With friends like these...

This spectacular Sunday morning, lets nail someone else up who hinders progressive life-saving efforts in Columbus. 

"Chihuahua pups-teacup sire- CKC- $300-350"

"Dalmations- AKC- Need to sell- $250!!"

"Golden Retriever pups- Ready for Christmas!"

"Berlin Pets- We have all small breed puppies!"

" Yorkies, Bichons, Yorkichons!"

These are all proudly advertised by our community's largest newspaper, the Columbus Dispatch. There are 9 ads for labradors and lab mixes. How many labs and lab mixes do you think are waiting for homes at the Franklin County Dog Shelter each week?

So Rita Wolfe of Dispatch Printing Company and of the board of Capital Area Humane Society, business is business, and we're not going to ask you to send these backyard breeders packing. But why you don't donate the massive block of space that sits directly next to the line-item puppies for sale currently dedicated to Dispatch run columbuscars.com to promoting rescue pets? Why don't you donate line-item space to shelters, foster groups and breed specific rescues? If Rita Wolfe cares enough about homeless animals to be part of a board who will make life and death policy for them, why can't she care enough to advocate for some progressive changes at the Dispatch? There is a public service announcement at the very bottom of the line-item puppy ads that talks about being careful about where you buy your pet, but I kid you not, it is black ink against a blue background that is at best difficult to read and at worst encourages glazing right over. It says nothing about rescuing animals.

With friends like these who needs Petland? 

  

Let's step back for a minute...

Come on Capital supporters! You know you want to do better than 85%euthanasia rate for our cats- lets start saving lives rather than taking them- there is a way and we can do it if we just TRY! We are all on the same side here- lets fix whats wrong with ourselves so we can turn this blog discussion about networking and adoption and spay/neuter and ideas for cohesive rescue work in Central Ohio or ALL OF OHIO! You're all right on one thing- THIS BLOG IS A WASTE OF TIME! But how can we point the finger at the puppy millers and the catteries and the backyard breeders and Petland if we are killing everything that comes to us and not even pretending like we care? They AREN'T getting thousands of dollars in grant money but they are "finding homes" for thousands of puppies and kittens every year. They are doing such a great job that they WANT more puppies and kittens in this world- why is it so wrong to ask where we are failing?

Work with us! Lets find some solutions for the killing problem together. For any of this to happen, Capital Area Humane Society has to take a leadership role in innovative rescue programs, otherwise, like we said earlier, we're all just spinning our wheels.

Jodi, here's your chance be the re-inventor of the Capital Area Humane Society that has plagued this community's cats for so long. We are tired of explaining away needless death, tired of hearing that shelters are "so sad", tired of detouring everyone with a cat or a kitten away from the beautiful, inviting, spacious, well funded, high profile Capital Area Humane Society. Everybody knows there will still be some euthanasia, everybody knows we won't save everything overnight, but I guarantee that anybody worth their salt will throw their support behind a Capital who really, sincerely tries.

And wouldn't that be something?

One-sided?

We've been getting some complaints from people that this blog is "one sided". We implore our readership to please send us proof that things aren't as bad as people think. If you can send us information about where the 75,000 dollars went that they received, what goals are in place to reduce euthanasia rates, or ANYTHING please send it our way.  We are listening and want to grasp at anything good about that place so we can sleep nights. 

Also, lets address the "poll" 3 days before it is going to close. The last option is "85% euthanasia rate is the best we can do in Central Ohio", not "I disagree with this blog!" There is even an option above it that says "No, but the board should give her specific goals if she stays on". Only 3% of people as of today have supported that option. For everyone that's checking the last option why don't you give poor Jodi Lytle Buckman a job managing YOUR business? (Oh yes, you know you want a six-figure employee with no accountability, lies about productivity, mid-week all day shopping trips, and wasting staff time with meetings about nothing) 

Ok, first of all, that's just sad that some people are really making an effort to go vote at multiple computers for THAT. In fact, stellar Central Ohio Capital Area Supporters, sympathies are coming to our inbox from around the country. Like this one from Paige in North Carolina-

"...I am writing in response to your webpage explaining the unnecessary euthanasia of surrendered pets in the Columbus area. I am so horrified that the community thinks you can do no better than killing 85% of cats at the shelter... As someone who does not live in Ohio, I'm not sure how I can help... can you please tell me what the best course of action would be to support your cause?"  

There is a blog below that says it has 5 comments, only 1 of which shows up. We decided to remove the others after originally deciding to post them because it was really becoming an unproductive tit-for-tat. 

The most telling thing about this poll is, of course, that we got their attention.  

Math I can get in to!

The answer to 85% of math equations is 17. 

If you take a test, 85% of the answers is going to be 17, so just start writing in 17. For 15% of the equations, you'll have to work out an answer, but it will be really obvious which ones those are because they'll be super easy like 4+1= 5.  For taking this test you will be paid $125,000.00. 

So of course all of this sounds absurd, but by now we all know that this is the premise under which Capital Area operates. Their answer to almost every single problem is euthanasia. 

What happens beyond fixing the ventilation, filling the adoption floor, hiring on regular adoption staff, hiring trained, caring kennel staff to handle the animals, and all the obvious stuff that Capital could do almost overnight to make significant changes for the better. We still have far more cats and dogs coming in than there is space on the adoption floor. What about the "tough" adoptables? What do we do with them?

So what we're getting at here is that each animal has it's own solution. Say half of those are easy 4+1 solutions, basically, someplace to stay until it has a home. These are litters of kittens, awesome dogs that get along with anybody, purebreds that come into rescue, adult cats that are that are already fixed and declawed... you get the drift. So we aggressively pursue foster homes, off-site adoptions, breed-specific rescue groups, blah blah blah. Ok easy leg-work stuff. 

The pit bull? The puppy mill dog that's never seen daylight? The angry, cranky owner surrender kitty whose world has just been turned upside down? The 80 lb lab mix that is so happily misbehaved that kennel workers wear a suit of armor when they go in to feed him breakfast? 

So we think of each animal as it's own equation with a unique solution. Here's a cheat sheet:

1. The Pit Bull=  So we all know this breed gets a bad rap, but dog fighting is still going on and those dogs are routinely turned in to shelters or seized in raids. Pit bulls are extremely loyal to their caretakers and can generally be good family pets if properly socialized and assessed. So you get what you believe was a bait dog or loser in a fight who has numerous lacerations needing medical attention. So we call the local media and because of Michael Vick, they rush right over to do a story and get a close up of the medical team treating the sad eyed animal. Maybe you call your local media who don't rush right over, but you make sure to take video and plenty of pictures to scream out into the local media because you won't go away until someone makes this a story. You fundraise to cover the veterinary care for this dog which is easy because of Michael Vick. During it's stay in the veterinary ward, the technicians and assistants have gotten to know what the dog likes, if it's head-shy, how it reacts to cats, other dogs, etc... so then we know what kind of home we're looking for with this dog. Pits are getting easier because of the heart within the rescue community to give these pups the second chance they deserve. Ultimately, this solution works out for this dog and it gets out of the shelter alive and into the right home. 

2. Puppy mill dog that's never seen daylight= These have become pretty easy too (ha ha by the own admission of Capital) since they are generally toy breeds. Many times though these guys and gals need extensive veterinary care before they can be adopted- dental work, mass removals, and sometimes eye and leg surgeries as a result of long term neglect. So let's say we're setting up to compete with Petland- they obviously know how to find mill dogs good homes so steal their ideas. Get some space in the mall or set up an adoption event there. Adopt the dog out for the cost of the veterinary care- people are obviously willing to pay 1,000 bucks for a dog, like at Petland, so asking a few hundred for a fully vetted pure breed seems like a steal. These guys usually need socialization though, so we set up a crate in an office where he or she can make a den area and get used to people's voices, handling, other animals, and um, daylight. So this solution worked for this dog. 

Off-site adoptions are crucial to a successful rehoming program. The general public thinks of shelters as mass killing fields (gee I wonder why?) and often NEVER want to set foot in there because "it's too sad". In addition, due to zoning restrictions, animal shelters are usually out in the middle of industry, making the shelter even less inviting. 

3. The angry, cranky owner surrender kitty who's world has just been turned upside down= What if we preempted these owner surrenders with innovative programs? What if we advertised a program that told owners "If you're moving and think you have to give up your pet contact us!" First things of course would be to provide them with all kinds of information about how easy it is to take their pet with them, state-by-state laws on transporting pets, veterinary referrals in their new home town, pet-friendly apartment complexes, etc... If they are dead set against taking their pet to their new home, what if we put that cat up for adoption while it's still in it's home? Can they think of anyone at their work or gym or anywhere else in their social circle who may be willing to take on a great pet? That gives us a few extra weeks at least to start searching for a home, get the vetting necessary, and keep the cat healthy and happy all without it being in the shelter at all. Maybe we advertise this program to real estate agents who then make the homeowner aware that this program exists through our awesome and progressive shelter. So by talking to the owner about the cat before it came into the shelter they remembered that they spoken to a coworker who was thinking about getting a pet. The cat goes to that home and the preemptive solution worked out for that cat. 

Moving kits at the post office might be another good place to advertise this program. What if you knew who was buying and selling in your community? First you have to create a sense of community. This kind of a program could work the reverse too with adoptions. 

4.  The happily misbehaved 80 lb lab mix- this dog is so huge and so happy to see staff that it knocks everyone over who comes in contact with it. So first and foremost we train this guy on a Gentle Leader so he doesn't cause arm trauma to his walker. Next we look at what trainers might be willing to work with an assigned staff member to get this guy trained not to jump and to sit/stay.  No good, free trainers out there? Fine, pay for one. Grants exist that fund this sort of problem solving program. Don't have any grant money? Raise the money! If you're completely broke and can't find a trainer and can't raise the money then borrow a book from the library on dog training and educate yourself on how to do some of the basics. You're paid 125,000 dollars a year- we're pretty sure you can read. So the dog learns basic behaviors, and soon someone is in the shelter looking for a big dog to tire out their current huge lab mix when they're playing in the back yard. When he meets your 80lb lab mix he is so impressed that the dog is even better behaved than his big bruiser that he decides to take this guy home to foster for a week. This turns into 10 years of backyard mayhem. This solution worked out for this dog. 

The point of all of this is that we have to start thinking in terms of solving the problems we face with multiple solutions. It's not easy but nobody at Capital even tries. Sadly, sometimes the answer will be 17. Happily, more often than not the solution will be any one of infinite other numbers. You just have to have people to are problem solvers. Each animal has it's own solution, but if the answer to everything is death, we fail miserably. 

 

Blogging: turns out, not a waste of time

In a letter to President-elect Barack Obama, John Brennan asked that his name be taken out of consideration for the position of head of the CIA. From the letter:

"[There has been] strong criticism in some quarters prompted by my previous services with the Central Intelligence Agency."

Where did this criticism come from? The progressive blogs on the internet. 

Why did they criticize this pick? Brennans apathy towards rendition and harsh interrogations. (read torture). 

So for people who might think blogging is a waste of time or doesn't make a difference, start paying attention. Who are the media turning to for perspective on up-to-the-minute developments on current events? 

Looks like it's us. 

Don't drink the Kool Aid!

This is from the comments section, but we're blogging it this morning to address all the issues this "Anonymous" user brings up. 

"I personally take offense to your site and blog and feel that you're not being honest and only stating what you choose to. Some of your info is complete lies."  

We take personal offense to all the needless killing at Capital Area. Please continue-

"I am a CAHS TNR volunteer. I have been since March of this year and I am limited on the amount of animals I can take in each week because they work with many others to bring in cats. I only know of one time in all these months that they did not have more cats than room for." 

That's great- if you want to actually give us proof and we'll change our site to reflect that fact. All evidence we find points to exactly the opposite. This site seeks to reflect the truth. 

"Unless, Colony Cat Rescue is paying for the animals they take in every week, they too are nothing more than a CAHS volunteer. Making arrangements with others is called coordinating, just in case you don't understand the definition." Thanks, we understand " If the burden is too much for Colony Cats Rescue, maybe they can give up those spots and when I receive calls for people in desperate need of help and all of the so called "No Kill Shelters" have ignored them. I along with CAHS can give them the help they desperately need. I could also introduce you to several other CAHS TNR volunteers that I have had the pleasure to meed and work with over the last several months" 

First of all, what the heck is up with up with people who keep bringing up "Colony Cats"? If you want to complain about a group go start your own website. This blog isn't run by Colony Cats. (Yes everybody cross them off your list) Anyway the point here is that people who "Drink the Kool Aid" and have been involved on a short term basis at Capital will be the the first to defend them. They are the exact type of good will that the executive staff exploit to make themselves look better. Have you had the pleasure of meeting any of the actual staff over the past several months? When you're in there for a few hours on one day, what do you think is happening for the other 165 hours of the week? 

As for the voucher program, again, it has been a wonderful success for the people I have come in contact with and allowed me to help more than 100 people in a short few months. It was not hard to share the info that I had and work together with those needing to help save a stray. You can't seem to understand the concept of someone granting money with strings attached." We don't understand? Check out "Wasting Donations" on the main site.  "That is usually how grant money is given and that is to insure (sic) that it goes where it is suppose to (sic) and not misappropriated.  If you think 1000 additional animals helped in a four month period is not doing something, what is wrong with you? Again, many of those I obtain the vouchers and took the animals to the vet for the people to help insure (sic) that it was successful. This (sic) were again people that could not afford to keep the strays and could not get the so called "No-Kill Shelters" to return their calls and they would have to surrender the animal to CAHS because they did not want to see the animal left out for various reasons."

My friend, you have so much heart and could do so much with a responsible organization. I urge you to switch allegiances! Let's address their voucher program. They received 115,600.00 to issue 1000 spay/neuter vouchers. (They said that some of it was for Humane Officers, who by the way are the one spot of light within the darkness they exude. Brooks, Kilroy and Brown: I want to see the accountability for what the Humane Officers got with MY tax money.)The vouchers are good for a 45 day period after which if the vouchers expire, never to be issued to that person again. From what we understand is happening, non-Capital rescuers are taking on all the burden of getting these animals into the veterinarians. When someone has more than one cat that needs fixed, like the 80% of people who apply for the vouchers, other rescues opt to bear the burden of this expense. Like you! If someone takes their pet to any of the veterinarians (with few exceptions) on the sheet provided with the voucher and they'll charge anywhere from $50-$300 in extra services to perform the Capital Area's "free" spay or neuter. If they had done ANY homework before throwing this program out there they would have known all of this. 

We'll put the "huge success" of the animals helped by the voucher program in perspective. For the few animals that get adopted from Capital Area, would you consider it a "huge success"? How about the puppies that are bought from Petland? Is Petland a "huge success" because they find homes for technically homeless pets? What about the 85% that are put down at Capital? Would you, my Anonymous friend, call this a "huge failure"? 

Finally in this paragraph we hear the nay-saying about No Kill Shelters. (Paying attention, all other groups?) Again, No Kill has to be thought about as a process. What might surprise this person is that many shelters in Columbus do euthanize due to overcrowding, but you will never hear a complaint from us about these groups. Why? These groups have set goals for reducing euthanasia, pet retention and other innovative programs, and full adoption floors.  In short, they're actually TRYING to do something about their euthanasia rate. 

"At least CAHS has an open door policy, why don't you ask to see the homes that some of the so-called "NO-KILL Shelters" house their rescues in. If you and your blog site would like some true hard facts about all the hoarders in rescue in this community, I will be glad to supply you with a list of names, addresses, and approx. numbers of animals living in overcrowded conditions, not receiving their vet care and by admission of the very people that support this blog have so many animals that they don't even know if they are receiving enough to eat. Ask the other rescues if they have every (sic) been investigated for animal neglect. Let me know what answers you get."

OK again, this blog is only to examine the Capital Area Humane Society. It says so right there before you even post! Needless, we will allow your post just this once. Lets address hoarding in Columbus, which is a direct product of the behavior of Capital Area Humane Society for the past decade.

People who participate in cat rescue, in any respect, know what goes on over there. They know that anything they take over there will be inevitable killed after languishing in a steamy, scary cage for a week. While apparently some people aren't tortured by the faces of those they kill for no reason, most people are.  Therefore most people can't willingly send a mother cat and kittens, stray cat, or any other animal to the death camp known as Capital Area. So they keep them and try to find homes on their own.  They might try to get animals into other rescues, but they are just so overwhelmed that they can't take any more in good faith either. Meanwhile, Capital sucks up all the donations, grant money, and leave empty cages on their adoption floor.

But what if Capital were finding homes for 50% or 75% of animals that came through their doors? What if they had innovative adoption programs that got most animals out of their shelter alive? What if they embraced their rescue community and constructively engaged them in an effort to save lives rather than end them? "Hoarding" is considered a mental illness. Can you honestly say that all rescuers with lots of animals in their home are all mentally ill? Interesting juxtaposition: there was a woman about a year ago who was committed for drowning animals in her small Columbus apartment. She would see a cat or dog in what she considered a "bad situation", steal the animal (by her own admission) and take it to her apartment and drown it in a large garbage can. She stated to the T.V. cameras that "death is better than life on the streets". Now who seems mentally ill? Hmmmm....

"Why don't you do more rescue and give up the time and energy you have place in building this deceptive blog." 

We do rescue to the fullest extent, but without a major movement in the right direction, we're just spinning our wheels and so are you.

Also, remember CAHS is a private organization and they are able to operate because they have supporters. The people support CAHS because they understand that not all animals can be saved. If they felt the trend of the so called "No-Kill Shelters" was the way to go, they would send you the money, don't you think? Personally, if I was one of those financial supporters and I found out that my donation was enabling a hoarder to place diseased, injured animals into a neglectful situation, I would not be happy. Also, Jodi Buckman, was appointed by a Board and is given a salary approved by a Board. I would guess they feel that she is worth what she is paid and is doing what is expected of her.  I don't expect you to allow my message to be posted, but I will pass this on and I will go public to tell some truths that you choose to ignore. 

Well, we have not only allowed your comment, we have made it a main blog post! While CAHS does have supporters, those are waning quickly. Why do you think we have so much support for this effort? We addressed the No Kill movement (process, not policy) in an earlier blog so read up on it. You will probably realize that if you take all the effort to get people's animals to the vet to get them spayed or neutered, than you probably, at heart, support a No Kill process . Here's the thing about the board of Capital Area- most fundraising books or seminars or classes will tell you that you want to ask prominent people in the community to be on your board for the purpose of tapping into their rich friends and associates to get support for your shelter and raise money quickly. Capital Area has a board full of prominent people. Unfortunately when you do that with your ENTIRE board year after year after year you get people who are never in the shelter, never clean a cage, never foster animals, never see the faces of those who are about to be killed. They are to busy with other board commitments, (more non-profits than prominent people to go around) and doing what they are known to be prominent (wealthy) for.  

If you've tried to commit to saving a treatable animal from Capital Area Humane Society, only to be told by someone in an office that it has to be killed, no questions asked, you now have a voice.

If you've had to take a pet or a stray there, made a donation because you were thankful for their "good will", only to find out that they lied to your face and killed your act of kindness, you now have a voice.

If you were a volunteer who endured the flatbeds of dead animals being hauled out in the early morning hours after the last drop of euthanasia solution has been administered for the day, you now have a voice. 

If you are a rescue group who has had to remain silent while animals died by the thousands, knowing that if you had those resources how much you could do, you now have a voice. 

This blog, this website, this laugh-out-loud poll about Jodi Lytle Buckman, this is just the beginning. The killing will stop, the wasteful practices will stop, the lying will stop.

We are done trying to do this through the back door. Now we're in their face. 

What are other groups in Central Ohio doing?

So there's this buzz phrase "No Kill" and it has a lot of controversy surrounding it. People cry out "oh it's so cruel to keep a dog spinning in a cage or a cranky cat languishing for years in a cage just because you don't want to humanely euthanize it" The problem here is that those people assume that the same old  do-nothings would still be in charge creating this undesirable situation. People need to start thinking of No Kill as a process, not a policy. We are so very lucky here in Central Ohio to have all the foundations in place to make this revolutionary change. Let me explain. 

To achieve no kill, there have to be some major basic facets in place to do the following:

1.  Reduce the number of animals coming into the shelter.

2. Comprehensive adoption programs.

3. Some kind of program to deal with the feral cat population.

Ok so those are the basics- Spay/neuter to reduce numbers, adoption to get them out of your shelter alive, and feral cat programs to keep those animals out of your shelter who shouldn't be there in the first. These three things directly affect the number of animals that die in shelters each year. 

Guess what? There are amazing programs already in place in Central Ohio that do all three!

Spay/Neuter- we've got Spay/Neuter Clinics, RASCAL, NOMAD and Franklin County Dog Shelter just to name a few who are doing high volume, low cost spay and neuter. NOMAD is spaying/neutering 20-30 cats a day, and RASCAL does 40 spays/neuters a day! 

Capital Area Will tell you that they run an expensive voucher program, but sadly, they limit their vouchers to one cat per household per year. This is a huge waste of money that was granted to them by the Commissioners of Franklin County that could have been put to much greater use with a responsible group. 

Comprehensive Adoption- Ever been to "Mingle with our Mutts" at the Franklin County Dog Shelter? It is a wonderful event that boasts dozens of rescue groups and always draws a great crowd. To put it in perspective on how great this event is for adoptions- "Mingle" was modeled off an adoption even that is done twice a year by a very well funded group in Colorado- our group in Central Ohio does it twice a month! It provides a venue for breed-specific rescues as well as foster based networks to show their dogs off on a regular basis without the luxury of a shelter. It is held on the first and third Sundays - check out the website at www.minglewithourmutts.org for more information. 

Capital Area Humane Society does not offer their shelter for this event nor do they even participate. In fact, according to their own website "events page", there are only two offsite adoption events for the next 3 months. Nearly all of the events listed are fundraisers. Of course, they should probably focus on adoption events right in their own shelter since the adoption floor cages are ALWAYS EMPTY!

Feral Cat Programs- There is a wonderful group in central Ohio that is dedicated to the Trap, Neuter, and Return of feral cats called Colony Cats. That's exactly what they do-Trap the cat in a humane box trap, take it to a veterinary clinic in the trap to have it fixed, and then RETURN the cat back to the location from where it originally came. With a TNR program, you don't have to kill all the feral cats in your shelter but at the same time you are stopping them from reproducing. 

Capital Area will tell you they have a feral cat program. Despite the fact that they have a paid "Feral Cat Program Coordinator" the reality is that they put little to no effort into it and rely on volunteers from Colony Cats to bring cats week after week after week. Veterinarians who work the clinics become frustrated, as they are prepared for a full surgery day of 30-40 cats, but Capital Area has less than 10 cats that they've scheduled. If you want to donate to help feral cats, donate at www.colonycats.org and NOT the wasteful Capital Area program.

In addition to the basics we have groups in Central Ohio that work on legislation, operate pet food pantries, maintain a library for people to find information on behavioral issues and other pet retention education, offer low-cost veterinary care subsidized by donations, and build dog beds for shelter dogs in depressed counties. We also have SO MUCH support from businesses, local politicians, and our community that there is no reason we shouldn't be able to make great strides to save our companion animals, even the holy grail of "No Kill". 

The executive staff of Capital Area exploit this good will to keep themselves paid. For those of us who VOLUNTEER on behalf of the animals, who want to make real change, who dream of minimal euthanasia rates, who take in yet another litter of kittens or puppies, who spend hundreds or thousands of dollars feeding, housing, and vetting foster animals, their behavior is a slap in the face.  

An Open Letter to the Jane McCall, Humane Federation President

Dear Jane McCall,

This is an open letter for the president of Dubuque Humane Society and President of the Humane Federation. A group of rescue agencies in Central Ohio, home of Federation member Capital Area Humane Society, have formed a coalition to speak out against the wasteful practices of Director Jodi Lytle Buckman and an apathetic Humane Society board. With euthanasia rates of cats at 85% and no goals, plans, or aggressive programs in place to address their horrific kill rate, this backwards "critter control" facility does NOT represent the caring and hard working rescuers of central Ohio. The caring and responsible shelter community in Central Ohio scrimp and save money, conduct ourselves in an open and honest way with the public, and constructively engage volunteers and donors to retain their good will rather than alienate them.

Each animal is an independent soul who deserves a fair chance at life after finding themselves in our care. This having been said, we also know the need for humane euthanasia when necessary. Our group is comprised of experienced and knowledgeable rescuers who approach animal welfare pragmatically, but also compassionately. If Humane Federation is a lobbyist group seeking to be a voice with our elected officials for rescue agencies then we must have members who are looking for progressive solutions. This is especially true with the current political atmosphere.

The actions currently being taken by the Coalition are a last resort after having exhausted all attempts to constructively engage Jodi Lytle Buckman and the Capital Area Humane Society board. They have been conducting themselves in an irresponsible manner for at least the past decade and have shown no interest in building partnerships or forming comprehensive euthanasia reducing strategies.

I hope that Humane Federation takes this letter under advisement. Find out more about the Capital Area Humane Society at www.capitalarea.org and see this letter posted on our blog at www.humanechange.blogspot.com

Regards,

The Coalition for Responsible Shelter Practices of Central Ohio

No right way to do the wrong thing.

Jodi this is for you. We're connecting some dots here, so pay attention. 

Recently, thanks to the awesome No Kill Blog by Nathan Winograd, we have learned that Wayne Pacelle of the Humane Society of the United States stated that killing animals in shelters today is "needless" and that "pet overpopulation is more myth than fact". 

Here are some of the most important points made by HSUS, shamelessly stolen from The No Kill Blog:

• "By increasing the number of people who obtain their pets through adoption, by just a few percentage points, we can solve the problem of euthanasia of healthy and treatable dogs and cats"
• "The needless loss of life is deplored by the American public. People deeply love their dogs and cats and feel that killing pets who are homeless through no fault of their own is a problem that we must work harder to prevent. They want animals to have a second chance at life, not death by injection."
• "The needless killing of animals by animal shelters and animal control agencies comes at an enormous economic and moral cost."

OK sufficiently satisfied that HSUS is calling for you to stop sitting back and letting 85 % of cats die for no reason at your shelter? Follow the dots...

The Capital Area Humane Society is apparently a member of the "Humane Federation" (well it's right there on your website!), which seems to be a lobbyist group. This lobbyist group boasts none other than Wayne Pacelle on it's 2007-2008 board member list. 

By the way why are you so eager to "collaborate" with groups around the country but not right here in Central Ohio? Personal advancement perhaps? But I digress.

Wayne Pacelle says that needless killing in shelters is deplorable and you are killing at a rate that would make even the most backwards critter control blush. That 2009 meeting might prove to be quite interesting. Unless you lie, which you might, and really- who would know?

Only us stupids here in Columbus.

By the way, you might look a the "Code of Ethics" put forth on the Humane Federation's website- the first value is "Integrity" and states "We pursue our mission with honor, fairness, and respect for animals, individuals, and organizations, mindful that there is no right way to do the wrong thing." No right way to do the wrong thing.  And this is an organization you committed to with a straight face?

How many other organizations listed in that member list do you think have a website and blog dedicated to their resignation and calling for the reorganization of their shelter? Do you think it might be interesting to find out?

What can be done right now by anyone to help!

We have been getting lots of e-mails asking how people can help with this whistleblowing effort. Right now, the most immediate thing you can do is link to our site on your facebook, myspace, catster or dogster, or any other personal website or blog you maintain. Make our site the top search result when people Google "Capital Area Humane Society" or "Capital Area". 

The way that Google works is by returning the most linked sites as their top search returns.   

We want people to know what is happening over there BEFORE they make a decision to take a pet there and where their donation money is going!

We don't want your money- we want your voices to be heard! If you do want to donate money to a worthy pet cause, please consider the following RESPONSIBLE organizations:

www.chaanimalshelter.org

www.petswithoutparents.net

www.columbusdogconnection.com

www.colonycats.org

www.catwelfareohio.org

www.franklincountydogs.com

www.cozycatcottage.com

www.catwelfareohio.com

www.petsohio.com (spay/neuter fund)

There are hundreds of reputable rescue organizations around the state, but we encourage you to research them on guidestar.org or columbusfoundation.org before making a donation. 

What do you get paid to do all day?

Like cleaning up after a tornado, it's hard to know where to begin. The first task would be to sit down and evaluate your current protocol so you can identify areas where you can make significant changes. Then you would need to make some goals for yourself. According to the Columbus Foundation website profile for the Capital Area Humane Society, their answer to the question "Does your organization have a strategic plan?" was "under development".

Really? After 125 years and over a million dollars in salaries annually you still can't come up with a strategic plan? What do you get paid to do all day?

Check out what progressive communities are doing Nathan Winograd's No Kill Blog

When will it ever change??

The fact is that we in Central Ohio can do better than 85% euthanasia rates for our cats. It's basically killing everything that comes through your doors. As far as we can see, Capital Area Humane Society has no goals, no aspirations, no plans, and no aggressive programs to reduce their euthanasia rates. The scary thing is that they have been doing the same thing since their foundation in the late 1800's- isn't about time for a change? Obviously, over 100 years and millions, maybe even billions, of dollars later, we're still killing our companion cats. People donate money because they care about these animals- the strays they feed, the momma kitty who had a litter under their porch, the pet cat for which they can no longer care. It's time to stop blaming the public and look to our biggest humane agency to lead the way for change.