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Not on My Watch: Sobering Statistics

Wed, 2009-12-02 21:44 — Robin Olson

Although I am thrilled and joyful at being able to help a few kitties NOT DIE at Henry County, Betsy gave me some information that was deeply sobering...

“The last statistics I looked at were September. 2 cats reclaimed, 17 adopted, 34 rescued, and 386 euthanized. That's cats and kittens combined and you can bet it was mostly kittens who got out.”

I've asked Betsy what we can do to help her STOP the KILLING. I know there are many, if not most of you who want to do something to help. Now that Betsy is starting to know me a bit, perhaps we can start a process of finding a way to save lives instead of take them.

It's been a week of winning the Lottery–first with little Gingerbread, then being able to rescue these HIGHLY AT RISK kitties. I'm so grateful I have people who can help me do my work, but I'm also brokenhearted.

I need more people to help and I need us to come up with a way to SOLVE this problem on a much BIGGER scale.

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Comments

Thu, 2009-12-03 09:59 — ADS

These numbers are obscene, indefensible. This is in effect not a shelter, it is a building where county animals are brought to be killed. It should be a profound shame to whoever so starves animal control of resources that they kill 20 times as many animals as they adopt out.

Thu, 2009-12-03 10:08 — AnnaBanana74

Robin, I wish my sanity was intact enough to do more (I'll have to email you one of these days). No matter how hard Betsy works, the system is not set up to help her. The legislators, municipalities and animal health and welfare advocates and professionals need to change the system with education and low cost spay/neuter programs (as a start). This is a slow change, because only by educating individual people who will pass on their knowledge to friends and family can they change the culture of sheltering and animal welfare in their area. It may not be realistic to believe that some day there will be no unwanted and unloved pets in this country, but we can at least stem the tide.

Thu, 2009-12-03 10:44 — meyerzone

Robin - after I resolve my 7 in my neighborhood - I am sure I could convince my husband to allow for more fostering. Since I started this project, with your help, I find myself not being able to fall asleep because I am so worried about my 7! I think fostering will be easy if you are willing to take over the worrying part for me - LOL! - So once we find homes for our neighborhood ones - I will be in a better place to help you!
Keep the faith and fight the good fight!
- Diana

Thu, 2009-12-03 12:25 — Amy & The House... (not verified)

Ok, so I am not sure what needs to be done - I wish we could foster at our house (we are far from there but I am sadly guessing these are not far off for a lot of shelters) but we just don't have the space (my goal is to win the lottery and open a no-kill shelter ala Tabby's Place, but right now the $22 in my checking acount means I am a long way off) and honestly I know myself - I would have a really hard time fostering kitties only to have to give them up (I can't even look at a stuffed animal and not buy it without feeling bad that I didn't take it home - and yes I know they are not real). I do get an RSS feed from Nathan J Winograd who is a huge advocate for moving to a no-kill shelter mentality - you can look him up (or email me and I can send you the link to his site). I don't know if it will help but it might help a little. We donate whenever we can to try and help out as many animals (kitties and doggies) as we can - we wish we could help them all.

Sat, 2009-12-05 20:11 — acninee

Helping isn't realistic for me, though I sure wish I could.
I live in Washington State. In south King County, the county shelter got into trouble. It seems to have been a case of mismanagement if the reports in the papers are correct. Kill rate was too high compared with other shelters. The county increased their budget, but they didn't spend it so no improvements were made. The newspaper did a series of articles that got a lot of attention, people made demands to the county council and manager. There was talk of inviting the Humane Society in to improve things. In the end they decided the building was too far gone, located in an area at high risk of flood this fall and shut it down. They are telling people who want to surrender animals to go to some of the no kill groups that operate in the area (this was negotiated, they aren't just dumping the responsibility.). I don't know now what the long term plan is, I hope they will re-open under Humane Society management. In Tacoma, the Humane Society took over and reported that 2008 was their first year with NO healthy dogs euthanized. They can't do the same for cats yet, but they're trying, and the stats are improving. So where I'm going with this is... Maybe Henry can find some friends in their local media to take up the cause? It will come at the cost of embarrisment, but perhaps the public can be moved to demand better? (And I think some people are moved to clean up their acts as pet owners when they see the spotlight drawing near)

Sun, 2009-12-06 08:04 — ADS

Those numbers reflect a deep, fundamental unwillingness to commit adequate resources.

No one can think that a "shelter" that kills 20 animals for each one it adopts is addressing its mission in any way.

This is Metro Atlanta area, if I read the maps correctly. Would any place that considers itself one of the great cities not be shamed if this situation is made public?

I mean the numbers are not just depressing, they are shocking and obscene.

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