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Animal Welfare system doesn't work

post #1 of 7
5/27/09 at 7:53am
Thread Starter 
You can see my thread in the SOS subforum.

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...92#post2641392

Does anyone know an attorney who specializes in animal rights or animal law. I know laws vary from state to state, but I am soooo ready to lobby for some change.

Old line, old school, regressive animal control facilities just don't give a rats behind about the animals. Their mission is "control": - aka killing.

That is what's happening here. And they are so wrapped up in their policies that the welfare of the animal is left out of the equation.

Now Livingston County Animal Control wants to limit rescues to in-county only and they have to be 501 c3 charities. They are already terribly hostile and unfriendly to rescues - which I don't get. Unless their sick sadists who love to euthanize animals. Rescues get NO special treatment, no reduced fees... and now they want to close the door even more. This is backwards at its worst and needs to be stopped.
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post #2 of 7
5/27/09 at 3:59pm
I was just at the Legislating No Kill Conference in DC earlier this month. I went to a ton of seminars about how how to effectively legislate animal welfare. One of the key organizers was Joan Schaffner, who is an Associate Prof of Law at George Wash. U. Law School. She directs the Animal Law Program there and has a book called Litigating Animal Disputes: A Complete Guide for Lawyers.

The Best Friends Animal Society has Ledy VanKavage who works as their Senior Legislative Analyst. nd she is Vice Chair of the ABA's Animal Law Committee.

Michelle Welch is the Assistant Attorney General in the Virginia Attorney General's office and is a professor of Animal Law at the University of Richmond Law School.

Claudine Wilkins is Legislative Counsel for Best Friends Animal Society. She specializes in strengthening animal cruelty laws among other things.

I have more names if you need them- it was a REALLY good conference.

I'm sorry if this stuff is duplicated (?); I have not been on the site lately- am glad I'm back, even tho it is for this sickness stuff- so don't know if I am repeating stuff. I am still dealing with my sick kitties and no sleep.

Anyhow I feel exactly the same way. This conference gave a lot of info, including model language for no-kill resolutions that cities and governments can adopt. It is probably on the best friends website.

Best Friends did say that closing puppy (and I hope that means cats too) mills is one of their 4 main initiatives, so I expect their legislative arm is going to get very strong. And this coming together of so many legal minds for the conference was really a big step forward- it seemed like that to me, anyhow.

Kudos to Nathan Winograd for continuing to push ahead.
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post #3 of 7
5/27/09 at 4:37pm
Thread Starter 
Barb - tried to PM you - you have no more room!

Here is the PM message:

First- how are the congested kitties? Are they doing any better?

Second - thank you so very much for the leads on animal law. I have recently connected with a woman who is a corporate lawyer/litigator who is rescuing cats pretty much on her own.... along with her sister.

So this area is not her expertise. This will help her. After the stonewalling and bureaucratic BS - spouting of policies and platitudes, I am so very, very steamed about this. First place for us to start is with the next county commissioners meeting. At least one seems to be animal-friendly and we need to work on him. One of the rescue founders here knows him. It's a place to start.

My home county is quite progressive by comparison and has pledged to go no-kill by next year. They have all kinds of low-cost programs, two-fer adoptions for kitties, quite a bit of community outreach, volunteers, etc.
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/MI369.html

Many of Oakland County's neighbors are neanderthal by comparision in this area.
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post #4 of 7
5/27/09 at 5:37pm
Thread Starter 
You suggested getting an acceptable shelter to take Fisher and babies in a transfer. but this Humane Society won't transfer ANY unfixed animal anywhere. So it is not just us. And the only foster home they will put one of their animals in is one that is "certified" and approved by them.

So my next tactic is to send them really upbeat and interested calls and emails every week for the next eight weeks... letting them know we are still interested in Fisher and her babies (and that we haven't gone anywhere) and will take them the minute they are available. "Thanks for helping!"
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post #5 of 7
5/28/09 at 9:29pm
Yeah, I have to sign up again for regular points and stuff on this site. I just have not had time.

That is insane about the Humane Society- kind of makes their name an oxymoron, huh- it would be funny if it wasn't so cruel and pathetic.
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post #6 of 7
5/28/09 at 9:46pm
I just wrote another reply and accidentally deleted it- I am that tired LOL..

Anyhow thanks for asking about my cats. The fosters are fine and mine are getting sick but doing ok so far. The 12 yr old fatty girl Bell was seen by the at-home vet today who gave me the tip to use half the fluid in the clavamox so it would not be so hard to give it to her by syringe. She does not really like to be handled at all except on her terms and then only in certain ways. She has a temp and sore throat. I am just worried about her eating b/c there is no way I will be able to give her fluids and even if she goes to the vet I think they would need to muzzle her. But she is a scratcher, not a biter.

My other kitty Lola is getting the sniffles. I do worry about her b/c she was the runt of a litter/mom cat I fostered almost 2 yrs ago and she is part siamese. I don't think they deal well with stress/illness, more so than other kitties.

I hope you get your kitties back soon. That is so utterly ridiculous. One day what goes around will come around for them. I hope it is soon and that the poor kitties are liberated from these pointed-head-idiots. In the meantime I am sending you good vibes and wishes for a speedy outcome.
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post #7 of 7
5/29/09 at 6:02am
Thread Starter 
Thanks, Barb. Yeah - the message from that Humane Society director was condescending and holier-than-thou. Basically, if you read between the lines she was saying no rescue is good enough for their amazing standards and that I need to bug off and look after the animals in our area (Detroit).

She also cited Michigan Ag Dept. rules about spay/neuter... that they HAVE to be fixed when they leave their facility. That is not so - Michigan law allows for speuter contracts... so it is her CHOICE to interpret the rules that way.

Very black and white - no grey, no thinking, no flexbility, and while the welfare of the animal seems to be on the forefront of this - it isn't. It is about their rules, their policies, their turf, their control. Seems to be the "rule of thumb" in this county.
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