Basset Hound killed with a 22 Riffle by Franklin County Shelter Manager, really NC?

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The Shelter Manager at the Franklin County Animal Shelter chose to pull out his 22 riffle as a form of euthanasia on a injured basset hound, what was he thinking?

Why this basset hound was not driven to a local vet to have his medical needs addressed or to at least be humanly euthanized is all unclear at this time, but one thing is clear, this basset hound was killed in a North Carolina Animal Shelter via an unapproved euthanasia method via the state regulations.

While the story is still unfolding with the NC Department of Agriculture still finalizing their investigation surrounding this complaint we do know that the basset hound was injured while in the shelter staff's care. In fact the shelter staff made the wrong decision to place a basset hound ( a very dossal low key breed) in a kennel with a pit bull.  I'm not trying to say pit bulls are aggressive but anyone who's been around dogs pretty much knows certain breeds would be best to keep separate esp. when they are both unfamiliar with one another and thrown into a single kennel with one water bowl and one food bowl.

We know the pit bull and the basset hound engaged in a fight while in the same kennel and the basset hound was injured during this fight. Did the fight break out as two unaltered males were placed in the same kennel? Was it a food aggression issue? Or simply the case of a more dominate breed taking on a weaker breed?  Whichever you choose to believe I feel we can all agree this basset hound never should of been placed in the same kennel with a pit bill.

But for a county shelter manager to pull out his 22 riffle, aim it on an injured basset hound ( who's injuries were not life threatening at the time) and then to decide to pull the trigger to kill the basset hound is egregious and unacceptable behavior. This shelter manger knew before he pulled the trigger that his actions would be in violation of both state and county regulation's yet he proceeded to do so as he thought he wouldn't get caught.

Will the shelter manager be reprimanded, moved to another position within the county away from the shelter or placed on leave? Will this manager be given more extensive training on the do's and dont's of his job accountability's? Will civil penalties be placed on the shelter via the NC Department of Agriculture? Will anything come of this violation of our NC State Statutes or because it was an action taken upon on a shelter animal be excused like so many other events we see take place in our North Carolina Shelter system?

For this we sit, we wait and we look for the final verdict from the NC Department of Agriculture Office and hope this incident does not go ignored. After all at some point this basset hound belongs to someone, will they come forward for their missing pet and speak out on the violent way it's life was taken inside of a NC County Animal Shelter?

                     ( stock pictures of a pit bull and a basset hound)

Cabarrus County NC makes a positive move to stop using the gas chamber

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Monday, Jul. 29, 2013

Modified Monday, Jul. 29, 2013

Cabarrus County switches to euthanizing animals by injection

By Lukas Johnson

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/07/29/4192529/cabarrus-county-switches-to-euthanizing.html

By Lukas Johnson

• To learn more:For more information visit cabarrushumanesociety.org or on.fb.me/1676DE8.

Until July 1, Cabarrus County was one of only a few of North Carolina’s 100 counties that used a gas chamber to euthanize animals.

The county had practiced that method for several years. But now, thanks to a recent partnership between Cabarrus County Animal Control and the Humane Society of Concord & Greater Cabarrus County, a county veterinarian administers lethal injections.

The local Humane Society, with help from an inspector with the N.C. Department of Agriculture, pushed to change the method. Judy Sims, executive director of the area Humane Society, said it’s considered the preferred method because it’s more humane and less stressful on the animals, and it’s safer for the people handling the animals. Because of its outreach efforts and its partnership with animal control, the society recently was awarded a $10,000 grant from the Humane Society of the United States.

Sims said they will use the money to educate the public about the new injection method and to buy various items for the shelter, including pet beds, vaccines and brochures that promote responsible pet ownership.

The Humane Society and animal control celebrated their one-year partnership early in July, and Sims said working together has allowed them to significantly reduce the county’s euthanasia rate.“We have seen a steady decline, and the numbers speak for themselves,” said Sims.

In January 2010, more than 90 percent of the animals in animal control’s possession were euthanized, said Sims. In January of this year, that number dropped below 30 percent. In the fourth quarter of 2011, the euthanasia rate for all animals was 76 percent. The following year during the same quarter, that rate dropped to 28 percent. In the third quarter of 2011, the overall rate was 58 percent, compared to 44 percent in the third quarter of 2012.

“Moving from the gas chamber to injections is just the tip of the iceberg for what’s going on in Cabarrus County with regards to their animals,” said Sims. “It’s all about humane treatment of animals. And because we have a rescue coordinator and we’re using social media, we’re able to reach a larger audience.”Before the two groups partnered, Animal Control was in charge of day-to-day tasks and surrendered animals to the Humane Society, which also provided adoption services.

 About a year ago, the Humane Society was awarded a contract from the county to take over some operations at the Animal Control facility on N.C. 49 in Concord. A rescue coordinator position also was added.

“We’ve done a really nice job, and our partnership has been really effective,” said Sims.The gas chamber can hold multiple caged animals, depending on their size, said Sims. Because animals have different breathing rates, the gas may not work as quickly on some – and sometimes not fully on others.

The chamber is roughly 5 feet by 9 feet, with a small window on a door. A cage is rolled into the chamber, which is then sealed, and the gas is released. The gas used is mostly carbon monoxide, said Sims. After the animals have been in the chamber for several minutes, someone has to verify that they are dead. The injection method will eliminate that part of the process.

“When you’re using the gas chamber and you’re euthanizing large quantities, it’s more stressful. And the distribution of the gas is not always even,” said Sims. “When you’re using injections, it’s one at a time; the animals are by themselves … and they just drift off to sleep in a very peaceful manner.”

Copyright 2013 . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Johnson: 704-786-2185

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/07/29/4192529/cabarrus-county-switches-to-euthanizing.html#storylink=cpy

NC Animal Shelter Sanitation Rules

(click on picture to enlarge for view) 

My local animal shelter hose down and clean the kennels with the animals still in the cage, is this acceptable in a NC County Animal Shelter? The answer No.

 

The animals must be removed from the kennels during the cleaning process for a number of reasons to include the assurance that the animal is not coming into contact with the cleaners and disinfectants, to keep the animal dry esp. if it's a younger animal to ensure it stays clean and dry to better fend off the parvo or distemper virus, but mainly to be humane to these shelter animals who have found their way into a shelter environment that's unfamiliar and frightening to them. And last but not least as it's part of our NC Animal Welfare Act that these shelters must abide by.

 

What should you do if you see a NC County Shelter employee using cleaning products or a water hose in an kennel while the animal is still housed inside? Document the events. Write down the time, the employee's name, the kennel number or ID number of the animal, take a picture if possible and report this to the shelter manager immediately but also follow up with an email to the NC Department of Agriculture on these events to ensure this situation doesn't happen again.

Email address for the NC Dept. Of Agriculture: AGR.AWS@ncagr.gov

 

 

Fourth of July Safety Tips

           Fourth of July Safety Tips

           Credits to the ASPCA

For many people, nothing beats lounging in the backyard on the Fourth of July with good friends and family—including the four-legged members of the household. While it may seem like a great idea to reward Rover with scraps from the grill and bring him along to watch fireworks, in reality some festive foods and products can be potentially hazardous to your pets. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center offers the following tips:

·   Never leave alcoholic drinks unattended where pets can reach them. Alcoholic beverages have the potential to poison pets. If ingested, the animal could become very intoxicated and weak, severely depressed or could go into a coma. Death from respiratory failure is also a possibility in severe cases.

·   Do not apply any sunscreen or insect repellent product to your pet that is not labeled specifically for use on animals. Ingestion of sunscreen products can result in drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy. The misuse of insect repellent that contains DEET can lead to neurological problems.

·   Always keep matches and lighter fluid out of your pets’ reach. Certain types of matches contain chlorates, which could potentially damage blood cells and result in difficulty breathing—or even kidney disease in severe cases. Lighter fluid can be irritating to skin, and if ingested can produce gastrointestinal irritation and central nervous system depression. If lighter fluid is inhaled, aspiration pneumonia and breathing problems could develop.

·   Keep your pets on their normal diet. Any change, even for one meal, can give your pets severe indigestion and diarrhea. This is particularly true for older animals who have more delicate digestive systems and nutritional requirements. And keep in mind that foods such as onions, chocolate, coffee, avocado, grapes & raisins, salt and yeast dough can all be potentially toxic to companion animals.

·   Do not put glow jewelry on your pets, or allow them to play with it. While the luminescent substance contained in these products is not highly toxic, excessive drooling and gastrointestinal irritation could still result from ingestions, and intestinal blockage could occur from swallowing large pieces of the plastic containers.

·   Keep citronella candles, insect coils and oil products out of reach. Ingestions can produce stomach irritation and possibly even central nervous system depression. If inhaled, the oils could cause aspiration pneumonia in pets.

·   Never use fireworks around pets! While exposure to lit fireworks can potentially result in severe burns and/or trauma to the face and paws of curious pets, even unused fireworks can pose a danger. Many types contain potentially toxic substances, including potassium nitrate, arsenic and other heavy metals.

·   Loud, crowded fireworks displays are no fun for pets, so please resist the urge to take them to Independence Day festivities. Instead, keep your little guys safe from the noise in a quiet, sheltered and escape-proof area at home.

Who over see's the NC County Animal Shelter System? And can I view an Inspection Report?

For more information on the NC County Animal Shelters, the NC Department of Agriculture or the Inspection reports for each county, please use this link:

http://www.ncagr.gov/vet/aws/Inspections/index.htm

Is your County Animal Shelter killing animals before the 72 hr hold time?

North Carolina General Statutes § 130A-192 Animals not wearing required rabies vaccination tags

(a)   The Animal Control Officer shall canvass the county to determine if there are any animals not wearing the required rabies vaccination tag. If an animal required to wear a tag is found not wearing one, the Animal Control Officer shall check to see if the owner's identification can be found on the animal. If the animal is wearing an owner identification tag with information enabling the owner of the animal to be contacted, or if the Animal Control Officer otherwise knows who the owner is, the Animal Control Officer shall notify the owner in writing to have the animal vaccinated against rabies and to produce the required rabies vaccination certificate to the Animal Control Officer within three days of the notification. If the animal is not wearing an owner identification tag and the Animal Control Officer does not otherwise know who the owner is, the Animal Control Officer may impound the animal. The duration of the impoundment of these animals shall be established by the county board of commissioners, but the duration shall not be less than 72 hours. During the impoundment period, the Animal Control Officer shall make a reasonable effort to locate the owner of the animal. If the Animal Control Officer has access at no cost or at a reasonable cost to a microchip scanning device, the Animal Control Officer may scan the animal and utilize any information that may be available through a microchip to locate the owner of the animal, if possible. If the animal is not reclaimed by its owner during the impoundment period, the animal shall be disposed of in one of the following manners: returned to the owner; adopted as a pet by a new owner; sold to institutions within this State registered by the United States Department of Agriculture pursuant to the Federal Animal Welfare Act, as amended; or put to death by a procedure approved by rules adopted by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services or, in the absence of such rules, by a procedure approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Humane Society of the United States or of the American Humane Association.

 

(a1) Before an animal may be sold or put to death, it shall be made available for adoption under procedures that enable members of the public to inspect the animal, except in cases in which the animal is found by the operator of the shelter to be unadoptable due to injury or defects of health or temperament. An animal that is seriously ill or injured may be euthanized if the manager of the animal shelter determines, in writing, that it is appropriate to do so. Nothing in this subsection shall supercede (i) any rules adopted by the Board of Agriculture which specify the number of animals allowed for kennel space in animal shelters, or (ii) the duration of impoundment established by the county board of commissioners, or the 72‑hour holding period, as provided in subsection (a) of this section.

 

(a2) (See note) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, a person who comes to an animal shelter attempting to locate a lost pet is entitled to view every animal held at the shelter, subject to rules providing for such viewing during at least four hours a day, three days a week. If the shelter is housing animals that must be kept apart from the general public for health reasons, public safety concerns, or in order to preserve evidence for criminal proceedings, the shelter shall make reasonable arrangements that allow pet owners to determine whether their lost pets are among those animals.

 

(a3) The Animal Control Officer shall maintain a record of all animals impounded under this section which shall include the date of impoundment, the length of impoundment, the method of disposal of the animal and the name of the person or institution to whom any animal has been released.

 

(b) In addition to domesticated dogs and cats not wearing the required rabies tags, the provisions of subsection (a) of this section concerning the holding of animals for at least 72 hours and the permissible means of disposition of animals after expiration of that holding period also apply to all of the following:

(1) Dogs and cats that are wearing rabies tags but are taken into custody for violation of statutes or ordinances not related to rabies control, such as ordinances requiring the leashing or restraining of dogs and cats.

(2) Dogs and cats surrendered to an animal shelter by the owners of the animals, unless an owner provides to the shelter the following:

a. Some proof of ownership of the animal, and

b. A signed written consent to the disposition of the animal, in a manner authorized by this section, before the expiration of the 72‑hour holding period or of a longer period established by ordinance or local rule to which the shelter is subject.

(c) If an animal is not wearing tags, or other mode of identification indicating its owner, and is delivered to an animal shelter by (i) a person who has found and captured the animal, or (ii) by an approved rescue organization that received the animal from a person who found and captured the animal, then the shelter may, in writing, appoint the finder or approved rescue organization to be the agent of the shelter. For purposes of this subsection, the term "approved rescue organization" means a nonprofit corporation or association that cares for stray animals that has been favorably assessed by the operator of the animal shelter through the application of written standards.

(1) If the animal is a dog or cat, the finder or approved rescue organization shall hold the animal for the 72‑hour holding period provided for in subsection (a) of this section or such longer holding period that may be applicable to the shelter by ordinance or local rule. If the animal is not a dog or cat, then the holding period shall be by agreement between the animal shelter and the person or organization receiving the animal.

(2) After the expiration of the applicable holding period, the shelter may:

a. Transfer the animal by adoption to the person or organization that has held it as agent, or

b. Extend the period of time the finder or rescue organization holds the animal as agent of the shelter.

(3) A shelter may terminate an agency created under this subsection at any time by directing the finder or rescue organization to deliver the animal to the shelter.

(4) The city, county, or organization operating the animal shelter, as principal in the agency relationship, shall not be liable to reimburse the agent for the costs of care of the animal and shall not be liable to the owner of the animal for harm to the animal caused by the agent, absent a written contract providing otherwise.

(d) During the 72‑hour or longer holding period established under subsection (a) of this section, an animal shelter may place an animal it is holding in foster care.

(e) If an animal shelter transfers physical possession of a dog or cat under subsection (c) or (d) of this section, so that the animal is no longer on the animal shelter premises, at least one photograph which depicts the head and face of the animal shall (i) be displayed at the shelter in a conspicuous location that is available to the general public during hours of operation, and (ii) remain posted for the 72‑hour or longer holding period established under subsection (a) of this section. (1935, c. 122, s. 8; 1983, c. 891, s. 2; 2009‑304, s. 1; 2009‑327, s. 7.)

Who do I contact if a NC Animal Shelter is euthanizing animals before the 72 hr State hold or you have other potential issues?

North Carolina Department of Agriculture ( Contact is Dr. Lee Hunter) and the NC Department of Health and Human Service ( Contact is  Dr. Carl Williams). The 72 hr hold is NC DHHS.

Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Dog Treats, Yummy !

 Link to this recipe and more: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/peanut-butter-and-pumpkin-dog-treats/

Purina buys Petfinder

 

June 05, 2013 10:00 am • By Lisa Brown lbrown@post-dispatch.com 314-340-8127

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Nestle Purina PetCare

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Nestle Purina PetCare employee Karita Wynn with her dog, Titan, at Nestle Purina PetCare's St. Louis headquarters.

 

Nestlé Purina PetCare is buying the Petfinder pet adoption website, a move expected to strengthen its role as a leading online provider of pet-related information.
The St. Louis-based maker of Purina ONE, Beneful and Beggin’ Strips pet food and snacks announced the purchase from Discovery Communications LLC on Wednesday but did not disclose financial terms.

Oversight of the website that attracts 100 million visits annually will shift to St. Louis after the acquisition closes in July, Nestlé Purina said. Petfinder has 19 employees.
It’s the first time Nestlé Purina’s parent company, Swiss-based Nestlé, has acquired a website, company executives said.

Since it launched in 1996, Petfinder.com has led to the adoption of 22 million pets in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The website provides information about local animal shelters and rescue centers with the goal of linking animals to new owners.
Nestlé Purina sees the purchase as an opportunity to broaden its support for pet welfare organizations.
“Petfinder is all about helping homeless pets find homes, and that’s a core mission of Nestlé Purina,” Steven Crimmins, chief marketing officer for Nestlé Purina, told the Post-Dispatch.
Nestlé Purina plans to add content from its nutritional experts to the site to increase the information available to pet owners.

“Over time, it can be a vehicle for us to share the vast knowledge we have about pet nutrition and pet care,” he said.

Crimmins said the broad reach of Petfinder’s audience in North America also made it an attractive purchase.

“Petfinder’s traffic is equal to Nike.com and larger than Starbucks.com, which is really remarkable,” he said.

Once the transaction closes, Petfinder.com will link to Nestlé Purina’s other websites.
“We’ll be connecting everything,” Crimmins said, so it’s “liquid and linked” and easy to navigate with other corporate sites online.

Discovery Communications, which is based in Silver Spring, Md., and which owns the Animal Planet and Discovery Channel television networks, acquired Petfinder in 2006.

Also on Wednesday, Nestlé Purina announced a new perk for its employees — $200 to assist with costs when adopting or purchasing a dog or cat. The company has about 2,000 employees in the St. Louis region and 11,000 in the United States, Canada and Latin America.

“We are excited to take this step to not only promote the joy that pets bring to people’s lives, but also to make it easier for our associates to welcome a pet into their home,” Steve Degnan, Nestlé Purina’s human resources vice president, said in a statement.

Happy Mother's Day to all those who tend to the family pet !

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY and THANK YOU to all for what you do for the paw community. God Bless you for your compassion towards those that cant help themselves.  Paws Rule !

Premium Edge, Diamond Naturals, 4 Health Cat Food Recall

Premium Edge, Diamond Naturals and 4health Dry Cat Food Formulas Voluntarily Recalled

Posted by Susan Thixton on March 10, 2013 at 12:59 pm

Premium Edge, Diamond Naturals and 4health Dry Cat Food Formulas Voluntarily Recalled Due to Possibility of Low Levels of Thiamine (Vitamin B1)
Consumer Contact: 888-965-6131
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March 10, 2013 COLUMBIA, S.C. — Diamond Pet Foods is voluntarily recalling limited production codes of Premium Edge Finicky Adult Cat Formula dry cat food, Premium Edge Senior Cat Hairball Management Formula dry cat food,Premium Edge Kitten Formula dry cat food, Diamond Naturals Kitten Formula dry cat food and 4health All Life Stages Cat Formula dry cat food. Tests conducted by the company indicated the products might have a low level of thiamine (Vitamin B1). There have been no complaints regarding thiamine levels, or any other health issues, related to these products. In association with this voluntary recall, Diamond Pet Foods has tested all other Diamond brands for thiamine deficiency to ensure the safety of the cat food it manufactures. No other product manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods is involved in this voluntary recall.
Only product with the following Best By dates and Production Codes are included in the voluntary recall. Further distribution of these affected production codes has occurred through online sales. It is best to check the production code to determine if the product has been recalled or not.

“At Diamond Pet Foods, we have a process where we continuously test our products, and this process allowed us to find the undesired levels of thiamine in some of our cat formulas. Our food safety protocols are designed to provide safe food on a daily basis,” says Michele Evans, Ph.D., Diamond Pet Foods Executive Director of Food Safety and Quality Assurance. “In the event an error occurs, we have the data to quickly alert pet owners, giving them the confidence they demand of a pet food manufacturer.”
Pet owners who are unsure if the product they purchased is included in the recall, or who would like replacement product or a refund, may contact the Pet Food Information Center at 1-888-965-6131, Sunday through Saturday, 8 a.m.– 6 p.m. EST. Consumers also may visit http://www.petfoodinformationcenter.com for additional information.
Cats fed product with the previously listed Production Codes and Best By dates exclusively for several weeks may be at risk for developing a thiamine deficiency. Thiamine is essential for cats in maintaining normal nervous system function. Symptoms of thiamine deficiency displayed by an affected cat can be gastrointestinal or neurological in nature. Early signs of thiamine deficiency may include decreased appetite, salivation, vomiting and weight loss. In advanced cases, Neurological signs can develop, which may include ventriflexion (bending towards the floor) of the neck, wobbly walking, falling, circling and seizures. Pet owners should contact their veterinarians immediately if a cat is displaying any of these signs. If treated promptly, thiamine deficiency typically is reversible.
Click Here to view the Diamond Pet Food press release for the U.S.
Note for Canadian pet food consumers: Click Here to view the Diamond Press release for Canada (production codes are different).

Rabies Vaccination Clinic, Forsyth County NC

$5 Rabies Vaccination Clinic   Saturday, 2/2/2013

This Saturday, February 2nd, A low cost rabies vaccination clinic, sponsored by the Forsyth County departments of Public Health and Animal Control, will be held at the Forsyth County Animal Shelter.

The clinic will be from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM and is planned as a supplemental vaccination opportunity to the large spring and fall clinics. Vaccine is $5 per pet. Only 1 year shots will be given.

http://forsyth.cc/animalcontrol/

 

Spay & Neuter in Robeson County North Carolina

Robeson County Humane Society helps with Spay & Neuter  Clinics.To combat the problem, the animal shelter at 3180 W. Fifth St., which is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., is offering a voucher redeemable at any veterinarian’s office in Robeson County for a free spay or neuter. A person making less than $33,510 a year is eligible. Two people making less than a combined income of $45,390 a year are also eligible.

Freezing Water and Tempatures for outdoor pets

Animals are unable to find access to water with all these freezing temperatures. Please check your outside water bowls several times a day. Horses, Sheep, Pigs and other animals including our wild birds are all struggling to find access to water during these cold temperatures. Just a reminder to help all these animals esp. our outdoor family pets including feral cats.

NCVAW and Susie's Law thoughts on an individual’s rights to speak out on NC Shelter Issues

NCVAW and Susie's Law thoughts on an individual’s rights to speak out on NC Shelter Issues

Privacy and Respect are out the window, today when we want to prove our point we fight as dirty as we can to win, is that the world we live in now days?

I’m not a bandwagon jumper, my wagon is not “hitched” to PETA, HSUS, ASPCA, Nathan Winogrand, NCVAW, Susie's law nor any other group not listed, but in the minds of many of these larger money making organizations if you’re not in their “camp” you are their target enemy number 1.

Money, Money, Money…. We all need it to keep the doors open for any business but when it comes to being an Animal Advocate one would think the fight for a piece of the pie wouldn’t be so brutal and you would be completely wrong.

Each organization it trying to get you to donate your funds to them and when doing so the truth seems to be stretched many times over. My question would be, how much of any of the money taken in by some of these groups actually make its way back to the animals and the care they need versus paying for salaries, office buildings, furniture, phone and gas allowances and any such items that go into running a business? Yes, key word here is business and all these organizations are operating a business with assets of one kind or another. And when you are in business you become cut throat to take out your competition. Sadly in this ball game the competition is another group or individual that is also trying to save the lives of our voiceless animals. So as you guessed the animals get the short end of the stick due to this competitive fight.

The last several weeks I have been at a crossroads after reviewing information that had made its way to me. I had to take a long look at how I personally felt about the situation and the long term impact if myself and others buried what we knew took place. Do I ignore it or do I get involved and speak out about it from my point of view due to the impact for future NC Animal Shelter Issues.

So after contacting all parties involved and expressing my concerns with what took place it finally brought me to hoping I could bring awareness on how this could be the start of some Groups, Organizations and Business’s ending the work of individuals in the Animal Advocates Community as a whole simply due to the fact that we don’t beat to the sound of their drum.

What we all need to realize is that each of us no matter what Group, Organization, Business or Individual we are, we all bring something different to the table in the Animal Advocate Community and with this we all need to show some respect for the others work and not try and to make everyone conform to a particular or agenda. If someone wants to work independently off and away from any other group, then it’s their right and they are also allowed to have their personal views on a subject and at no time should anyone feel just because they have a title behind their name they can squash others like bugs on a windshield. ( And everyone needs to keep it about the topic at hand only).

So for your view, here is a formal complaint to an individual’s employer demanding to have a blog removed about NC Animal Shelter Issues. And notice this person felt the need to add in both her titles to show weight to force a hand in getting her way. I feel this is 100% incorrect as the person who wrote the complaint didn’t one time contact the blogger to ask for a “meet and greet” to better understand her take on such emotional issues that seem to divide us all.

Attacking one another is normal in the AR World. It's gone to far when your intention is to get someone fired from their employment for only writing a blog about events that actually took place in such a depressed economy you have went too far, but I need to add these are my thoughts as I feel this is hitting below the belt.

In NC many ACO and Shelters call themselves “pounds”. They even answer the phone calling themselves a pound, if you go sit thru a town meeting or board of health meeting in a rural community you will hear the word “ pound “ used to refer to the Animal Shelter. I personally hate this word and I feel in 2013 no matter how rural your area is you need to get with the times and stop referring to any Animal Shelter a “pound." And the only reason I even bring up the word “pound” is the person who wrote the complaint uses this word to strictly try and swing the vote her way to have a blog removed. The word is used to excite and sensationalize the situation at hand again to swing the vote in her favor.

I personally do not know the person who writes the Fix NC Blog, I have no real connection to any of the parties involved other than it hit too close to home due to current issues I find myself in. And what I despised more than ever is that another person felt they could use titles to force an individual to stop speaking out on issues we face here within the NC Shelter System.

So for me this complaint is nothing more than a bully tactic to  both shut up and shut down anyone who speaks out as an individual on the issues they see before them. Either conform with the big fish or they want to eat you, is this where this is now going?

I know from personal experience that the larger Organizations do not speak out on many issues that some of us see weekly if not daily within our Shelter System. Is it perfect, NO, are all NC Shelter Employee’s uncaring, NO, but sadly we all need to understand that not all of our County Shelters or Employees have the best intentions for these animals. Just like in any other business, you have some great employees and then you have the ones who leave you with nothing but issues to deal with and their mess to clean up.  If we all did what we were supposed to in life, none of us would find ourselves where we are now, but we don’t live in a perfect world and we are not surrounded by perfect employees in every job.  No one is perfect.

Take what you want from the complaint shown below, but for me this is just another sign of the times that the powers that be want us to march in line with them and have no individuals rights of any kind.  Just take this situation and compare it to all those bloggers and News Stations who report on issues that are not agreeable to others, those that try and shed some light on some dark issues we face in our world. So does this mean that none of us are allowed to write how much we disagree about the economy, local Government Offices or School System issues? Are we now to understand that we better not ever bring up uncomfortable issues in hopes to spread the word of an unpleasant situation?

 

What are you feeding your family pet?

Click on the below link to view all the complaints with consumer affairs:

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/beneful.html

Symptoms dogs have shown:

•Vomiting

•Diarrhea

•Excessive water drinking

•Lethargy

•Weight loss

•Seizures

•Bloat (this is life threatening to a dog)

•Kidney failure

•Liver failure

•Death


This problem is not in a single region but across the country. The number of reported cases, mainly from October 2012 through January 2013, has been increasing and currently there are 220 incidents listed on the consumer affairs site alone. With pets dying after eating this food, the following questions must be asked.


Is Purina turning a blind eye to what their Beneful product is doing?

Why has there been no recall or statement issued by the FDA?

How many injuries and deaths must there be before someone takes some action?

 The FDA has three levels of recall.

1.The recall is made by the firm’s own initiative.

2.The FDA makes a request to recall.

3.The FDA orders a recall under statutory authority.

The FDA website was updated as of December 31, 2012, and with just about every other pet food available listed on the site, there is blatantly no mention of either Purina or Beneful.

In 2007, Purina dog food was identified for dog fatalities after an autopsy revealed aflatoxins in the food and the ASPCA became involved. Aflatoxins are known to be found in moldy grains, like the corn that would be in the dog food. At that time, there was a large recall. In 2005 100 dogs died for the same reason prompting another recall of a different brand of food.

What are you feeding your family pet?

Dog rescuers are a breed off the leash

Published on Sunday January 13, 2013

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ANDREW FRANCIS WALLACE/TORONTO STAR Mari-Anne McCleary at home with Miles, a golden retriever/shepherd; Lily, English pointer; and rescue dog Jack Sparrow, a spaniel/papillon, January 11, 2013.

Marco Chown Oved
Staff Reporter

You don’t have to ring the bell at the McCleary residence in Port Credit because the small army of pets inside announces the arrival of any visitor before they reach the door.
The McCleary’s have five furry pets but from time to time add one more to their brood. They’re dog foster parents who take in unwanted dogs, rescued from being put down at a shelter.
“You have no idea what you’re getting into when you foster,” said Carl McCleary as he stooped to pet Jack Sparrow, an energetic, if a bit emaciated Spaniel-Papillon mix they got a week ago.
They’re a small cog in the sprawling dog rescue community, which has come under increasing scrutiny in recent weeks after dog rescuer Rita Mueller was charged with strangling a dog to death.
Operating on the shadowy edges of the official animal welfare system, the unregulated network of dog rescues take the overflow from overwhelmed shelters across the continent. They drive hours to rescue doomed dogs, pay hundreds in veterinary bills and search far and wide to find permanent homes, giving the dogs a second lease on life.

While their devotion undoubtedly saves many lives, it can also go terribly wrong. Rescues are torn between a duty to save innocent animals and a responsibility not to get in over their heads.
“There are a lot of people who have these huge hearts and they start off doing it the right way, and they get that email with that sad puppy picture … and it’s like ‘where can I put that one? I can do just one more,’ ” said Kim Knapp, who runs Friendly Giant Dog Rescue in the Ottawa area. “And the next thing you know you’ve got 30-plus dogs on your property.”

These hoarders are doing the wrong things for the right reasons, Knapp said, loving their dogs to the point of doing them harm.
Packs of underfed dogs have been found in barns or staked to the ground, where they were fed carcasses every few days, said the 20 year veteran of the community. These free-for-alls can lead to dog fights and disease, and can bankrupt a rescue, she said.
Rescues have banded together into an unofficial support network that has become essential to the public shelters inundated with strays.

“Sadly there are too many homeless pets to be able to do the work alone,” said Alison Cross, spokesperson for the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA). “We often work with reputable rescues to find animals new homes.”
“The pet industry definitely has gaps (in regulation),” said Toronto Animal Services spokesperson Mary Lou Leiher. “Shelters, humane societies and animal services do rely on dog rescues. There’s no question about that.”
The fact that there is no government oversight in dog rescue attracts unscrupulous dog brokers who smell a profit.

“For all the wonderful, good-hearted people in rescue, there are lots of bad people too,” said Susan Barrett, who runs NC Shelter Rescue in Clemmons, North Carolina. Because few people neuter and spay their dogs in parts of the U.S., there is a massive overpopulation problem, she says. This attracts unscrupulous brokers who get dogs at no charge from shelters in North Carolina, Florida and California and sell them for profit in Canada, she said.

“You can back up a truck to any shelter in North Carolina and they’ll help pack ’em in the back for ya,” she said.

Lax border controls mean brokers only need to show a vaccination certificate to get into Canada, where the dogs are posted online as rescues, and adopters are asked to pay for non-existent veterinary bills, said Marion Hewko, who runs Safe At Last Dog Rescue in Chilliwack and Kelowna, B.C. Known as “bad rescues” in the community, some go so far as to fundraise on internet sites for fictitious rescue costs and pocket the proceeds, she said.

Yet because there is no official oversight, rescues are left to police themselves.
It’s a process Rob Goddard has spent the last five years trying to formalize through the Helping Homeless Pets network of dog rescues. With 52 rescues registered mostly in the GTA, Goddard estimates that they’ve rescued 10-12,000 dogs since 2007.

“We wanted to make sure rescuers were rescuing ethically,” he said.
The self-appointed governing body of the community developed a four-page code of ethics their rescues must follow to assure potential adopters that they’re not getting a bad apple. Each dog’s life and medical history is compiled; it’s given a checkup, vaccinations and a behaviour evaluation.
Goddard hopes that his organization can provide an element of legitimacy and accountability. But bringing in government oversight would be going too far, he says, because it would remove the volunteer spirit that drives those involved.

Not everyone in the community agrees, however. Knapp held an online discussion last week about introducing government regulation and was surprised at how many people were interested. After a few high-profile cases of bad rescues, she said, there’s an appetite to become more official.
In the meantime, each rescued dog is one less sent to be put down. The McCleary’s first rescue, a chocolate lab named Jonah, had terrible medical issues and had to be operated on to remove an eye.
Several years later, while on a walk in a leash-free park, a one-eyed Lab approached.
“I didn’t recognize him at first,” said Mari-Anne McCleary, “but the dogs sure did. They bee-lined straight over to him. Who would have thought? That old dog was still around.”
With files from Rachel Mendleson

 

Rita Mueller of Scoobys Dog House surrenders to the police

Suspect in dog killing surrenders to Toronto police

Published on Friday January 04, 2013

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TORONTO POLICE HANDOUT Rita Mueller, 50, was wanted in connection with the death of a dog at Toronto Animal Services in August. Mueller owns Scooby's Dog House and Rescue, and was convicted of a number of unrelated animal cruelty charges in September.

Rachel Mendleson
Staff Reporter

The owner of a dog rescue operation who allegedly choked a Shar-Pei to death at a Toronto Animal Services location this summer has surrendered to police.
Rita Mueller, 50, of Bolton, was wanted for killing or injuring an animal, causing or permitting unnecessary pain and disobeying a court order.
Mueller turned herself in at Toronto police 31 Division early this morning, police said in a news release.
She is scheduled to make a court appearance Friday.
Det.-Const. Tamara Lawrynowycz said Mueller is facing criminal charges in connection with an Aug. 24 incident that occurred at the animal services facility on Sheppard Ave. W., where the dog was being held after it allegedly bit someone.
Lawrynowycz said Mueller was supposed to remove the dog, called Henry, and transfer it to a new owner. Instead, she allegedly choked it to death with a leash in the quarantine room, and fled the scene, according to police.
Mueller operates Scooby’s Dog House and Rescue, a dog rescue outfit that is believed to be based somewhere in the Caledon-Bolton area, Lawrynowycz said.
The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has been pursuing its own case against Mueller since the incident was reported by animal services last August, according to OSPCA investigations and communications officer Brad Dewar.
Mueller has “a history involving charges related to animal cruelty,” he said.
She is currently awaiting sentencing after being convicted in September on two unrelated charges of violating the OSPCA Act. Three other charges were withdrawn.
Nineteen dogs were removed from her property and an additional 10 were surrendered to the OSPCA as a result of the charges, Dewar said.
Unable to locate Mueller, the OSPCA requested assistance from police several weeks ago. On Thursday, police issued an appeal for the public’s help in finding Mueller.
“If there’s no fixed address, it makes it very challenging to locate an individual,” Dewar said. “Police services are able to issue a warrant, whereas the OSPCA isn’t able to do so.”
He said Mueller evaded an attempt by OSPCA officers to obtain additional information when she appeared in court in September.
Dewar said the OSPCA waited several months before contacting police because “we don’t want to put any undue burden or hardship on an organization that already has concerns they’re dealing with.”
“The OSPCA is here to deal with animal-related concerns. It’s only when the officers have exhausted all avenues that we’ll then start to utilize a resource that’s in that [municipal] area,” he said.
Lawrynowycz said police were first made aware of the incident when they were contacted by the OSPCA. A police investigation produced “enough evidence to pursue the criminal charges,” she said.
Toronto Animal Services confirmed that the incident occurred, but declined to comment further.
With files from The Canadian Press

Animal Cruelty at it's worse for Wayne County, NC

Asking questions should never put you in fear or make you feel as retaliation will shortly follow.  It’s our right and responsibility to ask questions on any issue that seems to raise our eyebrows and the sooner we ask the better in most cases.

Although this case is from 2009, I feel we can learn from it to help prevent such events taking place in the future or if nothing else maybe with our right to ask a  question, we can reduce the amount of suffering that other animals may fall victim to versus turning a blind eye.

I look to this case and question on where this man was able to get so many animals, 26 dogs made it out alive on this man’s property but yet an undetermined amount of animals fell victim of his crimes while he mutilated, decapitated and dissected other animals. What pain did they live thru prior to their death?

In 2009 we saw a huge turn to social media for Shelter Animals, people would post a picture of an animal on death row, other people would hit the share button, a Chip In would shortly go up to save the animal and before you knew it someone from many States away announces with just a profile picture and a name that no one knows announces,  they will take the animal if you can get the animal to them. And then we are off, post after post some of the same people would say, I will take that animal, please get it to me.

This all sounds wonderful if you take it for face value, but if you dig deeper you will find many of those unknown profiles on social media are not who you think they are, they are not the name they have listed nor are they living in the location that is listed on their info, yet you have now just shipped them a live animal for them to do with what they please. My point here is none of us should be shipping live animals to people we have not meet in person, never ship an animal to someone without a verified Vet check, and a home visit is a must. Don’t think for a minute that all those profiles jumping to help these Shelter Animals are here for the right reasons. Hidden behind many of those anonymous profiles are animal abusers, class b dealers, hoarders and crush video makers.

I’m not stating that this man in this one case acquired all of these animals due to social media or Craig’s Lists, but I am stating that anytime you send a live animal off to another party that it’s high time you slow down and check on who the receiving party really is. Don’t allow some website to fool you, as we have seen these days, anyone can put anything they want on the internet, doesn’t mean it’s factual.

Check with local Animal Control Officers in the town they live in, contact their current Veterinarian, Dept. of Agriculture, and other State or County Offices. Never should any of us just send these Shelter Animals to a profile on social media as they could land in the hands of a man like this.

Slow down, verify facts for yourself, don’t allow others to direct you on their versions of the truth. Take responsibility for the animals that you have a hand in getting to another party. It tears at the heart but sometimes there is worse than being humanly euthanized in a shelter and it’s called reckless rescue efforts where you send a helpless animal into the hands of someone like this man. I can’t image the pain that some of these animals endured prior to finally dying, the same kind of pain that animals in hoarding situations face, or what’s even worse are those animals that endure the torture of being held in a live testing facility by the hands of the manufactures that still test their products on live animals. It’s 2013, we know better now and we can do better for all living creatures from today forward.

So before you decide to surrender your family pet to a County Shelter, ask yourself what horror am I about to place this animal in? In case you didn’t know, a County Animal Shelter is just that, it’s not an adoption center by any means.

In North Carolina we are listed as a “High Kill” State, we euthanize 287,000 animals each year (on the books that is) while more than 11 Counties still haven’t reported their numbers to be account for. So if you loosely add those missing 11 Counties numbers it raises the State of North Carolina yearly euthanized animals to over 345,000.00 animals a year that are disposed of by one form or another of euthanasia.

Shame on all of us or allowing this to continue to take place this day and time.

 

Please see local news story link here:

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/4251302/

A Fremont man, whom authorities charged earlier this month with three counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty, now faces a fourth charge because four dead owls were found on his property.

Lawton McKenzie, 28, of Old Black Creek Road, was arrested Jan. 6 after animal control officers seized dismembered animals, a machete, knives, bowls of blood and what appeared to be a decapitated puppy's head in a bag. Investigators also removed 26 living animals from the home.

Owls are protected under state law.

A Wayne County judge ruled Thursday that McKenzie must also pay the county for the upkeep of animals seized from his home last month.

The county filed a civil complaint against him last week and also requested he post sufficient funds with the Wayne County Clerk of Superior Court to ensure the care of the animals for an additional 30 days.

McKenzie has five working days to post the $8,640 necessary for the upkeep of the animals or he automatically forfeits them.

McKenzie has denied the animal cruelty charges, saying he was studying taxidermy and that he began picking up animal carcasses for that purpose.