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Jean Watts
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- Louisville, KY
- United States
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what is the phone number to Polk County? Let's all call them for postponement until we can resolve situation, I'll help however I can
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Jean Watts's Blog
Spirit Dog innocent
The Spirit Dog sanctuary had nothing to do with situation concerning Humane Society, they have been nothing but kind to me. I called them as one of my many sources to get facts about the proper way to test and proper age of dogs to test. They gave me same information as all the other trainers and organizations did. They all agreed Delilah's testing was wrong in the first place due to her age and situation of her day and certainly wasn't enough of a reason to put her down. The Humane Society has… Continue
Posted on April 3, 2009 at 6:48pm —
Comment Wall (6 comments)
- At 5:37pm on April 2, 2009,
JANICE HUTTO said…
- At 5:34pm on April 2, 2009, JANICE HUTTO said…Hi Jean! I don't think it reflects badly on the Humane Society as a whole; just a couple of individuals that made some very poor decisions. My heart goes out to you and your family....and little Delilah! I know this has taught you a valuable lesson and you will be much more on the alert should something like this happen again! God Bless! Delete Comment
- At 4:08pm on April 2, 2009,
Susan McKellep said…
- I am the Shelter Manager, not the Shelter Training Manager. I have not had, nor have I ever claimed to have, any experience as a professional dog trainer. I simply called you, Mrs. Watts, to inform you of our decision regarding Delilah, and attempted to explain our reasons behind the decision, and our agency’s policies, *both of which I fully support.* I have never met your husband, nor spoken to him. Numerous attempts have been made to make this distinction clear, but to no avail.
You are - and have been - confusing me with our Shelter Training Manager.
- At 4:16pm on March 31, 2009,
Kentucky Humane Society said…
- I’d like to share my thoughts regarding the blog posts and comments about a dog fostered by Jean Watts.
First, please know that our staff did not ignore Ms. Watts’ attempts to contact us regarding this unfortunate situation. We addressed the matter directly with Jean on numerous occasions at management and director levels. At the Kentucky Humane Society, we treat all animals and people with respect, compassion and integrity, and we pride ourselves on addressing all concerns to the best of our abilities.
We have an excellent system in place to care for the thousands of companion animals who come to KHS each year, and I fully support our evaluation process. As an open admissions shelter, we choose to accept all dogs and cats regardless of health, temperament, breed or age. All pets who come to KHS must pass health and behavior evaluations, and we follow standard procedures for the animal welfare field.
If a dog shows any sign of aggression we cannot place them for adoption. It is our social responsibility – our commitment to the community – that we will only place companion animals who are healthy and are not a threat to public safety. We cannot, in good conscience, knowingly place an aggressive pet in a home environment where the adopter or an acquaintance may be injured by the animal.
These tough decisions are never made lightly, but with great care and concern as each animal’s life is important to us. Since coming to KHS nine years ago, I have never worked with a more caring, compassionate staff than we have right now, and I’m proud to be part of this team.
Every day, we work diligently to eliminate the need to euthanize healthy pets via increased adoptions, aggressive spay/neuter efforts and continuous education for our two-legged and four-legged friends. I remain committed to promoting these proactive programs, and I’m determined to see the day when every healthy, temperamentally sound pet finds a permanent, loving home. We simply cannot save as many animals as we currently do without the help of our volunteers, donors and other community supporters.
If you would like to discuss any concerns or have additional questions, please feel free to e-mail me directly or contact PR Manager Michelle Ray and one of us will respond. You can reach her at (502) 515-3133 or mray@kyhumane.org.
Lori Kane Redmon, President/CEO
Kentucky Humane Society
lkaneredmon@kyhumane.org
- At 4:15pm on March 31, 2009,
Marilyn McLendon said…
- Response to Ms Watts' attack on the Kentucky Humane Society:
Ms Watts chose to drag me into this situation by providing my email without my permission to people I have never even met. As such, I will not sit by and allow the organization that I love and support, as well as the wonderful Staff members, be so unfairly attacked and misrepresented.
I have volunteered for KHS in many capacities for the past five years - one capacity is as a foster mom to over 300 animals and counting. I have worked with Ms. McKellep for a couple of years now and she is one of the most caring and compassionate people I have ever met - both with people and with humans. At any given time, her home is brimming with the Jack Russell Terriers that she has personally saved and is working to rehome. Like many animal rescuers, she has ended up with more permanent JRT residents than she ever expected because she IS such a caring person.
Kat is also a caring, compassionate animal lover who, contrary to comments, is HIGHLY qualified and trained to evaluate and train dogs. The decision of euthanasia is one that she makes with the utmost care and compassion and grieves over every time.
Ms Watts apparently supplied my email address to Alan Papszyck of Spirit Animal Sanctuary who then forwarded her comments. I responded to Mr. Papszyck by stating that I felt that it was irresponsible and unfair of him to be forwarding a hateful email without knowing both sides of the story. He responded that he agreed and asked for "my side" of the story. The text of my email response to him is below (With my permission, Ms McKellep used small portions of the email in her wonderful response below). I will be watching his blog to determine if he bothers to make any comments to the more accurate information that he has now received.
As a long-time foster, I can certainly understand Ms. Watt’s emotions, but her accusations against this shelter and the staff members are inaccurate and unfair.
Marilyn
Text of Email Response:
It's a detailed story and I don't feel it's my place to represent the [Kentucky] Humane Society (KHS) - I am a volunteer, not a staff person. All I can say is that I have worked very closely with these people for five years and no decision is every made lightly or without great care and concern. I have been told (and as I said, you and I are both hearing the story without all the information from both parties) that the aggression the puppy showed was severe and dangerous (the assess-a-hand was damaged). Shelters cannot adopt out animals with a bite history - even if that bite was on a fake hand. It is irresponsible because of the legal liabilities as well as the possible threat to the public. If Ms Watts had been allowed to adopt him and then the puppy seriously injured a child because someone was not diligent enough to keep the child away when the puppy (soon to be a large dog) was eating, it would be KHS that would be in legal jeopardy. This could lead to costly legal bills that would drain resources that could be better used to help thousands of animals a year (over 6,000 animals were placed in homes last year via KHS - a record for us). I should also say that the director of the internal behavior department is a HIGHLY trained and qualified behavior specialist and trainer.
While I certainly appreciate the emotional attachments that fosters have (I've fostered over 300 animals in the last five years), difficult decisions have to be made based on many different factors. The employees who are forced to make these decisions because of a society that considers animals to be disposable property do not deserve condemnation.
I see from your website that you have done great work in rescuing animals and I applaud and admire you for that. The Kentucky Humane Society has also done great work. While I have tremendous appreciation for the work of any organization that works responsibly to save animals, I find it unfair that "no kill" shelters or rescue groups are often viewed as somehow "better" and more caring than shelters that must euthanize. I do not mean this as a criticism of "no kill" groups, including your own - it is simply a defense of those who are in the very unfortunate and painful position of having to sometimes resort to euthanasia.
KHS has an open admission policy - we take in every animal that comes to our door but (like you, I'm sure) we do not have unlimited resources - including money, space and staff. We are not the ASPCA with an enormous facility, staff, operating budget, and national and even international donations. When there are 20 animals waiting and only 2 open cages, KHS must make painful life and death decisions on a daily basis. I know from personal experience that staff members go to great lengths to avoid euthanasia whenever possible - animals are in cages and offices all over the shelter to make more room. Many factors go into these decisions - space, health, temperament, safety of the public, legal liability, etc. Those of us (including you and me) who have made it a mission to rescue animals feel that all animals are of equal value and deserve an equal chance. However, the reality is that some animals are simply more "adoptable" and "desirable" than others in the eyes of the adopting public. These are all factors that the shelter staff would love to see taken out of the equation, but unfortunately, that is not yet the reality of today's society. These decisions are made with great thought, care, consideration and compassion. It is very easy for those who don't have to make the decisions to sit in judgment.
We work closely with other animal rescue groups but we often find that they are unable to take an animal from us because they are full or they are not able to deal with an animal that has health or temperament issues. That is perfectly understandable, but it's not fair if these same groups then sit in judgment of the shelter when that animal must be euthanized because there is not enough space (or because any of the other factors I've mentioned). Ms. Watts mentioned the Shamrock Foundation, which is a wonderful local organization that fosters animals in their homes while working to find permanent homes for them. However, Shamrock is almost always full and it is virtually impossible to get an animal placed with them - particularly one who's adoption possibilities are cut way down because of temperament, health or other issues. I respect their work but they have no place sitting in judgment on KHS when they are not able to offer an alternative - I'm not criticizing Shamrock - I'm just using them as an example since Ms. Watts mentioned them.
I doubt that we will ever see the day that shelters and rescue groups will no longer be needed because there will always be those who genuinely find that they must rehome their animals because of circumstances beyond their control. However, an awful lot of the people who bring animals to us do not fall into that category. As I said, I greatly respect the work that you and other groups do but KHS and other similar (responsible) shelters are not the problem. We (including your organization) are left to clean up the mess created by a society of irresponsible pet owners who fail to have their pets altered and who continue to view them as disposable property.
I understand Ms Watt's feelings and her grief over the loss of this puppy, but her accusations against KHS and her concerted effort to launch a smear campaign against them is simply unfair.
Your website states that you welcome and care for animals that shelters and rescue groups turn away. I admire this mission and wish you the best of luck, however, I would say that it is not the shelters and rescue groups that have turned these animals away. It is society and we (all animal rescue organizations of all kinds) have just been left with the unfortunate job of doing the best we can to clean up society's mess.
- At 3:06pm on March 31, 2009,
Susan McKellep said…
- This is in response to the complaint by Jean Watts that the Kentucky Humane Society (KHS) wrongly euthanized a puppy (Delilah) she had fostered.
Delilah’s owner surrendered her to KHS on 2/25, after Delilah lost her eye as a result of an attack by another resident dog. On 2/26 we placed Delilah in foster care with Jean Watts, to await removal of the sutures from her wound. Delilah was not given a behavior evaluation before she was sent to foster. At that time she was 3 months old, and was given the “all child”/ “very high energy companion” rating that is given to every puppy under 4 months old. (We typically do not evaluate dogs under 4 months.)
On 3/3 Mrs. Watts called and told Assistant Manager Jamie Wallace she was concerned because Delilah was freezing and growling at people while eating. Jamie informed Mrs. Watts that our Shelter Training Manager Kat Rooks would determine whether the behavior was something we could work with.
On 3/10 Mrs. Watts brought Delilah back to the shelter for suture removal, and for spay surgery. Upon arrival, Delilah growled and lunged at people in the admissions lobby; several admissions staff witnessed this behavior. Based on this, and on the reports from Mrs. Watts herself, the decision was made to do a temperament evaluation on Delilah.
Delilah was not under extreme stress during the evaluation. When Kat got Delilah out to begin the evaluation, she was sleeping in her kennel and was in no way visibly stressed. During the evaluation, she was placed in situations of conflict that are no greater than what any dog might experience during a normal day.
Delilah began to growl, still and hard stare when Kat touched her back during the behavior evaluation; Kat felt it was unsafe to proceed using her hand, but wanted to know if Delilah would stop at a growl or would respond more strongly if the growl didn’t elicit a retreat by the evaluator. Kat placed the assess-a-hand in the food bowl, but did not attempt to remove the bowl. Delilah growled and then immediately bit the hand twice in quick succession, puncturing the hand. The evaluation ended at that point, and the decision was made, based on our policies, to euthanize Delilah.
Because of legal liabilities, as well as the potential threat to the public, we do not adopt out animals with a bite history - even if that bite was on a fake hand. Many shelters have this policy in place. If Mrs. Watts had been allowed to adopt Delilah, and then Delilah seriously injured someone, it would be KHS in legal jeopardy, potentially draining resources that could be better used to help the thousands of animals a year who come through our doors. (Over 6,000 animals were placed in homes last year through KHS - a record for us, and a number of which we are very proud).
KHS is an open admissions shelter, meaning we choose to accept any cat or dog in need, regardless of their health, temperament, breed, or age. However, we do have a responsibility not only to the animals, but to the public as well, and must make life and death decisions on a daily basis. We go to go to great lengths to avoid euthanasia whenever possible, and the decision to euthanize an animal is never made lightly. These decisions are made with great thought, consideration and compassion. It is easier for those who don't have to make the decisions – and then carry them out - to sit in judgment.
Animal welfare is a highly emotional area for all concerned. As a foster myself (I foster a hundred or more animals a year), I understand Mrs. Watts’ anguish over Delilah’s fate- it is an anguish shared by the dedicated shelter workers who care for the thousands of mistreated, unwanted, homeless animals who come through our doors each year.
I am the Shelter Manager, not the Shelter Training Manager. I have not had, nor have I ever claimed to have, any experience as a professional dog trainer. I simply called Mrs. Watts to inform her of our decision regarding Delilah, and attempted to explain our reasons behind the decision, and our agency’s policies, *both of which I fully support.* Numerous attempts have been made to make this distinction clear, but to no avail.
My deepest sadness is that this situation, and Mrs. Watts' and "The Spirit Dog" Alan Papszycki's ongoing efforts to defame the reputation of our organization, are now affecting our ability to do the work we are all here to do, which is care for homeless animals. The time we are spending responding to these false allegations would be better spent addressing the immediate needs of the homeless animals in our care, and in our community.
I am available to discuss this with anyone who wants to hear the facts. I can be reached by phone at 502-515-3137, or via email at sheltermanager@kyhumane.org.
Respectfully,
Susan McKellep
Shelter Manager
Kentucky Humane Society
Louisville, KY
502-515-3137
sheltermanager@kyhumane.org
- At 9:48am on March 20, 2009,
Mandy Ellis said… - hi jean - just read your post and was stunned that anyone would try to 'test' a 12 week old pup and on the basis of those 'tests' would put it down. i can't even begin to imagine your heartbreak and i'd most definitely create a stink over this. who 'tested' the pup and how were they qualified to test her are the first questions i'd ask. i run a canine rescue in ireland and can tell you that NONE of my smallies are 'tested' - for what????? you cannot make an accurate assessment of a dogs temperament at 12 weeks - what kind of idiot would try. you might have an inkling if you've seen the parents, but there's no way i'd ever in my wildest nightmares assume that i'd know how a 12 weeker would turn out - there are so many things that factor in to determining how a dog turns out, you cannot just deem one unsuitable on the basis of a few 'tests'. as you quite rightly point out, the poor pup was probably stressed out of her mind and given the outcome, with extremely good reason. good luck and i'm so sorry for your pup.
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