Stop the Killing – Speak Out

‎"How will things change unless we make waves? How will we end the killing? How will we stop the abuse unless we expose it?" - Nathan J. Winograd

In his most recent blog post, Courage & Cowardice in the Fight for a No Kill Nation, Winograd talks about his experiences with those who wish to remain anonymous. 

While he did not put it into words, the underlying message is there - this is a war to reform our country’s shelter system and stop the killing of millions of companion animals, and, as unfortunate as it is, there will be casualties, primarily the animals we so desperately want to save.  We will lose some in order to save millions more

I hate the thought of losing more animals because of petty retaliation by shelters.  I hate that shelters use them as pawns to force people to shut up.  I hate that shelters manipulate people by yanking on their heartstrings.  But I hate the killing of millions of cats and dogs every year even more.  In shelter reform, there are only two choices – remain silent and watch the killings continue, or speak out knowing some will be lost in the effort to reform our shelter system.

Either choice will weigh heavy on our hearts.  Animals will die in shelters no matter which choice we make. 

Throughout history, those who have protested injustice have had to make the choice to be silent or to speak out.  They accepted the risks as the price of bringing justice and righting wrongs.  Millions have died, been incarcerated, been ostracized, been attacked, been injured, had their homes destroyed … all because of speaking out.

These people accepted the consequences of the American Civil Rights Movement, the fight to end Apartheid in South Africa, the attempt to derail Hitler’s genocide of Jews, the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 where as many as 800 (perhaps more) protestors were killed in a single night, and many other social movements.

The difference here is that NO PERSON is in danger of being killed, jailed, etc because of speaking out against what is wrong at the shelters.  Volunteers may be dismissed.  Shelter employees may be fired.  Rescues may be banned from pulling.  Some may be called names or have their name dragged through the mud.  All of which are favorite tactics by the opposition of social movements when people dare to speak. But these retaliations do not kill or physically harm us.

We need the people in the know – the volunteers, shelter employees and rescues – to speak out for the animals.  Without this insider knowledge, protests against shelters become a he said – she said scenario.  The proof provided by insiders is invaluable in bringing about change.

BUT …

Every person who is an animal lover, and/or cares about what goes on in our nation’s shelters, and/or hates all the killing, and/or is aware of animal welfare issues, needs to speak out too.

Every day in my Facebook newsfeed, I see comments on posts, articles, and pictures complaining about what is happening.  Sometimes it’s about the shelters; sometimes it’s about abuse, neglect or cruelty.  They complain or otherwise voice their opinion, but my questions to these people are …

Did YOU do something?  Do you do ANYTHING?

Do you sign petitions?  Do you write your state senator(s) and representative(s) about animal welfare issues?  Do you write your city/town and county officials?  Do you write letters to the editor of a newspaper?  Do you speak out against the wrongs and speak up for the animals in any way? 

How many of you who read my post Wall of Shame: NYC ACC used the link to the contact form to speak out against the shelter and for the animals?  The link was right there – just click it to go to the form page.  The form is set up to send to every official who needs to be aware of what is happening at the ACC – no need to find email addresses.  You didn’t have to do the research into what is wrong – I provided a list and links.  All you had to do was type a note. 

If we remain silent, the animals will continue to be the ones who suffer and die.  We must face the truth of what is going on in our country and speak out.  We must bring awareness to those who have no idea what is happening.  We must act and exercise our right to inform our local, state and national leaders that we want change.  We must take every opportunity to speak out against injustice towards animals.

By not acting, we allow ‘the opposition’ to continue.  By not speaking out or taking action, we give tacit approval of what they do.  By remaining silent, we give them the power.    

We must tell the truth and speak out no matter our fears, no matter how much it hurts. 

Stop the Killing – Wall of Shame: NYC ACC

Every day, 7 days a week, New York City Animal Care & Control creates a nightly "kill list".   The only days a list is not created are those when the next day is a holiday, or because of major weather conditions, and the shelter will be closed.

In my watching of the kill lists, I've seen animals just days old and seniors of 12+ years. Animals killed because of a runny nose, a slight cough, a single sneeze. Animals killed because they didn't do well on their evaluation, mostly due to the stress and fear being in this shelter causes - especially those surrendered by the only family they've ever known.

NYCACC’s qualifications for the Wall of Shame:

·         Phone number is not listed

·         No one answers the phone – “keep trying” is the mantra

·         Must be a local adopter to put a hold on an animal

·         Must be a pre-approved New Hope rescue organization

·         Fired a New Hope department employee because she cared too much

·         Only about 20 percent of the dogs at AC&C are viewable for adoption at any given time

·         Failure to take detailed information about animals from owner surrenders

·         Rating system that gives ACC the power to deny an animal a chance at life

·         A director who tries to cover her incompetence and the issues with smokescreens and lies

·         Killing animals that have a rescue hold

·         Deplorable conditions including dogs wallowing in their own waste; bed sheets soaked and soiled; cages caked with filth; cat food mixed with kitty litter

·         Employees and volunteers threatened with termination if they make negative comments about the organization

·         A breeding ground for disease – a cold or kennel cough is a death warrant

·         Animals labeled as diseased or “bad” to justify killing them

·         Perfectly healthy and adoptable animals are killed

·         Failure to advertise and market animals for adoption

·         Volunteers terminated for speaking out

·         Suspended all new rescues that were recently approved

·         Animals do not receive needed medical care or medicine

·         Volunteers are asked to pay for the privilege and check their constitutional rights at the door

·         Fired an extremely dedicated volunteer who gave more than 750 hours of his time to help scared dogs open up plus countless hours at home writing about and advocating for them

Need another reason?  Take a look at this picture and read the note.

If you are as horrified, disgusted and angry as I am about NYCACC, use this contact form to send an email blast to the Mayor, NYC AC&C, City Council, etc.  

Please keep your comments polite and respectful.  Remember that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.  Not to mention that ‘impolite’ (to put it mildly) messages are often discarded and may actually cause them to not take us seriously.

Please help spread the word about NYCACC.  Change will not happen without awareness, and it will not happen without our speaking out.

Links:

What really happens at NYCACC

Petition has expired, but provides good info and links

Why is one shelter trying so hard to shut out the public?

Posting of each night's kill list:

http://www.facebook.com/Urgentdeathrowdogs (dogs)

http://www.facebook.com/PetsOnDeathRow (cats)

Just HOW Hard Can We Make it to Save a Dog’s Life?

The S*** Has Hit the Fan for NYC’s ACC

Why remove the Mayor/DOH from control over the AC&C?

THE HIDDEN DOGS OF THE NYC ACC

Cashing In, Killing More, and Erasing Laws - Response To This Weeks Press Release

Urgent's Response to ACC's New Placement Process

ACC Warning About Social Media... Should We be Honored Or Offended?!??!

New York City pound neglects, kills animals

NYCACC to Volunteers: Pay Up & Shut Up

Doggie death row - Insiders condemn shelter

Shelter Reform Action Committee's analysis on the 2011 audit of ACC

Why Am I Here and What Am I Going to Do About It - Part 2

An email I received last week has caused me to do some thinking.

What is my mission? 

This is the biggie.  Without a mission, I can end up running in circles and drifting aimlessly.  I can't do it all - no one can - and I shouldn't try. 

The header of my blog states: Education - Information - Awareness

These 3 things are my mission - to bring awareness of issues regarding companion animals; to provide information; and to educate.

In addition to sharing news articles, various blogs, and Facebook postings, I want to really make people aware of what is happening with companion animals.  The Stop the Killing series on my blog is a part of that.  It's unfortunate, but sometimes you have to smack people upside the head with graphic pictures and facts that are horrifying. 

Information covers a lot of territory, ranging from awareness to local resources to contacting officials and more.  I want to have and make available a wide range of information for people who need or want it.

Education, well, that's another large territory.  So much of what I post is educational in some way.  When you make someone aware of something, you are, in effect, educating them about it.  But that's not all I want to do.  If you read parts 2 and 3 (Causes and Solutions) of my blog series, you know I listed a number of educational issues.  This is the type of education I want to do.

While working on my most recent blog post, I realized outreach programs are part of what I want to do.  Not necessarily starting or running them myself, but to advocate for them and try to help them come into being.

Reading through what I have written so far, I realize it's all extremely broad in scope, perhaps too much for one person.  I started this note yesterday morning, saved it, went about my day, came back to it, edited a little bit, saved and went about my day, went back to it and saved, went to bed, and now here I am back at it again this morning.

Why?  Looking through my newsfeed throughout the day, I am bombarded with pictures and stories of Pit Bulls in shelters, in rescue, in foster, in the temporary care of a Good Samaritan, who were shot, cities considering BSL against them, over 2 dozen killed in Memphis in a single day, the poor bait dogs like Sissy, dog fighting busts involving them, the inhumanely starved like Rocco and Patrick, and even one killed by his owner because she apparently decided to not work to re-home him.  These pictures and stories flow through my newsfeed like a bleeding wound that cannot be stopped on a daily basis. 

My heart aches to see them posted by pages like Urgent Part 2, or by crossposters.  My heart aches when I read their stories of abuse or neglect, or being bounced around and never knowing what a loving home is like.  My heart aches when I read about bait dogs like Sissy.  I have to constantly remind myself that I can't take them - the Cocoa's, Deja's, Monte's, China Doll's, Angel's, Axle's, and too many more to remember and list – because I can’t take them, not even one, at this time.

Don't get me wrong, I shed tears and say prayers for all the other animals too.  But the Pit Bulls really touch me in a way I can't explain.  Perhaps it’s because I’ve always been against prejudice and racism in all its forms, and Pit Bulls are certainly on the receiving end of this in our society.  In Sister Act II, Whoopi's character told one of her students "If you wake up in the morning, and you can't think anything but singing, then you should be a singer, girl." 

I am always thinking about Pit Bulls, so it follows that this is where my focus should lay.  It doesn't mean I will ignore all the others, because I won't.  A lot of what I want to do applies to all companion animals.  A lot of the information, both for awareness and education, applies to all.  So it won't matter if I'm talking in general or specific terms, you can apply it to your pets, the animals you work with or rescue, and/or the animals you share and crosspost.

For months now, I’ve had a dream of a sanctuary where the Pit Bulls found on the streets or are in a shelter can live while they wait for their forever homes.  I am not a non-profit (at least not yet – I am seriously considering it) and I cannot swing it financially on my own, but it’s something that a single day does not go by without me thinking about it.

Sometimes you have to follow your heart.  I’ve started slowly, even hesitantly, taking “baby steps” as I waded into the world of animal advocacy.  As I’ve learned, I’ve grown, and I’ve kept following my heart to try to help companion animals in some way.  Since early June when I met Simba, my heart has cried out for the Pit Bulls more and more, louder and louder.  I can’t ignore it any longer.

So now I need to research; write out ideas, plans and drafts; to work out my “battle plan” for what I want to accomplish.  If I want to make my dream a reality, I will have to do even more planning and work, including becoming a non-profit.

In the meantime, I will continue to post on APAA as I always have.  I plan on sharing my “journey” as is appropriate.  I hope you understand and will continue to support me.

Thank you to all the advocates who like APAA, and to those who simply visit, read and share.  Each of you help the animals in your own way, and it takes all of us together to make a difference. 

Stop the Killing – Numbers

Between 1940 and 1945, the Nazis murdered 4 million people, less than 1 million deaths per year.
[Plaque at Auschwitz]


Since many shelters are not required to keep track of their numbers in regards to intake, adoption, returned to owner, and killed, any statistic concerning shelter animals is a best guess.


The number of companion animals entering US shelters each year is estimated to be between 6 and 8 million. The number of animals killed in shelters each year is estimated to be 64% - some shelters have lower rates, some have higher rates.


The 64% is an estimation based on a study done in 1997 with input from 1000 shelters (there are an estimated 4000 to 6000 shelters in the United States). It is very likely the nationwide kill rate is higher.

Using these estimated numbers, between 3.8 and 5.1 million cats and dogs are killed in shelters EACH year, EVERY year.






Assuming a mid-point of 4.5 million cats and dogs killed in shelters each year, this averages out to:

Each Month – 375,000 cats and dogs killed

Each Week – 86,538.5 cats and dogs killed

Each Day – 12,328.8 cats and dogs killed

Each Hour – 513.7 cats and dogs killed

Each Minute – 8.6 cats and dogs killed










Sadly enough, this does not include the cats and dogs that die in shelters from starvation, illness or abuse. It does not include those that mysteriously disappear from shelters never to be seen again.

Cats

Dogs

Gas Chambers

Injection or Heartstick










Video: This Can't Be Happening


Those killed include the unborn, days old, unweaned, less than 1 year of age, seniors, and adults.

Those killed include perfectly healthy and perfectly adoptable animals.

Those killed include those whose only crime is their breed (actual or assumed) or their color.

Those killed include those surrendered by their owners (usually no hold period), lost and unclaimed, seized in criminal or cruelty cases, and strays.

Those killed include those with an easily cured illness, such as a cold or kennel cough.

Those killed include those who fail their temperament test, even when the test is improperly administered and interpreted.

Those killed include those who fail their temperament test due to fear, anxiety, and/or stress.

Some shelters cremate. Many don’t.










Coming next: Stop the Killing – Part 2: The Causes

Manners Please!

There is no doubt about it, animal lovers are a passionate group of people.  Unfortunately, this leads some of them to let their emotions, rather than reason, rule.  Here are some thoughts (or tips if you prefer) about this.

·  When you rant in a comment posted to a news article or Facebook page, you detract from the issue at hand ... helping the animal in need.

·   When you rant in a comment posted to a news article or Facebook page, the person you are ranting at will not see it, so what’s the point?

·   Name calling and profanity does nothing to help the situation, and may in fact make it worse.  Again, the person you are cursing at and/or calling less-than-polite names won’t see it.

·   Threatening physical harm to a person, be it the alleged abuser or an elected official, absolutely does more harm than good.  It also has the potential to land you in jail.

·   Posting personal information, such as address or phone number, of an alleged abuser can land you in jail, especially if you include inflammatory comments with it.

·   Writing to elected officials, police departments, etc can help … IF it is done politely and with thought.

·   Sending rants and other impolite writings will not help in any way.  They will be deleted and ignored.  They also tend to destroy the credibility of animal advocates as a whole.

·   Do not spread rumors or unverified information.  It will create confusion as well as harming the effort to help the animal in need.

I understand the need to rant about many of the situations that animal lovers and advocates come across multiple times a day.  BUT keep your rant to yourself:

·   When you write that message, email or letter, be polite and courteous.  State your concern, argument and/or plea with reason and verified facts.

·   When you write that comment to a news article or Facebook page, make it one of love and/or support. 

·   Remember that sometimes it takes time to gather information and verify it.  Be patient while waiting for updates to be posted.

·   Remember that often numerous comments are being posted every minute, and a lot of scrolling takes place.  Have the patience and take the time to scroll through several pages of postings.  The question you want to ask and/or the information you are looking for may already be there.

Animal lovers and advocates can do a lot of good if their ‘efforts’ are done correctly and with reason. 

We are the voices for these animals, and when we speak for them, not only must we make ourselves heard; we must say it in a way where people will listen.

Please Help Sweet Bella

  I received this email from a transport coordinator I worked with a couple of months ago.  If you can donate, please do.  Please share Bella’s story.

Thank you.

****

This is Bella, a 4 yr old smooth St. Bernard who had been used for breeding her whole life.  Last Thursday her previous owner who had her, her whole life decided he didn't want her anymore.   She ended up in the hands of a teenager who when he got her home was informed "She can't stay here" by his mother.  Bella had to spend her first night away from the only home she has ever known, even though it was a terrible place, but she had to spend it outside on a back deck.

A fellow animal lover got wind of her situation and went to retrieve her, got her a bath and right off to the vet, here is her diagnosis.... Bella's left eye had ulceration on it possibly from a blunt trauma, luckily she could slightly see out of it but her pressures was not good, she has been on antibiotic drops in her eye and it is clearing up the whiteness is going away and the prognosis is a little more positive.  Her nails had to be trimmed back 1/2 inch on all of them(she had to be sedated for that.)  Her ears have multiple types of infections going on and she has a giant hematoma on her left ear,  She is on drops for her ear infections.  She needs an antifungal bath every 3-4 days and has taken 4 capstars in the past week because her skin is in such bad shape frontline wont work. 

So we found a wonderful foster Mom (Rose) who has fallen in love with her and informed the rescue that she would adopt her.  Of course when all was taken care of, Bella went in to get spayed today, we found out that she is also heartworm positive positive.  No surgery, no vaccs yet and another enormous vet bill.  Rose is a wonderful adopter but cannot afford HW treatment and the good samaritan who got her out of this situation has already spent $500 on her vet bills.  We are looking to raise money for her HW treatment and hopefully reimburse the good samaritan who so generously donated the money so far for her vetting.  Please help if you can.  Bella has come such a long way just in the last week to a better life, heartworm can't stop her now.

http://sscr.chipin.com/treatment-for-sweet-bella

Susan Turturice

OTRA Co-Owner/OTRA Co-Mod-MI/OTRA Verified Transport Coordinator

Co-Founder/Transport Coordinator-Something Special Castaways Rescue

www.petfinder.com/shelters/MO499.html

E-mail: miskeira@sbcglobal.net

Cell: 313-806-2033

MEMPHIS RESCUE GROUP ON VERGE OF CLOSING DOORS NEEDS URGENT HELP

I received the email below via a Yahoo Group I'm a member of.  I made the decision to share (after asking permission!!) with my fans/followers because this is a part of what animal advocacy is about. I could only post the animals in need of rescue.  I could only post news articles and videos.  I could only post animals and news from within the state I live in.  I choose to do more.

Please share this note far and wide.   If a rescue closes down, it is the animals that suffer.  The animals of Memphis suffer enough as it is.  Remember, this is the city where a dog starved to death in MAS, where Kapone went missing after being picked up by Animal Control, where dogfighting is a tremendous problem, where little Yogi was stolen from his backyard.  Paws NE works with the Tipton County Animal Shelter in Brighton, rather than MAS but that does not mean the need is any less.

So donate if you can.  If you cannot donate, share the note.  Let's help a rescue continue to do the work it was created to do.

Thank you.

Carol Schatz

Angel Paw Animal Advocacy

Subject: MEMPHIS RESCUE GROUP ON VERGE OF CLOSING DOORS NEEDS URGENT HELP! PLEASE READ & RESPOND QUICKLY :(

From: tparris2005@aol.com

Date: Wed, 27 Jul 2011 00:47:59 -0400

*EVEN IF YOU CAN'T DONATE, YOU CAN FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW AND EVERYONE IN YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS BOOK! THIS MATTER IS EXTREMELY URGENT!*

Here I sit at the computer, it's almost midnight as I'm starting this email, and I don't even know where to begin. My heart is very heavy and my mind is a blur of thoughts and emotions that I just can't even comprehend right now. All day every day for the last several days, i've been going through the necessary motions at work and at home but my mind and heart are elsewhere.

I'm sick in my soul because the one thing that I've been most passionate about for the past four and a half years (since April 2006) is about to exist no longer unless strangers and friends, alike, can save us. I hate so much to do this but I have no choice but to turn to animal lovers in the community and beg and plead for your help. Our rescue group is in the

worst financial condition it has ever been in and the reality is that we probably will not be able to pull out of it this time -- not without a miracle :(

I know that the economy has tremendously hurt so many people and ruined so many lives and, as we all know, the beloved pets of these people are the ones who suffer and are left behind when things get tough. The rescue groups try to come in and pick up the pieces for those animals and help them along to better futures. Adoptions are very slow right now due to the economy so our foster homes are just packed with too many foster dogs and no donations coming in. Because of the dire financial mess we are in right now, we have not been able to take any dogs from anywhere in over two months.

The rescue group that I co-founded more than four years ago (Tipton Treasures/PAWS NE, Inc.) is finally on its last leg and, if we can't pull off a miracle somehow, we will have to "permanently close our doors." We are out of money and we owe thousands of dollars in vet bills, we have to feed, provide medication, frontline and interceptor for approximately 150 foster dogs at all times. Adoptions are at an all-time low (most likely due to the economy) and we're having to turn away animals right and left that have nowhere to go. We have consistenly rescued 80% of our dogs from the Tipton County Animal Shelter in Brighton, TN and, since we have no funds lately and are so deeply in debt at this point, we have not been able to go to the shelter to pull any dogs in over two months. We all know what that means for all those little faces at the Tipton Shelter every week, most of whom don't have a prayer.

We have also always consistently taken just about any injured dog we were called about and have taken many that were strays in Tipton and Shelby Counties over the years. We have successfully treated, rehabilitated, and rehomed more than 3,000 dogs from the West Tennessee area alone in over four years. I'm feeling right now like all the blood, sweat and tears (literally) has been for nothing. We have so many wonderful foster homes and volunteers in New England and West TN who have worked so hard to build this charitable organization up and now it's all about to come crashing down around all of us.

I personally get calls every day about a dog that needs to be rescued but my hands are tied all because of money. Our rescue group American Express card is maxed out and we have no other options. Our dogs all originate in West Tennessee and so we're asking our own community to try to dig deep into your pockets and couch cushions and donate to save us. I know so well that money is very tight for everybody these days but I promise that NO AMOUNT IS TOO SMALL -- $1 or $10!!!! Or anything in between :(It seems that about once a year at least I have to turn to fellow animal lovers in our immediate community and farther to ask for donations to keep our rescue doors open and it is so humiliating to me. But I'll do it for the dogs.

Our rescue group is Tipton Treasures/PAWS New England, Inc. and we are a 501c3 public charity publicly recognized by the IRS. Take a look at our website at ww.pawsnewengland.com to read and learn about our group and all the wonderful fairytale-ending stories we have on there. You can also see pictures of me and our other volunteers on the volunteer tab. The heartworm treatments and vet bills that we need to pay for our group (again, our credit card is maxed out) are in Memphis and Collierville so we need for the funds to be donated here in West TN so that we can pay these expenses directly to the providers. Anyone who needs a tax receipt can request one and I will happily provide it to you.

Donations of any amount can be mailed to

TIPTON TREASURES/PAWS NE

c/o Traci Wood, President

7948 Quito Road

Millington, TN 38053

Checks can be made out to Tipton Treasures/PAWS NE

OR

paid via Paypal at www.paypal.com to the account of tparris2005@aol.com -- please note in the remittance box on Paypal if it is a donation to save Tipton Treasures

Please help us continue our very important work so that we can get back to the business of

taking care of the Tipton Shelter dogs very quickly :( In the meantime, *_please look at the

Tipton County Shelter's petfinder site and go save just one of those poor dogs! The shelter

staff is very rescue friendly and will do just about anything to make it possible for a dog or

cat to be able to leave that place. The Shelter phone is (901) 837-5919 and the staff are

Jeana, Sharon, Christy, Shane and Terry.

The Tipton Shelter's website link is  http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TN158.html

Again, bless you for even reading this email -- please please help us :(

Traci Wood

tparris2005@aol.com

901-238-1724

The Little Shelter That Does

Seagoville Animal Shelter is located in Seagoville, Texas, less than 25 miles from downtown Dallas.  They have only 9 dog kennels and 6 cat cages, yet take in more than 1300 animals per year.

They do not have a large budget.  There are no grants, resources or benefactors.  What they do have is love for animals and the determination to find them homes.

So what’s the big deal?  Well, Seagoville is a municipal facility and not a non-profit, so they must follow the rules set forth for them.  What makes them unique is they are determined to be no kill, which is the county does not support.

Seagoville has not killed an animal since November 2010, and have found homes for every single animal in their care by the time their number came up.

This little shelter is doing what animal lovers and advocates everywhere wants to see – animals adopted rather than killed.  They network tirelessly to find the animals homes.

Seagoville Animal Shelter needs our help and support.  They don't have a lot of money, and barely get by with providing the basic care of their charges. 

So my fellow animal lovers and advocates, I ask you to help.  Visit and like their Facebook page.  Share and network their adoptable animals in the photo section.  Donate to them if you can. 

They have a fundraiser going and will raffle a beautifully restored 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air that was donated to them.  The money raised will go toward a new, bigger and better shelter.  Purchase a ticket yourself if you can, and please share the raffle.  Tickets are only $10 or 12 for $100.

Please help Seagoville continue to be no kill.  They are doing what my local non-profit humane society cannot find it in their hearts to do.  I’m sure the same is true for many of you who read this.

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/seagovilleanimalshelter

Fundraiser Raffle: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.204322082931476.52955.186781278018890

Examiner.com Article: http://www.examiner.com/american-pit-bull-in-national/bosco-and-others-wait-for-rescue-unusual-seagoville-texas-shelter

Why We Do What We Do

I was reading the comments for a post on the National Dog News Examiner’s Facebook page.  The commenter asked if the stories in the article, More dogs in the news - a week in review, were happy or sad, and then said

“I can't handle the sad ones....”

I can certainly understand this.  The stories, be they news articles; posts on Facebook from rescues, shelters, crossposters, or animal lovers; emails from groups; or however else you hear about them, are plentiful ... too plentiful most days.  Reactions cover the entire range of human emotions – horror, sadness, despair, anger, outrage, and even grief. 

My comment on that post was that I shared all the stories.

Sharing the happy ones is easy.  Everybody needs and loves a happy!  We need the story that brings a smile to our face, or brings a sigh of relief to our lips, or makes our heart sing with joy.

Sometimes the happy stories, such as Judith’s, are bittersweet.  Judith spent the first 10 years of her life on a chain without human affection or attention.  She was finally rescued (the happy), and spent 18 wonderful months with a caring family before she passed (the bittersweet).

Sharing the ‘sad’ ones is not as easy, but is a task that we, as animal lovers and advocates, must do. 

One of the reasons is to try and help animals in need.  It is sad when we read about a dog that gave birth in a shelter only to have her pups die, then adopts an orphan litter, and now is waiting to be rescued or killed.  But if she is to have a chance at life, her story must be shared.

It is sad to read about an animal with illness or injury that needs donations for treatment.  They will not receive medical care if the story is not shared.  It is sad to read about animals suffering in the summer heat at a shelter.  They will not get help if their story is not shared.  It is sad to read about the animals that are in extreme danger of being killed at a shelter.  They have no hope if their story is not shared.  It is sad to read about an animal that is lost or has been stolen.  They will not be found if their story is not shared.

Another reason for sharing the sad stories is to raise awareness.  Our nation’s “animal problem” is a result of multiple causes.  One of those is blissful ignorance.  Many people don’t know what is happening in shelters … that 4 - 5 million animals are killed each year … that gassing is still used in many shelters … that heartstick is used … that “euthanasia” by injection is not as happy and peaceful as it is made out to be, albeit certainly better than gassing.

People are ignorant about Breed Specific Legislation (BSL).  They don’t know what it is, why it is done, that it may exist in their own town or county, or even if their town/county doesn’t have BSL their insurance company may.  They are ignorant of the results of BSL.

Many are ignorant of how slanted the media is, of how much the media sensationalizes news stories in the name of ratings and money.  The sensationalized news stories are part of the BSL problem, and many just don’t realize it.

Many people are ignorant of the proper care of their companion animals.  They don’t spay or neuter their pets.  They leave their dogs outside year round, usually on a chain, often without adequate shelter.  They don’t make sure their animals receive regular vet care or even important vaccinations.  We must share the stories of neglect to make them aware of their own behavior.

Many people just plain don’t think.  How many heat-related animal deaths do we see each summer?  Certainly many more would die if the stories were not shared.

Many don’t think about how inadequate animal welfare laws and sentences are in most states.  If change is to be effected, people need to be made aware.  The best way to raise awareness is sharing the stories of cruelty, abuse, neglect, torture, maiming, and killing that show the ridiculous sentences most of these abusers receive.

Despite the publicity of the Michael Vick case, many are still not aware of the widespread and pervasive problem of dog fighting, or any of its associated problems.  How many “free to good home” ads do we see on Craigslist or in newspapers?  Too many people don’t know that dog fighters ‘adopt’ these animals to use as bait for their dogs in training.

Many are ignorant of how their actions add to the “animal problem”.  They don’t know that the unwanted litter from their unsprayed pet may be killed in the shelter they bring them to.  They don’t know just how overcrowded their local shelter is, and therefore when they surrender their pet, it will be taken to the kill room immediately after intake.  They don’t understand how their failure to properly train and socialize their dog leads to unwanted behaviors, and ultimately, the dog’s death at the shelter.

I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture.

Reading multiple sad stories every day is difficult.  There have been many times I have shed tears for the senseless, sometimes horrific, injury or death of an animal.  There have been many times I have been angered or outraged over the abuse/neglect/cruelty toward an animal or the slap on the wrist sentence an abuser receives. 

Even without a story, I am angered and outraged, and often saddened, over BSL and the injustice towards the dogs, especially Pit Bulls.  I absolutely hate that so many dogs that would be wonderful pets are needlessly and senselessly killed simply because they are Pit Bulls.  I am angered and outraged about the senseless killing of animals at shelters across the country even without reading a story or seeing the urgent postings.  The stories and postings are simply more fuel for the fire.

Yet I continue to read and share these stories.  Refusing to read them is akin to hiding your head in the sand.  It doesn’t help, and it doesn’t solve the problems.  Refusing to share them contributes to the lack of awareness and to peoples’ blissful ignorance.

Taking the bad with the good is what you have to do as an animal advocate.  You have to know what is wrong and why before you can change it.  You have to know about an animal in need before you can help.

And this is why we do what we do.