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great idea. If you join Humane Society or ASPCA or a couple other national groups with the amount of money you can afford, you can get on their public policy email advocacy lists. They will let you know what is needed or has come up for voting in each state. Example saving elephants that were being abused in Florida being sent to a sanctuary in Tennessee. Closing of puppy mills in Missouri, etc. etc. You automatically are able to send your help through the internet directly to congressmen/women in all 50 states.
Be careful who you donate to. The HSUS (Humane Society of the United States)
The HSUS is not associated with local shelters that may be called Humane Societies. They have a budget of about 100 million, but give less than 1% of that money to actual shelters. The HSUS actually does not run ANY shelters- if they do receive animals, they farm them out to other groups. They use deceptive ads to make it appear as if they directly support area shelters, and have even used images of dogs that they were never involved in helping. The end result is that people donate thinking the moeny will help animals directly in their local shelter, which means local shelters are underfunded.
The HSUS also supports outdated policies, or did until very recently and only changed only great public pressure. While they are involved in 'rescuing' dogs from fighting operations, they had a blanket policy that all such dogs had to be killed- including puppies that were not yet born, or had been born in the care of a foster home. They supported the killing of the Vick's dogs, which have been rescued and many have gone on to be family pets and some are involved in therapy work.
Unfortunately, we live in a society where children are forced to live in appalling conditions because of the lack of funds to support an effective child welfare system.
The criminal justice system is so overrun that people who have admitted to their crimes are waiting many months just for sentencing.
Animal shelters in my area have been forced to shut down or "combine forces" with neighboring shelters due to lack of funds.
"Small time" animal abuse cases simply are not, and can not be at the top of the criminal priority list.
But isn't this a symptom of something wrong with our justice system? When both animal abuse AND child abuse often goes ignored in favor of prosecuting parking tickets and drug users? Shouldn't crimes that have direct victims go to the top of the heap, and shouldn't the punishment be enough to function as more than a slap and a wink?
Here's my problem with the slippery slope argument- EVERY law is a slippery slope. Laws seek to control actions, and every law will have people who defend it as necessary or reject is as an intrusion on rights.
There aren't many people who would say that animal abuse should be ignored and that no laws should be passed to punish or prevent it. Yes, the issue is defining abuse, but there are issues with defining child abuse as well. As an ethical society, we still have to face the issue, not ignore it. Outside the United States there are countries were you can be charged with animal abuse for an obese pet, and where crates are much less common. I'm not necessarily saying we should follow that example, but that's their answer to the issue.
There are laws requiring an owner seek medical care in my state, but the AC determined the owners WERE seeking medical care by bringing the dog in to a vet periodically, even if they refused to listen to any advice that was given. They were following the letter of the law if not the spirit, and perhaps another AC would have felt differently.
I agree that it is strange to charge owners with neglect and mistreatment when animal shelters either do the same or worse by killing healthy or treatable pets. But I would propose the solution is not to ignore the mistreatment of owned pets but to change the shelter system. If you are unhappy with the shelter in your area, work to fix it- this often starts with getting new leadership in place.
Thank you for a thoughtful response....I think in Finland (?) crating is illegal, yet here it is considered common-sense and a good thing (my dogs are crate-trained.) It's difficult to draw a bright line, legally speaking - but I think there needs to be one. Or, I suppose, it depends on social mores.
I'm extremely active in animal welfare (not rights) and put my money where my mouth is, so to speak. I foster, I steal dogs and find homes for them, I am a "certified" (LOL, really) feral cat caregiver and get low-cost spay-neuters, I'm on the fringes of organizations that take dogs and bait animals from fighting organizations.
Unfortunately, the county I live in can barely afford animal control and care, so the onus is primarily on local groups and grass-roots efforts for advocacy. Calling AC or shelters around here is basically a lost cause. Calling 911 or AC around here for mistreatment of an animal is, basically, futile. Call them regarding a pit bull or bully-mix, and you might as well just save tax payer dollars, because AC kills them on sight. And guess what - Flint Michigan (I live just north) being a ghetto, over 90 percent of the dogs in the city are pit bulls or mixes, so no love for them.
A few friends and I have tried for about three months to get someone to do something about an active dog-fighting organization (we have adresses, photos of dead and chained dogs, photos of stacks of animal traps for catching small dogs, cats, kittens etc for bait animals, witnesses) - you name it, there. are. no. resources.
Eh, sorry to be a downer, I get discouraged sometimes. And sometimes it's simply not possible to change "the system" because there isn't a viable system if you're not in a relatively affluent area.
Thank you for a thoughtful response....I think in Finland (?) crating is illegal, yet here it is considered common-sense and a good thing (my dogs are crate-trained.) It's difficult to draw a bright line, legally speaking - but I think there needs to be one. Or, I suppose, it depends on social mores.
I'm extremely active in animal welfare (not rights) and put my money where my mouth is, so to speak. I foster, I steal dogs and find homes for them, I am a "certified" (LOL, really) feral cat caregiver and get low-cost spay-neuters, I'm on the fringes of organizations that take dogs and bait animals from fighting organizations.
Unfortunately, the county I live in can barely afford animal control and care, so the onus is primarily on local groups and grass-roots efforts for advocacy. Calling AC or shelters around here is basically a lost cause. Calling 911 or AC around here for mistreatment of an animal is, basically, futile. Call them regarding a pit bull or bully-mix, and you might as well just save tax payer dollars, because AC kills them on sight. And guess what - Flint Michigan (I live just north) being a ghetto, over 90 percent of the dogs in the city are pit bulls or mixes, so no love for them.
A few friends and I have tried for about three months to get someone to do something about an active dog-fighting organization (we have adresses, photos of dead and chained dogs, photos of stacks of animal traps for catching small dogs, cats, kittens etc for bait animals, witnesses) - you name it, there. are. no. resources.
Eh, sorry to be a downer, I get discouraged sometimes. And sometimes it's simply not possible to change "the system" because there isn't a viable system if you're not in a relatively affluent area.
Thank you for the work that you do, and I know just how frustrating it is- it feels like you fight and fight, but nothing REAL ever changes.
But here's my question- in your county, does the AC and shelter system actively work with what means they have to save animals, or do they interfere with your efforts and the efforts of other groups? I'm not talking about the ways in which they may be challenged by low funding, but policies that actually increase the number of animals killed.
For example:
Do they have adoption hours that are reasonable and when people aren't working? Or do they hold adoptions for only a few hours a week or not at all?
Have they passed laws like mandatory spay/neuter or placed restrictions on the number of pets in a home, both of which have been proven to increase the number of intakes and killed animals?
Do they have unreasonable or intrusive rules for adoption, such as requiring there be no children in the home or that the pet cannot be left alone for a typical work day?
Do they allow rescue groups to pull animals from kill shelters without interfering in their efforts?
Do they actively court volunteers and said rescue groups?
Do they help to educate the area, or do they blame the killing on the 'irresponsible public?'
There are many things shelters can do to decrease killing with limited funds, but the problem is often the leadership- they have always killed and never sought solutions, and become defensive when challenged on this. There are low income areas that have successfully gone no kill, but it takes creative problem solving at a level higher than grass roots. But it gets even worse when the shelters and AC actively interfere with the efforts of the grassroots organizations in their area, which is often the case- they should be asking for your help instead of standing in your way.
Briefly - No, yes, no, no, no, no, yes. Seriously, it sucks. AC here does not have hours outside of regular working hours, gives no breaks to rescues and only started a petfinder page within the last year or so, because of public protest.
(That's the county Animal Control I linked to - HS is less draconian but chronically understaffed) - I work with several rescues who do stuff on a grass-roots level. A couple of years ago the leadership at AC changed and it briefly got better, sort of, and very briefly. But now they have less money than before and it's even worse, again.
So I direct energy towards independent non-profits. For a few years I was VP of a regional rescue/wildlife rehab, but honestly? the politics and backstabbing is un-freaking real in rescue, and I got utterly sick of it. So I just keep my connections, help when I can and donate when feel like it and take action if whenever.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ParallelJJCat
Thank you for the work that you do, and I know just how frustrating it is- it feels like you fight and fight, but nothing REAL ever changes.
But here's my question- in your county, does the AC and shelter system actively work with what means they have to save animals, or do they interfere with your efforts and the efforts of other groups? I'm not talking about the ways in which they may be challenged by low funding, but policies that actually increase the number of animals killed.
For example:
Do they have adoption hours that are reasonable and when people aren't working? Or do they hold adoptions for only a few hours a week or not at all?
Have they passed laws like mandatory spay/neuter or placed restrictions on the number of pets in a home, both of which have been proven to increase the number of intakes and killed animals?
Do they have unreasonable or intrusive rules for adoption, such as requiring there be no children in the home or that the pet cannot be left alone for a typical work day?
Do they allow rescue groups to pull animals from kill shelters without interfering in their efforts?
Do they actively court volunteers and said rescue groups?
Do they help to educate the area, or do they blame the killing on the 'irresponsible public?'
There are many things shelters can do to decrease killing with limited funds, but the problem is often the leadership- they have always killed and never sought solutions, and become defensive when challenged on this. There are low income areas that have successfully gone no kill, but it takes creative problem solving at a level higher than grass roots. But it gets even worse when the shelters and AC actively interfere with the efforts of the grassroots organizations in their area, which is often the case- they should be asking for your help instead of standing in your way.
Briefly - No, yes, no, no, no, no, yes. Seriously, it sucks. AC here does not have hours outside of regular working hours, gives no breaks to rescues and only started a petfinder page within the last year or so, because of public protest.
(That's the county Animal Control I linked to - HS is less draconian but chronically understaffed) - I work with several rescues who do stuff on a grass-roots level. A couple of years ago the leadership at AC changed and it briefly got better, sort of, and very briefly. But now they have less money than before and it's even worse, again.
So I direct energy towards independent non-profits. For a few years I was VP of a regional rescue/wildlife rehab, but honestly? the politics and backstabbing is un-freaking real in rescue, and I got utterly sick of it. So I just keep my connections, help when I can and donate when feel like it and take action if whenever.
There you go. My point is that the problem really isn't low funds or resources at all...it's politics and policies. It's people getting in each other's way...and yep, that happens at the grassroots level too. It all comes down to the people in charge and if they think killing is the solution. The irresponsible public tends to really step up and help if they are given the opportunity to do so.
The number one threat to animals in the United States at least is the shelter system. It really shouldn't be that way, and it doesn't have to be...change is happening, it just takes a long time. So have hope.
Be careful who you donate to. The HSUS (Humane Society of the United States)
The HSUS is not associated with local shelters that may be called Humane Societies. They have a budget of about 100 million, but give less than 1% of that money to actual shelters. The HSUS actually does not run ANY shelters- if they do receive animals, they farm them out to other groups. They use deceptive ads to make it appear as if they directly support area shelters, and have even used images of dogs that they were never involved in helping. The end result is that people donate thinking the moeny will help animals directly in their local shelter, which means local shelters are underfunded.
The HSUS also supports outdated policies, or did until very recently and only changed only great public pressure. While they are involved in 'rescuing' dogs from fighting operations, they had a blanket policy that all such dogs had to be killed- including puppies that were not yet born, or had been born in the care of a foster home. They supported the killing of the Vick's dogs, which have been rescued and many have gone on to be family pets and some are involved in therapy work.
Just does not sound so Humane to me...
...but then I am a bully lover and freely admit it. I know it is in the ownership and how they are treated, trained and socialized. As we know, Vick was NOT a good owner and should never own another dog as long as he walks this earth. Including a 3lb Yorkie, let alone any bully breed.
I don't donate to HSUS either. I'd rather donate to my own shelter, and occasionally other local shelters. Ours is a "Humane Society", but no we don't get funds from them. Their lawyer did help us once when we rescued 50+ puppy mill dogs and the backwards county officials were going to have us return the dogs (despite many, many health issues including an untreated broken leg that had to be amputated).
At least they don't advocate euthanizing all pitties like PETA does.
i would walk up with a smile and as nice as i could say...oh what a sweet dog! Untangle the dog myself and get conversation going. Odds are that person is having horrible day and not thinking about their dog like they should.
Better than shaming them and just upsetting them more.
same with children....smile and say oh you look like you have your hands full....can i help than talk to the kids and try and get them calmed down....eventually mom/dad will spill what is bothering them and let it out....they usually all need someone to just listen and support them.
A few friends and I have tried for about three months to get someone to do something about an active dog-fighting organization (we have addresses, photos of dead and chained dogs, photos of stacks of animal traps for catching small dogs, cats, kittens etc for bait animals, witnesses) - you name it, there. are. no. resources.
Eh, sorry to be a downer, I get discouraged sometimes. And sometimes it's simply not possible to change "the system" because there isn't a viable system if you're not in a relatively affluent area.
Too bad you and your friends can't go in and get those traps meant for the bate animals. Hit them where it counts, in their pocket book! I know it would be dangerous, they are in for the money. Someone who breaks kneecaps for a living could do it!!! (That is if anyone there knows someone like that...hum) (like it was said before no one was hurt in the making of the post)
Although I would like to add, even though I am "usually" a non-violent person, I can easily get into the "eye for an eye" mode when it comes to fighting pits, abusing animals or hurting kids. Abuse an animal, get the same abuse done to you. Abuse a person, get the same done to you...etc...and don't come to me with it cruel and unusual punishment, b.s! They did not give a crap about their victim when they did what they did to them. They are most likely a sociopath and do not have the capability of "feeling" empathy the way most of us do. SO, with that said...eye for an eye...
...calling all kneecap breaking folks in the Flint, MI area...we need your help (IT IS FOR A GOOD CAUSE!!!)
j/k...I don't want any kneecaps broken, I just want their bait traps to disappear, then the replacement bait traps to disappear!!! I want someone to be a thorn in their side, over and over and over. That is all.
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