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Sunday, October 11, 2015

A Letter To The Editor: Wicomico County Humane Society

Dear Mr. Albero

I am sending you this email in regard to my experience with the Humane Society of Wicomcio County. On September 25 of this year, I called the Humane Society to ask them if they had room for a black, male kitten I had found in my backyard. The kitten was sweet and affectionate and would come running to me whenever I stepped outside to get into my car. I asked around my neighborhood to see if it had an owner and was unable to find one.

When I called the shelter, I asked them if they would put it down, if they had room for it and what would happen to it. A women who worked there replied that they would not put it down, that they have not put cats down to make room in the five years she has worked there and that they have been lucky. She reassured me that he would held for a few days and then put up for adoption.

I drove down to the shelter to release the kitten to them. The kitten was calm and affectionate. I held the kitten in my arms as I walked inside since I did not have a carrier.

The shelter gave me a carrier to put him into and had me sign a release paper.

Today I drove down to shelter to check on that little kitten. I did not see it inside any of the crates or inside the kitty city. I asked them to look him up under my name and they told me he was euthanized. I asked them why they had put him down and the woman in charge replied that it was feral and that they don't take feral cats. This was a blatant lie since this kitten was held and loved by many neighbors on my street. I feel like I have been lied to. I think that the Wicomcio Humane Society is lying to the public. I know that if I had been told the truth over the phone that I would not have dropped him off there. I don't know who to go to with this.

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is sad. I am sorry you had to go through that!

Anonymous said...

Some people who work there are no better than planned parent hood. Can't wait to kill something.

Anonymous said...

You apparently don't get out much.

Anonymous said...

Seems as if the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing a common complaint with these shelters and not just Wicomico. They all need to get their acts together.
There was NO excuse for this complete lack of leadership. If their policy is to put down feral cats then you should have been told this upon initial inquiry. Again there is no excuse for this. At the very minimum anyone who brings in a stray should be notified as to the status of the animal pre death sentence-in most cases. I don't want to hear the excuse lack of manpower etc. If the director can't do this then get the hell out and let someone who is professional and competent do the job.
I'm curious to know if the kitten was scanned for a microchip.

Anonymous said...

Sadly, both the city and county councils fund this organization by have no, as in zero, oversight on its operations.

Anonymous said...

but, not by

Anonymous said...

I will never take any animal to the Humane Society and this is why. I also will not support them financially but anyone that knows me knows that all they have to do is say they are taking the animal to the SPCA and I will take it. We have gotten spayed animals from the SPCA that weren't as well as several that were sick. I don't trust them.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a misunderstanding. Feral is defined as: "(especially of an animal) in a wild state, especially after escape from captivity or domestication" The cat was clearly feral, regardless of how affectionate it was.

Anonymous said...

If you do not want the Humane Society to do it's job don"t take your animal there. Like it or not they were formed to control the population and suffering of UNWANTED animals in whatever way it is possible. If more people would adopt from them this would be less of a problem. "If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.."

Anonymous said...

"Would not have dropped him off THERE"?? In the forest, right??

JoeAlbero said...

9:52, What is it that you conveniently don't understand that representatives from the Humane Society assured this person they would not put this cat down???? Man, sometimes I wonder about you people.

Anonymous said...

Yea and our government promised ObamaCare would work too!
Wake up folks any government related service will lie and deceive you!

Anonymous said...

9:52 You are the problem! When someone inquires about an organizations policies they should get accurate info. There should be a standard answer in place for those answering the public's questions. If 10 people call with the same question those 10 people should each and every time get exactly the same answer from EVERYONE associated with the shelter.
Again YOU pal are the problem. You settle for mediocrity instead of competence.
The feral not adoptable BS is nonsense. All 7 of my indoor only cats were feral as were the 3 we had before that are now deceased due to old age. All of my cats-considered feral-are affection, lovable and bomb proof as in nothing- loud noises, strangers, dog barking, vacuum cleaner scares them. When someone knocks on the front door they run to see who it is.

Anonymous said...

9:52 must work at the humane society....

Anonymous said...

Blogger JoeAlbero said...
9:52, What is it that you conveniently don't understand that representatives from the Humane Society assured this person they would not put this cat down???? Man, sometimes I wonder about you people.

October 6, 2015 at 9:57 AM

I feel ya Joe. Some people are just not happy unless they are tearing someone else down. Hateful.

Anonymous said...

The Humane Society is just like the school board, they take your tax dollars but are held responsible to NO ONE! Their name is a misnomer and it should just be Animal Control...you bring em, we kill em!

Anonymous said...

How awful!! You have to sit back and wonder the personalities of the employees there!! If they can kill an animal so easily and quickly, what kind of person are they really?

Anonymous said...

Doesn't the Humane Society have plenty of feral cats running around outside of their building???

kat said...

To answer your question, I was going to either keep him or ask Snip Tuck, Inc. to help me find him a home.

Anonymous said...

A feral cat is not the same as a stray cat. The kitten was clearly a stray. Go get educated.

Anonymous said...

It takes a cold hearted sub-human POS to kill a kitten.

Anonymous said...

Stray:

A stray cat is a cat who has been socialized to people at some point in her life, but has left or lost her domestic home, as well as most human contact and dependence.
Over time, a stray cat can become feral as her contact with humans dwindles.
Under the right circumstances, however, a stray cat can also become a pet cat once again. Stray cats that are re-introduced to a home after living outdoors may require a period of time to re-acclimate; they may be frightened and wary after spending time outside away from people.

Feral:

A feral cat is a cat who has either never had any contact with humans or her contact with humans has diminished over time. She is fearful of people and survives on her own outdoors. A feral cat is not likely to ever become a lap cat or enjoy living indoors.
Kittens born to feral cats can be socialized at an early age and adopted into homes.

Anonymous said...

I will never take another animal there,that I find, nor will I support them in anyway. That was just plain wrong.

Anonymous said...

I feel horrible for the poor loving kitten and you as well, it definitely wasn't HUMANE. I tried to get a kitten there several years ago when our older cat died. We saw a kitten we wanted and asked to adopt, we were told we couldn't as he had no shots yet and no exam. I asked to be put down that I wanted that kitten and pay their full charge to hold him, again was told couldn't do that either for the same reasons above. Asked for the person in charge was told this was their policy and that person would not alter their policy. Fortunately we found one out of the paper and he is five now and we are very happy.

Anonymous said...

i agree with 3.46

Anyone to inject death into a kitten has no heart at all.

Fire Fitzgerald ,Gordy,and Littleton and wipe the slate clean.

Anonymous said...

They could have at least taken your phone number

Anonymous said...

Just a term that's it. I guess you work there??

Anonymous said...

9:33 works there!!! Don't make her mad she'll start killing more.

Anonymous said...

October 6, 2015 at 9:35 AM,

That needs to be changed!
I don't like my taxes paying for something neither city nor county have any control over, and I vote.., are you listening council members?

Anonymous said...

Another Political Good Old Boy deal. Why does Dave Fitzgerald have this job. He was town manager of Pittsville. They did have Linda HugeOOO there. It just seems to me they could find someone who is not so crazy to run the place. Must be a prerequisite that you are fing nuts.

I would have smacked that bitch in the mouth and stuck her head in the over for about three minutes. Then told her learn to get your facts in order. If you have her name post it. Maybe she has a pet that needs gassing.

Anonymous said...

A person who does not defend a friendly kitten from being unnecessarily killed is a creep.