Please go check out their pets up for adoption! Why buy when these die – Adopt!
Please consider phoning them (+1-985-543-0215) and thanking them for posting their pets online where more people can view them 24/7! They have taken another step to saving more shelter pets. I see they have about 50 dogs posted right now — this is an amazing accomplishment. They have not posted on petfinder for over a year – so glad to see them back.
Please check over all their pets. They have many Labs and Lab mixes as well as some Rat Terriers, Heelers, Terriers, Chihuahuas, etc…
They nearly always have little house dogs and young puppies and kittens up for adoption as well as wonderful adult dogs for you to consider. You can find purebreds as well as mix breeds (wonderful mutts). Please adopt your next pet from an animal shelter.
TPAC Contact info:
Tangipahoa Parish Animal Control
Charles “Chip” Fitz – Director
15487 Club Deluxe Road
Hammond, Louisiana 70403
+1-985-543-0215
cfitz @ tangipahoa . org (please remove the spaces)
It is fast and easy to do; just write a quick message to a few people asking them to put an end to the killing of pets in gas chambers in Louisiana. All the info you need is right on this web page:
Phone calls are more effective so please also consider make a few quick phone calls.
NOTE: please do this with love in your hearts for these homeless animals. Love is more powerful than hate or anger.
If our shelter pets must die let it be in a more humane way.
Please pass this along and post it everywhere! Myspace, facebook, twitter, blogs, websites, local media! Together we can make a difference. Please take action today!
Like most of the people in our state I care about the pets I have and the homeless pets that end up in our city’s animal control facilities. I would like to see as many of these pets find new homes and leave the shelters alive. But until programs are put into place like low cost and no cost spay and neuter, foster care, offsite adoptions, evening hours, and volunteer programs (to name a few), I also know that the continual flood of animals entering the shelters means that animals will have to be killed.
But if animals are to be killed it should be in the most humane way — euthanasia by injection of sodium pentobarbital, or an alternate oral version of the drug correctly carried out. The use of gas in gas chambers to kill shelter animals needs to end now.
Governments are put into place to be of service to the people and if you did a poll you would find that most people would prefer that the animal control facilities do a much better job of rehoming homeless pets and if they must die then they wish that their deaths be as painless and free of stress as possible.
As a tax payer I do NOT want my tax money spent for needless animal suffering through the use of gas chambers when there is a more humane way. Since lethal injection is the method used in all veterinarians’ offices to end a pet’s life, and is recommended by all national humane organizations in the America as the most humane, least stressful, safest, and most cost effective it should be the only allowable method to kill pets in our state’s animal control system.
As public servants it is the duty of government officials to strongly consider the will of the public in all matters. Note that across America the outcry to do away with the gassing of shelter pets is growing ever louder. I am adding my voice to theirs and ask that you hear me.
I chose to be the voice of the voiceless and beg that the use of gas chambers be outlawed for the state of Louisiana.
“In this country tax-payers spend $1 billion dollars annually to pick up, house, and euthanize homeless animals. If only 5% of that total were allocated to spay/neuter programs, we could open 250 public, low-cost spay/neuter clinics across the country and sterilize more than $4 million animals each year.” – ryannewmanfoundation.org/news
“Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight.” – Albert Schweitzer
Help stop the gassing of shelter animals in the state of Louisiana
Some animal shelters in Louisiana still use the gas chamber to kill unwanted pets even though most people feel that it is much more inhumane than lethal injection.
You can help ban the use of gas chambers in Louisiana!
If there is one thing you do in the following days that can make a huge difference to the way shelter animals die in Louisiana, this is it. Until we can put a stop to the killing at lease let us join together and help make the killing more humane.
The dogs, puppies, cats, and kittens in the animal shelters deserve a kinder way to leave this earth. Please share this info with everyone you can. Even people without pets would like to see them suffer less. Please I am begging you to help.
– Joni Solis
I received the following email message on the gassing of pets in Louisiana:
A big Thank You to all who made calls, on behalf of the animals at Vermilion Parish Rabies Control. As most of you know, they really do not care about what is happening at this facility ~ their repeated comments were that they are abiding by the state law.
So this brought us to what we need to do next ~ WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE STATE LAW CONCERNING THE USE OF GAS CHAMBERS!
Call to Action: Send Messages to Louisiana State Officials on September 1st
I’m asking all of you, to once again, come together in unity and send messages to Louisiana State Officials that we need to ban the use of gas chambers, once and for all!! Please start thinking of what you’d like to express (please no profanity) and then wait until Tuesday, September 1st to send it. I think that if we all send it on the same day our outrage will be noticed! If any of you have friends in the media or press pass this on to them too! (post to your websites – facebook, twitter, myspace, petfinder site, etc…) We can’t continue “to not do anything”.
Sample letter to send: Please reword it for the most impact.
Dear State of Louisiana Officials,
There is an issue at hand that needs immediate attention, it is concerning the way in which we discard animals who are left homeless, for one reason or another, and end up in rabies control or animal shelters and killed by the use of a gas chamber.
Most of you know that animals bring so much to our lives~there are police dogs who serve, seeing eye dogs who give the blind their independence, therapy dogs who give hope to those who have none, and company to those who are homebound or elderly~and what do we do when they are homeless?
We toss them into a gas chamber, turn it on and then 20-30 minutes later we discard their bodies in a landfill. Have we lost sense of reality, and compassion, or are we so desensitized to what is happening?
A small rabies control facility in Vermilion parish has been killing animals in a chamber that is broken! They are having to use a screwdriver to keep the door shut, and the animals are having to endure two cycles to finally succumb to their death. IS THIS APPROPRIATE TO YOU? How many facilities are operating this way?
The animals can’t speak, so how do you know? I’m asking you to BAN THE GAS CHAMBER IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA! If animals have to die, shouldn’t we do it with some compassion, don’t they at least deserve this? The injectable euthanasia is a faster, more humane way to let them go. While we strive for no killings at all, this is a better alternative and the cost is the same.
Clearly we have a choice, we do not have to torture animals in gas chambers. Louisiana can make a positive move on behalf of the animals, Please BAN THE GAS CHAMBERS!
Also remember the Attorney General- James Caldwell at AdminInfo@ag.state.la.us ; Secretary of State – Jay Dardenne at admin@sos.louisiana.gov ; Page Cortez at cortez@legis.state.la.us ; David Vitter at http://vitter.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm ; Mike Michot at lasen23@legis.state.la.us ; Charles Boustany at la07ima@mail.house.gov ; Deputy Legislative Director at nicholas.cahanin@la.gov
Here are all of the emails in a row for easy copy and paste into an email (but it is better to send them one at a time and address them to each person). Also note that it has been found to be more effective to print out and send a paper letter by mail or make a phone call. Why? Because these require more effort on your part and the officials know most people will not go to this trouble — so it has more impact.
THERE ARE SO MANY YOU CAN CONTACT ~ please don’t stop now, make a call, or two, and send emails to BAN THE GAS CHAMBER!!!!!! PLEASE wait until Tuesday, SEPTEMBER 1st ~ Tuesday, SEPTEMBER 1st ~ Tuesday, SEPTEMBER 1st
~Let’s come together again in memory of Kiddo & Friends! They suffered unnecessarily………….surely we can spend a little time emailing for them?
Find and count yourself; I have seen these #’s:
14 states mandate injection
13 ban gas
These still use gas: LA, OH, AL GA, NC, IL, KY, MS, OK, SC, TX, WV (all small population states except TX).
I got this (typed) info last year, so may change.
Virginia has banned gas chambers, (search line says also NY and CA, but I can’t find that) http://www.animallawcoalition.com/gas-chambers/article/350
The cost analysis done by the Humane Society of the United States revealed:
Cost per animal with Carbon Monoxide is $1.323 per animal
Cost per year with Carbon Monoxide: $13,230
Cost per animal with Sodium Pentobarbital is $1.27
Cost per year with Sodium Pentobarbital is $12,700
The costs per year were based on euthanasia of 10,000 animals per year. All costs, including labor and supplies have been included. My source of information is the Humane Society of the United States Euthanasia Training Manual referenced from pages 127 – 129.
“Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight.” – Albert Schweitzer
Here is my (Joni Solis) email message to vermilionppj@yahoo.com, vermilionanimals@yahoo.com, vermilionanimal@yahoo.com, tjprejean@vppj.org,
lbroussard@vppj.org, pgaspard@vppj.org, cboudreaux@vppj.org, gbutaud@vppj.org, rmenard@vppj.org, kmeaux@vppj.org, edomingues@vppj.org, wtouchet@vppj.org, rdarby@vppj.org, ngranger@vppj.org, dhebert@vppj.org, cberaud@vppj.org, ctheriot@vppj.org
Date: Thu, Aug 13, 2009 at 4:10 PM
Subject: Rabies Control in Vermilion Parish, LA. — just know I care…
Rabies Control in Vermilion Parish, LA. — just know I care…
Just thought I should contact you and let you know that I care about the homeless animals in Vermilion and hope that you will see that people love pets and wish that you would do better and help them more. And yes it is possible to save more pets.
Other animal controls have learned to improve and save more pet lives. It can be done with leaders that believe it and work at it. Please consider the wishes of the people of your parish and know that improvement is possible with the will to do so. May one day you find this will.
– Joni Solis
I received the following email message as a reply to my emailed message to vermilionanimal@yahoo.com…
From: vermilionanimal@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, Aug 14, 2009 at 3:53 PM
Subject: setting the record straight
To whom it may or may not concern,
Brief Statement:
I am Melissa, the Director of Vermilion Parish Rabies/Animal Control for those that are unaware. I have been at my job for 4 months now and in light of the circumstances I wanted to give this brief statement and then continue with regular business.
I do not want anything to overshadow what has been accomplished at Rabies/Animal Control. We all love animals and show every animal that comes in the respect he/she deserves. We are all compassionate, caring and have a tough job. Our job is not easy and when rumors/falsehoods are put out there the only thing I can say is come talk to me and get the right message. We do not have an In-House adoption program but we do have an agreement with Animal Aid for Vermilion Area. Animal Aid has every opportunity to pick over the dogs and cats, they deem adoptable and have them pulled to their cages, that I have designated for that purpose. I have held dogs for them but it is their responsibility to make sure to inform me if there are any to be moved.(NOT my staff) In the future I want all adoptable animals to be pulled in writing.
We are finishing the room that will be used for Lethal injection. Scott has his certificate and I just got back from training on Aug 3 and 4 for my certification. We need an exam table and supplies.
The sink that was approved of for dish washing will be in tomorrow and now we can be more efficient at our daily duties. The building had so many projects when I first started that I am trying to get everything done but it will be at my pace since I am the one making sure it gets done.
When Mr. Jeff Dorson came in, it was under false pretences but when I finally got the truth from him I still gave him a transparent tour. If it had not been for the tour I gave him he would not have had any pictures. I was unaware that is was out to get the Police and he knew that. I showed him the things I liked, didn’t like and the improvements that I along with the Police Jury’s permission would take care of. Please don’t let the actions of an individual such as this affect your perceptions of our facility.
Please post a link to this web page to your facebook, twitter, blogs, petfinder site, and any other place on the Internet and spread the news by emails and egroups too! Here is the short link to this page: End Gas Chambers for Shelter Pets in Louisiana http://wp.me/pc4ch-5B
Racheal Sance, a pet rescuer sent me this writing in an email and I was so moved by it that I did a search for it online to see if I could post it to my blog. I found posted on House Rabbit Society’s website on this web page: http://www.rabbit.org/adoption/saying-goodbye.html I emailed them and received permission to repost it here. It is a sad story, but one we all need to read and pass on.
Adopt A Mutt!
The note from Racheal’s email: I’m not sure who Amy Espie is but I’ve experienced this so many times working at TPAC. It’s heartbreaking, if you put yourself in this persons shoes maybe you’ll see… maybe it’ll make just one person realize how terrible it is everyday for so many beautiful, intelligent, deserving but unwanted animals. And maybe if people stop to think they’ll see that this is in every shelter, tens of thousands of shelters all across our country every single day and even if just one person here and there decides to spay and neuter maybe we can save some lives…..
Sunday. A friend and I take our dogs for a run in the park. The late-afternoon sunlight is pure gold, and a fresh breeze rustles the tall grass. A family approaches us on the trail: a man, woman, and two small boys. They are accompanied by a large tan dog with the distended nipples of motherhood and an adorable pup who looks just like his mom. The pup pesters his mom, taking five steps for every one of hers. She patiently tolerates his rambunctiousness.
It’s a heartwarming scene that totally depresses me.
What has happened to me? I love dogs. I love puppies. And yet the sight of puppies makes me sad. Every time I see or hear of a litter of kittens or pups, I also see cages full of homeless ones and the bins full of dead ones at the shelter where I work.
Monday. It’s 8 PM, time to go home. I walk past the cages in the Stray Cat Room. A calico cat and her two kittens sit quietly on the shelf in their cage. The mother grooms one of the kittens. A pink card attached to the cage tells me it’s time to say goodbye to these three. I feel the familiar mixture of sadness, anger, and bitterness.
A huddled gray ball of fur in an adjoining cage catches my eye. In the farthest corner of her cage, a bedraggled cat hides her head under a sheet of newspaper. I peer between the bars. “Hi, Kitty,” I say softly. “Are you totally miserable? I don’t blame you.” I chatter on, more for my own benefit than for hers. I put some treats into her bowl and leave.
Tuesday. A small, frightened black rabbit is rescued from a cellar by one of our Humane Officers. That evening she gives birth to five babies. Four days later, when her stray period is up, the babies are injected with sodium pentobarbital. A few seconds later, they are dead. The mother is put up for adoption.
Gray Cat clings to her corner, still facing the wall. I notice that she’s eaten the treats I left, which encourages me. I talk to her again. “I know it’s hard to believe, but actually you’re pretty lucky. Decent food, a clean litter box, people who care about you; and, with a little luck, one special person to appreciate and adore you forever.” Gray Cat is not impressed.
Wednesday. I talk to the people in my dog-training class about spaying and neutering. “Of the ten million dogs and cats who are killed every year at animal shelters in the US, nearly three million are purebreds,” I explain. “And the other seven million had a purebred in their very recent past. Stand at our front counter any day of the week and you will hear the same stories again and again: ‘We’re moving’; ‘The landlord says no’; ‘He barks and the neighbors called the cops on us’; ‘She messes in the house.’ An expensive dog with a behavior problem is just as disposable as an all-American mutt.
“Spend a day at the shelter and you’ll also hear the repertoire of reasons people give for not having their animals spayed or neutered: ‘We want the children to experience the miracle of birth’; ‘Neutering is unnatural’; ‘It’s cruel’; “I wouldn’t want anyone to do it to me’; ‘My cat is from champion stock’; ‘We’ve already got homes lined up for all the babies.’ But try to explain these reasons to a loving, beautiful animal (or even an ill-tempered, homely one) whose time is up, who is receiving a death sentence when his only crime is that some human let him be born instead of facing the reality of the overpopulation disaster. I’ve never heard a rationalization that didn’t fade into nothing in the face of even one death.”
On my way out, I stop at Gray Cat’s cage again. “Hi, Gray C. Still memorizing that bit of wall, I see.” A miracle! She turns and looks at me. Her emerald eyes size me up. Maybe I’m being too optimistic, but she seems a little less frightened, her body a shade more relaxed. “Listen,” I tell her, “you’ve probably met some pretty unevolved humans out there. We’re not all like that. Give us another chance, okay?” She blinks dubiously. This is progress.
Thursday. The animal care technicians at the shelter are the bravest people in the world. I watch them scrub kennels and clean litter boxes. I see them take a moment to play with a kitten or hold a lonely pup. I hear them calm the frightened ones with a gentle word. And every now and then I force myself to witness what they must face every day. That same dog who they cared for, petted, and talked to must finally be given the only thing we have left to offer: a gentle, respectful death. What have we come to when the best we can do is to kill them kindly?
Jim puts a leash on the Labrador retriever. She cowers in the back of the kennel, tail between her legs. He tugs on the leash. She whimpers and crouches down lower. He kneels beside her. “It’s okay, pup. Don’t be scared.” She stops whimpering but won’t move. He scoops her up in his arms and carries her to the Euthanasia Room. She’s been at the shelter for two weeks. She’s so frightened that all she does is lie in the corner. No one wants her. Now she will die. Carol holds her while Jim shaves a small patch of fur from her leg. She is quiet and trembling. Jim continues to talk to her. He gives her the injection. She slumps onto the table. Carol carries her body to the Chill Room and adds it to the pile.
In the Cat Room, Gray Cat is sitting in her usual corner, but she’s not facing the wall today. The room is noisy. Adorable kittens fill row upon row of cages. Friendly adult cats come forward, asking for attention. I open her cage to give her a treat. “It isn’t fair,” I tell her. “You have every right to distrust people, but if you don’t act adoptable, how can you compete with all these other cats?” I reach my hand closer to her. I touch her. She lets me! I thank her.
Friday. At home, a veterinary clinic calls me to find out if I have room for another unwanted. The owners brought a young mini-lop in to be euthanized. Why? They’re moving out of state. They don’t want to take the rabbit. They haven’t found any friend who will take him, and they don’t want “a bunch of strangers” coming to their house to see the rabbit.
When I get to work, Gray C. is not in her cage. I look everywhere. I try not to be too hopeful. I tell myself, Don’t pursue it. I ignore my own good advice. I go to the Chill Room. She is there, in one of the bins, her body curled up against that of a terrier. I touch her, for the second and last time. Her body is getting cold. She is gone. I mourn her. But who will mourn the calico kitten underneath her, and the angora rabbit in the next bin? Who will mourn all ten million of them, one by one?
Please visit the House Rabbit Society website. Dogs and cats are not the only animal dieing in our animal shelters.
‘Tis the night before Christmas and all through the town,
every shelter is full – we are lost but not found,
Our numbers are hung on our kennels so bare,
we hope every minute that someone will care.
They’ll come to adopt us and give us the call,
Come here, Max and Sparkie – come fetch your new ball!
But now we sit here and think of the days..
we were treated so fondly – we had cute, baby ways.
Once we were little, then we grew and we grew -
now we’re no longer young and we’re no longer new.
So out the back door we were thrown like the trash,
they reacted so quickly – why were they so rash?
We jump on the children, don’t come when they call,
we bark when they leave us, climb over the wall.
We should have been neutered, we should have been spayed,
now we suffer the consequence of the errors THEY made.
If only they’d trained us, if only we knew…
we’d have done what they asked us and worshiped them too.
We were left in the backyard, or – worse – left to roam
now we’re tired and lonely and out of a home
They dropped us off here and they kissed us good-bye…
“Maybe someone else will give you a try.”
So now here we are, all confused and alone…
in a shelter with others who long for a home.
The kind workers come through with a meal and a pat,
with so many to care for, they can’t stay to chat,
They move to the next kennel, giving each of us cheer…
we know that they wonder how long we’ll be here.
We lay down to sleep and sweet dreams fill our heads..
of a home filled with love and our own cozy beds.
Then we wake to see sad eyes, brimming with tears –
our friends filled with emptiness, worry, and fear.
If you can’t adopt us and there’s no room at the Inn –
could you help with the bills and fill our food bin?
We count on your kindness each day of the year –
can you give more than hope to everyone here?
Please make a donation to pay for the heat…
and help get us something special to eat.
The shelter that cares for us wants us to live,
and more of us will, if more people will give.
Please consider giving generously to your local animal shelter, rescue group, or humane organization. Donations of pet food, supplies, your time, or your money is so welcome at this holiday season and year round.
Yet, the only investigation (1) conducted was by the parish hired parish attorney. Since when are attorneys trained to investigate possible criminal crimes (as many people feel laws were broken)? And since it was the top parish leader, Parish President, Gordon Burgess, himself who gave the final OK for the killings, wouldn’t that be like him investigating himself? Well we are in Louisiana, the state know for corruption, so self investigation may not be that unusual.
Was there no suspicion of wrongdoing? Let’s see…
The why: the parish’s reason for the killings…
The media reports go from naming a mystery air borne viral infection, then maybe it is the corona virus that demands complete destruction of all animals in the shelter. Then finally in the so called, ‘official report‘ by the parish attorney, Glen Galbraith, salmonella is named as one of the possible diseases.
How does one “investigate the disease” without taking one single test? And how does one “identify the disease” when all the animals are dumped in a landfill – not one body sent anywhere for testing?
Note that the links above go to a news reports posted on August 6, 2008 – after the killings – did Burgess not get the info from the experts on August 4th about it costing too much and taking too much time to test, as written later in the ‘shelter report‘ by the parish attorney, Glen Galbraith? Come now, doesn’t all this story changing smell a little like a cover up to you? From what I heard people saying at the meeting with HSUS about TPAC I am not the only one doubtful that disease caused the mass killing.
Also take not that not one dog nor cat that made it out of that shelter alive on August 4th came down with any deadly diseases – that the parish would have your believe mandated the destruction of the whole shelter population (2). And if they really believed both animals and humans were in danger, as quoted in the media (3), then why were any animals allowed to leave the facility? I am not the only one asking this question: “Was it necessary to kill everything or at all, including those who just came in? Why were some animals taken out, if they were contagious?” Leavy demands.
The real why? Some people’s guesses…
I don’t know, but I have heard people say that they believe that the parish wanted to get rid of some shelter employees and the mass killing was a way to make them quit. Sounds rather drastic – why not just fire them? But people did quit and they were are the ones that many animal rescuers and shelter volunteers said were the ones that cared the most about the animals. Other people think that the shelter needed some repairs and it would just be easier to do with no animals and the shelter closed – killed for convince.
Humane killings? How?
170-204 or so animals, at the shelter on August 4th were examined and diagnosed by not one but two different veterinarians, parish officials were contacted, and two more experts consulted for their opinion, at which time the all the animals in the shelter were ordered to be killed. Only one veterinarian, Doctor Thomas L. Hulsey, working with one vet assistant killed all the animals. The total time span from start to finish: 3-4 hours; which equals to about a minute to a minute and a half per animal!
Ask any doctor, veterinarian, nurse, or anyone else that has ever given a shot or taken a blood sample if they can picture themselves moving this fast, through this large a number (in the high heat of August), and do what has to be done humanely. The ones that would answer us (though not publicly) said that it could not be humanely done at this speed.
Some other questions that come to my mind (and others) are… How did Doctor Hulsey know to bring with him enough of the chemical solution to kill the whole shelter population before he even examined the first animal? Why did Hulsey use his chemical solution and not the shelter’s? And doesn’t seem wrong to have the same vet that profits from each animal killed (the more the bigger his pay check) to make the diagnose? Isn’t that a conflict of interest?
Missing Records
The parish broke the law when they didn’t did not release all the public records on TPAC that were requested. We were also told by the parish that some records that TPAC is required to keep were thrown out on or after August 4th. The Advocate had requested veterinary records, including medical tests. Galbraith said there are no such records. No media has reported the parish braking the public records law. Do the innocent go out their way to lose/dump/destroy records?
Does anyone else find this strange and outrageous. If it was children killed that day instead of animals I’m sure the story would be completely different. Even the some of the media found the findings of the official report mysterious. So how many animals deaths does it take, under how many questionable circumstances, before someone is willing to investigate? Don’t the people of Tangi deserve better than a mysterious parish report?
Some people are saying, “move on, you cannot bring back dead animals”. But if we do nothing about what happened on August 4th what is to prevent it from happening again? I know that TPAC has a new director and I do hope he is a good one and will make positive changes. But I and others want something in place to give us conference that another mass killing can never take place at this shelter no matter who is running it.
(2)…veterinarian checked out the nine dogs [the ones saved/adopted on August 4th} on Tuesday evening, and was told all were free from serious illness…
http://www.wwltv.com/local/northshore/stories/wwl080508mldogs.1b665c77.html
http://snipurl.com/3bje9
(3)…”Due to a disease outbreak in the animal population at the shelter, it has become necessary to quarantine and totally decontaminate the entire premises to further insure the welfare of the animals and their handlers,” was the statement issued by parish government Monday afternoon… …Employees are encouraged to wear clean uniforms in addition to gloves and masks….
http://www.hammondstar.com/articles/2008/08/05/community/health/9510.txt
http://snipurl.com/3b7wu
My report on HSUS’s Public Meeting about TPAC on November 18th 2008
No justice yet for be 172-184 animals killed on August 4, 2008
Last night’s HSUS/TPAC meeting was with three members of The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), no one from TPAC or the parish’s leaders attended. Which is what the HSUS evaluators said that they asked for. I personally would have liked the new director, Charles “Chip” Fitz, of TPAC to have been there to answer questions and give us an idea of this plans for improving TPAC and preventing any recurrence of the mass killing of August 4th.
The meeting started off with someone questioning why such a short notice was giving for a public meeting. Someone else stated that if the notice had been less last minute that many more people would have been able to make arrangements to attend. I didn’t hear a good reason for the short notice given.
I received an email about the meeting on the evening of Saturday November 15 and did an Internet search for the notice and found nothing. On November 17th I found this news online by the Advocate – Humane Society seeks comments; Published: Nov 16, 2008. I have as yet to find any notice of the meeting online by the Hammond Star.
HSUS requested input from the public attending about their experience when dealing with TPAC. They received quite an earful from several people about TPAC’s shortcomings and accounts of their ineffectiveness at handling animal abuse complaints. When HSUS asked for a time frame of when people experienced these troubles several people spoke up saying from the very beginning and even before TPAC opened.
At times HSUS which many people hoped would be the the knight riding in on a white horse felt more like the trojan horse echoing more of the same that we heard from the parish leaders — excuses for animal control and placing the blame on parish residence. I heard too many words like – be patient, wait and see, give them time, implementation takes time, needs to be educated, and gradual.
For those of you that may had hoped that HSUS meant justice for the 172-184 animals killed on August 4 th, last night’s meeting only showed that justice will have to come from another avenue.
From what I gathered at the meeting HSUS (the nation’s largest animal protection organization) has no intention (and I guess never has) and no power to investigate or correct any past misdoing or possible crimes committed by TPAC. They stated that they are only interested at looking at practices and procedures in place right now and to give recommendations on best practices for animal control.
HSUS has no power to mandate that their recommendations be put in place or followed. They have no power even to demand that their report be made public, they can only request that the parish do so. They did state that the public has the legal right to request the report as a public record.
Note that the parish has already broken this law when they would not give us some of the public records we requested after August 4th. So forgave us if we have doubts about receiving this public record. And HSUS Guidelines For Animal Shelter Policies have been posted online for quite a while now. Could it be that the parish leaders have been hiring people (from the get go) to run the animal shelter that cannot read? And it is not like there hasn’t been serious complaints concerning TPAC for years or calls from the public for reform. Does anyone remember The Animal Control Advisory Board? Will this upcoming HSUS report end up stored on the same shelf the NACA report from 2000 with minimum implementation of the recommendations? Yet, we are told to have patience and wait.
HSUS said that their report would be forthcoming within 60 to 90 days (more waiting) and that they would request that the parish make it public within two weeks of receiving it. They also stated that the implementation of the recommended changes would require time and that some of the changes would have to be put into place gradually.
What I learned…
Investigate and evaluate are two different things altogether, but it seems even the media did not note this distinction including HSUS’s own press release…
WDSU: Tangi Council OKs Humane Society Investigation; August 12, 2008 AMITE, La. — The Tangipahoa Parish Council has unanimously voted to accept an offer from the Humane Society of the United States to evaluate its animal control operations.
The HSUS Responds to Mass Euthanasia at Louisiana Shelter; August 8, 2008 …The Humane Society of the United States has offered to assist Parish officials with their investigation and resolution of the situation…. http://www.hsus.org/press_and_publications/press_releases/hsus_responds_to_louisiana_shelter_euthanasia_080808.html or http://snipurl.com/3dhtx
Where now? Wait and wait some more?
Do I believe that this parish has the ability to reduce the numbers of unwanted pets, therefore the numbers of animals going into the shelter, and killed in the shelter — yes, BUT only if the leaders embrace the programs that have proven records of working effectively at reducing shelter intake and kill numbers.
Since Hammond Star posted, Experienced leader for animal control I do hope that Chip Fitz is up to a hard job of running TPAC and proves them right. But for so many soured on the past efforts of TPAC directors (is it now up to the number five?) it will take more than some nice sounding words and halfhearted attempts at improving TPAC to convince them.
Do I believed that Chip has the ability to turn around TPAC and save more animal lives? Why yes, we are all capable of unbelievable accomplishments and it only takes one leader (not a parish puppet) with desire and perseverance to create positive change of incredible magnitude. And sorry, HSUS, but this doesn’t have to take an extended time frame.
Will Chip turn animal control around? Sorry Chip, but I have seriously doubts that much positive change will happen, but please prove me wrong – PLEASE – the animals lives depend on it.
The people of this parish must consistently impressed upon its leaders their firm demand for progressive and compassionate animal control. And the most effective animal control is based on prevention.
HSUS info I found online (the good and the bad)…
7 Things You Didn’t Know About HSUS http://www.consumerfreedom.com/article_detail.cfm/article/184 or http://snipurl.com/5xsgh (don’t know if it is all true or not or who posted it, but makes you want to learn more about The Humane Society of the United States [HSUS] doesn’t?)
Whatever you are looking for is just a click away – HSUS Resource Library includes Animal Sheltering magazine articles, HSUS publications, training opportunities, policies, guidelines, advice, and other resources to help you in your work on behalf of animals. http://www.animalsheltering.org/resource_library/ or http://snipurl.com/5yzp8
Good Job HSUS! – http://nathanwinograd.blogspot.com/2008/10/good-job-hsus.html
We Are The Ones We Have Been Waiting For…when public outcry erupted over a decision by a Louisiana HSUS-partner shelter to needlessly kill virtually every animal in its facility, HSUS did not condemn the action or come to the defense of activists working to end such practices; Pacelle and HSUS defended the shelter, arguing that the killing was legitimate and proper… http://nathanwinograd.blogspot.com/2008/11/we-are-ones-we-have-been-waiting-for.html or http://snipurl.com/5zc9m
UPDATE: Oops, I forgot to put my name, Joni Solis, as the person writing this article. I am a volunteer of Tangi Adopt A Rescue and this is article is from my point of view.
Here are the news reports I found online about this HSUS/TPAC meeting…
One before the meeting…
Humane Society seeks comments; By JO-ANNA K. BURNETT;Special to The Advocate;Published: Nov 16, 2008 – UPDATED: 12:05 a.m. ; http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/suburban/34529644.html or http://snipurl.com/5nrdm
And two after the meeting…
Humane Society reports Tangipahoa president to meet team;By JACQUELINE COCHRAN;Special to The Advocate;Published: Nov 20, 2008 – Page: 4B – UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.; http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/34790949.html or http://snipurl.com/6278x
Animal control ideas shared, By Don Ellzey; Thursday, November 20, 2008 8:53 AM CST; http://hammondstar.com/articles/2008/11/20/community/health/9457.txt or http://snipurl.com/6dv7m
If you attended the HSUS/TPAC meeting please leave a comment below with are thoughts.
Kentwood’s animal control maybe handled by TPAC, the Hammond Shelter
WDSU New Report: Inspection Leads To Closure Of Kentwood Animal Shelter
KENTWOOD, La. — The town of Kentwood has decided to shut down its animal shelter after an inspection by the Humane Society of Louisiana found dirty and unsafe conditions there, the group said in a news release… http://www.wdsu.com/news/17958072/detail.html or http://snipurl.com/5e40r
The Town of Kentwood animal shelter is under fire from The Humane Society of Louisiana after the group found no sewerage system, a pile of waste that had built up for years and several dogs that were too weak to stand.
The Humane Society detailed all of that in a report that also called for the parish to close the shelter or take it over. They are seeking to sign an agreement with Tangipahoa Parish Animal Control to take over services… http://www.wwltv.com/topstories/stories/wwl111108cbshelter.1a13c59ab.htm or http://snipurl.com/5c54s
(Please leave a comment under this news report to show that you care about the animals of Tangi Parish)
—-
News Release: For immediate use
Contacts: Jeff Dorson, Executive Director (901-268-4432), Dawn Taylor-Church, Shelter Inspector (435-899-0985)
TOWN OF KENTWOOD PREPARED TO CLOSE ANIMAL SHELTER INSPECTION REVEALS SERIOUS PROBLEMS AND VIOLATIONS
(NEW ORLEANS) — The Humane Society of Louisiana recently conducted an inspection of the Town of Kentwood Dog Shelter as part of its comprehensive review of all animal sheltering facilities throughout the state and found multiple violations of city and state laws that govern animal shelters. The society also found the facility to be in general non-compliance with national shelter standards. The shelter report, which was submitted to Kentwood Mayor Harold Smith late last week, was discussed at the most recent town council meeting and led, it can be assumed, to the decision to suspend operations at the shelter. The administration is seeking to sign an agreement with the parish animal control department to take over services.
The inspection report detailed serious structural problems with the small cinderblock building that has housed stray dogs for many decades. The shelter was never designed to house animals. The city never installed a drainage system nor a septic tank, so waste has simply accumulated for years, heaped off to one side of the kennel runs. Since there is no way to adequately remove the waste, the building has been a fertile breeding ground for harmful bacteria, disease, and parasites. The building is poorly ventilated, damp, and poorly lighted, providing the dogs will little fresh air or light. “These conditions combine to make for a ‘perfect storm’ to spread disease and infection,” says Jeff Dorson, Executive Director of the group. “There is no way to humanely house animals under these primitive conditions,” adds Dorson.
The report also revealed non-compliance with the state adoption law, which requires adopting agencies to only release animals under a contractual basis. Under the state pet adoption law, which was passed almost a decade ago, every animal must be sterilized within 30 days from the date of its adoption. This law was never applied in Kentwood, and no adequate adoption process was ever developed. Dogs were simply given away or passed around to family and acquaintances of the Shelter Manager, Mr. David Sellers, according to his own statements. Mayor Harold Smith maintained that the city was required to accept a payment of $75 per dog, of which $50 was refunded when proof of a rabies certificate was presented. This arrangement, whenever it was enforced, however, also failed to satisfy the state adoption law.
Two puppies that were rescued on October 30th from the Kentwood were barely alive when shelter inspectors revisited the facility and gained custody of them. The Catahoula puppies were too weak to stand and were full of parasites and mites and were suffering from acute malnutrition. The puppies were not given proper puppy food and were ravenous by the time they were given a proper diet. “We suspect that these puppies would have died over the weekend at this shelter, and we are delighted that they were brought out, given medical care, a proper diet, and are now thriving. We hope that they will be the last dogs to be impounded at the Kentwood shelter,” Dorson concludes.
The group has been monitoring and inspecting private and public animal sheltering facilities since its inception in 1988. However, in light of the problems that have surfaced at the Jefferson Parish Shelter in 2007, when more than a dozen dogs were accidentally poisoned, and the Tangipahoa Shelter, the site of mass euthanasia of animals two months ago, the group has accelerated its inspection process and is conducting many more inspections. Just recently, the group has inspected shelters at Mamou, Jennings, Oberlin, Napoleonville, and Lake Arthur. Copies of these inspection reports are also available for review. Media representatives may also contact the group’s principle shelter inspector, Ms. Dawn Taylor-Church, by calling 435-899-0985. A copy of the shelter inspection report, photos taken at the shelter, and Mr. Dorson’s letter to Mayor Smith are attached.
The Humane Society of Louisiana is one of the largest animal protection and advocacy organizations in the state with more than 10,000 members. For more information, please visit their website at www.humanela.org
Once again starving dogs have been found in the Kentwood Dog Pound
Back around the time of 9 – 11, news broke out that the Kentwood city dog pound was allowing dogs to starve to death. Photos were taken of dogs and puppies feeding on the dead bodies of their kennel mates.
Catahoula Pup
Well it looks like they are up to the same animal abuse once again. Is this what they feel is the best way to handle animal control issues? Below is the faxed letter that The Humane Society of Louisiana sent to Kentwood city Mayor on the latest dogs starving incident…
November 6, 2008
The Honorable Harold Smith
Mayor, Town of Kentwood
RE: Town of Kentwood Dog Pound
BY FAX TRANSMITTAL
Dear Mayor Smith,
For the past twenty years, since our group’s inception, our representatives have visited and inspected municipal and parish animal sheltering facilities, to ensure that all humane laws and regulations are being upheld and that impounded animals are humanely treated and housed. These inspection services are listed in our original state charter, which is on file with the Office of the Secretary of State. On Thursday, October 30, our representative, Ms. Dawn Taylor-Church, visited your facility and submitted her report and photos for our review.
On October 31, two other representatives, Mr. and Mrs. Randy Stegall, also visited the shelter to adopt out two Catahoula puppies. Our two teams, working independently, were appalled at the conditions they witnessed and concluded that this shelter is simply unfit to humanely house animals and should be closed immediately, due to flaws and structural deficiencies in its design.
The shelter, which apparently was built as a small jail or holding facility some twenty or thirty years ago, according to a city worker, was never designed to house animals. There are no drainage pipes nor a septic system to carry away the animal waste. The waste is simply hosed off to the side of the concrete slab, where it has remained for many, many years. Because the waste has not and cannot be properly removed, the animals are exposed to years of contamination, disease-laden bacteria, and stench. This is no way to humanely house an animal at this facility.
Unfortunately, the report reveals many more serious problems. The dog runs are dank, stink, and usually wet. The two puppies we rescued from this facility on October 31, were barely alive. They were lethargic and extremely ill, after being housed in this facility. If they somehow were sick when they were placed in this shelter, this is no place for them to recover from their illnesses. The puppies were malnourished, their bones and rib bones were protruding, and they were so weak, they could hardly walk. A veterinary report showed that they were suffering from malnutrition. It appears that puppies at this shelter, are only given low-grade, cheap adult dog food, which they are not able to digest at their young age. They were ravenous during the first few days of eating proper puppy food.
In addition, the adoption program, if one exists, violates the state statue on this matter. An adoption agency must conform and abide by the state regulations, which are outlined in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §3. 2471. Every adoption agency, which includes the town of Kentwood Animal Shelter, must provide a written contract to each adopting individual. That individual is then bound to sterilize this dog within 30 days. No such arrangement exists at your facility. In fact, the facts stated by your shelter employee, Mr. David Sellers, run counter to the statements you made to our shelter inspector, when you said that adopters must pay a $75.00 fee, of which $50.00 is returned once proof of a rabies certificate has been presented to the city. Mr. Sellers simply stated that he gives some of the dogs away to his family and friends – which is a very poor adoption process and is prohibited, when done in this fashion, by state law.
Access to this shelter also runs counter to industry standards. It is very hard for the public to gain access to this facility. Several people, over the last several years, gave up during the process, because calls were never returned and arrangements were never made to meet residents at the shelter. Fees, emergency phone numbers, and hours of operation should have been posted outside of this facility, which, apparently, also has no signage, years ago. We also assume that this facility does not have an operational manual, up-to-date records (since no records were taken during our adoption of the two puppies, we can assume that no accurate records have been kept for years), or works with any rescue groups on placing these animals.
Our second team of inspectors said that this is the worst facility that they had ever seen and referred to it as a “dungeon,” with no chance for the animals to be properly cared for. In light of these statements and documentation, it appears that this facility is violating your city’s own local ordinance under, Section 8-3007: Public dog shelter.
“The town shall maintain a public dog shelter, managed humanely and in a sanitary condition and shall provide food and shelter for any animal impounded.”
Based on our documentation of these unacceptable conditions, we highly recommend that your office immediately issues a moratorium on picking up or housing animals at this facility, until it can be renovated and upgraded and/or demolished. In the interim, you may wish to house impounded animals at a local veterinary clinic (since some of your reports show that only twenty-some animals are picked up per year), or picked up and delivered to the parish facility, located in Hammond. Or, maybe a citizen is willing to sign a joint-cooperative agreement with your town to provide backyard kennel space until the dogs are reclaimed, adopted, or euthanized.
To familiarize you with some of the regulations that apply to municipal animal shelters, I am enclosing copies of Title 3, of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture Code, which are found under section 2463, entitled “General Shelter Standards.” I am also attaching a copy of our inspection report, dated October 30th of this year.
I look forward to speaking with you about the issues outlined in this correspondence, and I hope that we can work amicably together in finding a viable solution to these problems.
The Honorable Harold Smith
Mayor, Town of Kentwood
RE: Town of Kentwood Dog Pound
Kentwood City Hall
308 Avenue G
Kentwood, Louisiana 70444
985-229-3451
Sate that they should to close their dog pound or follow the Louisiana state laws. If you are a resident of Kentwood, Louisiana let them know that and also state that you desire to live in a town that cares about animal welfare!
City Leaders to blame
It is alway the leaders that hold the true blame for horror stories like this. They are the ones that put the people in place that run the animal shelters or dog pounds. They are the ones that should be watching out for what is happening under their noses. They are ones to hold accountable when time after time their hired people do wrong.
Kentwood is a rural town in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana near the Mississippi border. The population was 2,205 at the 2000 census. Water from Kentwood is bottled and popularly marketed in New Orleans under the Kentwood Springs label. Kentwood is best known as the hometown of pop singer Britney Spears and sister Jamie Lynn Spears.
Help the two puppies
The two puppies are in foster care in Metairie. If you are interested in helping (donations/fostering/adopting) the two starving puppies saved from this dog pound please contact…
The Humane Society of Louisiana
P.O. Box 740321, New Orleans, LA 70174 Donate Online.
The Humane Society of Louisiana is a 501(c)3 charitable organization.
Gifts are deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
Posted by tangiadoptarescue 
Posted by tangiadoptarescue 
Posted by tangiadoptarescue 
