Just feel like ranting.....

[linda_of_pgff]

Originally posted by TNR1
I guess I'm just a solutions based person...it's what my job demands and I think that is why I try not to focus on what is wrong..but on how to change things. I like what the Tompkins SPCA is doing...as they get better control on their own shelter numbers...they are reaching out to the community to work on reoccuring issues...like offering free spays for the area where they receive 2 times the number of kittens as other counties. I just wish we could do more of that and stop being in this grey area where we just don't know.

Amen to that! The key here is that Tompkins collected information and took the time to look at that information, remember. You can't "guess" where you're getting double the kittens from and focus efforts there. You need to go about it with intelligence.

We COULD do general surveys, not too expensively, and ask people for information, even on an anonymous basis. That's where the grey area would, it seems to me, resolve to black, white and smaller grey area.

I may not sound it here all the time, but, I am solutions-oriented myself. It's funny to think that I may come across as focussing on the downside -- guess I'd better just stick to my knitting more!

 

[tnr1]

Like Katie, I'm very solutions oriented, but unlike her, I'm not in any position to give advice to the people who run animal rescue groups. Gaining respect and trust in animal rescue groups may well be harder than taming a feral, and while I've had success at the latter, I've been something of a failure at the former.

Jim....I do not have any type of position to tell shelters or rescues to do anything differently....in fact...that is why I primarily focus on areas that do not involve the shelter. If you are referring to my post to Mark...I simply want his feedback. I am not looking to change any of the parties...just get a fresh perspective on how to improve it.

I did recommend microchipping to my rescue and that is now in their "5 year plan"...so I'm happy about that. I have never liked that we can quote that we have a certain "return" rate when we do not know if anyone is dumping one of our dogs/cats at a shelter....contracts are all well and good....but enforcing them is another matter entirely.

I'm all for preadoptive spay/neuter...I think it is the ONLY way we can ensure these dogs and cats aren't going to get pregnant. However, there is a HUGE hole for me which is reaching out to the community and asking if people need assistance with their pets. I wonder how many hoarding situations/how many heartworm+ dogs we could avoid if we simply involved the community more in helping get spay/neuter/vaccines to the people that need it most....but I ramble AGAIN. And I'm sure that if Mark reads this post he will have his own opinions on this.

Katie

 

[tnr1]

I may not sound it here all the time, but, I am solutions-oriented myself. It's funny to think that I may come across as focussing on the downside

Hey Linda..there is a fine line between making a suggestion and telling someone what they should do differently. The first, gives them the option to incorporate the change or not incorporate it...the seconds has many underlying negatives associated to it...1. it implies they aren't doing a good job 2. it says they weren't proactive enough to think about this change and implement it before and 3. No one likes to be told what to do.

It's very important that we change our perspective to fit the situation and that we are willing to understand another person's point of view...even if we disagree with them.

I like the analogy of a person who notices that their neighbor isn't keeping up their yard...instead of telling the person.."hey your yard needs mowing"....perhaps the best approach is to make your yard the one that is the envy of the neighborhood....not only mow it...but give it great fertilizer, plant wonderful flowers, hang a few birdfeeders...have people NOTICE it. Once people notice it..they will come asking you how you did it...and then they too will go home and have a wonderful yard...and maybe, just maybe your neighbor will decide that he is tired of being the eye soar and start mowing his yard. Tompkins County is a role model to other communities, not because Nathan decided to take on the country...but because Nathan decided to clean up his own "yard" so to speak.

We can have opinions on how we would like things to be...we can work towards implementing those ideas in our own programs. I think that is the way to enact change. In our own "yard".

Katie

P.S. Turning a negative into a positive is one of the hardest things to accomplish. Yes...there is a lot that is still "negative" out there....but we cannot focus solely on that or we will not be able to see and enjoy the positives that are happening around us...small as they may be.