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.
12 comments:
Columbus Dispatch article dated September 25, 2007 tried to explain away why 44 cats and kittens are “euthanized” in a single day at Capital Area. Webster’s New College Dictionary defines euthanasia as “the intentional causing of a painless and easy death to a patient suffering from an incurable or painful disease.” These cats and kittens, most of which are perfectly healthy and adoptable, are taken to CAHS and put to death. Euthanization is often performed by employees who only receive a short training session in order to be certified. The needle is inserted into the animal’s abdomen and it may take the animal up to 30 minutes to die which doesn’t sound painless or easy.
I believe that if Capital Area Humane Society were to be audited, blatant misuse of contributions would be proven. They receive donations from their solicitations and fees and from people surrendering their pets, yet repairs to the building that would actually benefit the animals such as a proper ventilation system that would prevent the spread of the numerous diseases, heating and cooling in the rooms where animals are currently being housed where it is hot during the summer and cold during the winter, and plumbing repairs in the adoption rooms are not being addressed.
In May 2006, a grant of $25,000 was given by the ASPCA for the "Meet Your Match" program but the program was never used by CAHS. They advertised the program, but it was never implemented. I believe an additional grant of at least $50,000 was given to remodel the adoptions office, add 3 new computers and add a third adoption counselor for Saturday and Sunday, but that was never done. Money was received to allow free micro chipping of dogs being adopted -it stopped within a couple of months with no explanation. Second Chance funds are rolled into a general fund. There are very few animals in the Second Chance program anymore, so where is that money going? Bingo was stopped abruptly with no warning even though it was making money. Grants were in place for humane officers vehicles & equipment which didn't come to fruition. Funds are also being allotted for landscaping being done by a CAHS volunteer.
Despite all of these thousands of dollars in charitable funds not being used for their intended purposes, the Director and her staff have received salary increases. New office equipment has been purchased, and only the areas of the shelter that the public sees have been re-modeled and refurnished. Yet, the animals do not receive proper and timely medical care.
Attendees at a recent annual meeting also might have noticed that the room upstairs was freshly painted, but were undoubtedly unaware that the air flow system downstairs where the animals are housed is still unacceptable for health reasons. Why is money consistently spent on making the building pretty for people, rather than more livable for the animals that CAHS is charged with helping?
The Special Adoptable program is no longer what it was set up to be. A newsletter made it appear that the SA program was something Jodi Buckman set in motion when truth be told the program existed and was working successfully well before Jodi was hired at CAHS. Another program that existed and was working successfully before Jodi arrived at CAHS was the Second Chance program. There are no longer any updates on the Second Chance animals that are treated, or how much money the Second Chance fund has raised and/or spent on these animals. This begs the question: where is all the Second Chance money going because CAHS is still advertising the program and seeking donations for it?
A review of their most recent 990 filed with the IRS shows net assets as of June 30, 2007 in the amount of $7,065,315.00. Copies of their 990 can be obtained from guidestar.org or by calling the Attorney General's Office. Any complaints which have been lodged against CAHS with the Attorney General's office can also be obtained as they are a matter of public record. Yes CapitalWatch, the citizens of Ohio need to be done with "Trying to do this through the back door. Now we're in their face."
I am closing my blog with one question. With that amount of money, and the animals either being killed or not being cared for properly, just where exactly is all that money going?
FYI - Abdominal injection of the barbituate used for euthanasia results in a gradual sleep, then unconsciousness, then death.
Doesn't mean I want it done to all the healthy cats & kittens brought in.
I have heard the staff say "we dont need to give the pre mix to sedate the animals prior to injecting the fatal plus,we dont have time,they will be alright".
So is the barbituate even given???
Fatal Plus is Sodium Pentobarbital, a barbiturate. As it is absorbed from the peritoneum, the animal becomes groggy, sleepy, falls asleep, and dies.
Its preferable to gas, shooting, clubbing (like they do to seal pups - ugg)
Why does CAHS make its employees and volunteers sign a gag order as a condition for working there? Employees and volunteers are not allowed to discuss what happens at CAHS. I find that very suspect. If they're not doing anything wrong, why the gag order? Sounds to me like an admission of guilt. Not only that, CAHS is a 501(c)(3) charity. There should be absolute transparency in whatever they do. Donors who think they are contributing funds for a worthy cause have every right to know exactly what their money is being used for and if it's for unnecessarily murdering perfectly healthy animals and doing virtually NOTHING to find them homes, donors have a right to know that as well. Hey, but at least the lobby looks pretty for all the human visitors so they're all duped into thinking it's a great place to leave or adopt animals. Several employees and volunteers are afraid to talk for fear of retribution. Many of them hate what they are forced to do to those animals and yet, they can't talk about it. Doesn't sound very charitable or humane, does it?
Nothing short of Jodi Buckman's resignation is acceptable in order to remedy this problem. Her $125K salary would go a long way in getting the animals the care they deserve. She should also be charged with animal neglect & cruelty and mis-use of charitable funds.
Why does CAHS make its employees and volunteers sign a gag order as a condition for working there? Employees and volunteers are not allowed to discuss what happens at CAHS. I find that very suspect. If they're not doing anything wrong, why the gag order? Sounds to me like an admission of guilt. Not only that, CAHS is a 501(c)(3) charity. There should be absolute transparency in whatever they do. Donors who think they are contributing funds for a worthy cause have every right to know exactly what their money is being used for and if it's for unnecessarily murdering perfectly healthy animals and doing virtually NOTHING to find them homes, donors have a right to know that as well. Hey, but at least the lobby looks pretty for all the human visitors so they're all duped into thinking it's a great place to leave or adopt animals. Several employees and volunteers are afraid to talk for fear of retribution. Many of them hate what they are forced to do to those animals and yet, they can't talk about it. Doesn't sound very charitable or humane, does it?
Nothing short of Jodi Buckman's resignation is acceptable in order to remedy this problem. Her $125K salary would go a long way in getting the animals the care they deserve. She should also be charged with animal neglect & cruelty and mis-use of charitable funds.
First, I would like to say I do not hold a degree as Jodi Buckman does, however, I feel I could run CAHS far better than the half- hearted effort she continues to get by with. What I hold is the common sense needed to run an organization such as CAHS and it would be a total honor and privilege to serve the animals and citizens of Ohio. Jodi, the first thing you need to learn is a love for animals, and the second thing you need to do is read Nathan Winograd's book. He will tell you exactly how you should be doing your job, so if your so called "degree" taught you how follow instructions, it should be a snap.
Secondly, and this is directed to the general public, please do not bother giving toys, treats, soft blankets or anything for the animals at CAHS. They will be thrown in the trash.
I personally take offense to your site and blog and feel that you’re are not being honest and only stating what you choose to. Some of your info is complete lies.
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 then room for.
Unless, Colony Cat Rescue is paying for the animals they take in every week, they too are nothing more then a CAHS volunteer. Making arrangements with others is called coordinating, just in case you don’t understand the definition. If the burden is too much for Colony Cat 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 meet and work with over the last several months.
As for the voucher program, again, it has been a wonderful success for the people that I have come in contact with and allowed me to help more then a 100 people in a short few months. It was not hard to share the info that I had and work together with those needing help to save a stray. You can’t seem to understand the concept of someone granting money with strings attached. That is usually how grant money is given and that is to insure that it goes where it is suppose to 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 it was successful. This 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.
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 they don’t even know if they are receiving enough to eat. Ask the other rescues if they have every been investigated for animal neglect. Let me know what answers you get.
Why don’t you do more to rescue and give up the time and energy you have place in building this deceptive blog.
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 that 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.
We all know that CAHS is a "sick building".
Animal shelters, like hospitals, rely on efficient air filtration systems to help prevent airborne diseases like kennel cough in dogs and upper respiratory infections in cats. Systematic air changes keep the air healthy and curtail disease. New green buildings employ ventilation systems that provide for 10 to 12 air exchanges an hour. Use of heating and/or cooling recovery coils can further cut expenses because they save wasted energy by pre-heating or pre-cooling exhausted air.
The benefit of a green building is fresh air. More is brought in to cut down on contamination. This will benefit workers as well by curtailing sick building syndrome. Shelters under construction in Michigan, California and Rhode Island are designed with similar types of air filtration systems to prevent the spread of airborne disease to otherwise healthy animals, which could result in unnecessary euthanization. You have the money, SO SPEND IT!!
This comes in response to the two "anonymous" comments regarding euthanasia...
Performing euthanasia is the most stressful duty within an animal shelter. Employees should work very
hard to provide a clean, healthy environment for the animals in their care and to find them new,
loving homes whenever possible. When the decision is made to euthanize, it must always be done considering what is in the animal’s best interest. The CAHS's euthanasia technicians should be able to maintain a caring
and compassionate attitude in a very stressful and demanding environment. One of the most critical responsibilities of those in the animal care and sheltering field—and the function that is often the most demonstrative of an organization’s level of compassion and concern—is an agency’s commitment and ability to provide the most humane death possible
when euthanasia is necessary.
The word “euthanasia” is of Greek origin and means “good death.” In order to provide a humane
death, the euthanasia process must incorporate painless, rapid unconsciousness followed by
respiratory arrest, cardiac arrest, and ultimately, death. For euthanasia to truly be euthanasia, the animal should be as free from stress and anxiety as possible.
The use of sodium pentobarbital and the proper administration of that drug by injection does not
in and of itself ensure a humane death. The manner and route by which the drug is injected as
well as the circumstances surrounding the administration of sodium pentobarbital have a great
impact on the humaneness of the procedure. Simply requiring euthanasia by injection is no
guarantee that the manner in which the drug is applied will be humane or compassionate. It is the
binding obligation of shelter administrator (Ms. Buckman), to evaluate current euthanasia procedures frequently,to ensure that animals are being properly handled, and to verify that employees are competent,
compassionate, and properly trained. It is critical that staff who perform IP euthanasia be well trained and fully aware that the success of this process is controlled largely by the environment. It is also crucial that management(again, Ms.Buckman)! ensure that animals are placed in the proper environment immediately following an IP injection.
Animals that are handled, startled, or agitated following an IP injection may go through an
unpleasant period of excitement and disorientation. Animals who have received an IP injection
should be placed in an environment that lacks external stimulus such as light, sound, and touch.
A quiet, dark place, preferably a small carrier covered with a blanket, is the most appropriate.
The 2000 American Veterinary Medical Association’s Panel on Euthanasia states that any
technique used should “minimize distress and anxiety experienced by the animal prior to loss of
consciousness.” Technical proficiency and humane handling of animals to be euthanized can
minimize this stress and anxiety. Such humane handling is accomplished by staff that is
knowledgeable about animal behavior; demonstrates respect, compassion, and sensitivity toward
the animals; and is committed to providing animals with a dignified death. It also requires
consideration of the animal’s behavioral, physical, and physiological responses to the process and to the drugs used.
Many factors go into providing a humane death for an animal. Technical skill and knowledge
regarding drugs and equipment are necessities; however, an understanding of the emotional
investment on the part of staff members is equally important. Teamwork, support, patience,
attitude, and an understanding of one’s convictions and personal commitment to the job are all
involved in giving an animal a dignified death.
It is a shame, that in the 15th largest city in the United States of America, we should have to remove the word Humane from our local Capital Area Humane Society. The mere fact we are having this discussion thread speaks volumes about the travesty we know as the CAHS. One question stands out, Who is CAHS accountable to? Shame on the board of directors for not responding to the outcries from their concerned community members. There appears to be a climate of elitism surrounding CAHS. On Main Street there is a feeling that horrible things are going on at CAHS while the Board and CAHS management continue to do business without conscience and civility. Over 25 years ago my husband and I became lifetime members of CAHS. After living out of state for a period of time we have been back in central Ohio for 5 years. We fully intended to continue our support of CAHS when we returned, but the Columbus Dispatch published an article describing how CAHS performed euthanasia. We were appalled. Next came reports of employees being intimidated if they made any comments about activities described in the article. More reports surfaced that a licensed veterinarian was only on duty at CAHS one day a month. Reports continued about pets becoming sick due to faulty and insufficient ventilation systems.
This organization is worth $7,000,000. It is so obvious that the money is not being spent on the welfare of the animals. We feel so bad about this entire situation that our hearts ache for the misery that dogs and cats endure at the hands of Mrs. Buchman. Buchman, through her actions, and the Board, through their inaction, do not serve in the best interest of the homeless dogs and cats in Central Ohio that have the bad luck of ending up at CAHS.
Post a Comment