Since the Texas Pawprints group has been the victim of the DAS/Animal Shelter Commission rumour mill for years, I thought it would be nice to reprint this archived 2003 article from the Dallas Morning News - back before Belo fired Larry Powell and a bunch of other columnists.
Kitten starts his new life
Larry Powell
Published: April 12, 2003
The needle of death was just about to be slipped into Teddy the Kitten's vein when he purred and nuzzled the hand that held him.
Moved by the kitten's affection, the technician put down the syringe and phoned for help.
Teddy, apparently paralyzed, had been brought to the pound in Corsicana in mid-February and almost immediately faced death, says Laniq Adams of Pawprints, a Dallas rescue group. "The people who dropped him off said he fell out of a truck," says Laniq. "But the veterinarians who later examined him said they didn't think so. There was no missing skin, no tar in his fur, just some sort of bad neurological problem."
Teddy was pitifully dragging his hindquarters. The technician who spared him called Cody Strand of Disco Doggy & Kitty Pet Rescue, a group that hosts adoptions 1-6 p.m. Sundays at the Red Jacket, 3606 Greenville Ave. (See www.discodog andkitty.org or call 214-402-7400.)*
Cody called Pawprints and asked for a "hospice" home for this ailing lilac-point Siamese kitten.
Laniq says, "We kind of have this philosophy that if it crosses our road and needs help, we'll take it." Last year, Pawprints placed 130 cats, five dogs and a guinea pig. (Pawprints needs foster homes and funds. Paypal donations to hairball@texaspawprints.org.)
Laniq got Teddy around 4 p.m. that February day. She took him to a vet who gave him steroids, and by 8 p.m., she says, "he was trying to stand up." After a few days of care, she says, he was "walking like a crab - sideways - but he was walking and purring and eating. We put him in foster care, and it has been a matter of keeping him on the meds. He's been steadily improving."
Various vet specialists have been unable to pinpoint Teddy's problem. But, Laniq says, he may have come down with an odd case of toxoplasmosis, a relatively common cat disease.
"Right now we're weaning him off steroids," says Laniq. "He's up to just over 5 pounds and he's found what appears to be a permanent foster home - the husband has decided Teddy isn't going anywhere else. He even brings home steak from Kirby's for this kitten!"
Epilogue: Seven years later, Teddy remains in his original foster home and is spoiled rotten. His medical problems were never diagnosed, but his only remaining symptom is that he can't jump down from anything taller than a foot high. However, his indulgent owner has solved this problem with some clever furniture arrangements.
* Disco Doggy is no longer operational, as the Red Jacket closed some years ago.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Redemption for DAS?
For those who haven't yet heard, the Metroplex Animal Coalition recently raised $25,000 to have the HSUS visit DAS (aka Dallas Animal Serves, aka the city animal shelter) and tell them how to improve things. This is tentatively scheduled for April 2010.
However, a fairly large percentage of local rescue volunteers are opposed to this for some valid reasons:
1. The HSUS does not manage or own a SINGLE dog/cat shelter. Even worse, a very small percentage of public donations goes to shelters (see my previous posting). This is why Wayne Pacelle's televised begging for donations - complete with disturbing videos of abused animals - enrages me as much as it does. It's incredibly dishonest.
2. The HSUS can only claim four high-profile sanctuaries for horses and wild animals. These are very different from dog/cat shelters - for example, there are no adoption programs in place at these sanctuaries.
3. The HSUS does not support no-kill shelters; instead, the HSUS describes them as run by "glorified collectors"*. I can't help but think that MAC did not mention this when doing their local fund-raising for the HSUS' rather exorbitant fee.
4. The HSUS has already visited DAS with recommendations - I understand this happened about eight years ago, nobody wants to talk about it - with no real improvements seen for homeless animals in Dallas. So MAC is throwing a lot of good money after bad.
A better solution would be to bring in someone who has a lot of hands-on experience with this sort of thing. His name is Nathan Winograd. He'w written a book about going no-kill called Redemption.
Several yeas ago, Mr. Winograd offered his services free of charge to Houston's animal control services, which are probably worse than DAS, but his offer was turned down. So I would think that Mr. Winograd would help out DAS for considerably less than $25,000.
Unless Kent Robertson was forced to sign his documentation in blood, it's not too late to send the HSUS packing. But does he - or MAC - have the spine to do so? Considering that MAC continues to insist they support no-kill (or at least their Web site does), I think they owe it to their supporters to hire an organization who believes in - and has genuine experience - in converting kill shelters to no-kill shelters.
* The source for this comment is available within "The Open Door/Animal Hoarding Myths". It is available in the Articles section of this Web site: www.nathanwinograd.com.
However, a fairly large percentage of local rescue volunteers are opposed to this for some valid reasons:
1. The HSUS does not manage or own a SINGLE dog/cat shelter. Even worse, a very small percentage of public donations goes to shelters (see my previous posting). This is why Wayne Pacelle's televised begging for donations - complete with disturbing videos of abused animals - enrages me as much as it does. It's incredibly dishonest.
2. The HSUS can only claim four high-profile sanctuaries for horses and wild animals. These are very different from dog/cat shelters - for example, there are no adoption programs in place at these sanctuaries.
3. The HSUS does not support no-kill shelters; instead, the HSUS describes them as run by "glorified collectors"*. I can't help but think that MAC did not mention this when doing their local fund-raising for the HSUS' rather exorbitant fee.
4. The HSUS has already visited DAS with recommendations - I understand this happened about eight years ago, nobody wants to talk about it - with no real improvements seen for homeless animals in Dallas. So MAC is throwing a lot of good money after bad.
A better solution would be to bring in someone who has a lot of hands-on experience with this sort of thing. His name is Nathan Winograd. He'w written a book about going no-kill called Redemption.
Several yeas ago, Mr. Winograd offered his services free of charge to Houston's animal control services, which are probably worse than DAS, but his offer was turned down. So I would think that Mr. Winograd would help out DAS for considerably less than $25,000.
Unless Kent Robertson was forced to sign his documentation in blood, it's not too late to send the HSUS packing. But does he - or MAC - have the spine to do so? Considering that MAC continues to insist they support no-kill (or at least their Web site does), I think they owe it to their supporters to hire an organization who believes in - and has genuine experience - in converting kill shelters to no-kill shelters.
* The source for this comment is available within "The Open Door/Animal Hoarding Myths". It is available in the Articles section of this Web site: www.nathanwinograd.com.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Response to Anonymous
This was posted - anonymously, of course - in response to a recent posting here.
I thought I'd copy and paste it here, along with responses. Anonymous is in italics.
I have been reading your blog everyday. I thought you had insight. But now I am convinced you are a nut. Has anyone ever asked the rescues:
1. How long do dogs stay in crates and warehouse with no exercise? Sometimes stacked to the ceiling with crates falling over. Really is that a way to live.
The rescues I'm familiar with do not keep dogs in crates. Might you tell us where you saw this? Not sure what you're talking about.
2. How many pets does a neighbor have to put up with living next door to a rescuer or hoarder? Not everyone wants to smell or hear their pets.
It only takes one barking dog to annoy neighbors - not a rescuer's or hoarder's dog, or anyone's dog. One dog is well within the permissible bounds, but it doesn't follow that the owner is responsible.
Also, living in an urban neighborhood presents all sorts of problems to people who are not willing to put up with an urban lifestyle. Those who want peace and quiet should move outside the city.
3. How many cats in one house exceptable? 100-200-300? All breathing each other's disease and snotting nose's and eye's.
This depends on the square footage, ventilation, time spent cleaning, and several other factors. A purpose-built shelter can house many times the number of animals that a private home can healthily manage in the same square footage.
For example, the most recent Pawprints shelter was a converted daycare center - but it still housed far fewer cats (over 50% less) than Dog and Kitty City's current cat shelter building. I'm not saying that anything is wrong over at Dog and Kitty City, as I often see them at Petsmart and their animals are healthy. These are simply examples.
DAS made a major mistake when they decided to limit the number of animals in a home WITHOUT specifics. For example, I've been in detached homes that are too small to house the legal limit of six animals - but it's still legal.
4. What is Dallas Animal Services suppose to do with 10x's the dogs and cats going in than going out? Go ahead and blame the city. Best deal in town, spay/neutured, heart worm tested, for 60 bucks.
First of all, you're only talking about dogs. Secondly, you're ignoring the fact that DAS seems keen to close down local shelters by harassment, not for a good reason. These shelters were created to help decrease the city's euthanasia rates, so why is DAS so keen to close them? For example, Texas Pawprints *never* received a single citation from DAS, even though DAS dropped by at least seven times. Neither has Gail Whelan with Companion Animal Network - she's made the decision to close simply because she can't keep taking off work to allow one inspection after another.
Its easy to spout out the problems and play the blame game. Just wish once I could read a real solution to some of these problems.
DAS isn't interested in solutions. They're interested in getting their way. I suggest you visit the next Animal Shelter Coalition meeting.
The rules are simple. Established by the city. Not Animal Services. Yes, tax-payers make the rules and pay animal services to enforce them.
Rubbish. Taxpayers had nothing to do with the most recent (2008) legislation. Quite a few opposed it. I suggest you look up the City Council's agendas and read up on this a bit more.
Because we are animal lovers, doesn't mean everyone else is. Maybe some people would like to go out and play or eat in their own yard without the smell of a feral colony using their yard for a kitty litter box. Rescuer's, hoarders , collectors which ever you want to call yourself move to a place that you dont infridge on the rights of others.
Cats don't use yards for litter boxes; they'd rather bury their feces. The feral colonies in my neighborhood generally "hang out" in semi-deserted areas, away from people. If you're having a problem, make note of the animals using your yard for a public convenience; it's probably a neighbor's pet.
Off my soap box now. But remember there is allways two sides to every story. Working together will allways have a better out-come than pointing fingers.
True. But DAS allows itself to be controlled by vendettas and people with personal agendas, not by those who genuinely want to help. I suggest you read more about Kent Robertson's two years in Houston - he methodically turned down help from people who had worked hard to bring euthanasia rates down in their own cities and towns. Instead, HSUS fanatics within DAS and the Animal Shelter Commission ignore the fact that the HSUS does not run a single animal shelter - and are prepared to pay them $25,000 for their advice.
I thought I'd copy and paste it here, along with responses. Anonymous is in italics.
I have been reading your blog everyday. I thought you had insight. But now I am convinced you are a nut. Has anyone ever asked the rescues:
1. How long do dogs stay in crates and warehouse with no exercise? Sometimes stacked to the ceiling with crates falling over. Really is that a way to live.
The rescues I'm familiar with do not keep dogs in crates. Might you tell us where you saw this? Not sure what you're talking about.
2. How many pets does a neighbor have to put up with living next door to a rescuer or hoarder? Not everyone wants to smell or hear their pets.
It only takes one barking dog to annoy neighbors - not a rescuer's or hoarder's dog, or anyone's dog. One dog is well within the permissible bounds, but it doesn't follow that the owner is responsible.
Also, living in an urban neighborhood presents all sorts of problems to people who are not willing to put up with an urban lifestyle. Those who want peace and quiet should move outside the city.
3. How many cats in one house exceptable? 100-200-300? All breathing each other's disease and snotting nose's and eye's.
This depends on the square footage, ventilation, time spent cleaning, and several other factors. A purpose-built shelter can house many times the number of animals that a private home can healthily manage in the same square footage.
For example, the most recent Pawprints shelter was a converted daycare center - but it still housed far fewer cats (over 50% less) than Dog and Kitty City's current cat shelter building. I'm not saying that anything is wrong over at Dog and Kitty City, as I often see them at Petsmart and their animals are healthy. These are simply examples.
DAS made a major mistake when they decided to limit the number of animals in a home WITHOUT specifics. For example, I've been in detached homes that are too small to house the legal limit of six animals - but it's still legal.
4. What is Dallas Animal Services suppose to do with 10x's the dogs and cats going in than going out? Go ahead and blame the city. Best deal in town, spay/neutured, heart worm tested, for 60 bucks.
First of all, you're only talking about dogs. Secondly, you're ignoring the fact that DAS seems keen to close down local shelters by harassment, not for a good reason. These shelters were created to help decrease the city's euthanasia rates, so why is DAS so keen to close them? For example, Texas Pawprints *never* received a single citation from DAS, even though DAS dropped by at least seven times. Neither has Gail Whelan with Companion Animal Network - she's made the decision to close simply because she can't keep taking off work to allow one inspection after another.
Its easy to spout out the problems and play the blame game. Just wish once I could read a real solution to some of these problems.
DAS isn't interested in solutions. They're interested in getting their way. I suggest you visit the next Animal Shelter Coalition meeting.
The rules are simple. Established by the city. Not Animal Services. Yes, tax-payers make the rules and pay animal services to enforce them.
Rubbish. Taxpayers had nothing to do with the most recent (2008) legislation. Quite a few opposed it. I suggest you look up the City Council's agendas and read up on this a bit more.
Because we are animal lovers, doesn't mean everyone else is. Maybe some people would like to go out and play or eat in their own yard without the smell of a feral colony using their yard for a kitty litter box. Rescuer's, hoarders , collectors which ever you want to call yourself move to a place that you dont infridge on the rights of others.
Cats don't use yards for litter boxes; they'd rather bury their feces. The feral colonies in my neighborhood generally "hang out" in semi-deserted areas, away from people. If you're having a problem, make note of the animals using your yard for a public convenience; it's probably a neighbor's pet.
Off my soap box now. But remember there is allways two sides to every story. Working together will allways have a better out-come than pointing fingers.
True. But DAS allows itself to be controlled by vendettas and people with personal agendas, not by those who genuinely want to help. I suggest you read more about Kent Robertson's two years in Houston - he methodically turned down help from people who had worked hard to bring euthanasia rates down in their own cities and towns. Instead, HSUS fanatics within DAS and the Animal Shelter Commission ignore the fact that the HSUS does not run a single animal shelter - and are prepared to pay them $25,000 for their advice.
Friday, March 19, 2010
More mop-up from DAS
As DAS works to close more of the city's few animal shelters, it makes the obligatory "help us, it's kitten and puppy season" again.
A depressing tip, sent to Larry Powell's blog and duly passed on:
...now that “kitten season” is underway, there’s a need for more people and rescue groups to step up and help empty the cages in the kind fashion.
The other way of emptying the cages is ugly and surely citizens of Dallas don’t want to be known as living in the city that kills more animals than it saves. {Author's note: You mean the current DAS euthanasia rate? We ARE living in a city that kills many more than it saves...)
We got the tip on this Mom and her litter from Kathleen Moore of Paws In The City. She’s been in touch with Dallas Animal Services Control Officer Mark Cooper and she writes that there is an “urgent need” to find rescue groups to help keep the shelter’s kitty population safe.
Contact Officer Cooper at mark.cooper@dallascityhall.com.
Yes, the need is so urgent that DAS is hell-bent on closing more of them down (or encouraging them to move out of Dallas County). Did Gail Whelan ever get any relief, or is DAS still pissing on her shoes and insisting it's raining?
A depressing tip, sent to Larry Powell's blog and duly passed on:
...now that “kitten season” is underway, there’s a need for more people and rescue groups to step up and help empty the cages in the kind fashion.
The other way of emptying the cages is ugly and surely citizens of Dallas don’t want to be known as living in the city that kills more animals than it saves. {Author's note: You mean the current DAS euthanasia rate? We ARE living in a city that kills many more than it saves...)
We got the tip on this Mom and her litter from Kathleen Moore of Paws In The City. She’s been in touch with Dallas Animal Services Control Officer Mark Cooper and she writes that there is an “urgent need” to find rescue groups to help keep the shelter’s kitty population safe.
Contact Officer Cooper at mark.cooper@dallascityhall.com.
Yes, the need is so urgent that DAS is hell-bent on closing more of them down (or encouraging them to move out of Dallas County). Did Gail Whelan ever get any relief, or is DAS still pissing on her shoes and insisting it's raining?
Kent Robertson's Houston saga
The current head of Dallas Animal Services, Kent Robertson, plays crowds reasonably well when a news crew points a camera at him. I'll give him that much.
There's not much more I can give, though.
Those who have lived in Dallas for a while may remember that Mr. Robertson departed Dallas Animal Services for Houston in 2006. He returned to Dallas in 2008 - and a six-figure salary - after failing to do anything at all to improve things in Houston.
With whom do I have to sleep with to be paid so well for failing so miserably?
Nicole Sica did an admirable job of documenting Mr. Robertson's career highlights - both here and in Houston.
An excerpt - I've chosen it as I literally remember seeing the rescuer being interviewed on Dallas television's 6 o'clock news:
This one is just too easy. I wondered when I read this line how compassionate Robertson was before he came to Houston. What I found was definitely not encouraging. In February of 2006, just months before hi s move to Houston, Kent Robertson was informed that a colony of feral cats had been entombed under an apartment complex. Instead of helping the would-be rescuer retrieve the cats, he forbade her to tunnel an escape route, and said he would “help her” on Monday. This was on a Friday. On Monday, the good citizen was informed that if she returned to the property, she would promptly be arrested. Now that’s compassion.
The entire article is here, and worth your time.
There's not much more I can give, though.
Those who have lived in Dallas for a while may remember that Mr. Robertson departed Dallas Animal Services for Houston in 2006. He returned to Dallas in 2008 - and a six-figure salary - after failing to do anything at all to improve things in Houston.
With whom do I have to sleep with to be paid so well for failing so miserably?
Nicole Sica did an admirable job of documenting Mr. Robertson's career highlights - both here and in Houston.
An excerpt - I've chosen it as I literally remember seeing the rescuer being interviewed on Dallas television's 6 o'clock news:
This one is just too easy. I wondered when I read this line how compassionate Robertson was before he came to Houston. What I found was definitely not encouraging. In February of 2006, just months before hi s move to Houston, Kent Robertson was informed that a colony of feral cats had been entombed under an apartment complex. Instead of helping the would-be rescuer retrieve the cats, he forbade her to tunnel an escape route, and said he would “help her” on Monday. This was on a Friday. On Monday, the good citizen was informed that if she returned to the property, she would promptly be arrested. Now that’s compassion.
The entire article is here, and worth your time.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Dallas City Hall's real identity revealed
One of my favorite films is Robocop. There's a lot going on: it's a bleak futuristic film, but with a healthy dose of satire thrown in.
For those who haven't seen Robocop, the title character is the invention of a mega-corporation who is hoping to take over just about everything, including the police force. Robocop is actually a prototype cyborg: a machine with a brain harvested from a policeman killed in the line of duty.
Most of Robocop was filmed here in Dallas, with Dallas City Hall acting as the mega-corporation's headquarters. Here's a still from the film:
It's ironic that City Hall's current population contains many who would fit right into the movie: unscrupulous, ego-driven, and with no sense of duty. Sigh.
For those who haven't seen Robocop, the title character is the invention of a mega-corporation who is hoping to take over just about everything, including the police force. Robocop is actually a prototype cyborg: a machine with a brain harvested from a policeman killed in the line of duty.
Most of Robocop was filmed here in Dallas, with Dallas City Hall acting as the mega-corporation's headquarters. Here's a still from the film:
It's ironic that City Hall's current population contains many who would fit right into the movie: unscrupulous, ego-driven, and with no sense of duty. Sigh.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
More reasons to trap, neuter and release the HSUS "review" of DAS
One thing I learned in college is that you can learn a lot about a corporation simply by studying their annual report.
After looking at the HSUS' recent annual reports, I came away with some depressing figures:
Less than a half of a percent of the HSUS' $100 million of donations goes to help pets in shelters--dogs and cats.
This means that when those HSUS TV advertisements beg you to send them "just $19 a month", and you take the bait, you'll be sending them $228 a year.
Animal shelters will only get $1.03 of your $228 annual donation.
If you care about animal welfare, find a local rescue group and pitch in. After the first dog or cat shows you their appreciation, you'll know you've done the right thing. Your karma will improve, and it's a super way to make new friends. And you won't have to worry about where your donations go - your time is your donation.
Looking back at the history of the HSUS, it becomes obvious that a once-respectable group has lost their way. It's a common phenomenon: you get too big and you lose track of what really matters.
After looking at the HSUS' recent annual reports, I came away with some depressing figures:
Less than a half of a percent of the HSUS' $100 million of donations goes to help pets in shelters--dogs and cats.
This means that when those HSUS TV advertisements beg you to send them "just $19 a month", and you take the bait, you'll be sending them $228 a year.
Animal shelters will only get $1.03 of your $228 annual donation.
If you care about animal welfare, find a local rescue group and pitch in. After the first dog or cat shows you their appreciation, you'll know you've done the right thing. Your karma will improve, and it's a super way to make new friends. And you won't have to worry about where your donations go - your time is your donation.
Looking back at the history of the HSUS, it becomes obvious that a once-respectable group has lost their way. It's a common phenomenon: you get too big and you lose track of what really matters.
Monday, March 15, 2010
more about the Feral Friends rejects
Whoa...these seem to be coming out of the woodwork. I'm kind of surprised the group is still in business, considering the rate that their "management" runs off volunteers.
Two of my favorite tales, both from Feral Friends Rejects who have moved on to saner rescue groups:
1. Back in the group's younger days, circa 1996, a volunteer decided to build a Web site for the group. She purchased the URL, built the site, and published it. It was basic enough so other volunteers could contribute content, and she shared the login details with others.
All was well until another volunteer decided that she could do it better - so she changed the password, locking out everyone else. The volunteer who built the original site was understandably angry, and said so. All this earned her was a threatening letter from another volunteer - a lawyer - who had the wonderful nickname of Chemical Ali.
When I have time, I'll post one or more of Chemical Ali's letters here.
2. Around 2000, one of the group's founders lost her condo - and most of her 14 pet cats - due to a fire. It was a genuine tragedy, and many of the group's volunteers helped her and her husband any way they could.
However, when another volunteer ran into problems because she lost her job, and was fostering several cats for the group, the boss cat ladies couldn't separate themselves from her quickly enough. So much for working for the greater good.
Two of my favorite tales, both from Feral Friends Rejects who have moved on to saner rescue groups:
1. Back in the group's younger days, circa 1996, a volunteer decided to build a Web site for the group. She purchased the URL, built the site, and published it. It was basic enough so other volunteers could contribute content, and she shared the login details with others.
All was well until another volunteer decided that she could do it better - so she changed the password, locking out everyone else. The volunteer who built the original site was understandably angry, and said so. All this earned her was a threatening letter from another volunteer - a lawyer - who had the wonderful nickname of Chemical Ali.
When I have time, I'll post one or more of Chemical Ali's letters here.
2. Around 2000, one of the group's founders lost her condo - and most of her 14 pet cats - due to a fire. It was a genuine tragedy, and many of the group's volunteers helped her and her husband any way they could.
However, when another volunteer ran into problems because she lost her job, and was fostering several cats for the group, the boss cat ladies couldn't separate themselves from her quickly enough. So much for working for the greater good.
Delayed documents
I was hoping to receive documents from the director of Texas Pawprints by now - namely, the resignation from the member of the Animal Shelter Commission - but have just learned that she is in the hospital with serious cardiac problems.
So, if you're a friend of hers, please say a prayer or burn joss for her.
And if you're one of the pathetic, disturbed fuckwits who have participated in persecuting her over the past six years ... your actions have no doubt contributed to her illness. Which bolsters our determination to expose you even more.
So, if you're a friend of hers, please say a prayer or burn joss for her.
And if you're one of the pathetic, disturbed fuckwits who have participated in persecuting her over the past six years ... your actions have no doubt contributed to her illness. Which bolsters our determination to expose you even more.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Got a permit to take care of that feral cat?
A few days ago, I mentioned that some parts of the 2008 animal ordinance struck me as particularly silly. One was regarding feral cats.
Seems that if you want to do the right thing for any strays around your home - which is to trap, neuter and release them - The City of Dallas must give you their blessing first. This is is listed as an exception in the "Tethering" section of the ordinance:
a feral cat participating in a trap, neuter, and return program approved by the director.
The phrase "approved by the director" intrigued me, so I called DAS*. Seems that, if you want to do TNR, you need to be approved as a Feral Colony Manager by someone who is tight with DAS or the Animal Shelter Commission.
This strikes me as Big Brotherism taken to the extreme. I mean, if you're sufficiently concerned about stray cats to provide food, shelter and birth control, do you really need someone else's blessing? It's not like DAS doesn't have other things to do. Like bringing down that 82% euthanasia rate.
Also, only two rescue groups - Kittico and Feral Friends - can dub you Sir or Dame Feral Colony Manager. I'm not sure how much butt you need to kiss to get accredited.
When I visited the Feral Friends Web site, I found that they aren't terribly helpful. For example, they won't even loan you a humane trap (I think Kittico still will, but you may have to deal with the Harridan in Charge).
Plenty of other local cat rescue groups loan humane traps, even the vilified Texas Pawprints. So why are only two groups recognized as knowing their stuff regarding TNR? Wouldn't it make more sense to refer enquiries to Alley Cat Allies? If anyone can be bothered to contact DAS for more information, it follows that they can contact Alley Cat Allies.
Seems that if you want to do the right thing for any strays around your home - which is to trap, neuter and release them - The City of Dallas must give you their blessing first. This is is listed as an exception in the "Tethering" section of the ordinance:
a feral cat participating in a trap, neuter, and return program approved by the director.
The phrase "approved by the director" intrigued me, so I called DAS*. Seems that, if you want to do TNR, you need to be approved as a Feral Colony Manager by someone who is tight with DAS or the Animal Shelter Commission.
This strikes me as Big Brotherism taken to the extreme. I mean, if you're sufficiently concerned about stray cats to provide food, shelter and birth control, do you really need someone else's blessing? It's not like DAS doesn't have other things to do. Like bringing down that 82% euthanasia rate.
Also, only two rescue groups - Kittico and Feral Friends - can dub you Sir or Dame Feral Colony Manager. I'm not sure how much butt you need to kiss to get accredited.
When I visited the Feral Friends Web site, I found that they aren't terribly helpful. For example, they won't even loan you a humane trap (I think Kittico still will, but you may have to deal with the Harridan in Charge).
Plenty of other local cat rescue groups loan humane traps, even the vilified Texas Pawprints. So why are only two groups recognized as knowing their stuff regarding TNR? Wouldn't it make more sense to refer enquiries to Alley Cat Allies? If anyone can be bothered to contact DAS for more information, it follows that they can contact Alley Cat Allies.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Power corrupts. Cat lady power corrupts absolutely.
You might think that anyone who cares enough to volunteer for an animal rescue group would be, at the very least, reasonably civil to his or her fellow rescuers. However, this seems to be the exception rather than the rule. And some of the higher-profile groups seem to be especially adept at chasing volunteers away.
Two in particular - both blessed by our friends at DAS* - have treated their volunteers so horribly that they actually make jokes about starting a new group comprised entirely of ex-volunteers. For example, I've heard the phrase Feral Friends Rejects mentioned several times, always followed with giggles.
Perhaps one of the most mystifying cat lady harridans out there is in charge of her group's Trap/Neuter/Release efforts. This group occasionally offers free spays and neuters, but anyone who shows up with a trapped stray or feral has to run the gauntlet of the Harridan in Charge. My ex hated to recommend the group to anyone, because no matter how carefully they followed the rules, they risked verbal abuse from the Harridan in Charge upon arrival.
Two in particular - both blessed by our friends at DAS* - have treated their volunteers so horribly that they actually make jokes about starting a new group comprised entirely of ex-volunteers. For example, I've heard the phrase Feral Friends Rejects mentioned several times, always followed with giggles.
Perhaps one of the most mystifying cat lady harridans out there is in charge of her group's Trap/Neuter/Release efforts. This group occasionally offers free spays and neuters, but anyone who shows up with a trapped stray or feral has to run the gauntlet of the Harridan in Charge. My ex hated to recommend the group to anyone, because no matter how carefully they followed the rules, they risked verbal abuse from the Harridan in Charge upon arrival.
One of the perps of the Pawprints vendetta
Like a lot of other people, I've wondered why certain rescue groups and rescuers have been singled out for harassment by Dallas Animal Services, while others are singled out for near-worship.
I'm particularly fascinated by the Texas Pawprints saga for two reasons: a) it's been going on since literally 2004, and b) I adopted my cat from Pawprints.
Recently I was sent some information about how the vendetta started:
One vendetta perpetrator - an ex-Texas Pawprints volunteer - now sits on the Dallas Animal Shelter Commission.
Another vendetta perpetrator runs a bunch of those silly coalitions I mentioned a few days ago.
I think we can safely infer that belonging to the Commission or being tight with DAS (or both) gives you unlimited power to harass other, genuine animal rescuers to your heart's content. This because nobody at City Hall has the balls to stop you.
Considering that the Vendetta Sisters describe themselves as animal lovers while they attempt to force others to rescuer fewer animals - which would certainly result in the death of even more homeless animals – it doesn't make a lot of sense, does it? But then nobody here is accusing these two of being sensible.
Anyway, here's a bit more about the first Vendetta Sister (let's call her X for now) courtesy of the Pawprints shelter director:
"In 2004 we picked up a single volunteer and a group of women* who were friends who wanted to volunteer.
The single one, X, lasted a few months where I discovered although was was fun to be around and talked a good talk, she was also good at rescuing and then not being able to "stand it." Her mental health, you know - so she'd bring her latest rescues over to our shelter and dump them.
Around August of that year, we were housing 6 semi-feral teenagers and a nursing mom with 5 or 6 newborns. We try not to keep moms and newborns in the building - URI** is just too common and they're high-risk. But this didn't bother X.
She decided we weren't medicating her ferals properly, called and harangued me on the phone until I told her I was at work, they were being cared for and I was ending the conversation.
Within the hour I received a call from some volunteers who were working at the building that she had arrived, stomped up stairs, slammed carriers and cages, pulled her six teens and left after writing in our log that we were never to call her again. Note - she left the mom and kittens. We never called her again."
So, in the past six years, it looks like X has never ceased her tantrum-throwing. Instead, she took it to new levels. But since she's now on the Animal Shelter Commission, she has the ideal means to continue her vendetta ad infinitum. Or until all of the groups she's persecuting move out of Dallas County.
More later, including a scan of X's log entry/resignation letter. She may eventually regret her literary tantrum.
* More about this group later - after stealing a four-figure sum from the Pawprints bank account, they departed for what I'll politely describe as a "new beginning".
** URI = Upper Respiratory Infection.
I'm particularly fascinated by the Texas Pawprints saga for two reasons: a) it's been going on since literally 2004, and b) I adopted my cat from Pawprints.
Recently I was sent some information about how the vendetta started:
One vendetta perpetrator - an ex-Texas Pawprints volunteer - now sits on the Dallas Animal Shelter Commission.
Another vendetta perpetrator runs a bunch of those silly coalitions I mentioned a few days ago.
I think we can safely infer that belonging to the Commission or being tight with DAS (or both) gives you unlimited power to harass other, genuine animal rescuers to your heart's content. This because nobody at City Hall has the balls to stop you.
Considering that the Vendetta Sisters describe themselves as animal lovers while they attempt to force others to rescuer fewer animals - which would certainly result in the death of even more homeless animals – it doesn't make a lot of sense, does it? But then nobody here is accusing these two of being sensible.
Anyway, here's a bit more about the first Vendetta Sister (let's call her X for now) courtesy of the Pawprints shelter director:
"In 2004 we picked up a single volunteer and a group of women* who were friends who wanted to volunteer.
The single one, X, lasted a few months where I discovered although was was fun to be around and talked a good talk, she was also good at rescuing and then not being able to "stand it." Her mental health, you know - so she'd bring her latest rescues over to our shelter and dump them.
Around August of that year, we were housing 6 semi-feral teenagers and a nursing mom with 5 or 6 newborns. We try not to keep moms and newborns in the building - URI** is just too common and they're high-risk. But this didn't bother X.
She decided we weren't medicating her ferals properly, called and harangued me on the phone until I told her I was at work, they were being cared for and I was ending the conversation.
Within the hour I received a call from some volunteers who were working at the building that she had arrived, stomped up stairs, slammed carriers and cages, pulled her six teens and left after writing in our log that we were never to call her again. Note - she left the mom and kittens. We never called her again."
So, in the past six years, it looks like X has never ceased her tantrum-throwing. Instead, she took it to new levels. But since she's now on the Animal Shelter Commission, she has the ideal means to continue her vendetta ad infinitum. Or until all of the groups she's persecuting move out of Dallas County.
More later, including a scan of X's log entry/resignation letter. She may eventually regret her literary tantrum.
* More about this group later - after stealing a four-figure sum from the Pawprints bank account, they departed for what I'll politely describe as a "new beginning".
** URI = Upper Respiratory Infection.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Can anyone provide an update on the Gideons' situation?
I've received a couple of emails asking about the plight of Mark and Lynn Gideon, a couple who has been ordered by DAS to rehome ALL of their 17 pets.
Click on this sentence to read the story.
Since the Powers That Be sat on their hands when the Gideons were brought up during the last Animal Services Commission meeting, I'm assuming the Gideons are still being forced to rehome their animals. That is, if DAS hasn't moved in, hauled them off and killed them. You see, these animals were almost all older dogs and cats, and would have been promptly deemed "unadoptable".
If anyone knows what's going on, can you please leave a comment or send e-mail? I don't know any more about it than most everyone else.
Click on this sentence to read the story.
Since the Powers That Be sat on their hands when the Gideons were brought up during the last Animal Services Commission meeting, I'm assuming the Gideons are still being forced to rehome their animals. That is, if DAS hasn't moved in, hauled them off and killed them. You see, these animals were almost all older dogs and cats, and would have been promptly deemed "unadoptable".
If anyone knows what's going on, can you please leave a comment or send e-mail? I don't know any more about it than most everyone else.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
The plot thickens even more
Earlier today I received several forwarded emails, all correspondence between a Texas Pawprints volunteer and Federico Chavez of Dallas Animal Services.
I checked the email headers to make sure the source wasn't forged - there are plenty of spoofers out there - but the headers checked out. (Headers are available upon request, I'm not posting them here as they aren't that interesting and take up a lot of space.)
These emails were traded the last week of February 2010, just days before Code Compliance and Dallas Animal Services visited the Texas Pawprints shelter on March 1st. I posted details of this chicanery here last week.
Although I'm only posting screen shots of two emails, there were a total of five sent between Federico and the volunteer, who prefers to be anonymous for all too obvious reasons.
The first email was sent from the volunteer to Federico, asking him to send paperwork he'd promised to deliver after the last Pawprints shelter inspection last December. Federico had wanted to see the shelter's Articles of Incorporation before giving the place his blessing and the volunteer had provided them.
In this email, Federico is asking to meet with the shelter director to go over some paperwork that he promises to produce - but won't describe or identify, even after being asked to do so:
However, the NIGHT before he is to meet with the shelter director - two days before Code Compliance paid their March 1st visit to the shelter - Federico decides to cancel:
Check out the time this one arrived. It's almost 9:00 pm Saturday night.
The real kicker is that, when Federico and his posse showed up Monday to raid an empty shelter building, he accused the shelter director of not having federal non-profit status. Which is crap. I looked it up for myself at www.irs.gov, and so can anyone else.
Does anyone want to hazard a guess as to what Federico was really up to when he sent these emails?
I checked the email headers to make sure the source wasn't forged - there are plenty of spoofers out there - but the headers checked out. (Headers are available upon request, I'm not posting them here as they aren't that interesting and take up a lot of space.)
These emails were traded the last week of February 2010, just days before Code Compliance and Dallas Animal Services visited the Texas Pawprints shelter on March 1st. I posted details of this chicanery here last week.
Although I'm only posting screen shots of two emails, there were a total of five sent between Federico and the volunteer, who prefers to be anonymous for all too obvious reasons.
The first email was sent from the volunteer to Federico, asking him to send paperwork he'd promised to deliver after the last Pawprints shelter inspection last December. Federico had wanted to see the shelter's Articles of Incorporation before giving the place his blessing and the volunteer had provided them.
In this email, Federico is asking to meet with the shelter director to go over some paperwork that he promises to produce - but won't describe or identify, even after being asked to do so:
However, the NIGHT before he is to meet with the shelter director - two days before Code Compliance paid their March 1st visit to the shelter - Federico decides to cancel:
Check out the time this one arrived. It's almost 9:00 pm Saturday night.
The real kicker is that, when Federico and his posse showed up Monday to raid an empty shelter building, he accused the shelter director of not having federal non-profit status. Which is crap. I looked it up for myself at www.irs.gov, and so can anyone else.
Does anyone want to hazard a guess as to what Federico was really up to when he sent these emails?
Friday, March 5, 2010
Comments are fixed
Apologies for not setting up the comments function properly. Now anyone can post a comment and the Anonymous option is available.
A city constipated with coalitions
Ever since reading that the Metroplex Animal Coalition raised $25,000 to pay for a HSUS "assessment", whatever that is, I've been nosing around to see just how many self-righteous, We Know Better groups, coalitions, commissions and similar we have here in Dallas.
So far, I've counted up a whole bunch of them. Besides MAC, we have:
Dallas Animal Advocates
Companions For Life
The Animal Shelter Commission
Dallas Animal Cruelty Alliance
Southern Dallas Initiative (allegedly to reduce numbers of loose dogs in this area)
Quality of Life Commission*
Animal Cruelty Task Force Group (this one morphed into the Dallas Animal Cruelty Alliance later - you'd think they would have the sense to call themselves the Anti-Cruelty Alliance)
Dallas Animal District Board*
* I noticed these mentioned in various Animal Shelter Commission minutes from 2009. I have no idea what they actually do, who are members of them, or if they've accomplished anything.
I came up with all of these after looking through 1/3 of the published minutes for the Animal Shelter Commission's 2009 meetings.
Two common denominators struck me:
1. None of the folks in these groups actually get their hands dirty. They don't go out and do TNR, they don't clean shelter cages, they don't help set up mobile adoptions. Instead, they sit on their collective asses and dictate legislation. They also seem to spend hours constructing crappy Web sites and blogs, many with identical information. Copy and paste reigns.
2. A lot of the same people are in more than one group. Do they have too much time on their hands, or just really overblown egos? If they care so much about animal welfare, why don't they do some proper volunteer work - the kind where you might actually come into contact with an animal that needs help?
However, the worst thing about many of these groups is that the city of Dallas allows these layabouts to actually set rules for the rest of us, especially those who are actively rescuing animals. I'll have more information about this in my next post.
So far, I've counted up a whole bunch of them. Besides MAC, we have:
Dallas Animal Advocates
Companions For Life
The Animal Shelter Commission
Dallas Animal Cruelty Alliance
Southern Dallas Initiative (allegedly to reduce numbers of loose dogs in this area)
Quality of Life Commission*
Animal Cruelty Task Force Group (this one morphed into the Dallas Animal Cruelty Alliance later - you'd think they would have the sense to call themselves the Anti-Cruelty Alliance)
Dallas Animal District Board*
* I noticed these mentioned in various Animal Shelter Commission minutes from 2009. I have no idea what they actually do, who are members of them, or if they've accomplished anything.
I came up with all of these after looking through 1/3 of the published minutes for the Animal Shelter Commission's 2009 meetings.
Two common denominators struck me:
1. None of the folks in these groups actually get their hands dirty. They don't go out and do TNR, they don't clean shelter cages, they don't help set up mobile adoptions. Instead, they sit on their collective asses and dictate legislation. They also seem to spend hours constructing crappy Web sites and blogs, many with identical information. Copy and paste reigns.
2. A lot of the same people are in more than one group. Do they have too much time on their hands, or just really overblown egos? If they care so much about animal welfare, why don't they do some proper volunteer work - the kind where you might actually come into contact with an animal that needs help?
However, the worst thing about many of these groups is that the city of Dallas allows these layabouts to actually set rules for the rest of us, especially those who are actively rescuing animals. I'll have more information about this in my next post.
That Pawprints code violation
This is a scan of the code violation mentioned in the previous blog post, so you may want to read the previous post first. A personal address and phone number was deleted.
Click on the violation and it'll be easier to read.
It's directly in conflict with the Dallas Central Appraisal District's records, which state that the Pawprints shelter building is zoned commercial.
The general feeling is that since Dallas Animal Service kept visiting the Pawprints shelter, but since the volunteers videotaped each visit, DAS couldn't accuse the shelter management of cruelty (again). So the vendetta got passed to Code Compliance. Both Kent Robertson of DAS and Joey Zapata of Code Compliance sit on the Animal Shelter Commission.
The Compliance officer who wrote the violation, Ann Hamilton, won't return any calls to discuss the violation. Neither will her superior.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
A long, strange, ugly vendetta, courtesy of Dallas Animal Services
Vendettas are never pretty. This one, carried out by Dallas Animal Services and certain members of city's Animal Shelter Commission, has been going on for years. It sank to a new low earlier this week, Monday March 1st.
Together with Code Compliance, Dallas Animal Services effectively closed the shelter building maintained by Texas Pawprints, a small 501C3 rescue group specializing in "special needs" cats and kittens.
Dallas Animal Services has inspected the Pawprints shelter on no less than seven different occasions. The reason always given by DAS for all the visits/inspections was "anonymous complaints" - something that is currently plaguing at least one other local rescue, Companion Animal Network.
Also, during the Monday visit by Code Compliance, several DAS inspectors showed up at the building armed with catchpoles. They said they were only there because they were "doing a sweep of the neighborhood". If that doesn't raise the bullshit flag, nothing does.
If you're worried about DAS seizing and killing more animals, as is their habit - this was discussed at last week's Animal Shelter Commission meeting by Bonnie Mathias, as all 118 cats recently removed from a hoarder's house were killed by DAS - Pawprints' attorney advised the group to move the cats from the building before the Monday meeting with Code Compliance. Which they did. DAS effectively raided an empty building Monday.
Bad news for the purveyors of the vendetta, I suppose, but good news for the cats under Pawprints' care.
Together with Code Compliance, Dallas Animal Services effectively closed the shelter building maintained by Texas Pawprints, a small 501C3 rescue group specializing in "special needs" cats and kittens.
Dallas Animal Services has inspected the Pawprints shelter on no less than seven different occasions. The reason always given by DAS for all the visits/inspections was "anonymous complaints" - something that is currently plaguing at least one other local rescue, Companion Animal Network.
Pawprints never received a single ticket or citation. Yet, after five years, DAS decided to hand things over to Code Compliance, who accused Pawprints of not having the right permit for their building - even though the city's Appraisal Office has it listed as commercial, not residential. But the Notice of Violation remarks say specifically to "discontinue operating a business out of a residence".
I'll post a scan of the Notice in a day or two. In the meantime, here's a screen shot from www.dallascad.org of the shelter building's information:
Does the word "commercial" look anything like the word "residential"? Will someone call Inspector Hamilton at Code Compliance (the inspector who visited Pawprints and issued the Notice of Violation on Monday) and explain the difference?
Does the word "commercial" look anything like the word "residential"? Will someone call Inspector Hamilton at Code Compliance (the inspector who visited Pawprints and issued the Notice of Violation on Monday) and explain the difference?Also, during the Monday visit by Code Compliance, several DAS inspectors showed up at the building armed with catchpoles. They said they were only there because they were "doing a sweep of the neighborhood". If that doesn't raise the bullshit flag, nothing does.
If you're worried about DAS seizing and killing more animals, as is their habit - this was discussed at last week's Animal Shelter Commission meeting by Bonnie Mathias, as all 118 cats recently removed from a hoarder's house were killed by DAS - Pawprints' attorney advised the group to move the cats from the building before the Monday meeting with Code Compliance. Which they did. DAS effectively raided an empty building Monday.
Bad news for the purveyors of the vendetta, I suppose, but good news for the cats under Pawprints' care.
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