… comments from Gina Spadafori of Pet Connection blog.


Comment from a reader;

Thanks for the great article. I also just ordered his book (Winograd’s)

The only thing I have an issue with is:

“The animal movement has been living with the notion that despite all the evidence to the contrary that Americans are irresponsible and somehow don’t care enough about animals.”

All his evidence sounds like it is from a certain, more educated, demographic than what really exists in America. And not the one that lives in my neighborhood. In my valley, not a day goes by that I do not see 5-6 dogs in the middle of the street. Every day different dogs. Most dogs are outside only dogs. They are living alarm systems. I would be hard pressed to find a dog that has been spayed or neutered, or with a collar and tag. Most people I have spoken to think a dog should have at least one litter of puppies. Many have more. Dogs tied and chained are a common occurrence. All this is so rampant that it is the one thing that has made me think of moving because it is just too hard to deal with every day. (I am not, and am working for change, but the desire to run away from it is there).

Sadly, in many, many places, I am still waiting to see the evidence.

Response from Gina;

There will always be people who don’t take the best care of their pets. But that may be a failure of knowledge or lack of finances.

Consider this: Would you say that most people love and do their best to care for their children? I bet you would. And yet, every day you see evidence to the contrary. It doesn’t change the fact that most people love and want to do well by their children (and their pets). But sometimes, they need information, and sometimes, they need help.

When BADRAP went into what many would consider a troubled area with offers of vaccines, food and more, they had lines of people who came to learn and get the assistance. They heard from people who loved their dogs and wanted to do better for them, and with some help, they could!

The bottom line: People are mostly not evil or bad. Sometimes they need help, sometimes they need information (not lectures). Provide these and they’ll usually do what’s right.

Sometimes I find that the attitude towards ‘those people’ says more about our own socio-economic status that it does about theirs.
………………………

The other day there was a snippet from a blow-hard radio talk-show host in which he stated that poor people were that way because of a failure of hard work and morals. In other words, it was their own darn fault.

I think there’s a certain amount of this attitude in the in the animal-rescue community as well. Especially the vigor with which the shelter industry makes an example of ‘bad’ pet owners, not by helping them, but by blaming them and killing their pets.

I am old enough to remember when battered women were told their domestic situation was their fault ‘they weren’t being ‘good wives’ or ‘you made your bed, now lie in it’.

Now, of course, we offer shelter to these women and their children.

I am very much looking forward to seeing a similar change in attitude take hold in the animal shelter industry. A ’shelter’ shouldn’t be a place where you are told you’re shit for not keeping your pet and that by taking the animal to a ’shelter’ you’re likely signing a death sentence.

Amen.

See the full article at Pet Connection: Is this the year everything changed? Nathan Winograd’s year in pets

It’s kitten season!

COFFS Harbour RSPCA took in 127 cats and kittens in December, but only found a home for 14.

Darwin’s RSPCA is “bursting at the seams” with about 55 cats and kittens.

It’s “raining kittens” at Unanderra’s RSPCA shelter.

Cat Haven will kill as many as 135 kittens every day through January because it had reached its 130-cat capacity and there were few short-term foster homes available.

RSPCA QLD says as few as one in 10 cats dumped over the Christmas period might be lucky enough to find new homes. They have had more than 840 kittens surrendered since the start of December.

A “flood” of kittens have arrived at the RSPCA Noosa Shelter.

RSPCA NSW said this week it had been forced to kill dozens of kittens each day because it was unable to find suitable homes.

The RSPCA WA has extended its opening hours extended to cope with the enormous influx of kittens seen during the last few months.

and The Warrnambool RSPCA has 90 unwanted kittens up for adoption.

So what is everyone calling for as a solution to this yearly problem? Compulsory desexing of course!!

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The RSPCA says compulsory desexing is still the best way to control cat and dog numbers. ref

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

So what’s happening in the ACT, which have had compulsory desexing for over 7 years – surely by now they would have the kitten problem under control? Err… nope!

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Tabby, black, tortoiseshell, spotty and ginger; the RSPCA (ACT) is overrun with kittens.

More than 160 cuddly, pink-tongued bundles are waiting for adoption at the Weston Creek shelter.

RSPCA ACT chief Michael Linke said yesterday Canberra’s compulsory desexing laws were being ignored.

”The number of kittens presented in December was 278, some 50 more than our five-year average,” he said.

”This is an astonishing increase suggesting the desexing message is still not getting though to some people.”

The animal campaigner said the number of kittens surrendered rose by more than 25 per cent this year. ref

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

From the Australian Veterinary Association;

In 2007, data was collected from the RSPCA ACT and from RSPCA‟s national website, to compare the impact of mandatory desexing legislation after 6 years.

There has been no positive impact associated with the introduction of the legislation. Trends in cat intake and euthanasia in the ACT RSPCA shelter parallel those for NSW (which has no mandatory desexing legislation) and for Australia as a whole.

President of the AVA Dr Kersti Seksel said that while the AVA supports moves to reduce the number of unwanted pets, a strong body of research shows that compulsory de-sexing of owned pets is largely ineffective.

“Research from Victoria has shown that it is the unowned or semi-owned cats that are major contributors to the problem of unwanted pets. Compulsory de-sexing will have no affect on this population, as you cannot make anyone de-sex an unowned cat,” Dr Seksel said. “The majority of cats that are euthanased in shelters come from these cats because they produce more litters, and the animals are not socialised, and cannot be re-homed,” she said. ref

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

So if they’ve tried compulsory desexing and like everywhere else it’s ever been tried, it’s not only not reduced the numbers of cats and kittens, but it has increased shelter killing and wasted valuable animal management resources.

Contrary to what is often repeated, the overwhelming majority of loving pet owners are compliant and are desexing their pets. The shelters are swimming each and every year in the offspring of the semi-owned and ferals and it’s only when we bring in programs to care for them and their welfare, that we will ever see an end to the annual kitten downpour.

In 2009, with what we know now, the ongoing killing is simply a symptom of animal welfare organisations refusal to implement programs that have a chance of success and who feel duty bound to keep repeating defeatist rhetoric’s about ‘irresponsible owners’ that continue to see them fail in their duty to save the lives of pets.

Vix, JB and I were meant to spend the last few days of our yearly catchup brainstorming our plans for 2009. However, we’ve been so excited by the gathering momentum of rescue in Australia, mostly we shared stories about the very cool people we’ve had the pleasure of meeting and talking to recently.


One thing we did discuss however, was the missed opportunity a lack of encouragement and support for the next generation of rescuer presents. Rather than someone to be regulated, stifled – and often actively disparaged – fresh rescue industry recruits present a huge resource for good and can easily be directed to best practice animal rescue given the right resources. The added bonus is, that without the baggage and ‘bad old habits’ of distrusting the public and treating potential adopters with hostility, the new blood are brimming with energy, new ideas and are able to engage their communities to generate pet homes, help and financial support.


However, not all of these new recruits are caring for animals directly. When planning No Kill communities, it’s vital recognise the value in taking on speciality volunteers in administration,  fund-raising, finance, PR and management. Plus, it’s a great ways to get pet lovers from outside the rescue industry involved.


The groups who will thrive in the future will recognise the value of their communities and look to bring together people of all ages and skills for the benefit of animals.  They’ll work to allow people to use and develop their strengths. They’ll work to bring out the best in people, keep challenging conventional thinking and offer a welcoming, adopter-friendly environment. But most importantly, they’ll recognise the key to saving the lives of pets is just as dependent on good communication skills, negotiation and teamwork as it is on the physical act of busting pets out of the pound.


We simply cannot rescue effectively, working in isolation. Volunteer involvement and cherishing new rescuers for the amazing resource that they are is vital to creating a No Kill community.