"Joe,
I am one of the people who has spent thousands of dollars trying to save the life of an animal from the (not)Humane Society. To be exact I spent $2,316.21 which DOES NOT including special dietary food that was needed, and other things like a leash, toys, regular food and a doggy bed. And yes I have a folder of receipts, lab results and the necropsy (canine autopsy) report. All of which have dates and times on them. Of course there is no price that can be put on the emotional trauma from thinking you are saving a life and finding out the IMPROPER or LACK OF medical care doomed the animal prior to being adopted.
My family and I decided to adopt a dog from the Wicomico County Humane Society and save it's life. We were told that the puppy we chose was 8 weeks old and had just reached the legal age of adoption. We filled out the paperwork and were told that the puppy needed to neutered, dewormed and given all it's shots prior to be taken home. After a week I received a phone call saying that the puppy now 9 weeks old had been neutered and was able to be taken home. Just a few days after being brought home the puppy began to have diarrhea. Of course we took the puppy to vet and after several tests we found out that the puppy had tapeworms AND ringworms. "I thought that I had paid the Humane Society to deworm the puppy. At least that's what the paperwork that they gave me said". Well the puppy was treated and given a dewormer and SEVERAL medications to be taken of the next two weeks.
The puppy never made it to the two week follow up. A few days later the puppy began sneezing violently for hours at a time. So back to the vet we go. Several tests later we find out that the puppy has bordatella (kennel cough). "Once again I thought that I had paid to have the puppy vaccinated against that. At least that what the paperwork said." Since this was our only dog and the puppy was not around any other dogs where else other than the Humane Society could the puppy have gotten it from? I've been told that it can take up to 10 days for bordatella to present itself. Strangely it was exactly 10 days after we got the puppy that this happened. Again we were given several medication to help treat yet another problem that the documentation from the Humane Society stated the puppy was vaccinated for.
Yet again the puppy did not make the two weeks follow up. A few days the puppy (now 10 weeks old) began having dark, bloody diarrhea. And again back to the vet's we go. After more test we found out that the puppy was bleeding internally from hook worms cutting in the intestines. Also the puppy was having liver failure. After several days of being given IV fluids, A BLOOD TRANSFUSION and having A PLASMA INFUSION our puppy's little body just gave out and the puppy died. The necropsy showed that the puppy had canine infectious hepatitis (highly contagious). Once again since the puppy was not around any other dogs, there is only one place that all of these illnesses could have come from. The Wicomico County Humane Society.
The puppy was a lab and only weighed a little over 4 lbs. at 10 weeks. The puppy was the same size as all of the other puppies in the litter. Since there were several puppies caged together sadly I can only fear that several others had met with the same horrible and easily preventable fate.
All we ever wanted was to save an animal and give it a home and a life that it might not have had. Sadly I feel the puppies would have had a better chance in life if they were left to fend for themselves instead of being taken to the Humane Society.
Ultimately my family and I feel devastated for the puppy, hurt by being lied to and having the money we gave to the Humane Society to start life out healthy used for obviously something other than providing for the animals.
Matthew"
Matthew,
I am truly sorry for the loss of your animal. There are three local Police Officers who have recently gone through similar situations, you could be one of them, I don't know? Nevertheless, ever since I have been investigating the Humane Society, the stories I get from people are just UNBELIEVABLE and quite frankly, it makes me SICK to my stomach that Gary Comegys and the entire Board hasn't heard of a single story like yours.
Linda Lugo is NOT this local hero who does this wonderful job in our communities. I have enough stories on Linda Lugo and her Life Partner, (2nd in command at the Humane Society) in which I can only hope will bring them down and thrown the hell out of that place! Even when she went in front of the County Council not that long ago she was cursing like a sailor, using the F-Bomb regularly and clearly showed she could not be pushed around. She reminds me so much of Jim Rappp, it isn't funny.
You need to go to a lawyer and sue the Humane Society for putting your Family through all of this. Matthew, sit tight and keep your eyes on the future Posts we'll be putting up. I have evidence of that Staff breaking the law and YOU are going to be damn interested in just what Linda allowed to go on down there, all of which will probably explain just why your animal became so sick.
You can always contact me directly any time you'd like. That poor animal. Ladies & Gentlemen, it's so important you tell your own story here. Talk to your friends and get them to post, even anonymously. Local Officials need to know just how big a scam they're running up there and just how many animals come out of there sicker than when they arrived, that's for sure.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
49 comments:
A few years back my son found a kitten on the side of the road. I wanted the cat to have kittens before I got her fixed. When it came time for the cat to be fixed, I checked around to see how expensive it was. I could not afford it, at the time, for a vets office to do it so I checked with the Wicomico Humane Society. They told me it would cost me $25.00. So I made an appt. to have the cat fixed. Let me just add, this cat was so nice she would let you do anything to her and she wouldnt move. Anyways after having the cat fixed, once I got her home, she was mean. I figured maybe she is doesnt feel well give it a couple of days. A week went by and the cat was still mean and didnt want to be bother. Till this day, my cat has never been the same. She only wants to be around you when she wants and dont touch her unless she wants to be touched. I did notice that the back end of her was very sensitive on her back and didnt want to be rubbed there. I often wondered what happened to my cat for her to turn that way. Did they abuse her? Did they do the operation without being put out? What was the cause? Maybe now I will be able to figure out what actually turned my cat to become mean.
Joe, refresh my memory. Didn't all of the animals at this facility have to be destroyed a year or so ago due to some disease that spread through it? Can you remind us what that was about, and does it have anything to do with what is happening now?
My heart breaks for this family. Thank you for sharing your story.
I adopted our wonderful cat from the Humane Society more than eight years ago. Not realizing when I adopted him, he suffered from ear mites. (Found out after I had already taken him home ) To this day, he has had ear problems but now that he is with us, there is no way I would have "returned" him. I will honestly believe that they knew he had this problem, and after this many years, we have just "adapted" to the situation and take care of his ears when problems arise. I am so sorry to hear about what happened at the Humane Society as those animals really do need a good home, However, alerting the new owners of all they are getting into should be a requirement if they have some or any health problem going on
Oh Gawd those poor animals. About twelve years ago I adopted a Doberman. My first impression after taking that dog for a walk, or I should say she took me for a walk around the Marine RD. facility and was plenty strong and healthy.
Of course I had to wait to see if "I" was fit to adopt this animal, I understand the waiting period for a background check on people for animal abuse.
Finally after bringing her home, before I took her to the vet, I wanted to let her get familar with me and her new surroundings. I came home from work the next day and she was laying dead on my living room floor. Poor thing she had the cough too, I never realized that it was so deadly.
I then had to gas my home with clorine to kill the parvo virus if I wanted to get another dog, and I did. How many stories like these are out there?
My husband and I adopted an abused, malnourished dog that was the subject of a serious court case. The staff at the Humane Society provided him with excellent, compassionate care for several weeks before his owner's hearing. Frankly, we expected there to be some difficulties healthwise and were prepared to deal with those. In four years, he has required not one moment of vet's care beyond the usual shots and check-ups. He is an absolute delight who was given a second chance at life because of the staff at the Humane Society. Without them, he would have died from abuse and starvation. I cannot say enough positive things about Linda Lugo and the staff. My frequent trips there have confirmed my opinion.
Matthew, I'm sorry for the loss of your pup. It sounds like you were on quite the roller coaster ride for a bit.
I've read the Humane Society horror stories on this site, and feel I have to share my own experience. In doing so, I am not trying to diminish anyone else's loss, but please hear me out.
We adopted our dog from the Humane Society in Oct 2000 when she was about 9 weeks old. She was given the routine initial vaccines and worming. We did the follow up shots with our own veterinarian. We were given a certificate for spaying to be used later when she reached 5-6 months of age, and had that done at our vet also. Our dog Casey is almost 8 years old now, and other than bad knees (from age, weight and jumping off the deck to chase squirrels), she has been in good health.
In June 2001, we adopted an orange tabby cat. He was given his initial vaccines, and a few days later was neutered at our vet's office as he was 8 months old at adoption. Louie is an indoor cat and is in good health.
In 2007 and 2008, I have had 5 feral cats spayed and neutered at the Humane Society. They charge $50 per cat, and I pay $15 extra for a rabies shot. These cats are the product of a feral female that I have yet to trap (she is very sneaky and I have seen her lean over the spring bar in the trap to reach the food!). I know if the kittens were brought to the Humane Society, they would be euthanized immediately because they aren't adoptable. So we've done our best to just stop the reproduction of her descendants. Some of these cats have actually grown quite lovable (anyone interested in adopting a kitty??)
Most recently, one of my cats had gone missing, and after posting signs in my neighborhood, I went down and filed a loss report at the Humane Society. I believe Tom took it. After explaining my situation, he gave me comfort by sharing that he had a cat that was missing for almost 2 months! He spotted it eventually in a neighbor's yard. Tom gave me hope that my own cat would return home, and sure enough, Snicklefritz turned up a short time later, a little scratched up and very tired, but he's home.
My point is this...I have dealt with the Humane Society several times over several years. Not once have I ever witnessed anything other than professionalism. The biggest "complaint" I have is one time I drove to drop off one of the feral cats for spaying, and their vet had a car problem and wasn't going to be there so I had to return home with the cat. Yes, a phone call that morning would have been nice, but there are more important things to get upset about.
Our community greatly benefits from this organization, and I for one am thankful for the service they provide. I'm sure they aren't perfect, no organization is. But I appreciate the folks that care enough to work there. It is not an easy job; I know I couldn't do it. So THANK YOU to those of you that work there!
Just offereing a different perpective, Joe...you know, to keep things fair and balanced. :)
sorry for your grief and loss matthew, man i hope they can get this stuff turned around .kinda skidish about the new pres and the vice! both of them sugar sweet to your face then slit your jugular when you turn your back. god help all the animals there.
6:18 It was a year ago around July 4th that all the dogs were put down due to distemper. However, one of the dogs was not and was adopted out around christmas time.
I went thru a similar situation with them also!!! My husband and i adopted a dog from there too. We where told he was 8 months old. We where also told that it had all its shots, NOT! After about 3 or 4 days of having the dog home we noticed it had stiches in its stomach. We called and found out that the dog had been fixed about a month prior and they had never taken the stiches out! We also questioned them about a spot it had on its back. They said their vet had looked at it and it was nothing but a itchy spot. Come to find out it was a cyst. Also the vet told us the dog was about 2 years old. I will never ever adopt from them again! By the way this happened about 1 1/2 years ago.
Just a little factual information for you folks...
Ringworm is not an intestinal parasite nor a worm. It is a fungal infection of the hair and for the most part is not a health hazzard apart from causing some skin problems.
Tapeworms are obtained by eating an intermediate host, usually a flea. These worms are usually not a health problem unless the pet develops a heavy infestation. The wormers that are routinely given to pets (most often pyrantel pamoate) do not cover these parasites. Routine fecal examination often misses them. More often than not they are diagnosed when the owner sees tapeworm segments emerge from the animals rectum or on its feces.
Tapeworm medications are more specific for tapeworms and do little for other parasites (there are combination products, but these tend to be rather expensive and unjustified in the absence of tapeworms).
As for hookworms and roundworms (not mentioned, but possibly mistaken for ringworm in the original post) these parasites cannot be controlled with a single deworming. Puppies should be dewormed repeatedly until they're about 14 to 16 weeks of age. These intestinal parasites are common in puppies and due to the life cycles they'll be present in various stages. Fecal exams can be negative and deworming one or two times won't necessarily clear the parasite. New ones arrive all the time, migrating through the body and finally making it into the intestines where they have to be mature enough to pass eggs to actually be detected. Deworming pups and kittens every two weeks is appropriate. Perhaps more often in heavy burdens.
Vaccinations in puppies aren't always effective. The maternal antibodies will often neutralize the vaccines. The schedule a vet follows takes this into consideration with the understanding that testing for antibody levels at this time is more costly than vaccinating AND takes time so it is better to vaccinate repeatedly while maternal antibodies are fading from the puppies system.
Developing clinical disease in a pet after exposure to a virus or bacterium depends on much more than vaccine status and the presence of passive immunity from the mother.
Stress and instestinal parasitism is a big factor.
Like it or not any humane society facility is similar to soup kitchens in large cities. You have animals being brought in from the worst possible conditions. Probably the majority of them have never had any immunization, deworming, or any other routine veterinary care prior to being dumped off.
The conditions, no matter how hard any one tries, at a humane society are a source of stress. The animal is brought into an unfamiliar environment full of other animals with lots of noise (barking dogs along with the typical acoustics in a block building with surfaces that are designed to be scrubbed). For puppies there is the additional stress of having been pulled from the mother before being dumped into this foreign environment.
Given this stress there is always the possibility that the animals immune system will fail to respond to a vaccine and disease will develop anyway.
A shelter by virtue of what it is will be the type of environment, where for lack of a better way to put it, sh!t happens. This is not a reference to the quality of care that is given, just a cold hard fact of life.
Kennel cough can be particularly hard on the very young and the very old and it can occur in spite of vaccines. Nothing is 100% effective. Incubation is typically about 5 to 10 dayshttp://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/121619.htm
Infectious canine hepatitis is not very common anymore due to vaccines but occurs occasionally. Incubation for ICH is about 4 to 9 days which is interesting considering the puppy in question developed disease after developing kennel cough (which is stated to have come on exactly 10 days after adoption). http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/57200.htm
For the individual who found the kitten I wonder about the sensibility in "wanting her to have kittens" before having her spayed. If you couldn't afford having her spayed what would you have done had she had difficulties during delivery? What kind of veterinary care did you provide for the kittens? The cost of properly tending to the kitten's needs would more than likely exceed the cost of spaying.
There is absolutely no benefit to the cat in letting her have a litter. There are 1000s of kittens in need of homes and no need to bring new ones in on purpose.
For the person wondering what disease the shelter had run through it recently - it was distemper. Outbreaks occur in shelters. This is a risk that is ever present in the type of environment that is unavoidably stressful and has a volume of animals coming through that a shelter experiences. Be aware the majority of those animals were lacking in veterinary care BEFORE they arrived at the shelter. This is a cold harsh reality for shelters.
Matthew - you've got my deepest sympathy over the loss of the pet and kudos to you for going as far as you did in an attempt to save the poor thing. However, you're experiences are not unheard of from even the most carefully run shelters in existence. Unfortunately this sort of thing happens. Instead of blaming the shelter why not be more critical of a individuals that make it necessary for shelters to be in existence in the first place? If everyone was responsible and spayed their pets AND made a life long commitment to taking care of the ones they purchase/find/rescue rather then treating them as conveniences to be obtained for personal pleasure only to give them up once they become inconveniences then there would be no need for any shelter to exist.
As far as the shelter's medical care of the puppy, it didn't finish there. Continued vaccination and deworming is necessary for reasons I described above.
For every horror story there are far more happy ones in number. They just don't make for good press.
I am so sorry for Matthew and any others who have adopted very sick animals. I am also sorry that the hundreds of people who have had excellent experiences with the Humane Society will probably not post under the inflammatory headline of this story. When will Ms. Lugo learn that firing incompetent people leads to vendettas like this one?
If you want to say the director and the second-in-command or Linda Lugo and Angie Travers, say that. Using the term "life partner" is subtle bigotry--sort of discrimination lite.
My family and I have had nothing but good luck with the WCHS. We have gotten three small dogs from them and have had great luck. 2 of them lived a very long and happy life with us and brought much joy to our family. I have read about some of the bad things happening there but I am one of the good stories you hear. I am very thankful for them and everything they have done to bring joy to out family.
First of all, I didn't know her name. Secondly, if you don't like the Life Partner term, get out of the business and go your seperate ways. I did not choose your lifestyle and the two of you put yourselves in the spotlight. Funny, you seem VERY proud of it around your co workers, yet when it's mentioned you take offense to it? I have a Wife, she is my Life Partner. I truly don't give a rats ass what the two of you do, that's your business and I can only hope you're happy. However, don't turn this around and make it a poor, poor, pitiful me bullshit. I'll not stand for that kind of crap. Unbelievable!
Sometimes when "reporters" want to know someone's name, they take the minute or less required to research it. If that is too difficult or time-consuming, they use the titles of the people involved, such as "the director and the second-in-command" at the Humane Society. Either format would have been accurate and professional; however, both of those lack the subtle text of "Lugo and her life partner." You were sending a message that had absolutely nothing to do with animal welfare, and we all know it. Doing something like that was crap none of us should stand for.
Anon 9:43
For your factual information: IT IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS as to why I wanted the cat to have kittens before it was spayed or how or where I got care from a vet for the kittens. What I was trying to point out is why that cat was so loving before I took it to the Humane Society and once I got her fixed she became mean? Can u answer that question for me instead of asking me why I felt my cat needed to have kittens before I got her spayed? I sure hope this doesnt ever happen to your pets!
You don't bother me. My skin is much thicker than that.
I am so sorry to hear about the animals :( I am a huge animal lover and where I live we have stray cats everywhere and when I catch them I do turn them into WCHS thinking this is best. Well everytime I did this I get treated very poorly like I am some kind of criminal. I do donate food whenever I can. Now I refuse to go back there fearing of the treatment I recieve for turning in those stray cats. 5-6 years I did adopt 2 cats from them and funny thing is I to have notice a major difference in their attitude from when I was picking them out. they were extremely loveable and cuddly. After bringing them my female cat is very sensitive near her rear end. to the point she will bite you. My male kitty only comes around when he wants affection otherwise good luck in catching him to pet him. So I will not be adopting anymore animals until there is a change of commands. Again my heart goes out to those families who lost their precious pets :(
So sorry about your puppy, Matthew.Its never easy to lose a pet.
This is one time I agree with Joe... The WCHS is horrible with some of the most unprofessional folks working there...
I had a cat for less than two months that I had to have put down after 500 bucks in vet bills...
They offered me a new cat...
Imo, in a great part, Bubba's resignation has to do with his homophobia which he plans to take to the bank next year when he runs for mayor. Think about it...who might be running? He plans to play dirty, as usual.
The lady with the cat who turned mean after spaying might need to ask a vet about the personality change. She might be able to find some information online. Maybe there's a hormonal problem after spaying which does cause the kind of behavior she's describing. To post questions about did the Humane Society abuse the pet for the short time they had it or did they do a surgery without sedating the cat is wild conjecture.
Anon 7:03
I did ask a vet about the change in the cat. He stated usually by spaying them, they dont usually turn mean unless something happen to them. Usually they settle down after being spayed. As far as asking the questions of wondering if the cat was abused or not sedated properly was just a question that I was posing. I really dont know whay happened to the cat. But I miss the loving cat I had before I took it there. BTW, later in years I had another cat and had it spayed at a vets office and it did not turn out at all like my first cat did.
It may be barely possible that animals taken from irresponsible owners or found wandering the streets have hidden health problems. When you adopt one, there may be issues that present themselves later. The Humane Society cannot guarantee an animal like it's a refrigerator or a DVD player. Do people actually believe it's part of the mission of this organization to make sure new owners incur huge vet's bills for seriously ill pets? What would the Humane Society gain from that? If members of the public think a staff member has been curt when the tenth litter of kittens or the thirtieth feral cat is brought in during a single day, maybe volunteering to help once a week would be useful.
7:30 AM
The website for the Parkview Cat Clinic in Medota Heights, Minnesota, has a question and answer section posted by vets. The question about does spaying alter a cat's personality or intelligence had this response from the vet: "Cats' personalities do not fully develop until about 1 year of age. If there is a personality change after spaying at an early age, it would have occurred without the surgery." This was the first website I found so hope it helps.
I've had cats since childhood, and I'd just like to point out that many cats have parts of their bodies that are sensitive. Some don't like to be touched down at their tails, some don't like their fur being stroked the "wrong" way, some will scratch if you try to touch their bellies, some do not like to be held, the list goes on. They are all different, and have quite distinctive personalities.
Some of the cat behavior I've read about here- wanting to be petted when THEY want to be petted, only coming around around when THEY want affection...it's all CLASSIC cat behavior. Sometimes they are aloof, sometimes playful, sometimes affectionate...it's what makes them CATS. Gotta love 'em.
Reading these posts brings back the horrible experience we had a few years ago with the Humane Society. My husband and I have had pets our whole lives and our children have grown up with pets. Our pets are part of our family - they live indoors, sleep with our children and are showered with love. A few years ago one of our beloved dogs passed away and eventually we were ready to get another. We decided to try the WCHS. We visited several times, brought our kids to check out the interaction and asked a ton of questions about the animals temprament, compatability with kids and general health. We were assured that it was a great family pet, healty and good natured. We paid the fees and excitedly took our new dog hime. Our excitement quickly turned to dismay. Soon after he developed kennel cough (which he had supposedly been vaccinated agianst) which he passed on to our elderly dog, which nearly killed her. Our vet had to treat both dogs and the dog from the humane society had to be wormed, something we were told had been done. Our vet neutered the dog only to find out he had some abnormality, where they could only reach one testicle and specialized surgery was required to reach the other. I know the humane society could not have known this, but when we contacted them about some guidance for the specialized surgery and some possible reimbursement for all the treatments we had to pay for, we were basically told too bad it's your worry now.
Right from the beginning, the dog showed signs of aggression towards myself and our children. He would square off and snarl when we entered the room, especially when my husband was around. We know that change is hard on a dog, so we were patient and loving, but he continued to display bizarre behavior. Eventually, at our wits end as to how to help this dog, we took him back to our vet, who has known us and our pets for 10 years, and he said the behavior was highly abnormal and he feared for our kids safety with this dog. He knew that our pets are part of our family, so his suggestion to return this dog to WCHS was not made lightly.
With very heavy hearts and a lot of tears, we did return this dog and were met with great contempt - they didn't seem to care about this dog and the help it needed or the suggestion that it was not good around children. We were treated like we didn't know what we were doing, our vet was wrong and it was our fault that this dog was sick and having problems.
Needless to say we have never returned to WCHS. Fortunately, we were put in contact with a lovely woman, Pat Long, who runs A Pet for Life, an animal rescue who has placed 2 dogs and 3 cats with us and every one a perfect match. She has a heart for animals and cares deeply about each and every one she places. The animals are healthy and she makes sure that they are going to an environment that is compatible with their personalities. If you truly want a happy, healty pet, this is the way to go.
Linda's sexual orientation has nothing to do with this discussion. Stop being a homo phobe
A few years back, I too adopted a dog from the HSWC. (I had adopted one previously and had a wonderful experience so I went back again)
The second pup that I adopted became sick a few days after he was at home with us.
Took him to the vet and as the story goes like many others I have read here...he had kennel cough but it had turned into pneumonia.
After tearful nights and worrying if our new family member was going to make it or not and $1200.00 later our dog was back home with us.
Fortunately we were able to care for him back to health and he has been a wonderful addition to our family. I am glad we adopted him, didnt like the bill but a sick pup as he was we all know he would have met his fate at the shelter. He truely is a rescued dog.
However the lack of care and treatment and concern that was expressed to me by Lugo and her staff when I called totally turned me off. I was treated like I had no clue about dog care...of which was the exact opposite. Not only did I adopt animals from there...I was a generous annual donor and member of the shelter. (Not anymore)
I do know that there are some great people on the HSWC board that truely do care about the shelter and the welfare of the animals unfortunately they have Linda to contend with. They arent all bad...give the new President a chance I think youll see changes for the good!
Anonymous said...
Anon 9:43
For your factual information: IT IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS as to why I wanted the cat to have kittens before it was spayed or how or where I got care from a vet for the kittens. What I was trying to point out is why that cat was so loving before I took it to the Humane Society and once I got her fixed she became mean? Can u answer that question for me instead of asking me why I felt my cat needed to have kittens before I got her spayed? I sure hope this doesnt ever happen to your pets!
You are correct. It is no one's business that you irresponsibly bred a stray cat. But if you felt she needed to have kittens you are simply wrong.
I do feel it is pertinent that you mention not being able to afford spaying as one can safely assume there was a good chance you didn't bother with having her vaccinations and deworming done under the supervision of a licensed vet or the same care of the kittens afterward. This leaves you on rather thin ice when it comes to criticizing the care other animals receive. The last statement being the crux of my position.
You also offered up this gem:
Did they do the operation without being put out?
Anyone that has ever tried to pill, trim nails of, or bathe a cat can quite happily point out the folly in even suggesting this.
As for the implication that they abused your cat I would venture a guess that this is a questionable suggestion. Shelters tend to attract people that are fond of animals rather than those that like to abuse them.
Seeking the advice and treatment from a vet to attempt to find the root cause and perhaps remedy the problem would be more constructive than throwing out accusations on the internet. There are a few types of skin problems that can make cats irritable and controlling those can alter the behavior.
A single occasion of abuse outside the home is highly unlikely to forever alter an animals behavior.
A LITTLE FYI Iwas around the Humane Society when the so called parvo outbreak took place.Let me give you a little food for thought.There were about 40 dogs in the kennals when this took place and i do know it would have been a little expensive but these dogs could have been treated there were only about six yes i said six dogs that showed any simptoms of the disiese and the other person that mentioned one dog was lucky enough to get a home lived in the same kennals as the rest and then was aloud to stay in the office in the daytime but back in the same sick kennals at night but i guess he was resitant.Now lets speculate this suppose as rumor has it a certain individual had been trying to get the new kennals for a long time years to be exact, and the board would not do it,well since we have a so called outbreak seems like a good time to back the board into a corner.And for the record i do not work there nor did i but i was there on a daily basis.
Anon 3:46
First of all, my son found the cat when she was a kitten. It was a few years after that the cat became pregnant. I did not act irresponsibily nor did I feel like she NEEDED to have kittens. If thats what YOU THINK I said maybe you need to reread my statements.
Secondly, (like I said NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS) I did have my cat and the kittens properly vaccinated.
Third, as far as an operation without being put to sleep, this was just a question. I NEVER said that it actually happened. I was just trying to figure out what had happened to my cat during the time I dropped her off to be fixed and when I picked her up afterwards.
Also, IF YOU HAD READ MY PREVIOUS POSTINGS, I did go to the vet to ask questions to try to help my cat. He didnt seem to know what happened to my cat. So at that point, I just tried to be easy with her and did not pursue anything of it. I did not accuse anyone of anything!! Just alot of unanswered questions seeing how there seems to appear to be problems at the Humane Society.
Next time try to read my post as it was presented and not the way YOU would have like it to be said!
Well then, which is it, do we want the WCHS to adopt out, knowingly, potentially sick animals or do we want them to respond appropriately anon 8:56?
The illness was distemper, not parvo.
Parvo, as nasty a disease that it is, is spread through contact with infected feces. Even in the face of an outbreak in a kennel it is not inconceivable to contain it by isolating only sick individuals. However, this means closing the doors until all the animals potentially exposed have gone through the incubation period without showing symptoms and it is clear that the ill ones have surfaced, been removed from the general population and either euthanized or treated depending upon several factors including shelter funding and likelihood of survival (a white blood cell count can be prognostic) as well as the likelihood that if the dog survives it will be adoptable. Parvo is more apt to affect puppies than the general population. Treatment of a single puppy for the week of isolation in a vet office would probably come in somewhere around $2000.
Distemper, OTOH, is highly contagious and is an air borne pathogen. It is just as apt to affect adults as it is puppies. It poses a far greater risk and a far greater problem in containment. Even if an animal survives there is a good possibility it will suffer from problems for the rest of its life.
Aren't we currently being highly critical of the WCHS for adopting out animals that are unhealthy?
The best solution, unfortunately, in a shelter in the face of a distemper outbreak is cleaning house.
Anonymous said...
Anon 3:46
First of all, my son found the cat when she was a kitten. It was a few years after that the cat became pregnant. I did not act irresponsibily nor did I feel like she NEEDED to have kittens. If thats what YOU THINK I said maybe you need to reread my statements.
If you ask anyone involved with a humane society or any reputable vet I am pretty darn certain they'd agree that letting any stray cat breed intentionally is irresponsible. I've heard many reasons for the same and NONE OF THEM HAVE BEEN VALID.
Let me quote you on something you said, not that I interpreted, but your words:
Can u answer that question for me instead of asking me why I felt my cat needed to have kittensbefore I got her spayed?
Your words my friend, your words.
Secondly, (like I said NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS) I did have my cat and the kittens properly vaccinated.
Did you bother having the cat tested for FIV, FeLV, or FIP prior to breeding her? If you could afford all the vaccines why couldn't you afford to have her spayed at your regular vet rather than going for the hand out at the WCHS?
Third, as far as an operation without being put to sleep, this was just a question. I NEVER said that it actually happened. I was just trying to figure out what had happened to my cat during the time I dropped her off to be fixed and when I picked her up afterwards.
Yet you asked it, that implies you think it might have happened. Otherwise why bother putting it in as a possibility. Someone else pointed out the absurdity of that question.
Also, IF YOU HAD READ MY PREVIOUS POSTINGS, I did go to the vet to ask questions to try to help my cat. He didnt seem to know what happened to my cat. So at that point, I just tried to be easy with her and did not pursue anything of it. I did not accuse anyone of anything!! Just alot of unanswered questions seeing how there seems to appear to be problems at the Humane Society.
Firstly, not all posts are available immediately. Note what happens when you press buttons here.
Secondly, you brought it up as a possibility in this thread. Again, why bother if you don't really think that it is possible that it happened?
Next time try to read my post as it was presented and not the way YOU would have like it to be said!
Try wording it a little differently and not including things you aren't willing to stand behind next time. As my 5th grade teacher used to say, "Say what you mean and mean what you say."
Finally, if you really don't think it is anyone's business why you bred a stray cat, irresponsibly, don't bother mentioning it on the net for all to see. Upon doing so you make it everyone's business. Don't get your panties in a twist because people are pointing and laughing at you for doing something inexcusable.
I've heard it all, and no reason for breeding a stray cat passes any muster in validity. Go ahead and enlighten me if you want. But "it's none of your business" is not a valid reason either. That only serves to reinforce my position that you've got no valid reason.
I would like to leave my comments on the agency in discussion. I have not had a pleasant experience with this agency since I moved here in 1976. Originally living in Montgomery County where the humane society had served me and my family very well.
When first living here in the 70's I quickly discovered that the same humane society I had known all my life wasn't living here in Wicomico County and it still isn't.
Granted some ordinances may be different but I do not think they are many in number. You can still have unspayed or un-neutered animals at large in your yard. Not all animals do remain in the yard though, especially when still "intact." Such as some folks who live in the Sharptown area. Nice looking place to live, till you try to walk about the town with your dog leashed. You will be met by several loose barking dogs as you do your very best to remain within the guides of our ordinances concerning pet owner ship.
The sheriffs department does nothing, the animal control officers do nothing. They don't say they do nothing. They say they do this and that but the problem still persists and I see that the officers visit the homes frequently of the perpetrators or owners of ill mannered dogs. Ooops, one of the ill mannered dogs is the officers personal pet...my bad.
I feel very badly for the people who have actually lost their dog for good. The agency's cheap, lousy excuse is a fairly good representation of all the things I have witnessed through the years of trying to deal with the Wicomico County's animal/humanity/society. A enormous lack of professionalism for the start. In applying for a receptionist's position after having been a professional receptionist for years, I discovered that nepotism was the key to holding a position there. But that was a completely different clique then the existing one today. Errr, excuse me, staff.
Now the building and grounds are lovely no doubt, Wicomico is very good at coverings for dirty places. Like the Campbell soup building and the waterfront, both lovely places waiting, waiting, waiting for their coverings. The old bus depot waited a very, very long time for it's new covering. But Wicomico was up in neighborhoods chasing landlords for cracked windows and loose bricks in folks' homes.
I am totally digressing, again, my bad.
I had a lovely dog that I adopted from the newspaper. He was a stunning specimen of an Akita. He was not yet fixed when he became mine and did run away by jumping out the second story window of my in-town home. We'd had him for three days He was picked up and not released to me. I was supposed to get a talking to by an officer who was not available. Uh huh.
I had to call the president of the board of directors to make them release my dog to me. And no one ever said anything when I picked him up except; the girl who had to give him to me tried to scold me on the upkeep of this dog I just adopted. She told me I wasn't grooming him properly nor caring for his needs.
I saw her fawning all over my supposed vicious breed dog, and suspected that the only reason that my dog could not be released to me was that the employee wanted to keep my gorgeous dog for herself. She was making it more and more evident as each second ticked by. It was quite an ordeal for me and for the dog.
I managed to keep a calm and took my dog home. I kid you not, if I had not been working for the husband of this important cog in the wheel of the wagon at the time, I would never have seen my lovely Timber again. I did have him "fixed" by a reputable vet and he lived to be a glorious 18 year old companion. The best I ever had or suspect will have.
But no thanks to Wicomico Humane Society. I would never, ever deal with them again. Except, I have to;
The dogs out in Sharptown are totally out of controll. And now Sharptown has adopted the ordinance stating dogs to be leashed or controlled by voice command. Unless a family is too lazy to do that they put the collars on them. So I have to still listen to the incessant barking as people and cars or birds go by! Thanks Sharptown, thanks Wicomico County, especially to the Sheriff's department. Deputies riding in Air conditioned cars way faster than the speed limit that's posted...and driving up meridians on the way to Mickey "D's" Yeah, I saw you talking on your cell phone driving erradically.
Okay enough.
I'm sorry to hear all the bad things about WCHS! I have 4 dogs from there. One is going on 13 and is the picture of perfect health! Others are 10,8 and 3. All are mutes and rarely have any problems.
I adopted my gorgeous, precious kitties, Sugar Puff & Twinkie from WCHS & I tell everyone about how clean the facility is & how friendly the staff is.
Some friendly advice for the staff, though...try not to make people feel like criminals when dropping off an animal. Not everyone can keep every critter they find. Also, provide as much background information on your critters before adopting them to people. I know that sometimes it's impossible, but when it's available, a little insight can be helpful.
To the woman who wanted her cat to have a litter: Look, everyone loves a precious kitten, but when you think of the thousands of cats living in shelters that may never find a home, it really doesn't make sense to do what you did. I did a paper on this subject in college & the reality of procreating cats & dogs are staggering. Think of how frustrating it must be to work in a shelter witnessing some pretty amazing animals having to be euthanized simply because people are irresponsible pet-owners. I'm not trying to make you feel bad...just trying to shed some light on the other point of view. Spaying & neutering pets is something that I get really hyped about. (Stop buying from pet stores and breeders, folks!) I'm sorry...I'll climb off my soap box.
For those of you who have experienced issues & heartache at WCHS, I'm so sorry! I urge you to think of this as an isolated incident & give them a second chance. No place is perfect, but think of all those sweet little faces staring back from INSIDE the cage. I once adopted a cat from there that was abused at one time in her life. This wasn't disclosed to me during the adoption process, so imagine my surprise when someone at home would sneeze & she'd cower & pee. The point is, it didn't stop me from adopting from WCHS again.
I love WCHS & its staff, but more importantly, I LOVE the critters I've adopted from there over the years!
In case anyone cares to see my angels: http://www.myspace.com/kathylynn65
Sugar Puff is still with us, but Twinkie died 2 years ago from heart failure.
I'm so sorry to all of you who have lost pets. I am not in any way attempting to understate your loss. I know what it is like to lose a pet, and it is never easy. I agree that there are some things about WCHS that need to be changed. However, the last time I was in there (last week), they were in the process of giving the shelter a heavy-duty cleaning. Sure, these animals may not get the best possible care, but considering the amount of animals taken in, I think the care they receive is a great deal better than being out on the streets or in abusive homes. I'm not saying WCHS is perfect, but some of the things mentioned above would be hard to avoid in any shelter.
Look everyone....I am sorry about the little puppy that died and all of you that have lost pets. It is terrible, but from visiting the Wicomico Co. Humane Society what I could see is a ton of animals being cared for in the best way possible. They get animals in almost daily that are abused and not properly taken care of. Yes, I am sure there are things that the facility could do better, but they do the best they can with the funds that they have and try to save as many animals as they can. Their job isn't easy. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought a puppy under a certain age can't even receive many of the required shots until they become a certain age. You can't blame everything on the humane society...sometimes life throws you curve balls. How about trying to support the animals and send in some dogs treats and food for the animals and help out instead of complaining!
Actually, shelters everywhere constantly battle disease. I adopted my cat many, many years ago, far-far away from Wicomico county from a kill shelter. They told me he was four weeks old, but he weighed less than a pound. Within a week, he developed diarrhea, vomiting and a fever. A trip to the vet was unhelpful and when I called the shelter, I was told that their entire cat population was put down for distemper only days after I adopted my little tyke. The vet told me that with constant care he would survive it, if that's what ailed him. Distemper kills from dehydration. I nursed him through it, eventually, with a combination of Vitamite and turkey/rice babyfood. But in the weeks that followed, he was weak and refused to be box trained. After another call to the shelter, I was rebuffed and told I could return him, but they would just euthanize him. He was less than 8 weeks old! I stuck with him. In fact, my local humane society helped me with tips on how to train a cat who didn't want to be trained...
My "cheap" kitten ended up costing me thousands of dollars, but he was my buddy, my soulmate, my dearest love for many, many, many years. I lost him too soon, at the age of fifteen, from a congenital heart defect that we didn't catch until he was in heart failure. Should I blame them for not telling me he had a heart defect, when the average vet didn't catch it for fifteen years?
We adopted another pet, a border collie mix, from another shelter. On the day we adopted her, we took her directly to the vet for a "well" visit. We were told she was at least four years older than claimed (based on tooth wear) AND that she had stage three heartworms. Stage four is death. Her odds of surviving, even with treatment, we were told was about 75%. But we loved her already. We treated her, and she not only survived but flourished for 8 years afterward, until a stroke too her down...
The fact is, most shelters (kill or rescue) do the best they can with the tools they have, and they try very hard to give these unwanted, abused, abandoned and unloved critters homes and "parents" who will love them. They were never intended to be anything but temporary care and matchmakers. WE as owners need to be proactive in making sure that our pets really are as healthy as we hope they are. The first thing on our agenda should be a vet's visit...
Always assume that, while your pet was well cared for before he came to you, he won't be in top shape. Never assume that a kennel pet will be perfectly healthy. Please, PLEASE, have your new pet examined by a veterinarian. Just like so many communicable disease that rage through our schools and daycares, there are just things that can't be controlled in crowded conditions. Shelters do their best, but they just can't stop it all.
I know absolutely nothing about these owners (or runners) from yesteryear, but I do know a little bit about rescues. Be wise. Be a good "parent." And recognize that nobody (even you!) is god. If you couldn't save your wee one with all your dollars and private veterinarians, how can you expect that they could?
I also have adopted from the wicomico humane society...my dog did have kennel cough when I brought her home...but they gave me a 14 day supply of medicine to clear it up. That was 7 years ago and she is the healthiest best dog ever. I then got a golden retriever from Delaware Puppy Rescue..He had puppy mites ..which are common in puppies...diarrhea for a whole year..I spent a total of $6000.00 on him the first year alone...but today,he also, is very healthy & happy. It doesn't matter what rescue group you get a dog from...Know the warning signs...learn about your dog..get to know him &you too can help in so many ways..the pounds are overwhelmed..true, some of the people that work in these places need to go...but you still have to educate yourself on dog behavior & issues then maybe next time your adoption process will be better!
Agh. I cringe when words are used improperly. Do you know what phobia means? It means fear of something. Sick and tired of the word homophobia. Disagreeing with the lifestyle or commenting on the lack of professionalism (in this case the WCHS) does not mean being afraid of the homosexual!
The reason I came to this site is that I am looking for a small dog for my son. I reluctantly looked up the Wicomico County Humane Society and got into Joe Albero (this site here). I like Joe. I dislike WCHS since my experience there has not been positive.
I agree. Stay on subject. What does anyone's sexual lifestyle gotta do with a persons pet passing away? Smh
Under the best circumstances vaccines take up to 14 days to take effect. So most of these animals have already been exposed (the fault of careless pet owners not HSWC). Also, puppies are protected by maternal antibodies that's why vaccines are given every 3 weeks sometimes up to age 20 weeks as it is impossible to know when those antibodies will stop protecting the puppy. No 8 week old animal is fully vaccinated. Accordingly, must vets would recommend 2 consecutive negative fecals before declaring then worm free. There is never a guarantee with a pet, no matter where it comes from. We should be careful to focus too much negativity on HSWC as it distracts from the ultimate mission, that Is to place homeless animals in loving homes. Having said that the staff does often come across as calus and rude. Probably much for the same reasons that cops treat everyone they encounter like a criminal. There use to dealing with idiots. Please don't take it personally. Only the animals suffer when you do.
We took our 3yr old German shepherd to be neutered at wicomico humane. After picking him up and within the 10 days his ball sack which should have shriveled up became as swelled as a softball size. He was completely healthy before. They ended up rupturing a blood vessel and he was full of blood and infection. We had to go to a vet and get meds for the swelling and infection because what we were told the humane society had given us was nothing more than 2 pain meds. He is now 1 month after surgery and is doing great from the follow up to a real vet! Please do not let these idiots continue to harm our pets. My shepherd was never like he is now after going there :( he has been so much worse after moving here and seeing these idiots!
Why are being such a nasty bitch??? She was just relating to the experience....
How do you start a no kill shelter?
Well as with other professional organizations the director should not be mingling with other staff as in dating or favorticism - nothing wrong with Second In command Aka life partner sure there's discrimination but it has to do with wrongful use of power and everyone knows about relationships in the workplace.
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