share my home with 4 cats, all of whom were rescued from the street.

My opinions have been formed from over 20 years of observation and personal involvement, not from some lofty perch on the outside. I have an extensive background in animal shelter and rescue work. I am an animal welfare activist, not an animal rights activist as the reporter wrote in his story. I have been involved in virtually every program available in shelters from cleaning cages to serving on Boards and deployed with the HSUS to New Orleans to help with animal rescue after Katrina. I do respect the opinions and viewpoints of TNR advocates but based on my experience and what I have personally witnessed, disagree that it’s the right approach for most situations. I do recognize there are success stories but those are regrettably in the minority.
I will share with you some of what I have seen through shelter work both in the Washington, DC area and in the Midwest.

Cats are domestic animals. This means they do not have natural defenses or immune systems and thus depend entirely on humans for their medical care. In TNR colonies we see devastating illnesses and diseases that are left untreated because people can’t get close enough to the cats to identify whether a cat is ill much less provide multi-day medical treatment. These cats get severe ear mites, flea allergies, skin conditions, abscessed teeth, upper respiratory infections, conjunctivitis, ringworm, injuries, and frostbite, all of which are untreatable since it’s virtually impossible to identify then trap and treat a specific cat throughout its lifetime. Further, the sick and dying cats and kittens stay hidden while the healthier cats take advantage of any food placed out. I have seen skinny, bedraggled, forlorn looking cats from TNR colonies shivering in the extreme cold with their eyes almost closed filled with gunk. And these are the ones that are healthy enough to emerge. Imagine the ones we find that are near death under a bush or in a car engine. In researching TNR, I have never encountered meaningful discussion on how to address these issues once the cat is released.

In most cases, TNR colonies are not lucky enough to reside in neighborhoods with dedicated, conscientious, and long-term caretakers. In urban and rural settings in particular (as opposed to suburban), we see a lot of horrific abuse. Since these cats are used to hanging around their colony they become vulnerable to incredibly indescribable acts of cruelty. Just seeing one instance is often enough to turn a person into an “indoor only” fanatic. It’s really bad. There are some cases that will haunt me forever.

The mere existence of feral cat colonies, in many cases, actually contributes to more cats. TNR colonies perpetuate the notion that this is a “good” life for the cats, thereby promoting dumping. For example, university and college settings are among the worst problem areas for feral cat colonies. In these settings we see cat colonies actually on the increase. Cats are frequently abandoned by irresponsible students who see a feral cat colony as a reasonable solution to an unwanted cat at the end of school. They wouldn’t think this if the colony didn’t exist in the first place. We also seeing dumping of unwanted pets (which is actually considered abandonment and a crime in many jurisdictions) near cat colonies by irresponsible or ignorant owners, thereby perpetuating the cycle rather than helping to decrease the populations. Again, these misguided (giving them the benefit of the doubt) individuals see or hear about a colony and think it’s a “good” place for their pet because “at least it won’t be euthanized.”

In rural areas, where shelters are scarce and often TNR if done, is not done with the necessary amount of care and dedication required, populations explode and cats live miserable lives. Kittens are everywhere, most of them sick and dying. A friend of mine just recently rescued one from a TNR colony that was near death. She was lucky enough to be able to trap this particular cat and whisked it to a vet. It was less than a year old, missing most of its fur, its eyes were filled with gunk, and she was bleeding. And this was from a TNR colony.

In New Orleans, during the rescue efforts, we encountered colony after colony of feral cats, many of which had notched ears, clearly indicating they were TNR colonies. Wary of humans to begin with, post-disaster they were virtually impossible to rescue. Whatever caretaker there might have been had been forced to evacuate leaving these animals to fend for themselves in a truly inhospitable environment with little to no food or shelter available. I realize disasters are the exception rather than the norm, however, we can plan for our own pets in the event of emergencies but planning for a feral cat colony is a lot more problematic, if not impossible.

One of the arguments espoused by the TNR community is that removing the colony would create a vacuum only to be filled by yet more feral cats. I find this premise to be a “seeing the trees not the forest” mistake. In attempting to preserve the colony, one ignores the plight of those “other feral cats” that are suffering, starving, subjected to cruelty, etc. The sad reality is that until we get the problem of the pet overpopulation under control, we are going to have to make tough choices. Even if all the TNR efforts were successful, there are still millions of feral cats and dumped cats that were once pets that are suffering greatly.


I honestly believe we have a moral obligation to make sure these animals do not suffer (or languish interminably in cages) and are free from peril. That is my priority. We have to make decisions on where to place our limited resources to best help those who can’t speak for themselves. For me, that is in anti-cruelty education, spay/neutering programs, providing larger and better shelters (where cats aren’t warehoused), and whatever programs are targeted toward minimizing animals suffering. I personally could never trap a cat and put it back on the street because I believe if you truly love an animal, you’ll do what’s best for it, not what makes you feel good. I believe TNR falls into the latter category. So, unless these cats can be socialized and until we get the problem of pet overpopulation under control, I believe euthanasia, sadly, is the most humane and loving alternative." - Dana Madalon, President, Sauk County Humane Society


My Notes on Sauk County - Notice, that there is no live-saving solution offered . There is no acknowledgement that EVERY major national animal welfare organization (except PETA) endorses TNR. So, I guess Dana Madalon is the expert and they're not? There is no acknowledgment that TNR saves taxpayers' and donors' money because it effectively reduces the feral cat population. She does not offer any viable solution to help reduce the feral cat population except killing. And we know from experience and statistics that the killing won't solve the problem, but increase it. Sauk County Humane Society - can you really do your job to save lives with this kind of regressive thinking at the helm?

Four cats, four counties. If you were a feral cat in Wisconsin, where would you want to live?