I have seen some accusations against this guy on CL. Does anyone(thought I remembered some of you volunteering or working there) know if they are true, or is this some troll or something?
Hmmm - I don't know anything about him, BUT if it's just what is being said about dogs not being allowed to go in the outside area and the not letting them have toys - it could be that they had an outbreak of parvo ----- if they did and the parvo dogs went outside and it is on porous ground - then the bacteria can not be totally removed - it takes YEARS! Toys that can not be sanitized properly CAN and DO spread diseases like Parvo. Toys that can be laundered work BUT in a place as big as the shelter, it is probably all they can do to keep up with washing towels and blankets that constantly need to be washed. Without knowing whether this is due to parvo or something just as communicable, I wouldn't jump to crucify the director. He may be doing his best to keep everyone else healthy. You can call and ask to speak with him and find out - if that's the case, he's doing the right thing. Parvo sometimes doesn't show itself when pups are first brought in, they can look fine and healthy one day and the next day, they look like they are circling the drain. . .very sad - and very preventable if people would just vaccinate pups before the surrender them and NOT lie and say they did when they didn't. Even if the shelter vaccinated every pup AS it came through the door, there's no guarantee it won't get spread - if the pup already has the disease, vaccinating after it even though it might not show symptoms is futile.
What happened? I ask because MIL has a feral cat colony she does her best to care for, but may be forced to trap and/or surrender some.
If she surrenders to Dunn, they will be put down. Dunn is NOT a rescue friendly shelter. Couple that with the fact feral cat rescues are far and few in between, the cats won't have a chance. I'm not sure the method they use (gas, injection, heartstick, etc.) to euthanize. The times I've tried to coordinate DAS (Dunn Animal Shelter) with rescue they have been nothing less than extraordinarily difficult. This being said, after forthcoming options are exhausted, I would advise your friend to humanely euthanize through a reputable veterinarian. I am fully aware putting a perfectly healthy animal down is difficult, BUT if they end up in DAS the end will NOT be nice. So... if she does need to ultimately downsize the colony, the best gift she could give them is HUMANE euthanasia. I am willing to contribute monetarily and emotionally if needed. In addition, I'll stand right there with her through the entire process. Without knowing the specifics, I don't know why she needs to downsize. Do they need spayed/neutered? Lack of food? Medical care? I ask because there are organizations that will "assist" with feral colonies. Thing is... I need to know the situation to help her specific need. Following are some resources to get her started: Operation Catnip Reduces colony numbers by sterilization Safe Haven for Cats No-kill shelter that stays full, BUT they might be able to link her with resources. Feral Cat Friends (Direct from site) Feral Cat Friends supports the nonlethal management of feral cat colonies by using the method of trap, spay/neuter, and return (TNR). Volunteer caretakers manage feral colonies by providing food and shelter and implementing the TNR method to prevent the number of cats from growing in the colony. Lastly, if you want to know my specific dealings with DAS please send me a PM. Note: If anyone reading this wants to rescue an animal, PLEASE go to Dunn! This post isn't meant to be a discouragment. If anything, I beg you to consider bailing out just ONE being from that hell hole. The people in charge are responsible.... not the animals!
Thanks for the suggestions. She is actually already in contact with Feral Cat Friends. I should have asked her before posting that. Appreciate it!
Vets for Pets is no-kill but the city shelter has a bad reputation. I'm thinking the comments were directed to that. In fact, I thought the Dunn city shelter had been closed. Misunderstood Mind, have they re-opened?
