Comments on: Culture clash and Katrina dogs http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/27/culture-clash-and-katrina-dogs/ Blogging by a team of pet-care experts led by Dr. Marty Becker. Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:55:05 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Lis http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/27/culture-clash-and-katrina-dogs/comment-page-2/#comment-125559 Lis Thu, 13 Sep 2007 21:09:11 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/27/culture-clash-and-katrina-dogs/#comment-125559 <i>Comment by Margaret — August 29, 2007 @ 4:30 pm</i> I don't understand your comment at all. You don't dispute the informaton that Sweetie/Crown was abused, and you say, simply because Sweetie now needs to be rehomed, she should be returned to an owner who abused her? Because there are too many dogs needing homes? What makes Sweetie less deserving of a <i>good</i> home than all the other homeless or abused dogs and cats? The fact that her former owner will simply get another dog, that she can breed, if she doesn't get Sweetie back? If she wants to go back to her old ways, she'll do that anyway! Giving her Sweetie won't prevent that! Either she was a good, loving owner for Sweetie before Katrina, or she wasn't. If she wasn't, the large number of homeless pets doesn't justify giving back to her a pet she previously abused. Comment by Margaret — August 29, 2007 @ 4:30 pm

I don’t understand your comment at all. You don’t dispute the informaton that Sweetie/Crown was abused, and you say, simply because Sweetie now needs to be rehomed, she should be returned to an owner who abused her? Because there are too many dogs needing homes? What makes Sweetie less deserving of a good home than all the other homeless or abused dogs and cats? The fact that her former owner will simply get another dog, that she can breed, if she doesn’t get Sweetie back? If she wants to go back to her old ways, she’ll do that anyway! Giving her Sweetie won’t prevent that!

Either she was a good, loving owner for Sweetie before Katrina, or she wasn’t. If she wasn’t, the large number of homeless pets doesn’t justify giving back to her a pet she previously abused.

]]> By: Gina Spadafori http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/27/culture-clash-and-katrina-dogs/comment-page-2/#comment-125532 Gina Spadafori Thu, 13 Sep 2007 20:28:27 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/27/culture-clash-and-katrina-dogs/#comment-125532 Vegan Betty said: "If she really cared for animals, she would rescue one out of the shelter and not breed!" *** That is crap. I know many responsible, reputable breeders who care plenty about animals, and you can take the time to read about them on this blog. I will not have PETA's "a breeder is a breeder is a breeder and they're all bad" fund-raising mantra go unchallenged here. Expand your horizons. Responsible, reputable breeders care about animals every bit as much as you do. And more than PETA does, with its walk-in freezer for storing the bodies of euthanized adoptable animals they couldn't be bothered to re-home. Vegan Betty said: “If she really cared for animals, she would rescue one out of the shelter and not breed!”

***

That is crap. I know many responsible, reputable breeders who care plenty about animals, and you can take the time to read about them on this blog.

I will not have PETA’s “a breeder is a breeder is a breeder and they’re all bad” fund-raising mantra go unchallenged here.

Expand your horizons. Responsible, reputable breeders care about animals every bit as much as you do. And more than PETA does, with its walk-in freezer for storing the bodies of euthanized adoptable animals they couldn’t be bothered to re-home.

]]> By: Vegan Betty http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/27/culture-clash-and-katrina-dogs/comment-page-2/#comment-125507 Vegan Betty Thu, 13 Sep 2007 19:25:45 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/27/culture-clash-and-katrina-dogs/#comment-125507 This is pitiful. Oh poor, poor victim Kara Keyes (sarcasm intended). She is not the victim, her former dog is ... for the mutilation that SHE invoked on her (a botched ear docking). This dog has been away from this woman for 2 years! If she really cared for the dog, she would leave the dog where she is, in a comfortable, loving home. If she really cared for animals, she would rescue one out of the shelter and not breed! This is pitiful. Oh poor, poor victim Kara Keyes (sarcasm intended). She is not the victim, her former dog is … for the mutilation that SHE invoked on her (a botched ear docking). This dog has been away from this woman for 2 years! If she really cared for the dog, she would leave the dog where she is, in a comfortable, loving home. If she really cared for animals, she would rescue one out of the shelter and not breed!

]]> By: Brenda Shoss http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/27/culture-clash-and-katrina-dogs/comment-page-2/#comment-125482 Brenda Shoss Thu, 13 Sep 2007 18:04:13 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/27/culture-clash-and-katrina-dogs/#comment-125482 As a fellow founding coordinator of Animal Rescue New Orleans -- and someone who knows Pia Salk personally -- I am disgusted by this article's passive slant against Pia. I am neither all pro-reunion nor all pro-adoption. I believe every sad and heroic story about an individual animal's rescue in Katrina's aftermath has its own unique circumstances. To say EVERY animal must be returned to his or her original guardian years after the storm is to ignore that animal's specific circumstances. This article is framed in an underhanded way to portray Pia as the urban sophisticate versus Kara Keyes as the underpriveleged, long-suffering survivor. Believe me, I've put my own life on hold for two years and counting to form Kinship Circle Animal Disaster Relief and aid evacuees in the search for their companion animals...and to mobilize volunteers/supplies to ongoing Gulf Coast animal relief missions. Reunions are the miracles I live for. And original ARNO -- a coalition of volunteers from around the U.S. which Pia co-founded with Jane Garrison and David Meyer -- was 100% pro-reunion. But Pia found Sweetie emaciated and suffering from often fatal heartworm infection. Sweetie's ears were basically mutilated in a botched cropping attempt. Pia nursed this dog and loves her completely. Moreover, this article makes FAILURE to spay/neuter companion animals, treat them for heartworm, and ID or leash them...sound like quaint, heartwarming traditions of the South. Baloney! Welcome to the 21st Century. Neither tradition nor heritage justify animal abuse and neglect. To my friend Pia: Hold on tight. To others: A kazillion mistakes were made in the frenzy to ID animals after Katrina. Everyone learned from an unprecedented disaster in which hundreds of thousands of animals were left behind indefinitely. Would we do some things differently? Absolutely. Do we judge the character of evacuees who walked away pre-storm, without their pets, and now want them back? No. Do we regard each story's circumstances individually, looking fully at both sides? YES. Brenda Shoss, founder/president Kinship Circle As a fellow founding coordinator of Animal Rescue New Orleans — and someone who knows Pia Salk personally — I am disgusted by this article’s passive slant against Pia.

I am neither all pro-reunion nor all pro-adoption. I believe every sad and heroic story about an individual animal’s rescue in Katrina’s aftermath has its own unique circumstances. To say EVERY animal must be returned to his or her original guardian years after the storm is to ignore that animal’s specific circumstances.

This article is framed in an underhanded way to portray Pia as the urban sophisticate versus Kara Keyes as the underpriveleged, long-suffering survivor.

Believe me, I’ve put my own life on hold for two years and counting to form Kinship Circle Animal Disaster Relief and aid evacuees in the search for their companion animals…and to mobilize volunteers/supplies to ongoing Gulf Coast animal relief missions.

Reunions are the miracles I live for. And original ARNO — a coalition of volunteers from around the U.S. which Pia co-founded with Jane Garrison and David Meyer — was 100% pro-reunion.

But Pia found Sweetie emaciated and suffering from often fatal heartworm infection. Sweetie’s ears were basically mutilated in a botched cropping attempt. Pia nursed this dog and loves her completely.

Moreover, this article makes FAILURE to spay/neuter companion animals, treat them for heartworm, and ID or leash them…sound like quaint, heartwarming traditions of the South.

Baloney! Welcome to the 21st Century. Neither tradition nor heritage justify animal abuse and neglect.

To my friend Pia: Hold on tight.

To others: A kazillion mistakes were made in the frenzy to ID animals after Katrina. Everyone learned from an unprecedented disaster in which hundreds of thousands of animals were left behind indefinitely. Would we do some things differently? Absolutely.

Do we judge the character of evacuees who walked away pre-storm, without their pets, and now want them back? No.

Do we regard each story’s circumstances individually, looking fully at both sides? YES.

Brenda Shoss, founder/president
Kinship Circle

]]> By: Barb http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/27/culture-clash-and-katrina-dogs/comment-page-2/#comment-118531 Barb Sat, 01 Sep 2007 02:25:49 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/27/culture-clash-and-katrina-dogs/#comment-118531 ARNO; Two years later - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQeneeBZpWo Video slideshow retrospective. Makes me want to cry all over again, especially knowing there are still thousands of animals still roaming the streets in need of rescue. ARNO; Two years later -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQeneeBZpWo

Video slideshow retrospective. Makes me want to cry all over again, especially knowing there are still thousands of animals still roaming the streets in need of rescue.

]]> By: Margaret http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/27/culture-clash-and-katrina-dogs/comment-page-2/#comment-117112 Margaret Wed, 29 Aug 2007 23:30:58 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/27/culture-clash-and-katrina-dogs/#comment-117112 Thanks Barb for the letter from Jane, great points. It raises the question, why aren't pets "flagged" when they come in if everyone agrees or suspects the animal has been abused? This would prevent the original owner from getting the dog back. What a tragedy this story is. Adrianne you made me cry. Thanks to all the volunteers! I'm really proud of Pia, for what she's done. Still, I think there are too many dogs needing homes, and Sweetie needs to be re-homed. Here is the owner wanting her dog back. Better she get Sweetie who's spayed than another pup she will probably breed repeatedly. Sorry Pia. Thanks Barb for the letter from Jane, great points. It raises the question, why aren’t pets “flagged” when they come in if everyone agrees or suspects the animal has been abused? This would prevent the original owner from getting the dog back.
What a tragedy this story is. Adrianne you made me cry. Thanks to all the volunteers! I’m really proud of Pia, for what she’s done. Still, I think there are too many dogs needing homes, and Sweetie needs to be re-homed. Here is the owner wanting her dog back. Better she get Sweetie who’s spayed than another pup she will probably breed repeatedly. Sorry Pia.

]]> By: Ramal Nixod http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/27/culture-clash-and-katrina-dogs/comment-page-2/#comment-117039 Ramal Nixod Wed, 29 Aug 2007 21:32:55 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/27/culture-clash-and-katrina-dogs/#comment-117039 Pia Salk actually offered money for Crown to Kara Keyes. Ms. Keyes told her that NO amount of money would ever be enough! She wants her dog back, plain and simple. The attorney is simply helping her achieve that. Pia Salk actually offered money for Crown to Kara Keyes. Ms. Keyes told her that NO amount of money would ever be enough! She wants her dog back, plain and simple. The attorney is simply helping her achieve that.

]]> By: MaineMom http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/27/culture-clash-and-katrina-dogs/comment-page-2/#comment-116978 MaineMom Wed, 29 Aug 2007 19:35:47 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/27/culture-clash-and-katrina-dogs/#comment-116978 Ummm...Just because an attorney is doing pro bono hours, which many law firms require of associates, doesn't mean the client might not give up the dog for the "right" amount of money. Ummm…Just because an attorney is doing pro bono hours, which many law firms require of associates, doesn’t mean the client might not give up the dog for the “right” amount of money.

]]> By: Ramal Nixod http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/27/culture-clash-and-katrina-dogs/comment-page-2/#comment-116879 Ramal Nixod Wed, 29 Aug 2007 16:05:06 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/27/culture-clash-and-katrina-dogs/#comment-116879 How wrong you are that Kara Keyes expects anything from a lawsuit except to get her dog back! The attorney handling this is doing it pro-bono. There is NO monetary gain in this; all Kara wants is her dog that she adores. Kara did look for her dog! The Petfinder information for this dog contained WRONG information about what shelter she went to; volunteers searched for months for her and hit a roadblock since the info was INCORRECT. The only reason that volunteers looked for an owner for Sweetie/Crown is that Pia posted EVERYWHERE that she needed to find her a NEW HOME since her other dog was attacking Sweetie/Crown. How wrong you are that Kara Keyes expects anything from a lawsuit except to get her dog back! The attorney handling this is doing it pro-bono. There is NO monetary gain in this; all Kara wants is her dog that she adores. Kara did look for her dog! The Petfinder information for this dog contained WRONG information about what shelter she went to; volunteers searched for months for her and hit a roadblock since the info was INCORRECT. The only reason that volunteers looked for an owner for Sweetie/Crown is that Pia posted EVERYWHERE that she needed to find her a NEW HOME since her other dog was attacking Sweetie/Crown.

]]> By: Adrienne http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/27/culture-clash-and-katrina-dogs/comment-page-2/#comment-116534 Adrienne Wed, 29 Aug 2007 04:22:53 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/08/27/culture-clash-and-katrina-dogs/#comment-116534 Ramal - I saw my name when I was asked to look at this blog, so I will respond to your question. I transported dozens of dogs and cats in cars and on commercial flights out of Lamar Dixon for months after the storm. I personally drove Sweetie from NO - the reason I took animals with me in my car (something I swore I would not do) was because Hurricane Rita was coming and we were told by the military personal who were charged with securing the facility that we were in a low lying, flood prone area and we (the civilian volunteers) would be locked in the bathrooms (the only secure structures on the property) guarded @ gunpoint and not allowed to leave even if (and this was expected to happen) the shelter flooded and the rescued animals all drowned locked in their cages. They knew we would risk our lives to save them again and we were told the military could not allow that. Hurricane Rita was expected to hit the next day so at the request of tearful VMAT personnel I loaded my small car with the sickest, most at risk animals from the ICU. Parvo Puppies (who would have been required to be euthanized if they stayed) - dying cats and and severe heartworm positive dogs (one coughing up blood), Sweetie among them. I threw out all my clothes and belongings to make room - put cages on the roof of my car (cracking my sun roof) and drove through hurricane Rita with the rain coming into the car stopping every few hours to administer fluids and meds to my carload of dying animals. Animals were euthanized, but thankfully I was not privy to how those decisions were made. I hope that sheds some light. Adrienne Ramal - I saw my name when I was asked to look at this blog, so I will respond to your question. I transported dozens of dogs and cats in cars and on commercial flights out of Lamar Dixon for months after the storm. I personally drove Sweetie from NO - the reason I took animals with me in my car (something I swore I would not do) was because Hurricane Rita was coming and we were told by the military personal who were charged with securing the facility that we were in a low lying, flood prone area and we (the civilian volunteers) would be locked in the bathrooms (the only secure structures on the property) guarded @ gunpoint and not allowed to leave even if (and this was expected to happen) the shelter flooded and the rescued animals all drowned locked in their cages. They knew we would risk our lives to save them again and we were told the military could not allow that. Hurricane Rita was expected to hit the next day so at the request of tearful VMAT personnel I loaded my small car with the sickest, most at risk animals from the ICU. Parvo Puppies (who would have been required to be euthanized if they stayed) - dying cats and and severe heartworm positive dogs (one coughing up blood), Sweetie among them. I threw out all my clothes and belongings to make room - put cages on the roof of my car (cracking my sun roof) and drove through hurricane Rita with the rain coming into the car stopping every few hours to administer fluids and meds to my carload of dying animals. Animals were euthanized, but thankfully I was not privy to how those decisions were made. I hope that sheds some light.

Adrienne

]]>