Join the Believers

In a follow up to my last blog post, here is the reverse side of the signs at the Best Friends National Conference.  Just like with the Ignore the Naysayers side, these were very inspiring. Please share them with anyone who still says that No Kill is impossible. 

Ignore the Naysayers

It was a long, long corrider in the Rio Hotel and Casino to the meeting rooms where the Best Friends National Conference was being held. (I have learned to pack sensible shoes). The highlight of the hike was these wonderful signs that inspired and delighted everyone. I was posting them on Facebook and Twitter and I had a request to put them all in one place.  The pics were snapped with my phone so please ignore my bad photography skills. One side of each sign featured an "Ignore the Naysayers" message.  The other side had a "Join the Believers" message. I'll put those in a separate blog post.  Enjoy.

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

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 Sky is Falling, the Sky is Falling! Or is it?

Yesterday a story circulated via Channel 3000 on the internet.  It solicited quite a few comments, then was deleted and reposted again later. I'm not sure what changes they made to the story for the "updated" version  but I had concerns with both versions.

The story singled out one shelter director,  from one Wisconsin shelter who was forecasting doom and gloom for animal shelters.  There wasn't any mention of the dozens and dozens of shelters that are saving upwards of 90% of the animals in their care around the nation. There wasn't any mention of life-saving methods that are working elsewhere.

I just got back from the No More Homeless Pets Conference in Las Vegas. As always, it was educational and inspiring. I loved  the printed conference schedule that featured seven case studies from open-admission communities that are already at or are close to achieving No Kill status.

So to all the naysayers out there - here's a quick wrap up. I have addressed each of your reasons why No Kill won't work where you are.

No Kill can't happen in a large metropolitan city: Austin, Texas (population 790, 390) 2011 live release to date: 91% for cats, 90% for dogs.

No Kill can't happen in a poor, rural county:  Brown County, Indiana with a median household income of only $47,763;  2011 live release to date: 95.6%.

No Kill can't be maintained long term:  Albermarle County, Virginia 2010 live release rate: 92% for cats, 92% for dogs. This community has maintained it's No Kill status for the past five years.

No Kill can't be achieved in a cold climate:  Calgary, Alberta, Canada has a population of 1,070,295 and covers a vast amount of land. 2010 live release rate 82% for cats, 95.5% for dogs.

No Kill can't happen in a bad economy because people are giving up their pets:  Washoe County,  Nevada has one of the highest foreclosure rates in the country. 2011 live release rate to date 92%.

No Kill can't happen because animal issues need liberal political support:  Salt Lake County, Utah (a mostly conservative state); has started to implement No Kill programs and is achieving great success. 2011 live release rate: 77% for cats, 89% for dogs. This is up from 83% for dogs and 37% for cats since 2008.

No Kill can't be maintained for an entire state:  New Hampshire killed 1.9 pets per 1000 people in 2009, down from 10 pets per 1000 pre-1993.

Still not convinced? Here is a website chock full of even more examples and  information on No Kill communities.

So, in conclusion, maybe the Chicken Little naysayers are wrong. Maybe the sky isn't falling.  Maybe the lame excuses they churn out day after day:   the irresponsible public, the economy, demographics, location, geography, weather, education, politics and/or the "mentality of the folks around here" just doesn't cut it any more. Maybe they're just that - lame excuses. It's time to give them up and get on with saving lives.

Those who say it can't be done are usually interrupted by others who are doing it. - James Baldwin

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

Sticks and Stones

Last week in a Facebook thread I was accused by a Wisconsin shelter director of "shelter bashing" and telling people not to support shelters. Hmmm. I read back through all my posts and I can't seem to find that anywhere. In fact, in several posts I have said that No Kill Advocates WANT their local shelters to succeed. I'll reiterate - well- functioning shelters are an asset to the community and its animals. And I wrote a very positive post about why people should go to their local shelter. The problem is that many shelters are still doing "fuzzy math" or not embracing all eleven steps of the No Kill Equation. Animals are slipping through the cracks - usually the feral and shy cats and the pit bull type dogs, which deserve just as much a chance at life as the cute, fuzzy ones.

There is a new radio advertisement that plays almost every day for a wealth management company in Milwaukee. I have heard it several times. It is a short question and answer interview with a wealth management advisor. She is answering questions about how an individual can discern which is a good non-profit to donate to and which ones they should be cautious about. I'm sure the advisor is not concerned about incurring the wrath of a non-profit. She is educating the public about how they can be informed consumers and wise managers of their hard-earned money.

Just as she is not writing her ads to please the non-profits, I am not writing to please shelter directors. I am writing to educate the public on a topic that has been very rarely spoken about in Wisconsin in the past. And apparently this information is appreciated, because I receive far more compliments than complaints.

The radio ad stresses transparency and how important it is for a donor be able to clearly understand what their donation is being used for. Then they can decide if it is an organization they wish to support or not.

Sound familiar? She took the words right out of my mouth. When shelter directors and boards of directors stop defending the killing, blaming the public, and become transparent with their statistics and financials, I'll stop blogging about it. Until then, I'm here to stay.

The greatest oak was once a little nut that held it's ground.
 - Author Unknown

Beagle Wars

There was interesting news story making the rounds this week about a lost beagle that was turned into a shelter in West Virginia. I won't go into all the details because you can read them for yourself at these links.

Here was the original story: http://www.newsandsentinel.com/page/content.comment/id/552672/Humane-Society-not-returning-dog.html?nav=5061

And here is the outcome: http://www.newsandsentinel.com/page/content.detail/id/552715/Beagle-back-home-with-his-owners.html?nav=5061

To make a long story short - the shelter wanted the owners to adopt the beagle back to the owner on their (the shelter's) terms. The owners were willing to pay the reclaim fees but disputed the fact that they needed to adopt a dog that already belonged to them.

The owners took their complaint to the County Commission who stepped in and helped them get their dog back. The Commissioner is unhappy with the way the shelter handled the situation initially.

"Couch suggested the county establish its own animal control services. Commissioners are none-too-happy with the situation and how things were handled, he said."

The way I see this - that shelter director had two choices when the situation arose:

1) Return the dog to the owner, make a big deal about a happy reunion, generate some good pr and goodwill and celebrate the fact that one less dog  needs a home.

2) Make a public relations nightmare with  inflexible policies.  Generate bad publicity, enrage the public, and  possibly incur a legal battle causing financial hardship and embarrassment to the shelter.

It was a no-brainer to me. What would you have done?

I never had a policy; I have just tried to do my very best each and every day.

 - Abraham Lincoln

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

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

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

Happy Anniversary to Me

I started this blog just a little over a year ago. My first entry is dated June 9, 2010. I remember that day really well. The news had broke that the Countryside Humane Society in Racine, Wisconsin had given expired rabies vaccinations to 600 animals. Since it is required by state law in Wisconsin to have a rabies vaccination, Countryside had to notify all of the pet owners and have them come back in to get their animal re-vaccinated. Not only a huge waste of donor's money, but a health risk to the animals. Countryside Humane Society said it was an honest mistake.

Come on now. One expired vaccine is an honest mistake. Five expired vaccines could be an honest mistake. I might even accept that twenty could be an honest mistake. But giving 600 expired rabies vaccines is not an honest mistake. The whistle blower, a Countryside staff member who alerted the press, was fired.

But I digress and you can read my two blog entries and the links to the news articles on this subject here and here.

I was furious that day. Furious at Countryside Humane Society, but even more furious that NOBODY in the animal welfare community stood up to make a public statement that what Countryside did was wrong. The animal welfare community was gossiping about it behind closed doors but too spineless to speak out in public. One brave Racine City alderman and some of the public spoke out and attended a meeting. But not one shelter director, that I am aware of, put out a public statement saying that what Countryside did was unacceptable and that the director and the board members should be held accountable. NOBODY. Circling the wagons, at it's finest.

So I sat down and typed my first blog. It was late that night - I didn't have any clue how to use Google Blogger and my first attempt at putting a picture on was hilarious. By about midnight, I'd figured out the picture thing and I was happy with the words I'd written.

I realized that I hadn't given my blog a name. Wisconsin Watchdog was the only thing that popped into my head at that time of night. I'm a morning person. I get up before the crack of dawn and by 8 p.m., I'm done for. So creativity at midnight is not going to happen.

So, Wisconsin Watchdog it was. Like I said, I was furious. Sleepy, but furious. If nobody else was going to watch what was going on in the animal welfare scene in Wisconsin, and be brave enough to tell it to the public, well then I would.

So that's my story. And what a year it has been. My inbox overflows daily with insights, tips and complaints. I go through them and sort out the credible, from the not-so-credible.

Three amazing groups of people have gotten the courage to go public about the wrong-doings at their own Wisconsin shelters (more on this to come) and I am ever so grateful. Because they are paving the way for the many more who are getting ready to do it.

It's easy to take a stand against the bad guys - the puppy millers, the dog fighters, the animal abusers. Not so easy to stand up and say what's wrong in the animal welfare system. Shelter board members and directors are often considered leaders in the community. They have been put on a pedestal. Sort of like TV evangelists. We're supposed to donate blindly, but never question how they spend the money. Just like the gig is up for a lot of TV evangelists, the gig is up for the poorly performing shelters.

Shelter killing is the number one cause of death of companion animals in this country. Not cancer, nor puppy mills, nor dogfighting, nor animal abuse. Animal shelters kill, at best estimate, (because transparency is a huge problem), about four  million animals a year in America. We can rescue the dogs from puppy mills or dog fighting busts or animal abusers. But it won't do one lick of good if they end up getting killed in the shelter.

What will the next year bring? Progress. I am certain of it. More and more shelter volunteers and staff will swallow their butterflies and have the courage to speak out. We have a support system in place, both locally and nationally. We have at least six Wisconsin residents attending the No Kill conference in Washington D.C. in July. Another nine that are attending the No More Homeless Pets conference in Las Vegas in October. And three that are attending the one day No Kill seminar in Ohio as well. Are there any Wisconsin shelter directors attending? Not that I know of, but it sure would be nice to see them. Don't worry - we No Kill Advocates are actually really nice people and we all want the same thing, right? To end the killing of healthy, treatable pets in America's shelters.

So, to those Wisconsin shelter directors and board members who are still not actively seeking methods to reduce shelter killing in their community, be forewarned. We're watching. And that's not a threat, it's a promise.

To know what is right and not do it is the worst cowardice. ~Confucius

The Right to Criticize - Mine, Yours and Everyone's

"Unless you have worked at Madacc you shouldnt bash them. And if you have worked there and still want to bash them then why didnt you try to do some of the things that are being mentioned you cant call a kettle black when you didnt try neither."

I copied this comment (bad grammar and lack of punctuation included) from the "I Support Madacc" Facebook page that was put up in response to the new No Kill Milwaukee Facebook page that was created a few weeks ago. Facebook wars - kind of funny, actually. I'm not exactly sure who the comment was directed towards but I want to weigh in with my opinion.

I am not involved with the No Kill Milwaukee Facebook page but I wholeheartedly support what they are trying to do: educate the public about the 50% plus kill rate at Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission (MADACC)  and encourage the hiring of a new progressive director that will implement the No Kill Equation, proven to save lives. (As a side note, somebody asked me the other day why it wasn't called "The Common Sense Equation" because that is what it is about. Good point, indeed!)

So back to the Facebook comment above. This goes into my pile of lame defenses of shelter killing. Really? I am a taxpayer and I am not allowed to criticize how my tax dollars are spent? I am a donor to privately-funded shelters and I am not allowed to know how my money is spent? Because I don't work there?

I would like to ask the writer of the comment - Has she never objectively criticized her snow removal? Or the potholes in town? Or the wasteful spending of the government? Because she is not a snowplow driver, or a roads worker, or a politician? Then I consider her a poor citizen who is not doing her civic duty to hold government agencies accountable for their actions.

Even private entities are subject to criticism. This is how they improve. I will never be a medical doctor,  but that doesn't mean I don't objectively review credentials before I choose which doctor I will entrust with my medical care. I carefully scrutinize my veterinarians before I entrust my dogs' health to them, yet I will never be a vet. I read restaurant reviews and watch for public health violations when I am choosing where I eat, yet I don't work in a restaurant.

So yes, Ms. Facebook commenter. I and every other citizen of this nation has the right to observe, critique and comment on the operations at their local animal shelter. Sorry to burst your bubble.

If every animal shelter in the United States embraced the No Kill philosophy and the programs and services that make it possible, we would save nearly four million dogs and cats who are scheduled to die in shelters this year, and the year after that. It is not an impossible dream." - Nathan Winograd

Demonizing the American Public - Are We Shooting Ourselves in the Foot?

Facebook, Twitter and social networking are great. I can't imagine where we'd be without it. It has given the No Kill movement a huge boost to propel us forward in ways never thought possible a few short years ago.  But I think it has it's drawbacks also.

We can pass along information with the click of a button. Some of it helpful, some not so helpful to our cause. Now every time a dog has been abused, starved or beaten - we share it so that the whole world can see the horrors of animal abuse. We have demonized the American public.

Pretty soon, every time I glance through my Facebook newsfeed I see the same stories being shared and reshared. Don't get me wrong, animal abuse is horrible and the perpetrators need to be severely punished; when they are found guilty. Plus, it's nice to see the public enraged and willing to act.


The problem is that since the No Kill philosophy has a basic premise that most people are good and should be trusted with animals; when we overpost cruelty, we are shooting ourselves in the foot. We need adopters, foster homes, volunteers, and staff to make the programs of the No Kill Equation work.

Our common sense tells us that 95 percent of people in the nation are good people. But it's kind of boring to share and reshare the stories of the good people. It's far more satisfying to share the horror stories of the 5% evil. It is much more dramatic to post a cruelty story than a kindness story.


You would think, we of all people, animal welfare advocates would have learned from history. Isn't this what happened to pit bulls? They were demonized by the press. They became victims of an overzealous media seeking sensational stories to sell newspapers.   A few bad stories and pretty soon the whole breed has to bear the burden of the crime.

If you want more background on the plight of the pit bull and how the media played a part in their downfall, check out the National Canine Research Council and Karen Delise's book - The Pit Bull Placebo, The Media, Myths and Politics of Canine Aggression. It is available as a free download.

Another good reminder is that the number one cause of death to companion animals in America is not dogfighting or animal abuse or puppy mills. It is shelter killing. Let's focus our energy on that.

Maybe, it's time to think before we click that share button on an animal cruelty story. Is it credible? Is it local? Has the perpetrator been found guilty?  Are we helping our cause? Or hindering it?

There is only one thing more painful than learning from experience,

and that is not learning from experience. ~Laurence J. Peter

Ralph's Story

This is the story of Ralph, a small dog who taught me a big lesson. Ralph, a Jack Russell mix,  was adopted from the Wisconsin Humane Society a few months ago. In late March he escaped from his nice adopted home. A shy little guy, he was starting to live the good life, after a rocky start. But somehow he got away from home and was lost. Confused, disoriented, shy. Sounds like me when I would get lost in a department store when I was young, separated from my parents.

 People ask us why there seems to be so many more lost dogs now, than say, ten years ago. Well, we know a few reasons. There are far more rescued dogs (a great thing). But many of these can be shy puppy mill dogs. Also, there are far more undersocialized pet store dogs. Since pet stores often sell their puppies at a very young age; they have missed an important socialization period in their development with their mother and littermates. Plus, there are more foster homes and transports. These are very vulnerable periods in a dog's life before he gets to his permanent adoptive home. These reasons add up to what we call more "high flight risk dogs" and more potential for lost dogs.

Anyways, back to Ralph's story. This little guy was lost from a Milwaukee suburb called Bayview. He was sighted numerous times during his disappearance but was never able to be approached.

On a warm Sunday in April, I was on my way home from Racine with my dog after a flyball event when I got a call from the director of Lost Dogs of Wisconsin. A Facebook fan had just posted a report of a deceased dog on the shoulder of I-94 northbound between Chicago and Milwaukee, just north of Racine. She was unable to stop but gave us a good description of the location and the dog. The description sounded like a dog that is one of my "still missing" cases from August 2010, so I made a quick turnaround and went back to look. Even from the southbound lanes I could see it wasn't my case, but I exited and re-entered the freeway to get a better look and at least a picture of the deceased dog.

We have learned that different municipalities have different policies regarding the identification and removal of dead dogs. Some good, some not so good. So, worried that somebody may never have closure for the loss of their dog, I put the lifeless little body in the back of my SUV and headed to the nearest 24 hour vet clinic to have it scanned for a microchip.

As I drove, I thought about all the thousands of cars and trucks that had passed that poor little deceased dog on the shoulder. I wondered what all those people thought.

" A dumped dog, no collar, somebody probably threw him out of a car."
" Some careless person had him in the back of a pickup truck and he jumped out."
" Some heartless farmer was letting their dog run around without a collar."
"A stray dog, unloved and unwanted."
"Another sad case of animal neglect. How could people be so horrible?"

 It was pretty obvious to me what had happened. A lost dog had made a poor choice about crossing I-94. Most of the way, there is a large grassy shoulder. But for about a 100 feet alongside where his body was,  there was a concrete barricade along the edge. He probably made a quick dash across the freeway, but had to turn back from the barricade and got clipped by a vehicle. His small body was barely damaged.

The vet clinic immediately picked up a microchip with the scanner. When I got home and called the microchip company; it was Ralph, one of our other caseworker's cases. Other than matching colors, he looked nothing like the picture we had posted above.

I realized that without that microchip, I might have thought the same thing as all those people. I'm not sure I ever would have recognized him from his picture. He looked more like a cattle dog cross than the puppyish dog in the photo above. I probably would have had him cremated and Ralph may have stayed forever in our Still Missing file.


The owners were devastated. They met me the next morning to retrieve his body. Ralph had travelled 20 miles from their home. They had had a sighting in Racine a couple of days previously, but it was easy to discount it because it seemed so far.

Please, everyone, today - go take good standing shots of your pets from all angles. And get your pets microchipped! If they are already microchipped, make sure it is enrolled to YOUR name (not the shelter or rescue which could go out of business) with current contact information. Heaven forbid, you should ever need those precautions, but if you do, you'll be ready. And above all please, Think Lost - Not Stray (a trademarked quotation of Kat Albrecht of the Missing Pet Partnership).

Rest in peace, Ralph. You were really, really loved by your family.

Defending the Indefensible

My very first job for a newspaper was in advertising sales in a tiny little town  in northern Alberta. There were three staff - an editor/reporter, a typesetter/secretary and myself. We published a weekly paper that was absolutely horrible, not worthy of lining a birdcage.  Back before the days of desktop publishing; everything was typed, sight unseen into a huge blue machine that I have since forgotten the name of. There were many typos and factual errors, the pictures were blurry, and the stories were poorly written.

But I beat the streets day after day, defending the newspaper and trying to convince the local businesses to advertise. We needed the advertising revenue to keep our jobs and keep the doors open. I had no control over the content of the paper (I was the newbie on staff) and I was embarrassed by the whole thing. But you do what you gotta do to put food on the table.

Luckily, after about six months, I relocated to another town and got a job at an award-winning weekly newspaper that I was extremely proud to work for.

Now that I've become involved with animal welfare, I often see staff at shelters defending bad practices. I honestly think these staff took a job in animal sheltering because they love animals. They probably started the job with enthusiasm, thinking they were going to be able to make a difference, saving the lives of  homeless animals.

But then something went wrong. All of a sudden those enthusiastic employees begin to see the cracks in the system. Instead of saving lives, the shelter is cutting corners or killing healthy animals or making costly mistakes. It becomes an embarrassment to work there. But you gotta do what you gotta do. Staff need their jobs and they need for the shelter to keep it's doors open. So instead of speaking up for the animals they love,  they defend the shelter's bad practices. Even when the shelter is killing pets when better life-saving methods are available.

Somebody has to bear the blame.  So it's much easier for the staff to point the finger at the irresponsible public than to criticize shelter management, potentially losing their job. It's much easier to blame lack of donations, or lack of public support, or the No Kill advocates that are rallying for change. It's much easier to try to discredit the better methods than to embrace change and learn new things. It's much easier to call the advocates "bashers and trouble makers" and reject their good ideas. Because it's hard to not defend your employer. Until one day, you realize that killing healthy or treatable animals is just plain wrong.

I know. I was there. Defending something that I didn't believe in. But killing healthy or treatable animals is wrong. Just plain wrong. And it's indefensible.

Leadership that makes a difference includes a personal willingness to do the right thing. It makes tough choices - moral choices, spiritual choices, ethical choices, right choices.

- Stan Toler