Comments that get held for moderation:
- Comments with more than a couple links contained within
- First time commenters
- Previous commenters who use a new e-mail address, display name or URL
- Previous commenters who misspell an e-mail address, display name or URL
- Previous commenters whom I suspect of asshattery
Trolls and spammers will be shot, knifed, poisoned and keeled. Everyone else is free to post opinions and thoughts, they don’t need to agree with mine or those of other commenters.
You’ll find I’m pretty liberal with the comments.
Please note I am only fluent in English so if your comment is in another language, I don’t know what you are saying and therefore can’t approve it.
If your comment contains hate speech and/or otherwise has me worried that you are off your meds and a threat to society, I’ll probably delete it.
Please refrain from threatening violence against people because, while I know it’s probably just smack, it creates negative karma that has to land somewhere eventually. Plus somebody might take it seriously which would be uncool.
I don’t put up with anyone making me feel bullied. This is my blog and you are a guest, please behave accordingly. Civility is the word of the day. Although snark is the word of the millennium. Balance at will.
July 4, 2010 at 9:07 am
Hello – Well, this is not my first post – I haven’t mis-spelled my email address… But my comment is not showing up. I certainly hope you don’t suspect me for “asshattery”. I am trying to address the last comment with a polite and reasonable response. I thank you for allowing me to do so.
July 4, 2010 at 9:09 am
I found it – got automatically marked as spam due to the number of links in the comment – I set it free.
July 13, 2010 at 4:55 pm
Is there an email address where I could send you a private email? Thanks
Bett Sundermeyer
No Kill Houston
July 13, 2010 at 5:15 pm
eiderdown–at–yesbiscuit–dot–com
December 10, 2010 at 11:12 pm
Wow…. I am new here and I am new to blogging. I thought “asshattery” was a VERY interesting word! lol And I don’t know what “snark” means.
Am looking forward to checking out what you and others have to say.
December 15, 2010 at 10:10 pm
Not sure that this is the “right” place to ask, but am going to do so anyway. Their are so many shelters with “humane society” in the name…. Are any of these under the umbrella of HSUS? Or are they all separate? Sorry I have to ask. I’m just learning.
Patti
December 16, 2010 at 9:16 am
HSUS does not operate any shelters, not are they an umbrella group for shelters with the words “humane society” in the name. HSUS does spend a tiny portion of its annual budget (less than 1/2 of 1%) on grants to shelters of their choosing. Most shelters receive nothing at all from HSUS and even for those who do, they still rely mainly on other sources of funding (such as donations from individuals).
January 23, 2011 at 6:43 pm
Can you help spread the word about this?
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February 15, 2011 at 7:41 pm
Everyone is always so ready to jump on the ban wagon about Animal Control and Animal Care. Don’t judge them until you walk in there shoes everyday. I can tell you that is a part of their job they don’t enjoy doing. They do the best that they can do, you can not save every dog or cat that walks through the doors. The public and these rescue groups need to back off of Animal Control and Animal Care. You may love animals, but I will guarantee the ones who do this job everyday, love them more….
February 17, 2011 at 12:54 am
“…you can not save every dog or cat that walks through the doors…”
The irony of your statement is that *no* dog or cat would “walk through the door” of an AC facility, were it up to them; because they can sense (smell) fear and death from the present and previous “guests”. No dog or cat wants to be there — they’d much rather take their chances out on the streets.
My local AC sports a 90+% kill rate for all cats; and any owner-surrenders (dogs *and* cats) are subject to being euthanized *immediately*. Why? Because AC knows they’re not lost, and that no one is going to come looking for them. Therefore the state mandated 72-hour “stray hold” does not apply and they are given no chance at all for adoption. For them, the emphasis is all on the CONTROL part — making sure animals aren’t carrying rabies (which it seems they presume guilt until proven innocent) — and aren’t posing the slightest inconvenience to the lowlife so-called “owners” and their families, who are in most cases too cheap, ignorant or uncaring to even get their pets *fixed*.
About a year ago, their AC officers trapped and killed a small MANAGED colony of feral cats, just because some people in the local area had called in about them. NO effort at all was made by AC or the neighbors to contact the caregiver, who had invested a considerable amount of their own time and money having these cats vetted, altered, on flea/heartworm preventative, etc. and otherwise tending to their needs on a daily basis. Yeah, they care all right (Not). They mostly care about collecting their paychecks and shifting all the blame (no matter whose fault) to the “irresponsible public”. Just my varying mileage.
February 17, 2011 at 5:18 am
swtdixi, thanks for coming here and reading, thanks for caring, and thanks for commenting. I HAVE walked in the shoes of Animal Control. I have volunteered there. I applied to work there but was not hired. Some places do better than others. NOBODY does the best they can! (I don’t, but then I’m not bringing home a paycheck every two weeks, nor do I have union support to keep me from having to work too much, nor do I have government benefits either.)
I don’t believe that the public or rescues should back off! I think that taxpayers and the animal loving public have a right to decide how their tax money should be spent and how their beloved animals should be treated by the government.
Who are YOU to say which person loves animals more?!? That’s just silly. Is there such a thing as too much love?! Hmmm. Interesting thought—maybe—but I don’t think so. Each of us has free will and the unique opportunity to express our love in whatever manner we choose. Read some of these posts and you’ll see many examples of Animal Control managers and employees choosing poorly in their methods of expressing love. IMO.
March 14, 2011 at 4:47 pm
OMG, ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? It may be their job, BUT it is NOT their job to make a mockery out of it!!!! AND IN SUCH A CRUEL WAY, LAUGHING, DANCING THROWING THE MIDDLE FINGER AT THE CAMERA! YOU MUST NOT HAVE LOOKED AT THE VIDEO.
February 17, 2011 at 7:05 am
Who am I, I am someone who has worked in the animal field for 20 years, between being a vet tech to animal control. I have seen a lot in that 20 years and have been criticized for what I do. Everyone wants to hold Animal Control responsible, the public and the courts don’t want to hold irresponsible pet owners responsible. There are things much worse that those animals can go through or have gone through that is much worse than being euthanized. Then again I have seen the suffering and torture that some of these poor animals have had to endure in their life.
I don’t know kind of paycheck you think we get or hours you think we work, but you so wrong about what you are thinking. On call 24 hours a day, dealing with compassion fatigue. I cry a couple times a week, not because of euthanizing because of what I am seeing, a feral cat starving or has contracted aids or Rabies, or a dog that has been fought, or starved or beaten, hit by a car. These are things we deal with on a daily basis. Don’t tell me I don’t try my BEST, or that my coworkers don’t try theirs, because you would be so wrong. I don’t know where either one of you are from or what your animal control is like, but I can tell you this, we do not euthanize healthy adoptable animals!!! We have a 87% adoption rate on cats that are not feral and a 93% adoption rate on dogs. We vaccinate all cats and dogs, we test for FELV and heart worms, we even treat for heart worms. We have happy animals where I work at, yeah they come in scared, not because they sense something bad, it’s because they don’t understand what is going on and that is a very low percentage that come in that way, most come happy and wagging their tails.
We also have a close relationship with our local SPCA and certain rescue groups. We also deal with breed rescues too. Animal Control has changed a lot in the past years.
April 12, 2011 at 7:32 am
You people don’t want to help find new homes. We tried to adopt from ASPCA & HS by the time you are done jumping through your hoops, you wonder are you really trying to find these animals homes. I wonder how you ever adopt a dog or cat out. Take a good look at yourselves, or can’t you look in the mirror?
June 20, 2011 at 5:19 pm
You are not in the majority. Just because your shelter and it’s employees are doing their best, does NOT mean that all shelters do. There are hundreds of shelters in this country that have questionable if not down right illegal practices. I suggest you do some homework and look into it. Without people standing up and screaming from the rooftops about these horrid places, nothing will change. If you truly are an animal lover, you would applaud those who stand up for those who can’t speak for themselves.
March 14, 2011 at 4:44 pm
This is despicable from beginning to end. I just saw the video yesterday and, in my opinion, everyone of the people involved should be fired immediately! There is no excuse for behavior at a place that is supposed to be a ‘shelter’ I’m appauled & sickened and will continue to fight for justice for these defensless animals. Those people are sick, including that so-called Director with her middle finger in the air!
April 24, 2011 at 10:15 am
Dear ‘whomever’ you might be. I thought there may be some content to consider here as valid. However, I must share with you that you vitrolic attacks have lent a you a banner of irratic and frightening behavior. I feel certain that your site will give alot angry people a place to congregate and then launch attacks. Try to remember: If you are not part of the solution then you are part of the problem. You stated ‘The public has a right to know what their tax dollars are doing! Looking at the history of the “shelter” the article is about (MAS), I believe whoever blocked this content probably helps run the place and doesn’t want bad publicity.’
You are not speaking with authority and compassion. You send out a pomposity that goes well with your lack of work and ability to get along with people well enough to contribute to creating a loving environment. What good are you to these animals? Slaughtering the reputation of people that are working to make a difference. There is NO perfect system in life…even with people. Real life is difficult to say the least. You are not dealing well with this real life. Turn the focus to yourself if can honestly and ask youself, ‘does this angry energy help ANYONE? Put your mean spirit in the closet and pull out the one that says ‘Who do I think I am and how can I put a positive action in place that will not hurt people but help animals.
Good Luck.
July 20, 2011 at 11:29 pm
Can you please follow this story… I would be willing to let you do an entry into your blog as well :)
♥ ♥ ♥ http://helpoifveteransdogs.chipin.com/assisting-ashley-in-getting-her-dogs-home ♥ ♥ ♥ you can also follow my story at http://www.facebook.com/pleasehelpoifveteransdogs ♥
October 25, 2011 at 1:50 am
Has there been any progress made regarding the cruel treatment of these animals? It looks like this has been going on for a few months. I have written letters to Wharton and Hooks, but no response. Also, has there been any response from the media?
January 10, 2012 at 6:20 pm
How do I ask a question to the general audience here?
January 10, 2012 at 6:25 pm
Using the most recent “open thread” would be best.
http://yesbiscuit.wordpress.com/2012/01/06/open-thread-36/