What about the un-happy endings?

[justin]

I am a monthly contributing guardian, but I am seriously rethinking in what way my contribution is helping at all. I guess I became enraged with the SPCA this morning when I saw the story of Baxter, a St. Bernard who, the SPCA executed instead of allowing a family that wanted him to adopt him. The family was fully qualified...it's not just Baxter though, I know this happens probably to hundreds of thousands of animals.

I've personally seen it first hand, people I know getting rejected from adopting from the SPCA...its sickening. I believe a lot of people volunteer their time with great intention for the animals in the shelters, but there are far too many self righteous jerks in the SPCA who think that they are better than anyone else, adopting out an animal is a power play to these people.

I live in Raleigh, NC, I've been to the SPCA Adoption Center here...the woman I spoke with was the snobbiest, most conceited %$#@ I've delt with in a long time.

As much as I dislike thinking about it, my babies are getting up there in dog years. I've been a great, loving pet companion for many years, raised a few dogs, cats and other species and quite frankly, I'm concerned that after they pass and I would like to adopt another, that the SPCA, with all the red tape the entity has created, will reject me. We have a baby in the house now.

One of my dogs now would have never passed that test on Animal Cops where they shove a stick in the dogs face while its trying to eat. Wouldnt you be a tad miffed too if you were trying to eat and someone was shoving a stick in your face? But I worked with him and he's no longer posessive/agressive...if he'd been at the SPCA, they would've killed him in a week.

I realize not every animal in the shelters will be rescued, but I think the SPCA is shamefully drifting from its founder's mission statement.

[Cynthia]

Justin, there was no need to get personal. I believe I have been very polite in trying to explain how a shelter and in particular the ASPCA shelter adopts out their animals. You have responded with insults and flame posts.

I will be reporting this to the system administrator and asking that the discussion be removed from the site as it has become less about the animals and is becoming more and more abusive.

[Renee`]

Justin, are you incapable of posting without slamming someone's character?
It so happens that Cynthia is a very bright and articulate woman who cares deeply for animals. The problem lies with people that have crap attitudes like yours.
You need to back off. First off, you know NOTHING about Cynthia. She is a very respected and knowledgeable member here who is extremely involved in saving animals lives.
How dare you call her elitist and a bureaucratic droid. Your ignorance and lack of maturity is sticking out all over the place and if you wish to continue here and maintain any kind of respect, you need to stop slamming the GOOD people.
And for the record, obtaining an animal under false pretense is just plain irresponsible. I would love to have dozens of animals, but I'm realistic enough to understand that I can only afford to properly care for the ones I have. Oh, pet insurance for my 2 dogs is $97.00 a month. Not exactly affordable to lots of people.
Do you think the shelters just make up rules to be obstinate? Think again. They see more horror than you would care to imagine.

[Melissa]

I know how you feel. I live in flint, MI. We have an animal control place and its so sad when you walk in there. For one, they don't ever have food or water or anything to play with or lay on. They look so sad and miserable. And a couple days ago i read an article about this place and they said they kill 19 out of 20 animals taken there. When i read that i felt so sad, sick and furious at the same time. I mean how do these people sleep at night knowing they could have helped save those animals lives instead of killing them for ridiculous reasons. I wish there was something we could do about places like this, but i feel like no matter what we do, nothing will change.

[Cynthia]

"Animal control" is not a shelter. Their responsibility is to pick up stray animals from the city or town where they patrol. They try to adopt them out but are not funded for an adoption program. You want to help those animals? Do some of these things:

- bring clean old towels, bedding, etc. to your shelter. They'd gladly accept them for the animals. If you don't have any, put up a notice on a bulletin board at work or church and collect them. Or go to your neighbors to tell them what you're doing.

- bring safe toys for the dogs and cats to play with.

- volunteer your time socializing with the cats and dogs. Even if they are not adopted and eventually euthanized, at least they knew the love of a person once in their life.

- ask the animal control manager if there is anything you can do to help. Be responsible and don't go just once. Be a presence there and be friendly, understanding, and helpful. And don't get ticked off and not go back if someone is rude. Remember, you're there for the animals, NOT for people or for your own feelings.

- lobby your city council, your mayor, your local government for reduced cost spay/neuter funding as a way to cut down on animal control expenses. It's very expensive to run an animal control facility, but once a spay/neuter plan is in place, the stray animal population begins to go down.

- talk to a local TV station about featuring shelter animals once a week on one of their news programs. A lot of people go to animal control when they see cute puppies or kitties on TV. This also works if you can get the editor of the local paper to do a short feature on available pets once a week.

- be prepared to work your entire life doing the above things. You will have to be prepared to beg, borrow, and plead on the animals' behalf. Do more than sign online petitions and post on message boards. Volunteer at animal control, give your money, take animals into your own home, network with other animal lovers in your area - there are strength in numbers.

Put your "sad, sick, and furious" feelings into action! Help the animals today! You know, yesterday, when I was working in our adoptions dept., I got 2 kitties matched with owners and they went home. Hey, maybe it's only 2 kitties.....but it's kinda like this paraphrased saying goes:

"Saving one cat might not change the world, but it means the world to that one cat"

Think of it that way. We can all save at least one. Don't get discouraged.

[Sydney C.]

well your helping animals even though it is an unhappy endings. It does not matter really if its happy or not because if it is your giving them more to live for or if it is unhappy contributing is making its life better. Just with little amounts each day can make a difference. So dont stop contributing! Keep do it because it WILL pay off!
-sydney c.

[Sydney C.]

and maybe it is bad that they shove a stick in there face but what if a 2 year old boy was playing with the dog by taking its food away, and the dog bit him there doing that to see if it is aggressive and it will start snapping at things the he/she will start taking over. But i do agree with you because you worked with your dog(s) with the agressiveness and it worked maybe they need to do that as well.

[Cynthia]

Hi Sydney, it's true what you said - there are a variety of behavioral tests that Victoria and the behaviorists have the dogs go through, and it really helps to place them. Plus it helps so that the dog doesn't get adopted then attacks children or other dogs.

[bams481]

Wow Justin, you have some guts. First flaming the ASPCA on their own site, and now personally going after my good friend Cynthia here. She has got to be the most loving and giving friend there is...and for you to mentally attack her is not just uncalled for, but it is pathetic as well. There might be under lining reasons why Baxter could not be adopted (food aggression is one of the most common issues that I have seen). The ASPCA would be legally liable if they adopt out a dog...on the good faith that the new owners could "handle" whatever issues the dog may have...and then get their hand tore up by the dog. It is ridiculous to attack a person for sticking up for what they believe in. If you do not like the ASPCA so much then get out of here...don't attack people, especially my friends.

[justin]

I never namecalled or applied a personal attack, unlike you people. (of course, I realize yall are just cronies told to attack me, its ok) I'm a straight shooter, there is a serious problem with self righteousness within, not just this organization but others like it.

You dont have to like me, I probably dont like you. This is supposed to be for the animals, but the scary and very sad realization that the lives of so many animals swing in the balance of your...judgement is truly depressing.

[Renee`]

"Cynthia...completely self-righteous comment. She got her dog in such a "dishonst and shameful" way because you elitist (yes, that's you) people...I dont know if you just become desensitized to an animal being put down, you become this bureaucratic droid or if you get some sort of kicks out of denying perfectly suitable people because you have no other form of power fullfillment in your lives. I dont know. What I do know is that calling on someone like Sarah to find shame in the way she saved her dog, YOU should be ashamed of yourself."

Didn't apply a personal attack? What is it then? No one here has a problem with self righteousness. Cynthia is a hard working advocate for animals. She gives her time and resources, not just posting bullcrap here. That's why some of us defend her.
Sounds like you're doing some judging yourself. Cynthia is a volunteer, she doesn't make the decisions of what animal lives and what animal dies. It tears her up when one gets euthanized. Just like it does all of us.

[Cynthia]

You bet it tears me up when one is euthanized. That's why I have my foster kitty Bessie B in my home. To save her from being euthanized because she needed to be in a home, out of the shelter, but she would try to bite potential adopters when they came in. So I took her because she was considered "unadoptable" because how do you get someone coming into a shelter to adopt a cat who does nothing but bite and scratch? It took us 8 months to get her to let us touch her without her trying to bite us. We still have to keep our other 5 (rescued) kitties away from her as she has tried several times to kill them.

Thanks Renee. You said some nice things. It gets really hard sometimes. I'm just here for the animals.

[Renee`]

What bothers me is Justin is perhaps considering pulling his monetary support from his local spca. That could affect the lives of helpless animals. Dealing with the public is aggravating at best. What people have to realize that the so called "red tape" is to ensure the animals get a GOOD home. I knew of people out in Oregon who would go to the spca and get cats and then use them to train their cougar hounds. These cats met a horrifying end being torn up by the pack. So if they have some hoops to make people jump through, all the better.
And I really don't see where having a baby in the house would disqualify anyone from adopting. Animals and kids are a natural mix, providing the children are taught to respect the animal. I've had friends who thought their kids could do no wrong. Oops!! Sorry, not in my house with my animals. They got told real quick how they better treat my animals. If the parents didn't like it (friend or not) tough patooty!! They were more than welcome to LEAVE!!