I sent out an "all points bulletin" to rescues in the area to help with the cat population at the Livingston County Michigan Animal Control. This is the AC that has been giving me fits for the last few weeks with a bully/tyrant of a director and a board of commissioners that doesn't give a flip b/c the AC makes money.
This is what one local rescue said to me via email:
"Thanks for the e-mail, however, it is pretty much useless to try working with Livingston County Animal Control. I have tried meeting with my County Commissioner, Maggie Jones, and Bob Bloch, County Administrator. They are NOT the least bit interested in the fact that our tax-payer funded Animal Control building stands nearly empty. They don't care that anything (kittens, puppies,etc.) weighing less than two pounds are automatically euthanized.
I filed a FOIA request for the shelter report to the Dept. of Agriculture, most pertinent info was whited out and written over in ink. This came directly from Anne Burns. I brought this up to both of them(Ms. Jones and Mr. Bloch) and Mr. Bloch said "We are NOT an adoption agency!! Our only purpose is to control animals!"
Rescues pay the same rate as the public, I will not support Anne Burns "profit making venture" (Mr. Bloch told me she brought in 175,000.00 in revenue in 2007), they simply love her. She closed the kitten room, 70 or more cages stand empty(cat cages) at any time, and she quit vaccinations on intake. It's easier for her to kill them all, close down for a month's vacation when preventable disease strikes.
The voting, tax paying public is offered little for the budget, which, two years ago (according to Mr. Bloch) was 675,000.00 per year. Of that , he told me that 550,000.00 went for salaries and benefits (the people, not animals). No wonder the public is not offered shot clinics, low cost spays or neuters, participation in adoption events, etc., that even the smallest, poorest animal controls offer. Ms. Burns is not interested, and she rules. Until the County Commissioners care at all and bring Livingston County into this century, animals will continue to be killed at extremely high rates, and Ms. Burns still won't have to put out the least bit of effort to better things for the animals or the VOTING, TAX-PAYING PUBLIC who pay the bills."
This is terribly discouraging. But a citizens group has formed to try to take on this entrenched situation... and I am joining them. Maybe you can't fight "city hall"... or maybe you can. Wish us luck.
This is what one local rescue said to me via email:
"Thanks for the e-mail, however, it is pretty much useless to try working with Livingston County Animal Control. I have tried meeting with my County Commissioner, Maggie Jones, and Bob Bloch, County Administrator. They are NOT the least bit interested in the fact that our tax-payer funded Animal Control building stands nearly empty. They don't care that anything (kittens, puppies,etc.) weighing less than two pounds are automatically euthanized.
I filed a FOIA request for the shelter report to the Dept. of Agriculture, most pertinent info was whited out and written over in ink. This came directly from Anne Burns. I brought this up to both of them(Ms. Jones and Mr. Bloch) and Mr. Bloch said "We are NOT an adoption agency!! Our only purpose is to control animals!"
Rescues pay the same rate as the public, I will not support Anne Burns "profit making venture" (Mr. Bloch told me she brought in 175,000.00 in revenue in 2007), they simply love her. She closed the kitten room, 70 or more cages stand empty(cat cages) at any time, and she quit vaccinations on intake. It's easier for her to kill them all, close down for a month's vacation when preventable disease strikes.
The voting, tax paying public is offered little for the budget, which, two years ago (according to Mr. Bloch) was 675,000.00 per year. Of that , he told me that 550,000.00 went for salaries and benefits (the people, not animals). No wonder the public is not offered shot clinics, low cost spays or neuters, participation in adoption events, etc., that even the smallest, poorest animal controls offer. Ms. Burns is not interested, and she rules. Until the County Commissioners care at all and bring Livingston County into this century, animals will continue to be killed at extremely high rates, and Ms. Burns still won't have to put out the least bit of effort to better things for the animals or the VOTING, TAX-PAYING PUBLIC who pay the bills."
This is terribly discouraging. But a citizens group has formed to try to take on this entrenched situation... and I am joining them. Maybe you can't fight "city hall"... or maybe you can. Wish us luck.
