Humane League of Lancaster County going no kill

[Brandy76]

For some reason, this has really made me mad.

First, it is certainly their choice to do whatever they like, but I can still be annoyed.

1 puts pressure on other shelters, they will be inundated

2 more people will simply abandon animals - not that they wouldn’t anyway but those who might be borderline drop off at shelter or just dump will just dump

3 whoever they interviewed said something to the effect of “well people will step up and care for their pets, and each municipality will help” Really??

Oh, and they are also scaling back cruelty investigations. So basically, in 2013, things will get much worse for the animals in Lancaster COunty, PA
Oh, and then on the website they want people to help them win the community involvement award?:mad:

Sorry, I just see so many really bad things going on in LA county Pa, and now the animals will have even less help.

[Anne_FS]

I’d just read that myself. Drove by that shelter last weekend and the big sign in front said “FREE CATS - SATURDAY & SUNDAY.”

I know the shelter in Harrisburg has over 500 cats. 500 cats in that little building. Although they are taken out now & then into “playrooms,” most of them live their entire lives in aquariums - at least that what it looks like to me. Either in tiny wire cages or in glass aquarium-like cages. I know the shelter people do their best, but it’s pretty horrible. A number of those cats have been there for a year.

[wendy]

that makes me mad too.
Why do these people think that living in a stressful shelter situation FOREVER is more humane than a quick death? cause that’s what these no-kill places end up doing. They collect un-adoptable animals and keep them living in nasty stressful abusive conditions for years and years, and in the meantime they have to turn away animals in dire need, or animals who could easily be adopted out, because they are full with the unadoptable. Hoarders by any other name.

It’s not a public agency though- just vote with your funds and don’t support it. I only donate money to agencies that are actually concerned with the welfare of animals.

[Brandy76]

EXACTLY

[QUOTE=wendy;6628643]
that makes me mad too.
Why do these people think that living in a stressful shelter situation FOREVER is more humane than a quick death? cause that’s what these no-kill places end up doing. They collect un-adoptable animals and keep them living in nasty stressful abusive conditions for years and years, and in the meantime they have to turn away animals in dire need, or animals who could easily be adopted out, because they are full with the unadoptable. Hoarders by any other name.

It’s not a public agency though- just vote with your funds and don’t support it. I only donate money to agencies that are actually concerned with the welfare of animals.[/QUOTE]

As heartbreaking as it is, an heaven knows I couldn’t do it all day, it is far kinder than life in an “aquariam” as AnneFS said.

I agree I am voting with my funds, but it still leaves Lancaster County with essentially no animal services. Ans as many who live here know, Lancaster County does not have, shall we say, a stellar history when it comes to treating animals well.

[LauraKY]

If no kill is done properly, and than includes TNR, low cost spay/neuter clinics, extra licensing fees for intact animals, fosters and a very aggressive adoption and advertising program, why not?

[Anne_FS]

Because sadly it leads to thousands of animals spending their entire long lives in tiny cages, conditions which we abhor in puppy mills but say it’s ok in animal shelters.

Again, many animal shelter people do their best: the animals are clean & fed. But for their entire lives they of necessity live in tiny cages. They can’t walk around, they can’t rub against a human, or look out the window at the birds,…they CAN’T WALK AROUND.

Last time I was at my local shelter I asked if anything had changed. There were animals everywhere, the rooms were stuffed with banks upon banks of cages, the new “aquariums” were all full, every hallway of the place was solidly lined with cage after cage, even stacked cages. I said, “so many cats…” and the workers told me that all those cats were only a small fraction of the literally hundreds & hundreds of cats contained in the building. Hundreds & hundreds! They’ll never be adopted. 90% of them aren’t even viewable by the public to have a chance at adoption.

[Brandy76]

This is the reality

[QUOTE=Anne FS;6628929]
Because sadly it leads to thousands of animals spending their entire long lives in tiny cages, conditions which we abhor in puppy mills but say it’s ok in animal shelters.

Again, many animal shelter people do their best: the animals are clean & fed. But for their entire lives they of necessity live in tiny cages. They can’t walk around, they can’t rub against a human, or look out the window at the birds,…they CAN’T WALK AROUND.

Last time I was at my local shelter I asked if anything had changed. There were animals everywhere, the rooms were stuffed with banks upon banks of cages, the new “aquariums” were all full, every hallway of the place was solidly lined with cage after cage, even stacked cages. I said, “so many cats…” and the workers told me that all those cats were only a small fraction of the literally hundreds & hundreds of cats contained in the building. Hundreds & hundreds! They’ll never be adopted. 90% of them aren’t even viewable by the public to have a chance at adoption.[/QUOTE]

Anne- you’re right. And your description is haunting.

And to say nothing of the thousands of animals that are turned away. And Lancaster has also stated they are scaling back cruelty investigations. So where does that leave the animals of Lancaster County?

Cripes. Life in an aquarium. How accurate, and sad.

[Crackerdog]

I don’t understand the thinking behind a no kill shelter. Sometimes a humane death is a kindness.

[LauraKY]

Bull. Like I said, if it’s done right it works. Heck, the county next to mine is a no kill shelter without the title. They have a 1% kill rate, and it’s for badly injured animals and extremely aggressive dogs. They work with a rescue that networks the heck out of the dogs, contacts breed rescues etc. I pulled a sheltie a couple of weeks ago…she had been there less than 5 hours by the time she was pulled and we had her adopted two weeks later.

It needs to be the full package though. And foster homes are necessary.

[ken]

Unfortunately, there is no easy answer. I have 2 shelter cats & I’m so grateful they weren’t put to sleep. Yes, they were in aquariums, but the volunteers were excellent! I’m so happy to have my pounder kitties! My big boy got routine cuddle time. To this day, he is not a lap cat, but he loves to be held with his head over your shoulder the way the volunteer used to do. My other cat got sick while she was there & was placed in isolation. After I convinced hubby to let me have her, I went to inquire about her & learned she was better, but was still in isolation because they ran out of room. She went home with us that night. I also know of people who choose their pets based on who’s there the longest. Yes, chances of placement are thin for many animals, but it does happen. Please don’t cut donations - these places really do try.

[Brandy76]

I understand and am happy that your two have found you!

I have in the past adopted based on how long a pet was in the shelter. I do donate pretty consistently, but not any longer to this one.

Reason being, I now have NO resource in my county for stray cats, but, uhmm, me. And having already spayed/nuetered 41 stray/feral/dumped cats over the last 5 years on my own dime, it’s hard for me to want to donate to a shelter that:

won’t investigate or respond to cruelty

won’t take strays, or at least after they fill up (quickly) won’t take strays

Please understand, I did not start this threat to be snarky or mean, I am just at my wits end alrady, and this was kind of the last straw.

[Crackerdog]

[QUOTE=LauraKY;6628967]
Bull. Like I said, if it’s done right it works. Heck, the county next to mine is a no kill shelter without the title. They have a 1% kill rate, and it’s for badly injured animals and extremely aggressive dogs. They work with a rescue that networks the heck out of the dogs, contacts breed rescues etc. I pulled a sheltie a couple of weeks ago…she had been there less than 5 hours by the time she was pulled and we had her adopted two weeks later.

It needs to be the full package though. And foster homes are necessary.[/QUOTE]

We won’t agree on this point and that’s fine. I have spent time volunteering at shelters in Washington, Oregon, and California. It’s not “bull” that a humane death is not the worst thing, good shelters do what they have to in order to help as many animals as they can. They don’t always have a great rescue to work with to help shoulder the load.

[LauraKY]

It sounds to me like the Humane Society is no longer going to contract with the county for animal control.

Don’t you have TNR in your area?

Helping Hands for Animals
PO Box 162
Lampeter, PA 17537
Spay/Neuter Program for cats and dogs in Lancaster County.
Phone: 717-687-7297

Sounds like someone needs to set up a TNR. My shelter doesn’t take cats either. I either speuter them myself, take them up to Lexington to a low cost clinic or call TNR.

[Brandy76]

Uhmm, not so much

[QUOTE=LauraKY;6629006]
It sounds to me like the Humane Society is no longer going to contract with the county for animal control.

Don’t you have TNR in your area?

Helping Hands for Animals
PO Box 162
Lampeter, PA 17537
Spay/Neuter Program for cats and dogs in Lancaster County.
Phone: 717-687-7297

Sounds like someone needs to set up a TNR. My shelter doesn’t take cats either. I either speuter them myself, take them up to Lexington to a low cost clinic or call TNR.[/QUOTE]

Having left them messages over the years, and never had a return call, I usually skip them.

Since I live here, and know some of the people who work at Lancaster Humane, and have spoken with them about this, I kind of have a good idea of what’s going on - limited number of intakes, little to no cruelty investigations, and no animal control services. It’s a big enough change that it has been on the local news, and in the papers here.

And, as I stated I’ve already done 41 on my own, so I guess I’m not stepping up to be the TNR.

And TNR will not really help the buggy horse laying on the side of the road, collapsed from the heat, or the numerous puppy mill operations around here, I could go on.

[LauraKY]

Well then, do something about it. Complain to the county, to the politicians, to your Congressman, to the news, to your newspaper. Make yourself heard. It just might change things.

[Anne_FS]

The Township where I live has TNR. Tough on the songbirds but better for the cats than the fishtanks.

I’m sure cute little Shelties can be out of the pound in 5 hours but plain ol’ cats have a much harder time. My newest addition I live-trapped last winter. Took me a week to catch him. He’s a stray that’s been around our neighborhood for 18 months and during last winter he was getting up in my crawlspace through some storm damage. Now how forlorn are you when in the whole wide world that’s the only place you can seek shelter from the sleet and you know the big dogs would make mincemeat out of you if they catch you?

Anyhow, one look at him when I caught him and I knew he would never be chosen to be adopted. Plain tiger, not a speck of white, huge, ugly, scars, bizarre cauliflower ear, multiple healed over broken ribs. Sigh. New cat for me. He would’ve gone straight to kitty heaven if I’d turned him over to the shelter.

[Brandy76]

I already have

[QUOTE=LauraKY;6629080]
Well then, do something about it. Complain to the county, to the politicians, to your Congressman, to the news, to your newspaper. Make yourself heard. It just might change things.[/QUOTE]

Since you seem to know everything I have or haven’t done about this. Jeez, lighten up.

I have been dealing with this for YEARS. And, are there a certain number sit down meetings that one needs to have with one’s congressman about this? Because I have. I’ve also been pulling together names so I can attend ANOTHER council meeting.

Of course this is in addition to caring for my family, animals, my job, did I mention 41 cats that I’ve already spayed etc. myself?

Is there a reason why you seem to feel the need to jump on me?

Just not sure. I am ALLOWED to have an opinion about something that is going on in my own county that affects me directly, and that I have tried to remedy. And is there a reason why I need to justify it to you?

Perhaps you might like to help from Lexington? Wow.

[Brandy76]

Awesome!

[QUOTE=Anne FS;6629096]
The Township where I live has TNR. Tough on the songbirds but better for the cats than the fishtanks.

I’m sure cute little Shelties can be out of the pound in 5 hours but plain ol’ cats have a much harder time. My newest addition I live-trapped last winter. Took me a week to catch him. He’s a stray that’s been around our neighborhood for 18 months and during last winter he was getting up in my crawlspace through some storm damage. Now how forlorn are you when in the whole wide world that’s the only place you can seek shelter from the sleet and you know the big dogs would make mincemeat out of you if they catch you?

Anyhow, one look at him when I caught him and I knew he would never be chosen to be adopted. Plain tiger, not a speck of white, huge, ugly, scars, bizarre cauliflower ear, multiple healed over broken ribs. Sigh. New cat for me. He would’ve gone straight to kitty heaven if I’d turned him over to the shelter.[/QUOTE]

Good catch Anne, and lucky him! There’s something irresistable about those battle scarred guys.

It’s always comforing to know there are many of us out there, soemwhere, with a flashlight , a blanket, and a can of food, trying to help!

And Laura, I include you in that group!

[ken]

Brandy76 - we have the same problems in Harrisburg with dog fighting - dead dogs left on the street & no one will do anything. I applaud your TNR - I’ve done some & it is hard & thankless. One day the do-gooders will hopefully outweigh the bad - until then, we crazies will have to pick up the slack.

[Brandy76]

Thank you!

[QUOTE=ken;6629123]
Brandy76 - we have the same problems in Harrisburg with dog fighting - dead dogs left on the street & no one will do anything. I applaud your TNR - I’ve done some & it is hard & thankless. One day the do-gooders will hopefully outweigh the bad - until then, we crazies will have to pick up the slack.[/QUOTE]

You are so kind! I needed that from a fellow crazy! :D:D