Letters to the Editor
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Rules may be rules, but people should still be people
From an Editor's Pick letter, by Paul BC:
"I would not suggest that everyone who works at an animal shelter is doing a good job, but I don't criticize any of them for adhering to policy."
I couldn't disagree more. Following the "letter of the law" is exactly what is wrong with this picture.
The good side of rules is that they give you a starting point for making decisions in highly emotional situations, when it's hard to think clearly. The bad side of rules is when they are applied mindlessly, without due consideration for what is right.
The right thing to do would be to inform Ellen that she wouldn't be allowed to adopt from that agency again, because she had broken the contract. Then, to sit down with the new family and see if the dog was in an acceptable home. Not a perfect home, but an acceptable one. On the balance, is it better to let the dog stay than to put it back through the shelter system one more time? If the shelter's rules did not provide for that possibility, then the rules are wrong, and the moral thing to do is to break the rules.
I wasn't there when they came to take Ellen's dog back to the shelter. Maybe I would've agreed with them. But contrast Ellen's story to mine:
I was 20 when I adopted my cat from the shelter. I was in veterinary school, which means I was at school 14-16 hours per day. I had another cat who didn't like other cats. I had a roommate who had managed to put off getting her dog vaccinated or neutered for the last two years. I had met the cat by chance, when a shelter event coincided with a school event. I didn't even want another cat, but this little cat had wrapped her front legs around my neck and licked my face until my cheeks were nearly sanded away. I couldn't bear to see her killed. In short, I violated the shelter's adoption policy in nearly every way possible, but I was determined that this girl wasn't going to die.
This was the only animal shelter in a 100 mile radius in rural Missouri, and cage space was constantly short. She was either going to go home with me or be euthanized at 4pm. We made a deal. If I could get my roommate's dog vaccinated before 4 o'clock, my kitty could come home. To make a long story short, we made it. Ten years later, both cats and I are still together. It was against the rules, but it was the right thing to do.
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Give Me a Break
With all the human suffering in the world. With all the injustices we live with and read about. We are inundated with this piece of minor injustice on national tv! What a way to avoid, ignore and refuse to deal with critical issues of our world! Ms. DeGeneres wields enormous power in our pet loving country to create harm and duress to these shelter people with her tears! Boo hoo. I bet if these dog people had to send their pets to Iraq, Katrina plagued Louisiana and any other tragedy ridden place the problem would end immediately! Put your time, energy and resources to save people and our planet.!
Kabala
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A tail of two rescues
I grew up in a upper middle class suburb that had two pet rescue organizations.
The first rescue organization to be founded was and is a fairly reasonable place. They interview perspective owners, do a simple credit check and really try to see what kind of dog or cat one needs. The organization tends to be pretty flexible within a set of rules - especially since the suburb is surrounded by rural areas where people have ranches and farm. Yes, you can adopt a big dog and keep it outside but it must have some form of shelter. They've done great work in the community for years, taking dogs out of the pound and even bought an old, small ranch to use as a shelter. The shelter is kept in immaculate, if a bit worn condition and has runs for both big and little dogs. The cats have the run of the place, as long as they stay behind the fences. But they are pretty low key and don't have much money for advertising. They are a word of mouth kind of group.
But about fifteen years ago, a woman moved to town and founded her own rescue organization, made up of foster homes since shelters are inherently "cruel" and prior to starting her own group, she spent a great deal of time trying to convince the other organization to give up the use of its shelter. She moved into a big McMansion and soon enough had fifteen dogs living there. The county law says that if you have more than four dogs, you must have a shelter permit. This prompted many tearful press conferences about the cruelty of the law. But she eventually found foster homes for many of the dogs. Her organization advertises all over the place and posts long, involved sob stories on petfinder. They do in fact care very much for the dogs, but they engage in some of the inflexible behaviors that this article outlines.
So, what's my advice? Check out the rescue organization before you go looking. Ask around. You'll learn. If you are willing to deal with the flakes, go for it. Their dogs and cats need homes too. But if you aren't, I'm sure there's an organization that can help you find the right fit.
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dog shelters
I am a dog show vendor and come across the shelters at all the dog shows. A lot of these dogs have all kinds of illnesses and should be put to sleep, rather than to live their life in missery. It is easier to adopt a child than a dog. And the dogs are not free, espesialy the breed rescues. They charge up to $500 for a dog depeneding on age. I tried to rescue a French Bull dog. One lady showed me pictures of the 18 foster dogs in her home. You would think she wanted to find homes for these dogs. I gave up trying to get one of their dogs. They always come around asking for donations and give the impression they are doing some wonderful thing for the pet world. They are as bad as the puppy mills they go after. If you want a dog go to the humane society, at least they are not nutty.