posted November 22, 2008
) |
On Thursday, Nov. 13, I found a female hound mix running close to Main Street near downtown Chattanooga with a blue collar, but no identification. I put her in my car and took her to the vet to see if she had been microchipped.
Unfortunately, she hadn't so I decided to board her (which required getting her first set of shots) and then emailed Luther, put an ad on Craigslist and sent an email to our neighborhood listserve with her picture and information. She was obviously someone's pet, but had been loose for awhile because she was so hungry and skinny. I decided to wait a few days to see if I would find her home before calling McKamey because I know they're over crowded.
I never did get a response to my ads, so this Friday I called McKamey to see about bringing her down there. When I called in the morning, a female employee had an approach that was like she had a chip on her shoulder. I've worked in the animal care field before and have a bachelor's degree in Animal Science – Companion Animal Management, so I understand the frustration that these workers face. I also know that they do care for animals, but even with these considerations in mind, I found her approach to be atrocious. When I worked in the animal shelter field, I had the same animosity that she's feeling, but I set it aside, particularly when I talked to someone who was going out of their way to find a stray dog's home.
I was told by this person that I couldn't bring the dog down because they are not open on Fridays and Saturdays and that the doors would be locked. Apparently, Fridays and Saturdays are their catch up days. I would have to wait until Sunday to bring her to them. However, being that I am boarding this dog, I can't pick her up on Sunday from the vet's office meaning that I will have to wait a total of four days to bring this dog to them. She then told me that "people try and be nice and have a good heart, but they should really never pick up a stray dog. It should be left alone and that an Animal Services truck may have time to come and get it. However, they may not get there in time to catch it."
She kept repeating that stray dogs (and companion animals) should never be picked up by citizens, that the shelter is over capacity and that the stray animals are better roaming around.
This employee's statements were a direct contradiction to those made by Lou McKenzie, (a McKamey volunteer and someone who answers calls at reception) in a "letter to the editor" published on the same day I called. In her letter, Lou McKenzie states that "There are so many calls from the public asking field to provide an emergency response. Until we get the overpopulation of animals under control with spay/neuter, and citizens help take on emergency response for animals, there will continue to be animals who suffer and die."
I'm this citizen that Lou McKenzie is describing – I "help(ed) take on an emergency response for (this) animal", took her to a vet to be checked and did my part to find her a home without asking Animal Services to do a single thing. I even offered to bring it by the shelter so that Animal Services wouldn't have to come and get it. Also, according the McKamey website, only owner-surrender dogs have to make an appointment to drop a dog off, yet the employee kept trying to schedule me an appointment for Sunday.
By leaving this dog to wander around, not only would I be running the risk of it being hit by a car on a busy street, but I would also be letting a female dog continue roam, not knowing if it had been spayed yet (potentially creating more dogs to roam). This approach that their employee suggested seems a little backwards to the city's and McKamey's solution to the crisis of companion animal over-population. If I had found it right then and called, she said they would try and get someone to pick it up, even on a Friday when they're closed to public drop offs. Since I had waited a week, she couldn't help me.
Basically, McKamey had an option – they could dispatch an officer (or two) using man power, resources, and gas to go pick up the same stray animal that I was offering to bring to them so that they could use their resources where they would be needed more. I guess with an operating budget of $1.8 million, you can waste money and hope that no one catches on.
The employee also stated that McKamey is more available than "that other shelter" and that I couldn't take it there anyway because of where I live. I completely understand the jurisdiction laws, yet she continued to say that "the other shelter" only has "room for 100 animals and that they're over capacity". I researched this "other shelter" through local news websites and found that they can house 550-600 animals (same as McKamey) and are currently also at capacity, all with an annual operating budget $600,000 less than McKamey.
This "other shelter" is open to admissions only eight hours fewer than McKamey each week, but they are open to admissions on Fridays and Saturdays – something McKamey is not. This woman was doing everything in her power to bad mouth and tell me lies about "the other shelter" but failed to provide any helpful information about what McKamey could do to help this stray dog at this moment (apparently she didn't see the Lou McKenzie letter). Didn't the employee's instructions go directly against the shelter's mission on their website "to inspire and educate our citizens toward an awareness and compassion for all living beings"? After that phone call I didn't feel "inspired" or "educated" about what I should do with this animal. I felt like the very shelter I'm required to use, that promotes animal welfare and compassion, left me feeling cold and abandoned, just like the dog that I should have "left where I found it".
It's unfortunate that a new, state-of-the art companion animal care facility isn't using its exorbitant budget in a way that actually coincides with their stated mission. It's also unfortunate that they have employees who choose to spread lies about other facilities to cover up their own lack of abilities and internal confusion. She basically said, you found a stray animal, tried to take care of it and find it a home, but we're not available to help you today or tomorrow, so you're on your own – next time leave it alone.
I've attached a picture of the dog in case someone recognizes it as their own or is interested in adopting her.
Katie Smith
Chattanooga
* * *
The McKamey Animal Shelter is a fine organization that is working hard to take care of our area’s neglected and surrendered animals. It doesn't take much to make people feel good about themselves. Kindness is its own reward.
We find an animal, give it a little attention, and take it to a shelter. Then that is it, for us. We don't know what happens next and we try not to think about it. That is only the beginning. I do not want to detract from the lady who was disappointed, she sounds like a knowledgeable animal caregiver; however, when it comes to stray animals if you are in for a penny you need to be in for a pound. If you are a good temporary foster, then why not hold the puppy or kittens until the shelter's schedule day comes. The McKamey shelter had a cat and kitten adoption party a week or so ago that was really successful.
The old shelter downtown needs to be redone, and it is not their fault. They have been in a constant state of being hammered for years. There needs to be more unity between the two. There are two different philosophies at work. The McKamey Animal Shelter and the fine veterinarian in charge of it seem to be dedicated to the care and placement of pets with a little personal responsibility for the person who surrenders pets.
This is a complicated issue. If you want quick and easy go to a drive-thru, or just pick them up, give them a little attention, drop them off, and forget about them as we have done before.
John Moore
* * *
I thought it was just me but I see it is not. My son recently called McKamey to get info on giving up some puppies we had. We tried to find homes for them and did for all but five and the mother dog. I would have kept them but due to the economy and my son's allergies and asthma, we just couldn't.
My son called and was placed on hold, finally someone in a very bad mood came to the phone and told him that if the dog, who was scared, showed aggression, she would be put to sleep and the body would be sent to him to bury in the back yard. How horrible.
First of all, this was a very difficult decision to make, and then to tell a child something like that. I called the center myself to make sure he had heard her correctly, however I was placed on hold. I called again and when someone did answer I was sent to four people and placed on hold again.
I waited several days and called again. This time I talked to a seemingly kind person, who took down my information. An appointment was made for the next week. The night before the day they were to pick up, I received a phone call explaining how there had been some sort of outbreak and that if it were possible, I needed to keep them at least another week and if I did they would provide food. My husband and son took the dogs on the Tuesday of the appointment. They tried to explain that my son has asthma and allergies so badly that we cannot keep them another day. They were met with hostility and rude attitudes. They arrived at 9:50 and were told they were closed and to come back.
Finally after filling paperwork on all six dogs, were told again that if the mother showed any aggression she would have to be put to sleep and mailed back to us to bury. This was the worst treatment I have ever had. How dare they try to work on the conscience of a child like that.
I have lost respect for this place and will never contribute another cent to it.
Christal Westfield
| Dining Out | Business | Movies | Focus | About Us |
| Church | Living Well | Memories | Outdoors | Real Estate | Student Scene | Travel |