While our local "Humane Society" works to help the more visible of the deserving Animals of our Community, what happens to the rest? How many dogs like J Lo leave the shelter through the back doors, dead and in a barrel??

Decades after the "No Kill Revolution" has presented solutions that would end the mass-killing of the approx. 5 million dogs and cats that enter our shelters every year, the sheltering system is still clinging to the antiquated attitude that there are never going to be enough homes for all those considered to be adoptable...this is just not true.

Nathan Winograd has proven that there ARE enough homes and enough compassionate people in EVERY Community, to see that each one of these furry little faces has a warm bed every night, with just a little effort on the part of Compassionate Shelter Management, which we do not have in our "Humane" Society.

Sure, they can and do blame the public for not having their Companion Animals spayed/neutered, licensed or otherwise, but once these Animals wind-up at the Shelter, who's fault is it if they don't leave alive? It's the Shelters fault, that's who's fault it is.

J Lo couldn't tell her own story, neither can the countless other Animals who find themselves hoping someone will come to their rescue and either re-claim them, or offer them a second chance. We are the voice of the voiceless, we will be heard!

As a community, we should DEMAND transparency, and to really see the numbers of the Animals admitted, and those that leave ALIVE. Not in a manufactured "bundle" of statistics, but broken out by type, cat, dog, bunny .... The word "un-adoptable" should always be accompanied with a statement from a professional Behaviorist or Vet, not influnced by the shelter or its personnel in any way.

The word "Aggressive" should be struck from all shelters' vocabulary, as we all know that the number of "Aggressive" dogs entering shelters is far FAR fewer than reported, and there is no such thing as an "aggressive" cat...only a frightened cat.

The "Humane" Society does not treat each Animal with the individualized attention they need or deserve. They fail in many areas, because they refuse to embrace the No Kill Philosophy. They have offered us alternative phrases and names as an excuse for their refusal to stop the killing. No-Kill is No Killing of Adoptable or Medically treatable animals. No-Kill is dropping the shelter's kill rate to less than 10%. (it currently is between 30 % and 40%). No Kill is an open admission facility (our "Humane" Society is not).

They have all the resourses at their disposal to STOP killing! Email, write or call and ask them why they want to continue to kill adoptable animals? DEMAND that in giving your donations you expect them to adopt the No Kill Philosophy, stop the killing of adoptable animals, and rid themselves of all personnel who do not support the philosophy 150%!

Please email your concerns and demands to: boardpresident@green-hill.org

The County Commissioners: peter.sorenson@co.lane.or.us; faye.Stewart@co.lane.or.us; bobby.green@co.lane.or.us; bill.fleenor@co.lane.or.us; bill.Dwyer@co.lane.or.us

Local Media: adamewood@guardnet.com; mcooper@guardnet.com; editor@eugeneweekly.com; rickdancer@kezi.com, matttempleman@kmtr.com, monicaguza@kmtr.com, kurtz@kval.com,
kelliwarner@kmtr.com, reneemccullough@kmtr.com, marcmullins@kmtr.com, josephcalbreath@kmtr.com

"Humane" Society??

It’s time for those of us that care about homeless animals and the care they receive in our community at our local “Humane” Society, speak out about the very sad and disgraceful actions of the Operations Director. This person killed yet another adoptable dog (J-Lo) on Saturday, 9/8/07, after many of us in the community desperately tried to get J-Lo into a safe foster home.

Prior to being transferred from LCARA as a Second-Chance Dog, J-Lo spent a fun-filled and loving day at an adoptathon with some of our local, independent rescue groups and was the star of the day. She sat in one volunteer’s lap, listening to the live band, getting a few pieces of pizza crust here & there, playing with children and showing everyone what a sweet, lovable & excellent pet she was. That volunteer told me with tears in her eyes that it was probably the best day of J-Lo’s life and she felt lucky to be a part of it. She started out at LCARA, who relies on our local “Humane" Society at times to be there to help out some of our homeless animals when they become too crowded and want to find a REALLY nice dog a good home. She had some hair loss when she was transferred, a simple flea allergy that kept her in confinement for over 2 months, spending only one day on the floor available for adoption.

J-Lo was transferred from LCARA on 7/6/07 until 7/24/07 in confinement and was then put under medical quarantine. On 8/8/07, LCARA, called to ask if J-Lo could be transferred back to them as he had a foster home for her with a local rescue. The answer was no, after hearing the name of the rescuer. J-Lo wasn’t available for adoption until 8/13/07 and was back in confinement on 8/14/07 to be "evaluated". J-Lo was confined with no human contact, no walks, and no love.

This senseless killing of adoptable animals at our "Humane" Society has got to stop. No-Kill means no killing of ADOPTABLE animals, only those too ill or aggressive after a PROPER and PROFESSIONAL evaluation. To see the kind of No-Kill shelter we should have in our community of kind/ compassionate people, check out http://www.spcaonline.com/

There are many people and rescue groups who fell in love with J-Lo. We are both saddened and angered by her senseless death because she had many options that our "Humane" Society chose to ignore. It is way past time for a regime change! We need to continue to SUPPORT the animals with donations along with DEMANDING the necessary changes. Call the “Humane” Society and INSIST that they stop deceiving their donors and their community and STOP THE SHAMEFUL AND SENSELESS KILLING OF ADOPTABLE ANIMALS. Write to our Lane County Commissioners and let them know how you feel about the treatment of the County's animals given into the "care" of this "Humane" Society.

If we don’t speak up for the homeless animals in our community, who will?

Lots of people knew her

Lots and lots of people knew this dog, JLo. She played with children and sat in laps and gave everyone kisses. THEY killed her. THEY didn't let her go to offered foster homes. THEY said she was aggressive with children, but before THEY got ahold of her, and kept her in isolation for two months, she was a sweet, sweet girl. What did THEY do to her to make her not like kids? Is that even the truth? Poor sweet J Lo, no running or playing or walks. Just the inside of her cell for the last two months of her life. Then THEY killed her for a made up reason just to get rid of her.

I named her Tammy

All she needed was a bath and a name.

I was toweling her off and she had a huge smile on her face. Even a bath was a welcome bit of attention. I named her Tammy.
Tammy had a little crick in her tail, and a lot of hair-loss. She also had a look in her eyes that showed a history of neglect, but dispite her past, she was willing to wiggle for me and lick my face. I was in love.

The next time I saw her, she was as excited as a child a the fair.
All of the smells and sounds of the Big Adoption Event didn't scare her. She actually feasted on all the activity, and smiled at every person who passed her by. Her smile and joyful spirit attracted a lot of attention, but once the potential adopters saw her hair-loss, suddenly she lost her appeal. Tammy didn't know she was anything other than a happy dog that day. She didn't care that she had any hair-loss...she was having too much fun...

It was nearing the end of the day and Tammy still hadn't been adopted. She didn't know she would be returning to the pound, and was just enjoying the last few moments of a wonderful summer day out in the fresh air.
I actually started crying when I looked over and noticed she had made herself comfortable in the lap of one of the volunteers. People were sneaking her little pieces of pizza crust, and she was listening to the last song of the afternoon...it was the best day of her life, I'm sure.

Tammy wasn't at the Pound the next time I went in to walk dogs, and I instantly panicked. I had fallen for this dog, and was determined that the next Adoption Event would yield a loving new home for her, but she was nowhere in sight. She had been transferred to Greenhill...whew, she wasn't dead.

Instantly I started inquiring as to her status and for the next two months she was being held in the back, dispite the offer of a foster-home for her in August, and, as far as I know, two people willing to meet her and adopt. Why?? It all boils down to an ego issue between Teresa Iverson, and an ex-volunteer.
Tammy had been re-named J Lo and J Lo was being held in the back, not allowed to go for walks or receive the normal attention any Animal needs to thrive. All for a simple "flea Allergy".
She was eventually placed on the floor for one day, but a staff person saw her "bar her teeth" (she could have her eyes being jabbed by a pencil, and I don't believe she would have "barred her teeth"...she was incapable of being mean...) and so she was thrown back into isolation until her death on Saturday, September 8th. She had been labeled "Aggressive".

J Lo (Tammy) was the perfect little loving spirit, still able to trust, even after what had been an obvious life of neglect. She had a world of love to share and would have been a faithful companion until her dying breath. Her dying breath was at the hands of an un-caring staff-person, at an un-caring "Humane Society".

I will always remember how I was struck with instant tears when I saw her warm eyes squinting into the sunshine while her ears were perked to listen to the music. That big smile on her face, as she was being hand-fed pizza-crust treats, and being cuddled in loving arms. THAT was the life she deserved. THAT is the life she will never have.

To Greenhill, J Lo is only another statistic, and another cruel victim of the games we humans play. To the rest of us...J Lo is a little Angel who deserved much more than this.

Naughty, Naughty “Humane” Society – another adoptable dog killed ….

Here’s the latest scoop from your oh so secret animal welfare reporter ….
Hi all you animal lover darlings out there. What local humane society has been naughty, naughty, naughty? Word has it that certain kennel management has gone completely bonkers and signed the death warrant for yet another adoptable dog, this one named J Lo.

Also overheard ex volunteers were "let go" for asking too many probing questions about underfed dogs! These poor hungry dogs (some of them puppies) were temperament tested, labeled "food aggressive" and killed! Sweeties, let me tell YOU that THIS reporter would be biting their ankles to the bone if they did that to me!

Has this humane society lost all compassion? Who do you suppose is running the place? Obviously not the director or the board! It’s time for animal lovers everywhere to start making phone calls to these naughty, naughty people. So sweeties, PLEASE do the right thing here and after you have had your martini and din din, sit down and write a nice letter to the editor; and darlings, don’t forget that phone call and to tell everyone you know about this blog!

Kiss Kiss…
Ann Imallover