It is an AMAZING feat to turn a county from "Kill" to "No-Kill"... Ventura County Animal Services committed to the movement in the summer of 2012 and achieved No-Kill status in January of 2014.
TLC just invested our precious, few financial resources to create this 4'x6' poster we are now hanging on the side of the rescue rig each adoption Saturday...But as amazing as that is? It is MANY MORE TIMES harder to sustain No-Kill once the goal of saving at least 90% or more of the healthy, adoptable animals is achieved.
Why is this? Now, I am not an authority on No-Kill, and I can speak for ONLY TLC... NOT the county or the other rescues, or even the general public...
But as someone in the trenches, fighting for this every day of my life, I have some observations that I would like to bring to the forefront of your consciousness... Some of these ideas you might not even have thought about yet, but I hope by mentioning them, you consider them and join the movement, or at least take the time to spread the word.
In 1975, our KILL rate was 75%... So basically, for every 10 dogs that went into the shelter, only two made it out alive... Pretty grim numbers, huh?
Fast forward 40 years and in 2015, the stats were reversed... For every 10 dogs that went through the shelter's doors, at least eight made it out alive... The challenge (in my mind) would have always been which one of the two had to die... And I never envied the shelter officers for the very hard decisions they had to make each and every day! Which of the two dogs in the ten would you have chosen to die?
The concept of No-Kill is that no healthy, adoptable animal must die... You will ALWAYS have some animals that die, even in the best of circumstances... Owners will bring terminally-ill dogs to a shelter, unable to afford the high cost of euthanasia charged by vet offices... Animals will arrive as strays, too hurt to keep alive with any quality of humane life... Aggressive dogs that are a threat to the overall safety of our community... But your goal is to achieve at least a 90% save rate...
So now that Ventura County has gotten there, why are we having such a hard time and immense struggle to maintain this?... Again, my thoughts and opinions based only upon my interaction with the general public and the comments they have made...
- "Well, now that Ventura County is No-Kill, we need to start saving other animals in high kill counties surrounding us"... (huh? Other counties need to commit to No-Kill and work as hard as we have - we cannot 'import' their problems or failure to commit into our community and eventually start killing our animals again!)
- "It is still a pound and I don't trust them..." (never mind that our politicians, tax payers and the general public have committed HUGE amounts of dollars and energy turning this around!)
- "The shelter only has Chihuahuas and Pit Bulls - I don't want to adopt either of those kinds of dogs" (So because of their breed, you sentence them to die? It is NOT the breed, but the owner on the other end of the leash that determines the kind of canine hooked to the leash!)
- "I only want a purebred (fill in the adjective) dog and the shelter never has those kinds." (An average of 35-40% of the dogs showing up in America's shelters are actually purebreds without papers... The majority of dogs come into shelters through NO fault of their own, but because of lifestyle changes in the owner's lives... they are not 'damaged' but more victims of the circumstances in the owner's lives - losing their home, job, relationship, etc.)
I can go on with the list, but these are the majority of comments I hear...
Allow me - indulge me here - to share that people selecting a dog to save based upon their breed is actually profiling... And we don't like that as a society when it pertains to humans... It is no different than saying that 'all fat people are lazy' or 'all ________ (fill in country of origin) are ________ (fill in adjective)'...
You cannot paint any breed of dog with a broad paint brush like this, and sentence them to die based upon their breed, no more than you can discount overweight folks as 'lazy'....
As you can see from this photo, Momma (DNA confirmed as a "Pitty") does not fit the profile of being aggressive or vicious... I have numerous photos that I can post that show it is NOT the breed, but the owner (me) on the other end of the leash that has determined what kind of canine citizen she is...
Yes, our shelter has a lot of Pit Bulls and Chihuahua mixes... At any given time, our rescue center could have 60+ small breeds, and it was ALWAYS the Terrier, Poodle, 'fluffy scruffy' mixes that were the 'yappy' small dogs everyone hates... Not the Chihuahua mixes that would be causing the ruckus when a new person same in to see them...
Do you kill a dog because the previous owner did not train them properly?... Do you kill a dog because of their breed and the probable incorrect reputation that breed might have?... Or do you kill a dog because of their age?... (I'd be in trouble then because I am overweight and an old lady... I am glad this kind of mindset has not flowed over to the human species... yet...)
We as a community and society need to speak up and out, every day, against those who are not supporting No-Kill in this county... There is absolutely no reason someone would need to buy a dog or puppy off of the Internet, from a back-yard breeder or even at a pet store when we have dogs waiting patiently at our shelters to be adopted... There are numerous dogs on Craigslist every day, placed there by owners that need to surrender them, and if no help is given, the dog will end up in our shelter system...
If you have a friend or relative that has a dog who is not spayed or neutered, ask them why they are shortening the dog's life by not doing this... Intact dogs (both female and male) have a MUCH higher rate of cancer and by not spaying and neutering, the owner is actually lowering the number of years of life with that dog... Unless you are showing a purebred dog in dog shows, there is no other reason to keep a dog intact...
An issue not spoken about is an issue that gets forgotten... All of us need to contact our politicians and make sure that we are heard... We do NOT want to lose No-Kill in Ventura County... We do not want to go back to killing our animals in the shelter system... We want to leave the legacy of No-Kill to the next generation to carry it on and even less animals have to die...
If we, as a county, could turn this huge 'cruise ship' around in 40 years to go from killing 8 out of 10 dogs to saving 8 out of 10 dogs, we cannot let this fail... It is VERY easy to turn a 'speed boat' around on a dime, but extremely hard to turn a 'cruise ship'... The concept, system and physicality of No-Kill is very much a 'cruise ship'... It is huge, took a LOT of hard work and sweat equity (let alone too many animals dying before it took root) to lose in one generation...
Help me by getting word out... Talk to your politicians TODAY... They do listen if they are contacted... Tag your support with #nokillvc to show you are support of this movement... Post your favorite photo of your furbaby on your Facebook page with that hash tag... Start a conversation next time there is a pregnant pause and ask who has rescued their pet... You will be amazed at the good you can do, if you just try...
Paws crossed for No-Kill in our county and my lifetime,
Linda
Director, TLC
How do you even begin to put into words the emotions you feel after you have lost one of your pets?... There are no words to describe it... In 1969, a notion began that there are 5 stages of grief and loss (1-denial and isolation, 2-anger, 3-bargaining, 4-depression and 5-acceptance)...
There are still some folks around that believe you cannot hurt "as much" when you lose a pet as when you lose a person... To me, "loved one" may walk on 2 legs or 4 paws, but they are still loved ones to me... And while I don't necessarily subscribe to 5 stages school of thought, I am intelligent enough to know that not everyone handles loss and grief the same way whether it is a human or animal loss in their life...
In 58 years of life on this planet Earth, I have lost good dogs... And a few, GREAT dogs... I feel that I deal with death of dogs in probably a pretty balanced sense... I understand that it is the circle of life, and that sometimes it is best for Nature to take its own course... Overall, I am a pretty private person when it comes to grieving (or at least I try to be)...
There is not much anyone can say, right?... "So sorry for your loss" is about the best anyone can do... And I am pretty sure only time, and not words, heal better...
There are some startling images I have had of death that no matter how many years pass, the shock of it can still cause me nausea if I think and remember it... But for the most part?... Unless it is dead and gross (i.e. ants, flies, etc.), I am pretty good about handling death physically - it is the heart-part that can kick me to my knees (emotionally)...
Back in May, my Coconut developed an issue with one of her eyes and as she was only 11 years old, I opted to have it removed to save her life... The second eye started giving her problems and the past months, I have seen her slowly starting to go downhill...
We discovered she had congestive heart failure going on as well, so while our vet and I did everything possible to create a reverse in the overall decline of her health, it continued to deteriorate...
The past two or three weeks I had been questioning myself as to if I was trying to keep Coconut alive for me, or if I was being fair to her... Once the quality of life is no longer good, let alone great, I feel we are doing a disservice to these gentle creatures that bless our lives for just a small portion of our time on Earth... Needless to say, I was not ready to let her go...
I kept looking for that little spunk, tail up and 'Kibbles and Bits' run (even if only at 4 pounds) that I loved so much... Any sign, Lord... Just give me something to hold onto and know that I am doing right by this pudge-muffin of coconut creme...
Coconut passed away in her sleep on Sunday afternoon, surrounded by her buds and loved ones at home... I did not have to make the decision as the Lord decided to make it for me... Maybe He knew that I did not (yet) have the heart to make it on my own without His help...
I do not offer anyone any advice or suggestions for dealing with the loss of one of their beloved pets... I too am still trying to figure out the best way to prepare myself to handle the loss better... I have had great pets die suddenly and then some, like Coconut, wither away slowly... Neither time frame is easy for me to accept readily....
I have recovered both ways... I have waited a LONG time before letting my heart open to another dog (and was in borderline depression now when I look back) and I have immediately gone and redirected my grief into a more positive form of energy by fostering puppies or another dog... Having done it both ways, I can say that the latter is better than the former... There is something about that redirection that made the grieving process easier for me to get through, but that's just me...
I personally don't believe I am disloyal to my dog by redirecting my energy... And I also don't believe my great dog(s) would want me to be sad and alone either... You can't replace one dog lost with another one (even if they look somewhat alike) and it is not fair (in my opinion) to expect a different dog to do this for you either...
As I said, I cannot offer anyone suggestions or advice... The very most I can do is to share my thoughts and hope they help someone who is going through the same things in their life... As for the 5 steps?... I've done #1 already and could not share my loss immediately with anyone... I am not angry (just very sad) and miss that adorable little girl and her cutest ever mini-run... There is no bargaining going on, 'cause I know she is across the Rainbow Bridge and waiting for me... I am probably still working through #4 and am not at #5 yet... Until I have to close my eyes physically to remember her, her sweet kisses, how excited she'd get when I come home and jump around plus that mini-run, I won't be able to say I have achieved the last stage of loss and grief...
But tomorrow is another day and with each day, time does it's magic.
We wanted to celebrate Jake's story with you... As a puppy, Jake was involved in a house fire and surrendered to a vet for care...
Jake made a full recovery but the scars remained...
A local firefighter felt compelled to give Jake a home despite the horrible shape the puppy was in...
Now Jake hangs out at the fire station with his dad! He travels around with his dad, giving out educational information regarding fire safety and is a mascot of the fire department. He has even been sworn in as an official member of the department!
Just goes to show you one more time that ANY dog can rise like a Phoenix from the ashes and be a contributing member of the community if just ONE person cares enough to commit to being a furever dad or mom!
Jake also has his own Facebook page now ~~> CLICK
IT JUST TAKES ONE PERSON TO SAVE THE LIFE OF A HOMELESS PET.
Have a ♥... be that person today!
Go adopt a homeless animal and save their life!
About 18 months ago, TLC implemented a program we call "Foster-To-Adopt" or otherwise known as an "FTA". In a nutshell, it allows a potential adopter to 'test drive' the rescued dog for up to 7 days. It is our hope that every adoption "sticks" and we believe we have been making better adoption placements since we instituted this program.
And at the end of the seven days? The potential adopter either outright adopts the dog or returns them. Of course, the potential adopter can adopt earlier in the 7 days if they feel it is a good fit.
Dogs are situational creatures. Once the initial three days passes in a new environment, the rescue dogs figure out the new rules and 'layout of the land'. In the next few days, they relax and show off their 'best paw forward' outside of the shelter or rescue environment. Day four through seven become observation days for the adopters to make sure they fit the dog, and the dog fits their lifestyle.
During these seven days, the rescued dog still belongs to TLC and there is no financial investment in the dog by the adopter (we send the dog home with food for 7 days, collar, leash and harness, etc.).
It has become a great program for us at TLC and many dogs have found their furever home through this program. If you are interested in this program, please ask one of the TLC volunteers when inquiring or looking at a dog.
The 'rules and regs' of the TLC FTA program:
- Puppies are never eligible for the FTA program - they are a 'blank slate' and you write on their slate how you want the story to be (more or less).
- An approved adoption application is required prior to beginning an FTA. A copy of the adopter's drivers license is required with the adoption application.
- We ask that you give the dog at least three days to acclimate themselves to the new surroundings, rules, smells and changes before making your decision one way or another.
- Any dog placed in an FTA will be spayed/neutered prior, be up to date on their vaccines (including rabies) and microchipped.
- TLC will supply the potential adopter with enough food for a week, a harness, leash and halter. All other needed items will be supplied by the potential adopter.
- Rescued dog is the property of TLC until an adoption contract is signed. We ask that our dogs be treated like one of your own, receive love and affection, are kept safe and not taken to dog parks. We ask that their name not be changed during this time (to lower the potential confusion on the dog's behalf). We are not responsible for any destruction or liable for any damages by the rescued adult while on an FTA.
- Any needed medical attention during this 7-day period is with approval (in advance) by TLC's Director. Any medical care not approved by the Director is at the potential adopter's expense and can not be used to lower the adoption donation.
- Any known behavior or medical issues will be made known to the potential adopter.
- FTA agreement will be filled out at the time of placement with the dog's vaccine record, microchip, adoption donation, other information, etc. The agreement is signed and a copy is given to the potential adopter.
Dear Auntie MaeMae,
I hope this email finds you healthy and doing well. How have you and the ladies at church been doing at bingo? I hope Miss Sarah's ankle is doing better.
I wanted to tell you what I have been doing - I have been fostering for a small dog rescue recently. And it has really been a lot of fun and rewarding.
I fostered this momma dog I named "Nellie" and at first, she was NOT a happy camper. She was pregnant and had two puppies in the carrier when she was coming to the rescue. Then during the night she had a few more and oh my goodness, Auntie MaeMae - they were SO tiny!
Nellie Mellie (as I call her) was not a very friendly momma at first, but after a time, she realized that I was the source of all the good stuff coming her way - she REALLY liked to eat and had all those babies to feed. It was so nice to watch them slowly grow up into nice puppies. And Nellie Mellie became so friendly and loving.
She's really not a very big dog at all and as soon as she felt OK leaving her puppies for a bit, she was out and about - exploring the back yard and patio. She made a best friend in Ralph pretty quickly - after all, he's the one who is most likely to be found sitting in his recliner and watching TV - you know Ralph!
Nellie Mellie turned in to be a very 'kissy face' little dog. She always has a waggie tail to greet you and just wants to be loved. All of her puppies grew up and got adopted at the rescue shop. Now it is just Nellie Mellie who is looking for a good home. Could you talk to some of the ladies at the church for me and see if they are interested in adopting her? Nellie Mellie would make a great companion for someone and she gets along with other dogs. She'd even make a great family dog with children around (or grandchildren).
She is some kind of a Terrier mix so she doesn't shed hair as much as many other dogs do. And she's potty trained, so please tell the ladies they couldn't find a better little dog to adopt. She hands out kisses like they are free and I know - you always tell me that nothing worth having is ever free, but I promise you - Nellie Mellie's kisses are free and delicious to boot!
Hoping you can help me find Nellie Mellie a home!
Your favorite niece,
Rescuing Rita
P.S. Here's another picture of her loving up on Ralph - he's SUCH a ladies man!
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Special Note on Nellie:
She is now available for adoption and waiting for her new best friend at the rescue shop - http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/28341373
Allow me - indulge me here - to share that people selecting a dog to save based upon their breed is actually profiling... And we don't like that as a society when it pertains to humans... It is no different than saying that 'all fat people are lazy' or 'all ________ (fill in country of origin) are ________ (fill in adjective)'... 
