Dog Community

Disappointed in our local Animal Services once again.

Posted : 7/22/2008 5:06:47 PM

About three months ago, I started helping our local humane society with the adoptions at Petco on Saturdays. Some of the dogs come from people who foster, most of them come from our parish animal services shelter (a high kill facility). This past weekend we had 24 animals (18 dogs/puppies; 6 cats) from Animal Services and at the end of the day, 18 had been adopted. So even though these adoptions in no way resemble the ones that are done thru a rescue (the criteria for adoption eligibility are minimal to say the least -but this is another topic), it was a pretty good day all things considered. Seventeen doggies and one kitten had found what we could hope was to be their furever home.

Then I found out this on one of our local TV station website

(dated the day right before the big adoption day).

Puppy mistakenly euthanized at Caddo Animal

BY CHRIS REDFORD

Lost in the system, but found in a freezer. That's what happened to a little puppy accidentally killed by Caddo Animal Services.
When Shreveport Police Officer Ron DeBello rescued the puppy from under a house on Henderson Avenue, he immediately fell in love with it.
So did his wife and kids after he showed them pictures of it. The little beagle-mix, believed to be just a few weeks old was taken to Caddo Animal Services to be checked out. DeBello made arrangements to adopt it if nobody claimed it in a week. No one did, so DeBello went to pick up the puppy, but it was no where to be found.
DeBello says by the time they did find the puppy, it was too late, the animal was in a freezer. It had been euthanized by mistake.
Director Matt Pepper says as unfortunate as it sounds, the puppy somehow got lost in the system. Pepper says it's one of many regrettable issues he's addressed since he's taken over. He says he's already implemented new practices that will hopefully keep this from happening again.

It is not the first time that the local Animal Services messes up. Lots of controversies arose in the past few years about different employees' practices, a director was hired and fired within less than a year and the new one has been in function since March only. What happened to that pup is more than unacceptable but, unfortunately, I am not that surprised. Lots of local politics seem to be involved in the hiring of personnel. They are the same "professionals" who, on adoption days, have the hardest time supplying us with the dogs records when we go to pick them up, evaluate the dogs breeds rather haphazardly, and do not take the time to always neuter/spay young adult dogs before putting them up for adoption (the adopters sign a paper saying that they must have it done and get a voucher but I do not know how well this is followed up).

While I understand that changing an inefficient organization takes time, I sure wish that new director kicked a few behinds vigorously. There are lots of things I don't know yet (and cannot find much info on) about the inner workings of our Animal Control. I am aware that ACO/kennel worker pay is not high, that there are not that many people who want/are able to do those jobs and that they are often understaffed/overworked due to lack of funding but, darn, you've got a job, try do it right and at least try to do no harm.

What are your local publicly funded animal services like ? Here, I am under the impression that strays/neglected/abandonned animals have an overall almost better chance on the streets than in their hands. However, there must be some better ones out there from which ours could get ideas.

BCMixs

Posted : 7/22/2008 5:16:47 PM

The one for my county is awful. I just can't go there, even though I'm sure they can use all the help they can get. I nearly vomited the day I adopted the Evil Milo and couldn't get out of there fast enough. He was chock full of worms and had no vet care. My county is one of the most affluent in the area and the local politics is just terrible, so much wheeling and dealing and funneling money to the developers and NOT where it's needed. One local middle school in my development has 25+ trailers. But I digress...

Richmond is apparently known nationally for executing a pretty dramatic turn around. I find the people there dedicated, loving and committed. They could use more money (what local AC couldn't?) but they've done alot to develop alliances with local rescues/SPCA/etc. to get adoptable dogs out of there as quickly as possible.

About their efforts

Thalie

Posted : 7/23/2008 9:34:41 PM

Thanks for your answer and the link you provided. It was an interesting read.

I wish Caddo AC would do such a presentation. If they could acknowlegde that the situation is far from ideal and come up with updates of their progress, this would probably benefit everyone. The new director has made a few steps in that direction but there is still a shroud of secrecy about the whole organization. I trust (because I try to stay optimistic) that he will be able to make the tables turn for the better for us too. We are not a poor parish; there is money and seeing as how things go, there will be more in the near future. What is most disheartening is that changes were promised multiple times and still things that could be easily avoided continue to happen. I am sure we have good people at our AC but lots of things still need to happen.

bevgo

Posted : 7/25/2008 6:17:20 AM

I don't know where you live but I spend 1/2 of my time between Marrero, LA and MS. I adopted a precious puppy from the shelter in Marrero 4.5 months ago and was told she was a chow mix. Now she may have some chow in her somewhere--spotted purple tongue, she looks NOTHING like a chow. She looks like a large terrier of some kind. I know she had 5 littermates and I hope they were not PTS as she has turned out to be a joy to have and so smart. I went to the shelter looking for a small puppy (one that would not get big) for my daughter and grandkids at her request but all we found were the darling puppies and I fell in love. Being told she was a chow mix, I felt she would get too large for what my daughter desired so decided to get her for me. I had been looking for a puppy for about a year but was not sure if I wanted a PB or a rescue. I really don't need a PB since I will NOT be showing or breeding EVER! I decided on a rescue. I had looked here in MS but had not found anything that stole my heart. I now have my sweet baby and love having a dog again. She was only 5 weeks when we got her but felt it was better here with us than in a shelter where she could get ill and I am glad I got her. They said they had wormed her but 3 days after getting her home she had a stool FULL of tape worms. I was given an appointment to spay her 2 weeks later--at 7 weeks--and paid my deposit but my vet felt she was way too young so we have not done that yet. Of course the shelter has not followed up with us, no surprise. She will be spayed next month hopefully before her first heat but if not she is always inside or on a leash when outside. I truly hate that shelter. It is dirty and old but the people there seemed to care about the animals in their care.

since I got her my daughter has decided she has no time for a puppy, 2 kids under the age of 5, works full time and is a full time student. I think that is a smart move since my baby has taken a ton of time and energy. Thank God I work from home.

kpwlee

Posted : 7/25/2008 7:06:42 AM

Thalie
What are your local publicly funded animal services like ?

Our county shelter is an embarrassment. Our SPCA is awesome. The county shelter is high kill, filthy, animals are sick, and have recently decided to take on more animals - I mean kill more animals. Absolutely sickening. They have a really hard time keeping volunteers and staff due to the apalling conditions

caveninit

Posted : 7/25/2008 7:33:04 PM

I usually get my pups from a local shelter here in NY (Long Island) It's actually a pretty nice shelter...very clean, no bad odors at all, which is kinda weird for a place that houses so many animals. Every time I go there I always see the staff playing with the dogs outside..they have kiddie pools for them and a really nice area for the dogs to meet and greet people. The staff really seem to love the animals there. All of the kennels have toys and bedding for the dogs. They are pretty strict with their adoption rules. I had to fill out 3 long forms to even be considered, and they checked every reference I had on there. My pup did not have worms or anything wrong with her at all when I brought her home. I have had her for a year and so far have had 2 surprise "home visits" from someone who works at the shelter. They stopped over just to check on Callie and see how she was doing. I thought that was really nice.

Honestly, I dont think I could handle seeing one of those high kill shelters. Just knowing they exist breaks my heart.

Thalie

Posted : 7/28/2008 1:38:45 PM

bevgo:

I now have my sweet baby and love having a dog again. She was only 5 weeks when we got her but felt it was better here with us than in a shelter where she could get ill and I am glad I got her. They said they had wormed her but 3 days after getting her home she had a stool FULL of tape worms. I was given an appointment to spay her 2 weeks later--at 7 weeks--and paid my deposit but my vet felt she was way too young so we have not done that yet. Of course the shelter has not followed up with us, no surprise. [...] I truly hate that shelter. It is dirty and old but the people there seemed to care about the animals in their care.

It is great that you and your puppy found each other. You truly were her life saver. While 5 weeks is very young for a pup to be adopted out, I would tend to agree that if she was in unsanitary conditions at the selter, getting her out was a great move. Two weeks ago, our AC sent us an oodle of labbish puppies for adoption day. While they were perky during the event (very malnourished though), we learned since that they were heartworm positive and full of hookworms. Sad It seems that a couple who were adopted died and that a couple of others were returned to the shelter. Crying While I am sure that there are employees at our AC kennel that truly do care about the animals, there are too many instances of what I would consider neglect. Sad, sad... but it can get better and it hopefully will.

Oh, I live in the northwestern part of Louisiana.

kpwlee:

Our county shelter is an embarrassment. Our SPCA is awesome. The county shelter is high kill, filthy, animals are sick, and have recently decided to take on more animals - I mean kill more animals. Absolutely sickening. They have a really hard time keeping volunteers and staff due to the apalling conditions

Sounds a lot like what we have here. They have had a fair share of employee problems as well as conflicts with non-profits in the last few years ! Now, I understand that they are over capacity (they took in 1000 animals in June and already 600 this month Tongue Tied

) and are overwhelmed; perhaps they do all they can but... even the new director admits that the whole organization need lots of changes.

We also have a no-kill shelter but they are of course always full. I give what I can money wise to them but I do not have the time to volunteer there too. The other non-profit organizations (including the one I do adoptions with) work of a fostering space basis and each have 10-15 dogs (and more cats) so while the quality of care those animals receive is good, the numbers that can be "saved" that way is quite small.

caveninit

I usually get my pups from a local shelter here in NY (Long Island) It's actually a pretty nice shelter...very clean, no bad odors at all, which is kinda weird for a place that houses so many animals. Every time I go there I always see the staff playing with the dogs outside..they have kiddie pools for them and a really nice area for the dogs to meet and greet people. The staff really seem to love the animals there. All of the kennels have toys and bedding for the dogs. They are pretty strict with their adoption rules. I had to fill out 3 long forms to even be considered, and they checked every reference I had on there. My pup did not have worms or anything wrong with her at all when I brought her home. I have had her for a year and so far have had 2 surprise "home visits" from someone who works at the shelter. They stopped over just to check on Callie and see how she was doing. I thought that was really nice.

Honestly, I dont think I could handle seeing one of those high kill shelters. Just knowing they exist breaks my heart.

Wow, this sounds so much better. Smile Is it really a tax-money sponsored one ? It sounds much more like a rescue type of organization.

From what I know, kennel staff here feeds, cleans the runs/cages, assists with moving the dogs around when needed and that's about it (a big job though when you think about the number of dogs/cats taken in). No such things as beds, toys, play or walk (unless volunteers are there for play and walk). Adoption form is basic (which sometimes makes me cringe a bit when some of the dogs/cats are adopted out but this is for another thread I think). If they can do it up North, why couldn't we ?!!!