With Friends Like This - Who Needs Enemies?

Yesterday morning one of my Facebook "friends", an animal rescuer from southwestern Wisconsin posted a link to a "letter" from an animal control officer that was apparently posted on Craigslist and is now circulating the internet. I won't post the link here because I don't want to drive traffic to a bad article. But the jist of it was that the animal control officer had to quit his job because of the pressure from No Kill advocates. Two of his or her "points" jumped off the page at me as blatant mis-information. One point was that there was "no such thing as a No Kill shelter" and the other was "Animals must be killed because there are not enough homes for them all".

I politely commented under the link that these points were incorrect:

1. In fact - there are enough homes for all of the homeless animals. About four million animals will be killed in animal shelters this year, yet 23 million people will get a new pet in America. AND, if you factor in the ways that you can reduce shelter intake by implementing portions of the No Kill Equation: such as TNR (trap-neuter, return); proactive redemption (getting lost pets back home);  low cost spay and neuter; and animal help desks - the numbers that need to be saved will be even lower.

2. And yes, there are No Kill open-admission shelters. At least 25 of them now across the nation that are saving 90% of the animals. Some of these are large, municipal shelters. For those of you who are wondering where they are and how they do it - follow the progress  in this blog, No-Kill News.

Back to the Facebook post. I checked back a couple of hours later to see if there was any comments that I needed to answer and guess what? I had been de-friended!

So: here we have an animal rescuer with her head in the sand. Not only does she have her head in the sand, she doesn't want to pull it out and become informed.  Really a very sad state of affairs. Somebody that is supposed to be saving animals who actively supports killing them by re-posting nonsense that has no basis in fact.

Make sure that the shelter or rescue you support is truly working towards No Kill goals.  There are many that are not and who are trying to maintain the status quo of killing shelter animals.

Here is another blog on this subject from the KC Dog Blog "Knowing That It's Possible". Please share and let's spread the message far and wide because yes, it is possible!

One of the under-reported stories of the internet is this: 

It constantly reports on what's possible. Somewhere in the world, someone is doing something that you decided couldn't be done. By calling your bluff and by pointing out the possibilities, this reporting of possibility changes everything. - Seth Godin

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

Puma, a healthy happy barn cat

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And the Correct Answer is....

Last time I promised to start talking about the best questions to ask your shelter director and/or shelter board of directors to make sure that you're not being tricked by the Smoke and Mirrors. 

People email and phone me all the time with shelter complaints. When I ask: "Did you talk to the director?"  Silence. Then, "Well, no... because I don't like confrontation. I just try to get along." Then I say: "But, how can you expect change if you don't speak up?"

Speaking up is not hard (well, maybe a little hard). Swallow your butterflies, hold your head up high and ask the tough questions. Once you've done it once it will get easier, trust me. It doesn't mean you are a bad person, or a trouble maker. It means you are a hero for the animals you love and who deserve it. And I'm giving you permission to write an email if you just can't muster the courage to do it in person.

Emails are great. You know they will arrive instantly and you can even carbon copy the board of directors if you obtain their email addresses from a website or a polite phone call.  Hopefully you will get a response to your questions in writing. Something on paper is very valuable - it gives you written proof that you can file and use if you need it. If you don't get a response to your email, follow up with a polite phone call or personal visit. Remember, the key word here is polite. A please and thank you go a long ways (my mother taught me that). If you donate to the shelter, or you are a taxpayer and the shelter is publicly funded; you have a right to know how the money is being spent and you deserve an honest answer.

And as a sidenote: I am in touch daily with No Kill Advocates from around the state and nation. There isn't one that I know of who wants to see the shelters fail. We want to see them succeed - because they are the best chance that the animals have. So enough with the shelter bashing comments already. Somebody posted on my page the other day why I didn't apply for the Executive Director job at MADACC (Milwaukee Animal Control). I'm not thrilled with the way the Catholic Church is run either, but that doesn't mean I want to be the Pope.

The number one thing a shelter can do to prevent shelter deaths is to use all of the portions of the No Kill Equation. What I see most lacking in Wisconsin shelters are effective programs to reduce intake numbers. This means that shelters should be trying to reduce the number of animals coming in. (If they don't come in, they can't kill them!) So start with questions about intake.

You may think this isn't an issue at your shelter because it a) doesn't hold an animal control contact (to accept "strays") or b) obtains most of it's adoptables from other shelters either in Wisconsin or out of state.  Don't be fooled. All shelters can and should be working to reduce intake - not just for their shelter and  community but for their shelter partners where they are getting their adoptables from.

I don't expect shelters to be perfect. But they should be constantly striving to improve their services to the public - they shouldn't be just big pet stores focused only on adoptions. I would rather they answer the questions stating that they are striving to meet these goals, rather than stating they are a No Kill shelter or an Adoption Guarantee shelter and not implementing all parts of the No Kill Equation. Since incoming animals come mainly from two sources - "strays" and surrenders, focus your first questions there.

Proactive Redemptions (Lost and Found programs)

1. Do you have a staff member or volunteer whose duties include reuniting lost pets with owners and advising owners of correct search techniques? Correct answer - yes or "we're working towards implementing this program".
2. Do you microchip and enroll to the new owner the microchip of all adopted animals? Do you provide microchip services to the general public? This helps ensure that lost pets in the community will get home again. Correct answer - yes. (Some shelters do not enroll the microchips to the new owner. Many shelters do not microchip at all).
3. Do you provide a free, well-fitting collar and ideally even id tags with each adopted animal? (Don't laugh. Some Wisconsin shelters don't provide a collar) Correct answer - yes on the collar. Bonus points for the id tag.
4. Do you post pictures of the lost pets you have impounded on your website or on your Facebook page? Correct answer - yes. Nothing else is satisfactory.  In this day and age, the technology has made this a no-brainer. This is the easiest way I know of to increase reclaims.
5. Do you have reasonable reclaim policies and fees to ensure owners can reclaim their lost pets? Reclaim fees should never exceed the cost to adopt the pet. Correct answer - yes and/or "We will negotiate with owners because we know that most lost pets don't want a new home. They just want to go home".
6. Do you have extended hours making it easy for lost pet owners to check the shelter in person and pick up their lost pet in a timely manner? Correct answer - yes.


Pet Retention (Surrenders and Returns)

1. Do you have a staff member or volunteer that does adoption follow up to make sure that things are going smoothly and problems are caught early before they escalate? Correct answer - yes.
2. Do you have an animal help desk or behaviorist on staff (or a trained volunteer) that helps all members of the community - not just adopters? Do you advertise this? Correct answer - yes or "We are striving to implement this".
3. Do you hold training classes for adopters and the public or have good positive-based trainers that you work closely with and recommend? Correct answer - yes.
4. Do you require appointments for surrenders? (This reduces surrenders whereas "no appointments necessary" or night time drop boxes increase surrenders). Correct answer - yes.
5. Do you provide counselling at the time of surrender? Correct answer - yes.

High Volume / Low Cost Spay and Neuter

1. Does your shelter provide low cost spay and neuter for the whole community (no hoop-jumping, income verification required)? Every shelter should be on this bandwagon. They may not have a full-fledged clinic yet but they should be actively working towards it. If they give you the song and dance about the veterinary community objecting; they get a big fat fail.  High volume, low cost spay/neuter clinics are working in cities all around this country. Don't buy that argument. So, the correct answer is yes but unfortunately very few shelters in Wisconsin can honestly answer yes, so listen carefully to the answer.

Trap Neuter Return is a huge issue in Wisconsin. Most shelters are still in the dark ages on this issue.  So next time I'll focus on TNR questions as well as health, temperament, foster homes and adoptions.

Thank you for stepping up and asking the tough questions. If everybody does their part and holds the shelters accountable we can make a difference.

Remember, people will judge you by your actions, not your intentions.
You may have a heart of gold - but so does a hard-boiled egg. ~Author Unknown

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?

Mazi's Story

This is Mazi. If Mazi were brought into a shelter I would like to be a fly on the wall to hear the reaction from the staff, the volunteers and any public that happened to be there.

My guess is that it might sound something like this:

"OMG- How could somebody do that? How could somebody treat a dog like that." "If I knew who did that I would kill the SOB with my bare hands." "People are horrible. People don't deserve animals. They should never be allowed a pet again."

But that is not Mazi's story. Mazi is a boxer that was lost for eight days in frigid temperatures in northern Wisconsin. She escaped her yard and headed off down a snowmobile trail. There were no sightings for the entire time. She was found by a neighbor lying in the woods, very thin with abraded hocks. She spent several nights at both the emergency vet and the regular vet.

(On a side note - we are finding that some dogs have better "survival" skills than others; some lost dogs do well scavenging and living out for weeks, months and even years on their own.)

Here are some excerpts from notes that Mazi's owner posted on our Lost Dogs of Wisconsin Facebook page. The owner took all of our advice, flyering, signs, leaving food and bed outside, everything. It was heartbreaking to hear the despair in her tone as the days passed.

"Our boxer, Mazi, is still missing! If you have seen her or found her, please call day or night!"

"it's so hard to concentrate on school when i keep on thinking about my baby girl somewhere out there...."

"if you have a pet, be sure to hug them extra tight because you don't know just HOW much they mean to you until they are gone... "

"Our brown boxer, Mazi, is still missing. PLEASE keep your eyes open for her and check out your surroundings just in case she could be nearby you. She has a black rhinestone and studded collar. Call  day or night, with any information. We are heartbroken and miss her dearly..."


"does anybody or do you know anybody that has one of those hunting motion detector camera things? if you do, i would very much appreciate it if i could borrow it. there is a possibility that mazi came to the house during the night last night, but the only way to be sure is it we caught her on camera. i will pay you. please let me know!!"


Mazi is safe and warm at home now, recovering from her ordeal. I always like to debrief in my brain after each case and think about the lessons learned. I look at the pictures and realize how easy it would be for somebody to make false assumptions about her condition or care.

She could have been picked up by a stranger, taken to a shelter and assumed to be a neglected,  dumped  or abused dog, with hateful thoughts aimed towards the owner before all the facts were known. Very little effort might have been made to reunite her if Mazi had ended up in a shelter outside of her jurisdiction.

I was speaking with a board member of a northern Wisconsin shelter one day - telling her about our mission at Lost Dogs of Wisconsin and asking if they posted pictures of their lost pets online. She said "No - they didn't need to. Everybody in their county knew where to come and look for their pet. Besides they didn't have many lost dogs. They only had dumped dogs. Those were her exact words.  "We don't have lost dogs. We only have dumped dogs."  I guess I should move to that county and my job would be done.

I said "That's funny, because we have three lost dogs from your county posted on our Facebook page right now with owners that are desperately looking for them."  When she stuttered and stammered I continued -   "Did you ever think that maybe dogs walk across the county line and end up in a different shelter? And what about posting those pictures for the convenience of the people that work two jobs, or don't have a car, or the single moms that have difficulty getting to the shelter during viewing hours."

As the steam was coming out of my ears, I realized - we've come so far, but we still have a long way to go. Here was a seemingly intelligent board member of a respectable shelter without a clue that strays are lost pets. Or that the pets are sometimes not recovered in a day or two, and that coming to a shelter every day becomes an incredibly time-consuming, financial drain (not to mention a big waste of gas!).

Besides, we would much rather that the lost dog owner spend their valuable free time flyering and generating sightings rather than driving to and from the shelter. If there is the hint of a possible match from the on line photos - then a trip to the shelter would, of course, be required.

So, please remember Mazi's story and when you see a skinny, unkempt  dog ask first - "Is this a lost pet?" Don't just assume it is an abused, dumped dog.

Also, please ask your local shelter to post the pictures of lost pets on their website. Remind them that this is now the law in Delaware because it has been proven to save lives. Animal control is YOUR tax money and/or privately funded animal shelters are run with YOUR donations.

Shelter directors - please make sure your board members are staying educated on progressive, lifesaving methods of animal welfare. They should be part of the solution, instead of  part of  the problem.  They should be more than fund-raising, do-gooders in the community wanting a feather in their cap.

Welcome home, Mazi! Your family really, really loves you.

Preconceived notions are the locks on the door to wisdom. ~Merry Browne

If It's Broke - Fix It!

 I'm going to divert for just a bit from my original plan because I thought this was an interesting "teaching moment". Last week a lady named Mary made a comment on my Mythbusters blog in regards to reducing surrenders or pet retention as it is called in the No Kill Equation. I am sure Mary is a wonderful, animal-loving person, and this is not meant to disparage her in any way.  Nor do I place the blame on her shoulders.

I'm paraphrasing (you can read the whole comment here) but in essence; she said she had been answering the phone at a rescue (I'm a bit confused because later she said shelter) for fifteen years and had found that 99 percent of the time people wanting to surrender pets would not change their mind.

 I replied that a study in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association found that targeted helpful advice that actually solves the problem results in a better than 90% decline in chances of relinquishment.

At the Nevada Humane Society, their animal help desk, a central part of their pet retention program, fields over 20,000 calls a year. Of those who agreed to try and resolve their issues after calling to surrender their pet, 59% ended up not doing so.  The link to read regarding both these statistics is here.

You may wonder why these two numbers are different. My explanation would be that in 30 percent of the cases people will be too busy or lack the  resources or commitment to stick with the program and work the problem out. Still, reducing surrenders by 59 percent is outstanding.

Now to my point: One of the key problems I see in animal welfare is bad management. This isn't Mary's fault that she couldn't help these people.  This is a serious lack of management by whoever is in charge of this shelter or rescue. Mary needs more training. Or some training. Or maybe a different position in the organization. She sounds like a very loyal employee (or volunteer - I'm not sure which).

But if I owned a widget factory and there was also a widget factory next door and the next door's widget factory salesman sold 100 widgets while my salesman only sold one; and my widgets were just as good as theirs; well -  I wouldn't do the same thing for FIFTEEN YEARS!

I'd get my salesman some training. Or I'd increase his commission. Or I'd find another salesman. BUT I'd do something different. If it ain't broke don't fix it - but if it's broke, FIX IT! Good grief.  Honestly - it's almost funny. Except that I find it sad when I think that animals suffer because of bad management. Fifteen years. It makes my head hurt.

And with the internet, free or low cost webinars, countless great articles, conferences, etc.,etc., - there is absolutely no excuse to have untrained staff or volunteers manning the phone. Allowing under performing staff or volunteers to continue to under perform hurts everyone.  It reduces morale; it affects financials and performance; and in this case it probably caused the death of animals:  not just those that were surrendered needlessly, but the ones that were waiting in line for a place at the shelter.

Bonney Brown of the Nevada Humane Society has excellent online advice on how to start, maintain and advertise an animal help desk.  It is best if you just google it because there are several very large pdf files available to download and print.  Between Bonney Brown and Mitch Schneider they are saving over 90 percent of the animals in Washoe County, Nevada. They are true leaders who we should be modeling our communities after.

One housekeeping note - I realized  that some people think I underline words in my blog for emphasis. Not so.  I underline words that are direct links to supporting articles and information - just click and read.

"A good objective of leadership is to help those who are doing poorly to do well and to help those who are doing well to do even better." - Jim Rohn

Myth busters - Not all shelter pets need a new home

Part 2 in a series about making a paradigm shift in our thinking about animal welfare.


Here's the scenario:  You walk into an animal shelter as a volunteer, an employee or a potential adopter. You see all those adorable faces of the animals looking at you and you think "All these poor, poor animals - there are so many of them, we need to find them all homes. They are homeless, unwanted, unloved." STOP! REWIND! DO-OVER! BIG MYTH!

The vast majority of animals in shelters come from two sources. Strays and surrenders.  In Wisconsin, we receive a lot of transfers from other shelters.  But the initial reason for the animal coming into a shelter was the same. It was a stray. Or it was a surrender.  (Occasionally some will come from a cruelty case or a commercial breeder surrender. I'm not talking about those - they rightfully belong in a shelter until a new home can be found.)

Instead walk down that aisle and think about where that dog or cat came from. How could you have stopped him or her from coming through the door?  I admit, my mind used to work the old way. I thought shelters should be just big adoption facilities - cranking them out as fast as they were coming in. But then the reality hit me. Most animals don't belong in shelters. Now when I walk into a shelter and see those faces the words of that old Jackson Browne song runs through  my head "She Must Be Somebody's Baby - She's So Fine."

If you are only thinking about how to get the animal adopted, you are just putting a bandaid on the problem. A lot of these animals don't need new homes. They had perfectly good homes to begin with. Animal shelters should be operating like good doctors - focusing on wellness and prevention rather than treatment.

Does your shelter operate like a pet store? That's a big red flag to me. Now don't get me wrong - I have no problem with shelters that use good marketing techniques and make their shelters happy, friendly places with convenient hours and policies for people to come and adopt.

What I do have a problem with is is the attitude - "We'll find them a better home", instead of getting them back into the home they had. I've blogged on this twice before once concerning the poor and once concerning the elderly. A shelter should be a a safety net for the animals who have no guardian or owner to advocate for them. Most pets DO have somebody to advocate for them and you have to do a little homework to find them and make it all work out.

Maybe they weren't perfect homes, but then whose is?  But maybe they were good homes. And we've got to get off this kick that every pet needs a fluffy bed and fancy toys.  Pets need kindness, food, shelter, water and basic veterinary care  - not a six figure income and a big house in the suburbs.

If the shelter or rescue is not spending a great majority of it's time and resources on programs which promote "reducing intake" then it is only putting it's finger in the dike.

Strays are lost pets who should be returned to their homes.   It's called Missing Animal Response or proactive redemptions. It should be a major focus of every shelter and animal control agency in this country. Bill Bruce, Director of Animal Bylaw Services in Calgary, Alberta; and Mitch Schneider, Director of Animal Control Services in Washoe County, (Reno) Nevada are leading advocates of proactive redemptions and guess what? Both of these communities are saving over 90 percent of the animals.

Mitch Schneider summed it up simply and brilliantly: “By returning the dog home, we don’t stress the dog, we don’t stress the dog’s owner, we don’t stress the staff at the shelter, and we don’t stress the other dogs in the shelter. Everyone wins. Even the taxpayers win: we spend less of their money.”

Surrenders are dogs and cats who are brought to a shelter that with early intervention could have probably been kept in their homes.

Does your shelter or rescue have an animal help desk? Do they have resources for people that need to move, need behavior or training advice, need pet food? Or do they accept every animal no questions asked? Then as soon as the person walks out the door after surrendering, the judgements and accusations start to fly behind the counter.  (How could they dump their pet like that?  What horrible people! They don't deserve to have a pet!)

Does your shelter  provide high volume,  low-cost or no-cost spay/neuter with no hoop-jumping income or residency restrictions?

If a pet does needs to be rehomed - does your shelter have a rehoming link on it's website? Then the pet can be rehomed by it's present owner.  These pets get into a new home without ever entering a shelter. Without the risk of stress, disease and death that entering a shelter brings.

Does your shelter have a Trap Neuter Return program for community (feral) cats? Because these cats should never be in a shelter to begin with (except for the snip and eartip). They live and belong outside.

Notice the 'Making a Difference" links on the side of my blog. These are all local organizations aimed at reducing shelter intake. Yes, rescue and adoptions are important. But let's start keeping the animals out of the shelter in the first place.

What is the number one cause of death in companion animals in America? It's not puppy mills, or dog fighting or cruelty. It's shelter deaths. So, how do we reduce shelter deaths? We don't let them go there. If they don't enter a shelter they can't be killed!

Will it work out every time? Of course not. But by starting to make a paradigm shift towards reducing intake you will begin to give yourself the breathing room to truly rehabilitate and rehome those animals who need it.

It only took a few paragraphs and I covered four steps of the No Kill Equation: Trap Neuter Return, Proactive Redemption, Pet Retention and High-Volume, Low-Cost Spay/Neuter. And not one mention of warehousing or hoarding. Hmmm. Maybe that is a myth too.

"A leader is the one who climbs the tallest tree, surveys the entire situation, and yells, 'wrong jungle!'" - Steven Covey

The Paradigm Shift

Have you ever believed something for so long that when you finally realized that it wasn't true - you went through this amazing array of emotions? Disbelief, curiosity, embarrassment, and even guilt?

I remember one of the largest paradigm shifts of my adult life revolved around dog food. It was about 1998. We had our Jack Russell terrier, Jasper for a couple of years and I had been feeding him a premium (so we thought) high priced dog kibble. I thought I was a good owner. He started to develop itchy, raw hot spots on his feet and my vet at the time wanted to do the whole band aid solution approach of treating the symptoms and not the problem. Luckily, I hung out with a lot of competitive dog sports people who were way ahead of their time and fed raw or grain-free diets.

I started to do my research and couldn't believe the pack of lies that I had bought into for 20 plus years. I had been brainwashed to believe that I was a bad, bad owner if I fed anything but sawdusty dry bagged kibble. If I fed human food my dog would get bad teeth. My dog would beg at the table. My dog would get an upset stomach and loose stools And heaven forbid - there was no way to feed a COMPLETE and BALANCED diet unless you fed sawdusty kibble every day, twice a day for 365 days a year. What a load of garbage. Or genius marketing by the dog food companies, which ever way you want to look at it.

Hopefully, all of you enlightened readers have made the paradigm shift about dog food in your own lives.   If you still believe that human food is bad for dogs or if you know someone that does - here is an excellent common sense article by a local dog trainer and rescuer, Carol Sumbry of Pooch Pedestrian Dog Training and Pet Sitting that will open your eyes.

Anyways, this blog isn't about dog food. It's about that sudden realization that things aren't always as they seem. That sometimes we've bought into a pack of lies for so long -  it becomes really hard to open our minds to a new way of thinking. The marketing has been clever. We've been duped. So - in these next few blogs I'm going to challenge you to open your minds and see if you can start to make a paradigm shift. The one that will lead the way to a No Kill Nation.

Oh, and by the way, Jasper's hot spots cleared up shortly after improving his diet.

Wise people sometimes change their minds - fools never do. -Anonymous

The Dots

I've been meaning to blog on dots for a long time. I'm just getting around to it now. A couple of weeks ago somebody made a comment on my blog that I explained last week in my post.  As soon as I saw the comment my mind quickly said "red dot" and I didn't waste much energy on it. And so herein lies my dot theory.

A couple of years ago when the Commercial Dog Breeders Bill was introduced in Wisconsin a small, but determined group of supporters decided that they would form a  citizens' lobby group to support passage of the bill. We started a yahoo group and the first couple of weeks were spent tossing out all kinds of ideas about public awareness campaigns to generate interest. It was overwhelming to say the least. My simple little mind doesn't like to be overwhelmed. It likes logical thinking.

Some of the ideas exhausted me at the mere thought of them. Walking across Wisconsin for the cause was one. My legs got tired just thinking about it. Another idea was to tie wire crates to the top of our cars and put stuffed dogs inside - to show the plight of puppy mill dogs to the public. Not my style. Plus, I might have ended up divorced.

So I put on my thinking cap (as my mother used to say).  We only had to convince 133 people - 99 assembly representatives, 33 senators and the governor. Now that was something I could wrap my mind around. And we really didn't have to convince 133, only a majority.

Next we needed a map. I'm a map type of person, probably from my old forestry days.  I printed off the assembly and senate district maps as large as possible - large enough to cover our dining room table. Then I trotted off to the stationery store to buy transparent sticky dots - red, yellow and green, used for pricing rummage sale items.

Thus, the dot theory was born, and I have found endless uses for it since. The co-sponsors of the bill immediately got a green dot stuck on their district number. We already had their vote. (thanks to the tireless work of the bill authors, Jeff Smith and Pat Kreitlow; and  Eilene Ribbens of the Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project).

There were some legislators that we knew were against the bill - those were the red dots. No use wasting a lot of time there. We only needed a majority of votes. Our time was better spent rallying people in the districts where we thought we could make a difference.

Where we needed to focus was the yellow dots. The ones that we knew we could convince. The members in our small group were amazing. They knew people in every town, county and area of the state. As the bill passed through committees and we could see whose votes were needed; they were able to rally friends, families and neighbors to call and email their legislators. As we grew confident that we had their vote I replaced the yellow dot with a green one on the map.

The bill passed unanimously - through every committee, the House and the Senate. In the end, even the red dots changed to green. It would have been political suicide to vote no. The momentum was too strong.

So, the dot theory has stuck with me like glue.  As we move towards a No Kill Nation, or a time when there are No More Homeless Pets (whichever phrase you prefer) the green dots are the progressive thinkers: the No Kill advocates, my friends and allies in our mission. We talk almost daily, exchanging ideas and stories on yahoo groups and by email and phone. But it's not the best use of my time. They're already on the bus.

The red dots are the naysayers and dinosaurs - a big waste of time. They make my blood pressure rise and the dinosaurs are going to be extinct soon enough anyways. Besides, we don't need them. We only need a majority. Plus, one thing I have learned, the buck doesn't stop at the red dots. There is usually an elected official or a yellow dot above them. Also, funding for naysayer shelter directors comes from tax dollars or donations, a whole sea of yellow dots.

The yellow dots are who we need on the bus. They're the majority of the pet lovers in our nation. They're easy. And there are millions of them. Once they understand the problems, the solutions and the mission, they're more than happy to get onboard the bus.

This is where I want to spend my time. Each day dawns with the possibility of yellow dots just waiting to hear about the No Kill Equation and the possibilities of a No Kill Nation.

So, back to the red dot naysayers. In the end they'll be like the red dot legislators of our Commercial Dog Breeders Bill. They'll come along. Either kicking or screaming; or pretending like they were onboard the whole time.

It will be suicide for them not to. Or like the dinosaurs, they'll become extinct.

"Almost all people are in favor of progress, it's the change they don't like. Most people become willing to change, not because they see the light but because they feel the heat." - John Mason

Comments and such

Just a quick response to somebody who commented in my blog's comment section last week. She said "my comment is too long to post here" and then posted a link to a blog written at another site. First of all, I welcome all comments, positive and negative. I definitely prefer a real name (this one had a screen name). My personal opinion is that if your viewpoint is valid enough to write, then you should be willing to use your real name. I don't always respond to comments although I will try to answer honest questions. I'm not really a "last word" type of person. I've said my piece in my blog - and others are welcome to say theirs. But - if your comment is too long, then shorten it up.

The heading on my blog states my mission - "Working towards no more homeless pets in Wisconsin through progressive animal welfare practices...". If you want to write a blog on regressive animal welfare practices, then that's your perogative. Knock yourself out. It's a free country and that's one of the privileges of being a citizen of this great nation.

So blog away. But don't expect to use my blog as a platform to launch your blog. I'm trying to educate people on newer,  progressive animal welfare methods, stuff that normally hasn't been practiced or promoted in Wisconsin, other than by a few brave souls. If you want to dwell on the old 'catch and kill methods' and restrictive adoption policies that have failed animals in the past then you'll have to find your own audience. I've worked hard to build my following and reputation and you can do the same.
My blog - my delete key.

Who's On Board for a No Kill Nation?

Good Morning,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The State of the State of Wisconsin

 Here's a recap of the state of animal welfare in Wisconsin this past year as I saw it.

Puppy Mills and Pet Stores
The rules for Act 90 -  the Commercial Dog Breeders Law are still being hashed out in committee meetings. As with any negotiations, it will be difficult to please everyone, but as long as the committee members remember that the ultimate goal is to improve conditions for the dogs in the breeding facilities, we should come out okay.  The bill, and I'm sure the economy has had an effect on the number of USDA breeding facilities in the State. There are now 44 active licensees.  This is down from approximately 95 at this time last year.

Petland Pewaukee closed out. It was bought by an independent owner who is still selling puppies and kittens in the same cramped cages that Petland did.  This leaves only two Petlands in the state: Racine and Janesville. But there are numerous independent pet stores that sell puppies and kittens.

Wisconsin brick and mortar shelters quickly adopt out the highly adoptable, small fluffy dogs.   Small dogs languish in rescue organizations longer than shelters - mostly because of the restrictive adoption policies imposed by the rescues on the adopters.  The rescue groups still don't seem to understand how this perpetuates the cycle. Denying adoptions and/or overly restrictive adoption policies drives people to the very same pet stores that the rescuers abhor. Many dog rescuers are pet store protestors on the weekend. This doesn't make sense to me.

Bully Breed Issues
The Brew City Bully Club had an outstanding year raising awareness with two major newsmaking events. First was the kick off of their End Dogfighting program in Milwaukee. Second was the "Ride to End Dogfighting".  Members from Rescue Ink attended and rode borrowed Harleys for the ride.

Another group -  Battle Against Dogfighting also put on several events. Between the two groups, awareness of dogfighting in Milwaukee was brought to the forefront.

Breed Specific Legislation reared it's head in Sheboygan, but quick action by concerned citizens and pit bull lovers prevented it from being passed by city council.  A breed neutral, dangerous dog ordinance is being drafted instead.

The largest problem is still  the number of stray pit bulls and pit bull mixes that end up at the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission (MADACC).  Most people do not even know that this facility exists and by the time they figure out where their dog is - the reclaim fees are beyond their means.

MADACC implemented a foster, adoption and volunteer program. This has been very well received by the community and will hopefully continue to grow and succeed.

Many shelters in the state are very good about taking as many pit bulls and pit mixes from MADACC as they can reasonably hold and adopt out. But the longer stay and increased costs are a burden on all of the shelters. Returning more of these dogs to their owners would go a long ways towards making us a no-kill state.

The Executive Director of MADACC resigned in early December to take a job in California. The position is still open. I hope a progressive thinking pro-redemption (return to owner), pro-Trap Neuter Return candidate will be hired.

Community Cats
Several shelters are now offering limited trap, neuter, return programs.  This is an improvement over last year but we still have a lot of work to do in this area.  As mentioned above - a pro TNR, Executive Director at MADACC will help tremendously.

Pet cats continue to adopt out very quickly especially when shelters use innovative pricing programs.  Since we have research that shows that people value a discounted or free cat as much as a more expensive one - why not save a life?

Research shows us that almost all (87%) pet cats are spayed or neutered. So as TNR programs improve and we get the community cats out of the shelter system - the population of pet cats will level off in the shelters - attrition will meet demand, and we will be well on our way to no-kill for our cats as well.  Keeping the community cats out of the shelters (where they don't belong anyways) will also help prevent the overcrowding that makes disease prevalent - especially in the older shelters with poor air circulation.

Shelter Intake
I was pleased to see a lot of new innovative organizations start up this year in Wisconsin.

These organizations are designed to keep animals out of the shelters in the first place.  Barney's Blessings is a food pantry and more for pets.  Nose to the Ground to Help Hounds  is a website and resource for hound lovers and owners.  Lost Dogs of Wisconsin is aimed at getting lost dogs home quickly, before they end up in shelters.

There are also some great organizations with strong no kill philosophies that are becoming front runners in the animal welfare movement in Wisconsin. Most notably - Milwaukee Animal Rescue Center in Southridge Mall and Community Cat in Whitewater are two that I want to mention. Strong leadership and the determination to save lives brings these two to the front of the pack.

Other issues:
Dairyland Greyhound Racing Park closed in late December 2009. Amid much internet hysteria that hundreds of greyhounds would be euthanized, I did not hear of any such outcome. Some dogs went on to race at other tracks while many others were put up for adoption.  Greyhound racing has become a thing of the past in Wisconsin, not because it was outlawed, but because it had lost it's public appeal.

Social networking has taken the state by storm. Shelters that are not using Facebook and Twitter are sadly missing out. Maybe it's our cold, dark winters - but most evenings the internet is abuzz with animal welfare news from around the state and nation.

The words "no kill" seem to still cause concern around the state. One shelter is now calling itself an "adoption guarantee" facility.  Great news for those of us in the know; but I've had a few phone calls from average citizens wanting to know if this means that they can get their money back if an adopted pet doesn't work out!  And honestly, I can see where that misunderstanding might come from.

I also get phone calls and emails almost daily from people who want to know which are the "good" shelters so they can decide who to donate to. I don't endorse any shelter. I tell people to do their own research. But with a few mouse clicks people can now google "no kill" and Wisconsin and come up with a list.  Donors are demanding greater accountability and transparency from shelters and rescues.

In 2010, the term "no kill" went mainstream, around the nation and the world. Wisconsin can either be a leader or a follower. Wouldn't it be nice to be a leader?  Here's to a Great 2011!

Today I Mourn

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Are We Saving as Many Lives as Possible?

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving with families, friends and pets. We had a great week. Lost Dogs of Wisconsin reunited Lucy, the German Shepherd/Golden Retriever mix with her 83 year old owner and got her home in time for the holiday after 27 days travelling the roads of Waukesha County.

We had some weird weather last week. I was on my way home from the barn when a tornado warning was issued. I ducked my "used, but new to me" Ford Explorer under a gas station overhang for fear of hail damage and listened to the storm's progress on the radio.

Weather forecasters are doing an awesome job these days. It struck me that they're in the business of saving lives also, just like our shelter directors.   I wonder if any weather forecasters are dinosaurs or naysayers - stuck in a rut, still doing things the way they did twenty years ago.  I bet not - especially those that want to keep their job.  It's probably "keep up or ship out" in the meteorological business.

Can you imagine a weather forecaster saying "Those new methods don't work - lives won't be saved.  I'll just keep on using my old maps and outdated technology."

The forecaster I was listening to was using ultra-modern technology plus asking for listener participation and tornado sightings through Facebook and Twitter. The accuracy of the predicted path was amazing. No lives were lost although properties were severely damaged. Without the forewarning, there could have been casualties.

I think the animal welfare world can learn a lot from others that are also in the business of saving lives.  Ambulance services, fire extinguisher and smoke detector sales, air traffic controllers, hospitals .  I can think of dozens more. Can you?

Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. ~Henry Ford

Profile of a No Kill Advocate

Yesterday, I had a lot of time on my hands - catching up on reading, writing emails, thinking. I was on Lucy surveillance for Lost Dogs of Wisconsin. Lucy is an elusive German Shepherd/Golden Retriever mix that went missing on October 24th. She is owned by an 83 year old woman who was in the hospital and was being looked after by her son. A shy dog anyways, Lucy slipped her collar in a strange rural neighborhood and has been on the run for the last 3 weeks. She finally seems to have settled in a neighboring town and we're hoping a humane trap and some smelly food will do the trick.

Anyways - back to my point. I had lots of time to think - as I was slouched behind my steering wheel hoping to catch a glimpse and a picture of Lucy.  We No Kill Advocates are a bit of an unorthodox bunch and there is more than a few traditional shelter directors that wish we would go away. But too bad, so sad - we're not. So if you're looking for us - here's the typical profile of a No Kill Advocate:

1) An inquiring mind. Always wants to know the Why, What, Who, When, Where and How of animal welfare to figure out ways to improve the system.

2) Usually starts out as a typical shelter volunteer but becomes disenchanted when simple suggestions to save lives go unheeded.  Often becomes labelled as a "troublesome" volunteer - more problem than they're worth.

3) Smarter than average. Reads everything that they can gets their hands on - shares, blogs, posts, and arms themselves with facts and statistics to defend their position against the naysayers.

4) Often willing to get involved politically - because they realize that true change will come when  good laws and policies are implemented that will save lives and taxpayers' money.

5) Willing to attend conferences, seminars, webinars, etc. at their own expense. Again, to strengthen their position. Whereas - the dinosaurs and naysayers are too busy "in the trenches" to read anything new or attend any progressive animal welfare conferences that may save lives.

6) Good sense of humor. They are amused and emboldened by the fact that they are a threat to the status quo.   I laugh when I hear the bizarre rumors that people try to spread about me and I honestly feel sorry for folks who have nothing better to do than to gossip. (I guess you do have some time on your hands in the trenches).  I didn't play the gossip game in 6th grade and I'm certainly not going to start it now.

7) No Kill Advocates meet in coffee shops and fast food restaurants. They are rallying by the tens of thousands.  They couldn't make a difference "within" the system so they have to try a new approach. They are educating the masses and spreading the word about cities like Reno, St. Louis, Austin, Charlottesville.

And when you think about it - isn't it a bit sad? They're treated like the criminals, the outsiders, the troublemakers.  When all they're trying to do is save lives.

“He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery.” - Harold Wilson

And I got my picture of Lucy!

We Become What We Believe

Growing up, I was the last one picked in gym class for any type of sports team. My phys ed teacher put high value on athletic ability and usually left me on the sidelines to keep score while the other girls played. I grew up hating team sports.  I  convinced myself that I was useless at them. When I looked in the mirror I saw an awkward, skinny, freckle-faced girl with no aptitude for sports. Even into my early adult years I avoided team sports like the plague. I hated the company picnics when we were supposed to play volleyball or softball and I always found an excuse not to participate.

But I was wrong.  I enjoy being active.  I love hiking, riding my horses, competitive dog sports, swimming, anything outdoorsy. It wasn't true that I was an nonathletic klutz like I had let myself believe. It had simply been an incorrect perception that I had of myself.

This memory taught me a big lesson - if we're not careful, we become what we believe. If  we believe that we can't do better than what we are doing - then we won't.  We'll get stuck in a rut - never achieving any more than what we perceive ourselves as.   But if we look in that mirror and see who we want to become -  we will. We'll start to consciously and unconsciously make the choices to drive us towards our goals.

Shelter directors and shelter boards of directors who are naysayers to the no kill movement discourage their staff, volunteers and donors who want to do better. They deflate their dreams and drag the whole shelter into doom and gloom.  Everybody starts to believe that they are doing the best they can - and that is just the way it is. And guess what?  Perception becomes reality. 

Instead we need enthusiastic, compassionate,  driven shelter directors  like those described in this article from the No Kill Advocacy Center. We need boards of directors well-versed in the No Kill Equation who support the director and assist in fundraising.

As the no kill movement gains steam, the naysayers will either get on the bus or will have to step aside. If they truly love animals (as many of them say they do) they must look in the mirror and self-reflect.  Those that join us will have to let go of false perceptions that they have believed for many years.  We ARE a No Kill Nation. Don't let anyone tell you we're not.

Whether you think you can or think you can't - you are right. ~Henry Ford

The Litmus Test

My husband is perhaps the most objective person I know. The great thing about this is that I can run all sorts of ideas and thoughts by him and he tells me HONESTLY what he thinks. He doesn't just take my side because I'm his wife. He has a very clear way of thinking, plus a way of sorting through the fluff and getting to the heart of the issue.  I have learned a lot from him (please don't tell him I said that).

He does not have a background in animal welfare. So a couple of years ago - he was quite enamored with the Starfish story when he first heard it and if you're not familiar with it - here's a link to a blog and the original story that I did on it several months ago.

So, he constantly refers to cats, dogs or other companion animals as starfish.  When I'm asking his opinion on an issue -  he says "Well, at the end of the day did you make things better for that starfish or those starfish?"  Even if it is only a temporary fix - he says "Did you get that starfish back into the water for a little while - until you can come up with another solution?"

Some of these issues can be incredibly complicated. They are political, fuzzy and grey.  His starfish analogy has now become my litmus test.

So it makes me more than a little angry when I see organizations who have lost sight of the real reason we all do this. I definitely believe in sticking your neck out and calling a spade a spade when it is deserved.  But on the same note, when credit is due - put aside differences and give credit.  No one will ever be perfectly aligned with another's viewpoints. Our opposition one day will be our friend the next and vice versa.  I love this from the 10 Golden Rules of Lobbying:  #6 There Are No Permanent Friends and No Permanent Enemies.

Recently, the HSUS stepped up to the plate and assisted with the seizure and rescue of 200 pit bulls from an alleged cruelty case in Ohio.  This was a huge change in policy for them - isn't this what we wanted?  Yet, there has been still very little acknowledgement of their help. At the end of the day were those starfish better off because of HSUS assistance? Darn right.

It passed my litmus test. Thank you - Humane Society of the United States.

It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.  ~Harry S. Truman