Humane Society

[trusport]

What's going on with the Humane Society of Harford County? Recently attended a wedding and ran into two friends that I knew were working there. One of the friends left, I asked the one friend why he left and he said he was frustrated over the treatment of the animals. They told me because they keep more than one dog in a kennel they noose them when they feed them, which means the dogs are tied to the cages by leashes while they eat. Sick animals are rarely treated with medication, cats are always sick and sneezing and the place is always dirty. He was there when the Whiteford animals were brought in and along with most of the volunteers that stayed wanted to know what happened to all the money that was donated, they never got an answer. He said the shelter was broken into and most of the computers and equipment were stolen. So now they are asking for alarm companies to donate security systems in excess of $5000.00. The other friend said she was looking for another job but would stick it out until she found something because she said no one really cares about the animals, just their public image.
How sad for the stray animals.
I've been there only a few times and each time the place smelled and looked dirty, the mess in the runs looked like it was a few days olds and there were three and even four dogs in a kennel. Aren't they codes that prohibit that in a shelter?
Anyway, just wanted to know if anyone else knew of this kind of stuff going on?

[jazzbud]

Please refer to maryland.bestfriends.org {best friends network} refer to news page HARFORD COUNTY HOARDER TRIAL SET and PLEASE read comments and post comments. these will be forwarded to persons responsible for making changes AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!

[concerned]

You know, I want to know, how many of you who complain and critize have helped them. How many and how much have you helped the situation. It is very easy for anyone to sit on the sidelines and tell everyone what they are doing wrong. The shelter is a challange alone, not to mention the 6000 animals they take in, that owners for what ever reason decided they want to surrender or as some like to call it "donate" their beloved but too busy for, can't take on their move with them (you know that state that does not allow dogs or cats). I have seen incredible work done with animals that no one cared for anymore, that is except the staff and volunteers who so lovingly give their hearts, tears and money to help them in their situation. The Humane Society of Harford County does EVERYTHING, withing their power to deal with the difficult task at hand for them.
How dare anyone, open thier mouths before they dig DEEP into their pockets to help.
If you will not be part of the solution, then shut your traps. Or if you think you know so much, you do their job!! I bet you would not last one day, doing what the staff and volunteers do everyday. Not just when they feel like making a visit. If you think the place is smelly and dirty, then you come, volunteer your time to help clean. Until then if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem!!
Put your money where your mouth is, HELP THESE ANIMALS!@!! Don't sit on your high and mighty thrown, come help!!!!
A concerned citizen, not concerned as much about the animals, as those who refuse to be part of the solution.

[pappy]

Many people, I among them, have donated time, money, and food to help make the place better for the animals. Because the management is unwilling/unable to make basic changes in practices and procedures which could improve conditions for the animals, we are no longer there and are focusing our efforts at shelters where a difference can and is being made. It's all very sad, but one can only fight for so long when no progress is seen.

"Concerned" seems very defensive. Telling people to "shut their traps" is not the way to win support for a cause.

[concerned]

and please since you know so much, what is the solution? You know it is not a matter of being defensive, it is being contanstantly told what they do wrong. So, for one minute what would you do? I am so tired of people who can only come up with what is wrong. Tell them, how do they make it better. Do you have 3 million dollars to donate? I did not think so.
You need to build your own shelter if you think you have all the answers. The point here is if this community does not get together and come up with solutions, this shelter may not be here after so long. Then what....when you or who ever for what ever reason must bring their baby to us, if we are not here, best conditions or not...death,,,that is what will happen, as it does in shelters all accross MD.
Study the shelters in the area, I will bet you, they do so much more then any shelter in the area. I myself have adopted animals from this shelter, and yes they may have their issues, but thanks the the Humane Society of Harford County they had a chance, a second maybe third chance. How can they be so bad, if they give these babies a chance. And again, you come clean, you raise money, you deal with the day to day heartbreak that these people go through. You have no idea, think about what it costs to keep you home up and running. Then think about 3 times that for their shelter. What basic changes are you talking about? There is nothing basic about what these people do on a daily basis. If you care, don't give up, they don't. What is your solution to the problem, please educate us all.

[pappy]

I do not have all the answers. I do, however, have over 44 years of experience in animal welfare, shelter management, and rescue work. Ideas mean nothing if they are not received by the listener and the ones who can make a difference. This is the reason my efforts are being focused elsewhere. I hope that you can take the passion that you seem to have and can continue to support the HSHC in a way that will benefit the animals there. Helping animals is the goal, afterall, but we can't all be everywhere and must choose the focus of our efforts.

[btt]

Why do they need 3 million to improve conditions. Many places have to "fix" it up a little at a time. Or an area at a time. I have worked in many places that don't have "state of the art" facilities but have happy well cared for animals.
concerned wrote
"know it is not a matter of being
defensive, it is being contanstantly
told what they do wrong. "
How many shelters have you visited? How much time have you spent seeing what are good practices vs. bad practices? Maybe, the reason you keep hearing what they are doing wrong is because it is being done wrong!! No one is picking on them to pick.

[pappy]

The petfinder forum on this topic has been removed. So much for freedom of speech.

[euniverz]

So Jazzbud, you'd stand against anyone who says the best that is being done is being done, huh? Well, I'm standin'. First of all, what's your name? Why are you all speaking so disparagingly against this shelter under cloak of anonymity? My name is Adrianne, and I'm a volunteer at the Humane Society of Harford County. And I'm not writing anything I wouldn't sign my name to. You 3 or 4 shelter haters have no idea what you're talking about and you have no idea of the good things HSHC does. How they work endless hours setting up offsite adoptions, doing whatever they can to promote their animals for adoption. How they save the old ones, the injured ones, the young babies, the abandoned ones; how they love the ones who may have never known love, and how they work hard every day to offer advice to people who are giving up their animal for fixable reasons. I dare any of you to spend one day at the front desk taking surrendered pets, watching a dog practically beg its owner not to leave it and how frightened that dog is. The staff at the shelter has to deal with all of that and still maintain their poise and sanity. It's the staff that does whatever it can to show that dog or cat love and comfort. Every day, 365 days a year. And it's the staff that scrubs and cleans and sanitizes and disinfects each and every dog kennel and each and every cat cage, each and every day. Dragging bags of food and bags of kitty litter. Strenuous, back breaking work. Why don't you mention that THOUSANDS of pets were adopted from HSHC last year? Why don't you mention that HSHC spends $58,000 in vet costs? Another $49,000 in spay/neuter costs? And the cost of elec, gas, oil, trash removal, computer network, groundskeeping, farrier, medications, supplies, insurance, phones. All of it. And salaries, benefits and other costs associated with employing 24 people?

One of you disparaging shelter-haters mentioned on the petfinder forum that you were there on thursday and it was hot and the dogs were suffering. Well, I actually WAS there. The inside dog kennels were of a pleasant temperature. Air conditioning, doncha know? Oh, yeah, no, you wouldn't know, because you really weren't there. And the cat room is air conditioned too. The cats are out of their cages during the day and interacting with visitors, increasing adoptions. But you weren't even at the shelter, were you? You trotted out a year old article about heat that was written at one of the most trying times in the history of the shelter. A hoarding case that just about doubled the population of the shelter. That the Humane Society managed and managed well. The staff and administration made the determination early on that they were not going to take the life of an animal if they could do anything to help it. So with an already full shelter, they took on an additional 70+ animals and opened the grounds to hundreds and hundreds of volunteers who wanted to help. And with the help of the community, HSHC succeeded. Always perfect? No. But they get it right just about all of the time. They DO do the best with what they have, every single day.

Disparaging the shelter, accusing them of cruelty, of all things, without putting your name to it? How cowardly is that? Who do you think you're kidding? No, you don't have freedom to disparage, lie, try to push your opinion as fact, libel or slander. That's why they pulled you off of petfinder.

OH, and by the by, you're the same ones who are sticking up for the hoarder who put those animals through unspeakable pain and suffering to begin with. But you're blaming the shelter for that? Wierd.

[btt]

No one is blaming the shelter for the conditions that the animals came from. I don't see where you see that. And no one is sticking up for the conditions they were previously in.
Hoarding is a recognized mental illness. Link from the humane society http://www.hsus.org/pets/issues_affecting_our... I think you are missing the recognition of it as a mental illness. I chose a humane society link about it but there are more.

I would also say that many shelters spend monies on spay neuter, electric and the other things you mention. Nothing unique about that. And most have watched the scared animal have to adjust answered the never ending give up calls. This is what is suppose to be done.

[btt]

Sorry but I got interested in the subject

Also brain scans on hoarders are different

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php...

Hoarding fact sheet

http://www.la4seniors.com/hoarding.htm

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/76006...

[euniverz]

btt,

If that's what you came away from my post with, then you didn't really get what I said.

I'm not missing anything. I don't really care whether Donna Bell has a mental illness or not. I want to make sure I never see animals suffer at her hand again. Many others do as well. However, a number of people on this thread don't seem to share the same concern.

[PsychGradBystand er]

It doesn't matter if hoarding is a "mental illness" it still doesn't make it any less harmful or any more acceptable. Brain scans can show whatever they please. If someone has schizophrenia and they rape and kill a child, they still get charged and blamed for thier actions. Stuffing 100+ animals that are (or at least became) sick, dying, and eventually decaying into your two ranch-homes; animals you told others you would find LOVING homes for--I don't care what your "mental illness" is; the most severe of penalties is DESERVED. Only 1/4 of the small percentage of "mentally ill people" plead insanity in the U.S. Courts. People need to start coming up with some better excuses for their poor decisions and pure stupidity.

[savinglivesevery day]

First let me start by saying that I am tired, tired of people like you; Jazzbud, btt, and Pappy, that continue to spew all of this crap when underneath it all you have no idea what really happens at the HSHC. So you want to talk, to make a differnce, help the animals...I will be happy to educate you. Now before I begin let me make it clear my focus is on the animals, which is everyone's 'real' issue/concern, correct? I have worked at the HS for many years and through many administrations, I'm the one and only, the one who knows what the HS is 'really' doing. I have seen it all, the High kill administration, the hoarding administration, and the current life saving administration. The HS does it all; fostering, offsite adoption events, a high level of animal care including enrichment, vet care, s/n of all adopted animals, 2 tv spots, free behavior consults for the public, training for the public and shelter animals, a free roaming cat area, CGC certificates for some shelter dogs, and MUCH more. Now, while you all have been wasting your time complaining have any of you given any thought as to what might happen if this current administration leaves? NO, didn't think so... so again let me educate you. The HS could once again become a high kill shelter, who's main focus is money and not the animals. A shelter that believes that if each kennel (21) has one dog in it and 5 more come in their solution is to kill 5 dogs, a shelter that does not adopt out pits, rotties, chows, and shepherds (including all mixes and puppies, a shelter that kills every animal that is over 5 years old because they consider them to be unadoptable, a shelter that kills animals for kennel cough and URI (something that is common in shelters) instead of just treating them with antibiotics. Trust me, I've lived it. I know exactly what the HSHC does for the animals, something you all will never realize. Do all of the animals in Harford County a favor, the next time you decide to open your mouths, do your research. Maybe you'll just realize that people like you are NOT part of the solution, you are part of the problem and the only people here hurting the animals here is you.

[concerned citizen]

I'm curious to know how the animals at the Harford County shelter are euthanized? I would also like to inquire about who puts the animals down? Are they always put down by vet techs? Thank you to anyone who can answer this.

[euniverz]

Concerned Citizen,

Here's the answer to your question. It is a humane and caring process carried out by caring people trained to do it. And our record will show the HSHC does it less than in other places. Sorry if that disappoints you, Concerned Citizen.

If you care about animals so much, you should be more interested in the wonderful dog and cat enrichment programs put forth by HSHC that keep homeless pets mentally and physically stimulated while they're in the shelter awaiting their next family. You should be more interested in the staff that often, quickly eat their lunch so they can take a dog into the play yard for a romp. You should be concered about helping us grow the foster family program that help neonates babies and mommas, dogs and cats recovering from surgery or illness or who might be older. With all that, why are you only interested in the very thing the HSHC works so hard every day not to do?

Judging by the twisted mistruths you have spewed on this forum, I think your only concern is to find some way to twist even more truth. I'm quite convinced whatever you say will be of hurtful and misleading nature.

I am curious as to why you are a shelter basher. And I am curious as to why you still have not let us know to whom we are speaking.

[pappy]

The petfinder forum on this topic was removed by the administrator because it was being spammed to other boards with posts which is against the terms of the user agreement and because of liability concerns. This and other forums on the topic are doomed to the same fate because of name-calling and accusations by several posters. It's a shame that we can't have a civil, open, productive discussion in support of the animals, which after all, is the goal of each of us. I will not continue to participate in a forum in which I (or others) are being called "shelter bashers", spewers "of crap", told to "shut your trap", etc., or where statements like not caring that someone has a mental illness are made. These types of comments make it clear to me that there is no listening going on and so there is no point in trying to continue a discussion.

[euniverz]

Pappy,

The gloves came off when the shelter bashers on this thread accused an organization of misuse of funds, cruelty, substandard and inhumane practices. I long ago concluded there wasn't much you anonymous folks were saying that was even going to aproach open and honest discourse. All one needs to do is look at the original posts. To say you were attempting civil and productive discussion is patently disengenous and I don't think you've fooled anyone.

And by the way, I didn't catch your name....

[concerned citizen]

Dear all, I have started a private forum where we can openly discuss this topic. Feel free to share any information and helpful advice about the situation at the Harford County shelter. We owe it to these animals!

http://www.voy.com/212237/

[lovinganimalseve ryday]

Where do you see that anyone stating it was a mental illness did not think there should be justice?