At the shelter
Michael F. Williams
Thursday, August 2, 2007
ON JULY 6, a letter to the editor ran in the Emporia Gazette titled, “Volunteers Not Wanted.” This letter is in response to those comments by Connie Coleman.
First: Let me correct statements made, which indicate the Emporia Police Department/Animal Shelter has dropped the Volunteer Program. This is absolutely incorrect. We still have volunteers working at the shelter on a regular basis and the program will continue as long as we have volunteers.
Second: I did direct the evening animal-walking program to be discontinued, not dropped, in March 2007. I based the decision on budget constraints, unavailability of a supervisor at the animal shelter, liability issues and recommendations by the state of Kansas.
Third: The animal-walking program can be continued during the regular shelter hours when there is a supervisor present to oversee and maintain the necessary structure for this type of program.
Fourth: We, the police department, the animal shelter staff and volunteers, all have the welfare of the animals at the shelter in mind and make every effort to provide them with the best possible care and shelter available. It is misleading to believe there is a reason for the public to be concerned with the lack of care provided to the animals.
In closing, I am reminded of the animal shelter we (the police department) had when I arrived here in 2001. To say the least, I was appalled. Thanks to the endeavors of the Emporia City Commission, city manager and police department, we now have a great shelter located in a much better area, a full-time shelter manager, a Web site to make people aware of the animals for adoption and to contact the animal shelter, a great group of volunteers, longer operating hours for the shelter and much more.
With that said, I believe we have made significant strides forward in our endeavors to provide for animals in the city of Emporia and will continue to do so.
Heartland_Rescuer (anonymous) says...
With that being said, maybe the shelter workers, the city commission, mayor, and city management should be more open to current research and trends in animal welfare and sheltering so that we CAN continue to move in a forward direction. The Emporia Animal Shelter did indeed have a terrible beginning, and has grown to a much better program. However, city officials and shelter workers must have open minds and be prepared for suggestions from the community of animal lovers who want nothing more than to see the programs at the shelter flourish.
Most of all the city needs to be open to a SPAY/NEUTER program that happens PRIOR to adoption at the shelter. LONG RANGE benefits to the city for doing this? Over a period of 5-10 years it will cost the city LESS MONEY to run the shelter because there will be a greatly reduced number of unwanted pets coming into the shelter. And if budget is such a concern, why has the city done absolutely NOTHING with the many suggestions for improved revenue stream presented by volunteers to the city commission and city manager?
If the shelter continues to adopt out UNSTERILIZED companion animals they must understand they are simply adding fuel to the fire of pet overpopulation and NOT adhering to their mission statement WHICH IS:
"The Emporia Animal Shelter acts as an advocate for animals. The shelter staff members and volunteers believe in the value of a humane attitude towards animals. We shelter stray, orphaned, and unwanted animals in our community. We strive to place all animals in responsible and permanent homes. (and most importantly) WE WORK TO REDUCE BIRTHS OF UNWANTED PETS, TO ELIMINATE CRUELTY AND NEGLECT, and to promote kindness towards all animals. WE EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY AND ASSIST IN THE ENACTMENT AND ENFORCEMENT OF LAWS RELATING TO HUMANE CARE OF ANIMALS."
There is always a fine line between budget and mission, but right now I believe the city needs to revisit the animal shelter's mission statement because it is not being operated based on those statements.
August 5, 2007 at 2:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lisag (anonymous) says...
When is the shelter going to realize spay/neuter deposits don't work? Any animal adopted should be sterilized first. Anybody wanting a companion animal knows they make better pets and are willing to pay a higher adoption fee. Backyard and puppymill breeders are known for scouring shelters for breeding stock. Forfeiting a small deposit is nothing to them. GREED BREEDS MISERY!!!!! Thanks Emporia for not wanting to wake up & keep adding fuel to the fire............. no wonder so many pit bulls parade up and down Commercial street. Looks great! ...and you wonder why people are leaving........
August 6, 2007 at 9:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
petlover (anonymous) says...
Officer Williams, Appalling is when you build a nice, new shelter and still drag the nasty gas chamber up and install it. Why? Maybe the gas chamber room needs to be turned into a room available for lethal injection and low cost spaying and neutering. Lots of grant money out there available. Help Emporia get out of the dark ages in animal sheltering. We're one of the last places in Kansas to use the gas chamber. Shame on us.
August 7, 2007 at 10:44 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Heartland_Rescuer (anonymous) says...
I was told by a friend of a city employee that the gas chamber was chosen for the Emporia Animal Shelter based on cost of operation only. NOT in what was the most humane method of euthanasia for companion animals. The Humane Society of the United States, The ASPCA and Best Friends Animal Sanctuary organizations all support lethal injection. I was also told by the friend of the city employee that the animal shelter is LAST priority to the city and that the people who get stuck with supervision of the facility feel like they are being punished by their superiors. So obviously why would these folks take a PROACTIV role in choosing benchmarked, best practices to run the shelter or to euthanize those unfortunate pets who are not adopted.
August 7, 2007 at 11:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dogman85 (anonymous) says...
ummm do you know how much it would cost for lethal injection? not to mention the stress it would put on the people doing it. it takes two people to euthanize that way and you have to hold the dog/cat down.you have to almost bond with the animal ang gain its trust. Half the animal's in this town are vicious how could they hold them down if they cant catch them with out using a dart gut or sumthing? This town needs to wake up, the animal issue ( shelter /animal control) is alot bigger than anyone really thinks....
August 8, 2007 at 4 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Church_of_doG (anonymous) says...
ummm,,,,,,,cheapest ain't always the best, or the right thing to do. Gas chambers are banned in some states including Tennessee where a shelter worker died from gas exposure(it is tasteless and ordorless you know).
Sedation for the vicious before lethal injection is how other shelters handle the situation.
Studies have shown that it's actually less stressful on shelter employees in the long run.
A former employee of the local shelter who REFUSED to train for lethal injection and the fear of the city commisioners of not having ANYBODY available to euthanize are also some of the reasons the gas chamber is still used here unfortunately.
Do ya think Mr. Zimmerman even knows we have one?
August 8, 2007 at 11:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
allthatsme (anonymous) says...
Doubt anyone will read it, but information from The American Veterinary Medical Association: Guidelines for Euthanasia June 2007 Section on CO (Carbon monoxide)
Education is key. I do not support the use of a gas chamber, but if Emporia is having issues with funding, unfortunately, the cost of training, licensing and utilizing lethal injection at this time would need to be tabled until future budgeting issues are resolved. The following site contains information regarding medical research involving all the types of euthanasia as well as the complete research for CO: http://www.avma.org/issues/animal_wel...
Advantages—(1) Carbon monoxide induces loss of consciousness without pain and with minimal discernible discomfort. (2) Hypoxemia induced by CO is insidious, so that the animal appears to be unaware. (3) Death occurs rapidly if concentrations of 4 to 6% are used. Disadvantages—(1) Safeguards must be taken to prevent exposure of personnel. (2) Any electrical equipment exposed to CO (eg, lights and fans) must be explosion proof.
Recommendations—Carbon monoxide used for individual animal or mass euthanasia is acceptable for dogs, cats, and other small mammals, provided that
commercially compressed CO is used and the following precautions are taken: (1) personnel using CO must be instructed thoroughly in its use and must understand its hazards and limitations; (2) the CO chamber must be of the highest quality construction and should allow for separation of individual animals; (3) the CO source and chamber must be
located in a well-ventilated environment, preferably out of doors; (4) the chamber must be well lit and have view ports that allow personnel direct observation of animals; (5) the CO flow rate should be adequate to rapidly achieve a uniform CO concentration of at least 6% after animals are placed in the chamber, although some species (eg, neonatal pigs) are less likely to become agitated with a gradual rise in CO concentration; and (6) if the chamber is inside a room, CO monitors must be placed in the room to warn personnel of hazardous concentrations.
Please keep in mind, euthanasia is never fun for anyone. Remember the hearts of those who must do it against their will to clean up after a society refusing to take responsibility. I commend all those who have properly cared for their animals and have had them spayed or neutered. Yes, Emporia could take the time to research how effective a spay/neuter program can be and how over time it would reduce the amount of money spent on the intake of unwanted animals. Unfortunately, this requires a proactive response, and in agreement with Heartland, the shelter is not on the list of top priorities for the city. Therefore, until there is more support from commissioners, city management, etc, the shelter situation will never change. Keep in mind, the commissioners are voted into their positions, they don't merely walk in and take over. Contemplate this next time you vote.
August 15, 2007 at 8:29 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Firecracker (anonymous) says...
I agree with "allthatsme" in that one of the ways to solve this dilemna is to plead to citizens of Emporia to PLEASE spay and neuter your personal pets. Emporians - If your personal pets are not spayed and neutered YOU are CONTRIBUTING to the pet overpopulation problems in this community, and YOU are partially responsible for the EUTHANASIA at the Emporia Animal Shelter. And for those loving families that say, "I want my children to experience the miracle of birth". All I have to say to you IS TAKE YOUR CHILDREN TO THE animal shelter and have them stand in front of the gas chamber to experience the TRAGEDY of death in the gas chamber. Take the time to explain to your kids then that this is where all the unwanted puppies and kittens go.
August 16, 2007 at 10:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
petlover (anonymous) says...
The AVMA may still say it is "an acceptable method" despite it's own warnings and criticisms of the use of gas chambers, but the "preferred" method is lethal injection.
The Animal Law Coalition is currently calling on the American Veterinary Medical Association to condemn the use of gas chambers.
August 16, 2007 at 10:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )