A Letter from a Shelter Manager-Warning: Graphic. - MyCorgi.com2024-03-29T15:23:04Zhttp://mycorgi.com/forum/topics/a-letter-from-a-shelter-manager-sad?commentId=1150197%3AComment%3A1412235&x=1&feed=yes&xn_auth=noI agree with Beth...we can't…tag:mycorgi.com,2011-12-24:1150197:Comment:14122352011-12-24T16:34:27.839ZJane Christensenhttp://mycorgi.com/profile/JaneChristensen
<p>I agree with Beth...we can't even keep people from neglecting or abusing people...this is soooo sad whichever whether adults,children or animals:( All we can do is love the ones we have and keep them as safe as possible with plans if something were to happen to us where our loved ones (whether 2 legged or 4 legged would go:)</p>
<p>I agree with Beth...we can't even keep people from neglecting or abusing people...this is soooo sad whichever whether adults,children or animals:( All we can do is love the ones we have and keep them as safe as possible with plans if something were to happen to us where our loved ones (whether 2 legged or 4 legged would go:)</p> Thank you for a more balanced…tag:mycorgi.com,2011-12-24:1150197:Comment:14120692011-12-24T15:56:20.594ZBethhttp://mycorgi.com/profile/Beth306
<p>Thank you for a more balanced view. </p>
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<p>Kill shelters are necessary. Some dogs are not in any condition (behaviorally or perhaps in terms of health) to be adopted.</p>
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<p>The biggest number in our shelter is adolescent dogs from protection breeds.</p>
<p><br></br>Currently of the 17 in our shelter:</p>
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<p>6 are pit bulls</p>
<p>5 others are a protection breed or a cross of one (Akita, German Shepherd, etc).</p>
<p>1 is listed as a blue heeler but looks like a cross…</p>
<p>Thank you for a more balanced view. </p>
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<p>Kill shelters are necessary. Some dogs are not in any condition (behaviorally or perhaps in terms of health) to be adopted.</p>
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<p>The biggest number in our shelter is adolescent dogs from protection breeds.</p>
<p><br/>Currently of the 17 in our shelter:</p>
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<p>6 are pit bulls</p>
<p>5 others are a protection breed or a cross of one (Akita, German Shepherd, etc).</p>
<p>1 is listed as a blue heeler but looks like a cross to me</p>
<p>1 is a beagle; beagles will roam miles and I think sometimes "lost pets" end up so far from home their owner never reconnects.</p>
<p>1 is listed as a "terrier/scottish deerhound cross" which seems unlikely. Maybe part Airedale. Deerhounds are very rare.</p>
<p>The other 3 are terrier crosses.</p>
<p><br/>There are only 3 small dogs, one is a senior and the other two are either beagles or crosses. </p>
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<p>This is a typical representation of what we see at our local shelter.</p>
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<p>Point being, if you wanted a nice pet for your family with young children and maybe another dog or a cat, which of the above dogs would likely be suitable for you? </p> Nicola, we will never live in…tag:mycorgi.com,2011-12-24:1150197:Comment:14120672011-12-24T15:52:44.861ZBethhttp://mycorgi.com/profile/Beth306
<p>Nicola, we will never live in a world where no animals or people are mistreated or neglected. That is just not the nature of life. If we all stopped owning dogs tomorrow, what would that accomplish? Tens of millions of happy dogs would never get that chance just so a small percent never suffered? Life is not that way.</p>
<p>Nicola, we will never live in a world where no animals or people are mistreated or neglected. That is just not the nature of life. If we all stopped owning dogs tomorrow, what would that accomplish? Tens of millions of happy dogs would never get that chance just so a small percent never suffered? Life is not that way.</p> Fostering is a WONDEFUL way t…tag:mycorgi.com,2011-12-24:1150197:Comment:14120632011-12-24T15:38:04.510ZJane Christensenhttp://mycorgi.com/profile/JaneChristensen
<p>Fostering is a WONDEFUL way to help:) Our Tank was fostered and taken to classes before we adopted him and being such a big dog(big for a corgi mix) it was wonderful that the rescue had him go to obedience classes with the foster person. We found out the day we went to pick him(Sage, my grandson and I went to meet him earlier) up that our house was his 4th place in in a year:( The poor rescue woman was sooooooooo sad about this BUT he now has a forever home and is a great addition to our…</p>
<p>Fostering is a WONDEFUL way to help:) Our Tank was fostered and taken to classes before we adopted him and being such a big dog(big for a corgi mix) it was wonderful that the rescue had him go to obedience classes with the foster person. We found out the day we went to pick him(Sage, my grandson and I went to meet him earlier) up that our house was his 4th place in in a year:( The poor rescue woman was sooooooooo sad about this BUT he now has a forever home and is a great addition to our family!</p>
<p>I also have had to euthanize a Corgi who I rescued when he started nipping at people, we knew he was very dog aggressive but when he started with people he was a liability that we could not pass on to others!</p>
<p> </p> And in response to one of the…tag:mycorgi.com,2011-12-24:1150197:Comment:14119252011-12-24T15:15:29.818ZNicola Porterhttp://mycorgi.com/profile/NicolaPorter
<p>And in response to one of the posters I would gladly have NO dogs in my life if that meant no dog had to go through this.</p>
<p>And in response to one of the posters I would gladly have NO dogs in my life if that meant no dog had to go through this.</p> I work in a shelter. Let me t…tag:mycorgi.com,2011-12-24:1150197:Comment:14121282011-12-24T07:36:33.365ZJuliahttp://mycorgi.com/profile/JuliaChurchill
<p>I work in a shelter. Let me tell you the other side. I have read that essay too many times.</p>
<p>It is not a no-kill shelter. We have the county contract, meaning every animal that is picked up by animal control, or comes through our doors, domestic or wild, is taken in. No-kill shelters pick and choose which animals they accept. Both types have their place, but don't judge the non- no-kills without knowing that distinction.</p>
<p>What happens to these animals that come through our doors?…</p>
<p>I work in a shelter. Let me tell you the other side. I have read that essay too many times.</p>
<p>It is not a no-kill shelter. We have the county contract, meaning every animal that is picked up by animal control, or comes through our doors, domestic or wild, is taken in. No-kill shelters pick and choose which animals they accept. Both types have their place, but don't judge the non- no-kills without knowing that distinction.</p>
<p>What happens to these animals that come through our doors? First, health exams. Next, temperament eval. If an animal has the temperament to be a pet, and is healthy or has a treatable illness or condition, then they move on toward becoming adoptable. If they need treatment, they get it, for dental problems, orthopedic issues, ringworm, heartworm, etc. For dogs, there are behavior evaluations to see if they can go to a home with young children, for example, or other dogs. A stray is kept for a week while we search for its owner, regarldless. After that we can spay/neuter, inoculate,treat, and make available. If a cat shows promise, we may let adopters reserve a cat before the week is up, to shorten the cat's time in this unhealthy environment. Adoptable animals stay here until they are adopted, or become unadoptable for health or behavioral reasons.</p>
<p>Yes, animals are euthanized. Some are too sick, too dangerous, or temperamentally unsafe for us to pass off to the public as pets. Some become ill here, and don't recover. Others are saved. Smaller shelters in the state often send their dogs to us when they become overcrowded. Cats that we think are feral are sent to a partner rescue that handles ferals. We work in partnership with several rescues and shelters in the area to try to make sure every adoptable animal is given a chance.</p>
<p>And don't forget the wildlife! We also rehabilitate injured, sick and orphaned animals that are found and brought to us.</p>
<p>As for targeting breeders of pure-bred dogs, most pure-breds are adopted very quickly here, except for the pit bulls, and a few others. Small dogs almost always are adopted thru a pet-search program, so they don't even make it to the adoptable floor, demand is so great. When I see a small pure-breed with health problems, I can usually trace their origin to a pet store, a "friend", Craigslist, etc.</p>
<p>This is how a shelter can be run with support from the community, local governments, other animal welfare organizations, and many, many volunteers. I would caution anyone who is tempted to start their own rescue. It is very easy to get in over your head. Joining an existing rescue organization to foster or otherwise help, or helping to improve your own local shelter is a much better way to go.</p>
<p>Thank you all for allowing me to vent here. Shelters do a lot of good with a bad situation, that situation being too many homeless animals. But we help them. We really do.</p> Wow.
First of all, I have se…tag:mycorgi.com,2011-12-24:1150197:Comment:14120432011-12-24T06:36:58.024ZVincent Vuhttp://mycorgi.com/profile/VincentVu
<p>Wow.</p>
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<p>First of all, I have seen this letter a few times before, but each time I read it it really just breaks my heart.</p>
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<p>I appreciate everyone's comments and perspectives on this issue. There are a lot of strong opinions on the subject, and obviously our own realities color our viewpoints. </p>
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<p>Purebred dogs may seem like they are immune from these situations but as with any absolutes, that is not always the case. I do agree that most breeders today are…</p>
<p>Wow.</p>
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<p>First of all, I have seen this letter a few times before, but each time I read it it really just breaks my heart.</p>
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<p>I appreciate everyone's comments and perspectives on this issue. There are a lot of strong opinions on the subject, and obviously our own realities color our viewpoints. </p>
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<p>Purebred dogs may seem like they are immune from these situations but as with any absolutes, that is not always the case. I do agree that most breeders today are responsible in that they <em>insist </em>that the puppy can always be returned and another suitable home found. I also believe many breeders today have the wherewithal to encourage/mandate spaying and neutering in their contracts.</p>
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<p>That being said, although many shelter dogs are mixed-breeds (and mostly pit bulls, to boot), that does not mean that lovers of purebreds need not concern themselves with the issue. We are all dog lovers helping other dog lovers, and the least we can do is to show compassion and raise awareness for the plight of many dogs deserving good homes. There may be exaggerations on both sides (even, I have to admit, probably in that letter) because both sides have their own ideas of what is best. Ultimately, we are all the same people committed to animal companionship, and to show compassion and understanding for a serious problem in the canine world should be everybody's goal.</p> This is a very touching and s…tag:mycorgi.com,2011-12-24:1150197:Comment:14120362011-12-24T06:19:27.072ZBeverly Butler Redford & Tuckerhttp://mycorgi.com/profile/BeverlySalhanick
<p>This is a very touching and sad story. It provides a reason to support no kill shelters as well as spay and neuter efforts.</p>
<p>For those who don't think that Corgis come through shelters, look at this month's newsletter from the North Shore Animal League-there's an article about a large number of small dogs that came in from mills. The article includes Corgis in the list. There's a picture of a Corgi too.</p>
<p>Both my boys came from the local shelter. In Las Vegas, Lied Animal…</p>
<p>This is a very touching and sad story. It provides a reason to support no kill shelters as well as spay and neuter efforts.</p>
<p>For those who don't think that Corgis come through shelters, look at this month's newsletter from the North Shore Animal League-there's an article about a large number of small dogs that came in from mills. The article includes Corgis in the list. There's a picture of a Corgi too.</p>
<p>Both my boys came from the local shelter. In Las Vegas, Lied Animal Shelter has an email notification system where you can sign up and be notified when a particular breed comes in. Both my boys came from Lied. One was a stray. The other (purebred, chipped, neutered and some obedience training) had been left in a backyard when the owners moved away. In Las Vegas. In August.</p>
<p>Petfinder.com lists dogs in shelters & can be checked by breed. If I recall correctly, you can also sign up for email alerts from them too.</p>
<p>There will always be irresponsible people in the world. Legislation can help, but it is only as effective as the respect a person has for the legislation. Murder is a crime, but people still do it. </p>
<p>All anyone of us can do is try our best to be responsible and support no kill shelters as well as spay and neuter efforts. It helps to remember the story of the child rescuing stranded starfish on a beach. When asked by an adult why the child was engaging is a hopeless task of rescuing one at a time when there were hundreds stranded, the child replied: "It mattered to that one." All any one of us can do is matter to those that we can matter to both animal and human.</p>
<p>In the spirit of the season, spread the joy of rescue to others and support the rescue organizations where you live. Maybe then if the spirit of the season lives year-round, it will matter more and more.</p> I am a "owner, breeder and re…tag:mycorgi.com,2011-12-24:1150197:Comment:14118892011-12-24T05:49:28.599ZJane Christensenhttp://mycorgi.com/profile/JaneChristensen
<p>I am a "owner, breeder and rescue" of Pembrokes. I have 4 breeding dogs who I breed occasionally and 4 rescues. I have a return policy and have had 1 pup returned and rehomed her to a great home. I get to know my potential puppy owners and am available to them for the life of their dog to awnser/help with any questions or concerns and I check in with them occasionly. My dogs go to their new home with a contract. I know most breeders don't get this involved but that's "me" and I feel like…</p>
<p>I am a "owner, breeder and rescue" of Pembrokes. I have 4 breeding dogs who I breed occasionally and 4 rescues. I have a return policy and have had 1 pup returned and rehomed her to a great home. I get to know my potential puppy owners and am available to them for the life of their dog to awnser/help with any questions or concerns and I check in with them occasionly. My dogs go to their new home with a contract. I know most breeders don't get this involved but that's "me" and I feel like they are going to good homes or they don't go to that home.We seldom see a Corgi in a rescue here.</p>
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<p>I just got done writing several county board members in a town about 90 miles from here telling them "why" they should not allow another puppy mill in MN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I haven't heard anymore BUT I do know that there were many humane society people going to the meeting(I had to work). I do adopt all my cats from humane societys or take farms cats and spend plenty of $$$$$ on them. We do have several pit bulls around here BUT our shelters are "no kill" andthese people work VERY hard to find these dogs new homes. I also try to support the shelters by helping with bake sales,donating old collars and leashes and helping at the spay/neuter clinics.</p>
<p>I do what I can. What we need to do is figure out how to get people to spay/neuter their animals.</p>
<p> </p> Thanks for typing this and pr…tag:mycorgi.com,2011-12-24:1150197:Comment:14118702011-12-24T04:34:52.710ZRachael & Wafflehttp://mycorgi.com/profile/icenado
<p>Thanks for typing this and previous comments, Beth. I wanted to but didn't know where to start. </p>
<p>Thanks for typing this and previous comments, Beth. I wanted to but didn't know where to start. </p>