So tired of animal care in the Midwest.

[trudy1]

Between dumped animals, no local support for no kill shelters and the expanding puppy mills and now this “COFFEYVILLE, Kan. - Former employees of a Coffeyville animal shelter level accusations of unnecessary euthanasia and improper disposal of animals against the current Coffeyville friends of animal’s director. They accuse their former boss of asking them to dump a euthanized dog. They also say that animals were euthanized unnecessarily.”
Sorry but just had to vent. Just feel so sorry for those front line troops at these area local shelters and now this!

 

[heatherwillard0614]

That is absolutely horrible...

 

[iPappy]

The puppy mill situation is out of control. All the cutesy-wootsey pet stores that are "clean" with cute, fluffy puppies convince otherwise intelligent people that the "local breeders" are reputable. When I tell them no puppy for sale in a pet store (save for places that use these spaces for overflow for shelters) is from a breeder worth supporting. I have point blank asked people, if your dog had a litter of puppies, and you helped birth them, raise them from day one, watched them grow and play and bonded with them, would you find homes for them yourself or dump them at a pet shop at 6 weeks old, never knowing what became of them? I've seen obviously sick or terribly bred puppies in those cages with a price tag of 1K *MORE* than you could get from a knowledgeable breeder who health tests and puts money into their dogs to make sure the puppies they sell don't cause a family heartbreak. It's so frustrating. (end rant...)

 

[Margot Lane]

One of the most important threads on this site, IMO, though this is in no way a judgement statement. Thank you Trudy1, and other venters. SO many loving animals in need…and this is just me wondering…do we need pet stores?

 

[KittyFriday]

It's just so tragic. I hadn't heard of that one, but recently read about another Kansas rescue (in Mission, I think, near KC?) that was being investigated. I don't think they were euthanizing, but they were warehousing dogs to the point that the shelter was filthy and the volunteers couldn't keep up - dogs were being kenneled for like 23 hours a day. They had apparently previously been investigated because they brought dogs over from Egypt and had them in foster homes and it turned out they had rabies.

I follow the rescue my dog came from in Oklahoma and they just have so many horror stories down there.

 

[iPappy]

It's just so tragic. I hadn't heard of that one, but recently read about another Kansas rescue (in Mission, I think, near KC?) that was being investigated. I don't think they were euthanizing, but they were warehousing dogs to the point that the shelter was filthy and the volunteers couldn't keep up - dogs were being kenneled for like 23 hours a day. They had apparently previously been investigated because they brought dogs over from Egypt and had them in foster homes and it turned out they had rabies.

I follow the rescue my dog came from in Oklahoma and they just have so many horror stories down there.

Knowing that Tag came from one of these places makes me so sad. He was one of the lucky ones who had a naturally sunny and happy disposition and didn't have any aggression issues, but his health was kind of touch and go and he had some serious fears which I feel was genetic fearfulness in nature.
I'm always a little on the fence about bringing dogs in from other countries. I see a lot of people adopting dogs from overseas that come here in bad shape and I always wonder what diseases will be spread throughout the country and will a vaccine be available before it's too late?

 

[Margot Lane]

Knowing that Tag came from one of these places makes me so sad. He was one of the lucky ones who had a naturally sunny and happy disposition and didn't have any aggression issues, but his health was kind of touch and go and he had some serious fears which I feel was genetic fearfulness in nature.
I'm always a little on the fence about bringing dogs in from other countries. I see a lot of people adopting dogs from overseas that come here in bad shape and I always wonder what diseases will be spread throughout the country and will a vaccine be available before it's too late?

I don’t know protocols, just me thinking aloud, but, maybe it depends on the country. I know so many people who’ve adopted a wonderful wild dog, say, from Puerto Rico…they have such incredibly charming Heintz 57 mixtures there. On the other hand…caged animals may be how COVID started? Maybe the trick is to try to pass on good hygiene & love of animals whatever the country is, and do good local work, right there, on the spot.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Tbh, the kill vs. no kill shelters are not much different in many parts of the US. For some, no kill only means 'for a period of time'. So, if you read the fine print and actually talk to these shelters that is how you find out what 'no kill' really means for them. Puppy mills are somewhat banned down here, but every trick in the book is being tried to work around the bans with technicalities/loopholes that still enable people to operate much in the same way as puppy mills.

IMO, the biggest problem is with many pet owners and their lack of responsibility. Adopting pets and not taking care of them, and more in the case with cats, letting them roam free. When I say 'adopting', that includes those who let their pets propagate and then either give the puppies/kittens away for free or for some small fee to others who don't bother to get them spayed/neutered. Then, when they either tire of them, decide they can't afford them, or have lifestyle changes that the pets no longer fit into, they let the pets loose. In the case of many of these dogs, they end up being taking to a shelter where no one claims them, and well - then you know what happens. In the case of cats, while some are taken to a shelter - assuming one can be found that will take them - a lot of them are just 'let be' to roam and propagate more.

I don't know what the answer is because you can't make people be responsible/moral characters. And most of the time the people who let them go can't even be charged or fined, where there are applicable laws, because they are never found/identified. There are less of these folks around, thankfully, but there is still enough of them to really put a burden on rescues, shelters, and all those who exist to try to help these defenseless animals.

 

[neely]

IMO, the biggest problem is with many pet owners and their lack of responsibility.

They said on the news that during the pandemic many people adopted pets because they were home and working remote. However, once the pandemic ended and people went back to work outside of the home a lot of animals were returned to the shelters.

 

[heatherwillard0614]

They said on the news that during the pandemic many people adopted pets because they were home and working remote. However, once the pandemic ended and people went back to work outside of the home a lot of animals were returned to the shelters.

Yes I found that sickening. And it was a lot of people who did this... it broke my heart when I first heard about this. Thinking of the poor animal who didn't ask to be drug to your home then started to trust and love you just to abandon it... sometimes I feel that there are more bad people when it comes to animals than good ones.

I can honestly say I am grateful that there are so many good people involved in TCS community! At least I can be happy knowing our babies are being taken care of, have a warm (or cool for summer) safe place to live being given more love. Than they know what to do with lol. And feeling that pure love and trust back from them just confirms we are doing everything for them.

 

[KittyFriday]

I think no-kill is nice in theory, but I do wonder about the animals that are less adoptable and end up kenneled for years at a time. I'm not sure that is really a better option for them. I've seen a lot of social media videos that are rescues showing pets, especially dogs, that they've had for 5, 6, 7+ years and they aren't going to be adopted out (often due to aggression). They're alive, but spending 22+ hours of their day in a kennel, likely stressed because kennels are stressful.

I also have mixed feelings about overseas rescues. I know that animals are suffering abroad, but we have such a problem here in the US that I think we need to figure out how to solve first. There are also some shady rescues that use horrific stories to profit off of dogs they've probably bred (lots of small Poodles mixes who they claim are "meat trade" dogs). It's also kind of a mixed bag - I wonder how ethical it is to take dogs that are used to being free strays and putting them into city or surburban life. Some are able to work it out and be successful, but many really struggle and that's no good either.

The pandemic thing is particularly tragic. A lot of people who really just wanted something to do for awhile, but didn't really want to care for a pet. And I've seen a lot of "pandemic puppies" that have behavioral issues. It's probably partially down to lack of socialization, but I think poor breeding practices and individuals who don't have pet experience and just don't know better play a role as well.

 

[neely]

A lot of people who really just wanted something to do for awhile, but didn't really want to care for a pet. And I've seen a lot of "pandemic puppies" that have behavioral issues. It's probably partially down to lack of socialization, but I think poor breeding practices and individuals who don't have pet experience and just don't know better play a role as well.

I agree! It's not only no pet experience but not having the patience or taking the time to learn. For example, a pet is a lifetime commitment. You wouldn't give away your children if they don't behave would you? I walked our dog religiously, all year round and it gets pretty cold where I live. Many of the dog owners I saw in summer were nowhere to be seen in winter. They just let their dogs out in the yard to do their business but they need more exercise than a 5 minute romp. Ok, I'll get off my soapbox now .