EnviroLink Forum

Hi, I am new here and looking for new ideas.
I am 47 and don't work so when I got married and moved here I thought I would volunteer at a local shelter (animal control) to see if I could help with adoptions and make their (the animals) stay as comfortable as possible.
Well I was not only appalled by what was taking place there but I was discouraged from trying to raise adoption opportunities. He (the supervisor) would tell me no or he would look into it...NOT!
The problem with this animal facility is that the supervisor doesn't like cats. I had no idea how bad it was until I quit working for them and looked up the annual animal control report. Last year 72% of the cats were killed and only 27% of the dogs were killed.
He (Ernie, the sup) would tell me how he saved this dog and that one but would always discourage me from helping the cats. Well it caught up to him one day. They picked up a cat caught in a trap that a citzen had in his garden. Then when they got it to the shelter they killed it.
Well, the owner called soon after wanting her cat, but it was too late. They sat around talking about how they were going to cover their asses and then laughed and made jokes about the dead cat. So that is when I quit.
Since then I have found the owner of the cat (NuNu) and we have been to city meetings, have a petition that now has over 400 signatures, been in the local TV news and newspaper and the last thing we did is picket the shelter. I have even filed a complaint with the local police.
Their city ordinance says that if they impound an animal the owner has 3 days to reclaim it. But they say they have not broken any laws but Pat (NuNu's owner) has broken three.
Yet she has not gotten any tickets. Even with all the media coverage they still insist no crime has been committed and that they stand behind the ACO for killing the cat for it was a danger (they claim it was feral-a 17 lb. neutered cat) to the officers and public.
I am just sick over the fact that they will not stick with the city ordinances that they impose on the citizens and easily issue citations for not following yet they can do what they want regardless what it says.
I am at the end of my rope...I have wrote to alot of places for help and I have used up most of the suggestions and looking for more.

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"Yes like I said it all boils down to morals. What you think is right doesn't make a person wrong because they think different " X-Black

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"Yes like I said it all boils down to morals. What you think is right doesn't make a person wrong because they think different " X-Black

Yes, I have had lots of media coverage. I have a few supporters but not many wanting to go out on a limb for the cause. And some are being warned/threatened because of their association with me.
I good supporter I have has contacted the Texas Monthly magazine for he said they wrote an article on a shelter sometime back and thought they may do it again.
So I wrote them and they sent me a email stating someone would contact me within three days but that was yesterday, but I have my fingers crossed.
kat

Sounds like you're doing all the right things kathy. There was a similar situation here in Fla. where an animal control supervisor was fired. Here's the thread on this board:

http://www.envirolink.org/forum/viewtop ... 90b7d08725