Comments on: County tells shelter volunteers to shut up about problems http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/08/volunteers-silenced/ Blogging by a team of pet-care experts. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:26:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Heather B. http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/08/volunteers-silenced/comment-page-1/#comment-389774 Heather B. Sun, 04 Jan 2009 02:06:28 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/08/volunteers-silenced/#comment-389774 I agree. Animal Services of SLO does need a major improvement. It is not fair to all those innocent animals. I adopted my dog from Animal Services. My dog was conviscated from Cindy Walsh, the person who commented above. Cindy Walsh had way too many animals. Perhaps she did not want them in the hands of Eric Anderson, however they should not have been in the hands of Cindy Walsh either. Her dogs were living in filth. They were in such cramped quarters that their feet were burned from URINE and FECES. Many of them had ear infections that were not attended to as they should have been and many of them were not groomed on a regular basis, therefore causing skin problems. Many of the dogs toe nails were overgrown, growing into the skin of their own pads. They smelled horrible the day they were picked up. Animal Services didn't even care for them any better. The dogs were cramped in close quarters at the shelter too, but at least their feces and urine was cleaned by the volunteers on a regular basis. The best thing Animal Services did, was get all but a few adopted out as soon as they could. If it werent for a volunteer to have them bathed and groomed accordingly, animal services would have just let them continue to suffer in the filth Cindy Walsh allowed them to live. Yes, something needs to happen at the SLO animal shelter, but Cindy Walsh also needs to realize that even though she loved her dogs, she did not take any better care of them than Eric Anderson as she let them suffer in their own skin. I agree. Animal Services of SLO does need a major improvement. It is not fair to all those innocent animals. I adopted my dog from Animal Services. My dog was conviscated from Cindy Walsh, the person who commented above. Cindy Walsh had way too many animals. Perhaps she did not want them in the hands of Eric Anderson, however they should not have been in the hands of Cindy Walsh either. Her dogs were living in filth. They were in such cramped quarters that their feet were burned from URINE and FECES. Many of them had ear infections that were not attended to as they should have been and many of them were not groomed on a regular basis, therefore causing skin problems. Many of the dogs toe nails were overgrown, growing into the skin of their own pads. They smelled horrible the day they were picked up. Animal Services didn’t even care for them any better. The dogs were cramped in close quarters at the shelter too, but at least their feces and urine was cleaned by the volunteers on a regular basis. The best thing Animal Services did, was get all but a few adopted out as soon as they could. If it werent for a volunteer to have them bathed and groomed accordingly, animal services would have just let them continue to suffer in the filth Cindy Walsh allowed them to live. Yes, something needs to happen at the SLO animal shelter, but Cindy Walsh also needs to realize that even though she loved her dogs, she did not take any better care of them than Eric Anderson as she let them suffer in their own skin.

]]> By: Cindy Walsh http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/08/volunteers-silenced/comment-page-1/#comment-256304 Cindy Walsh Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:51:06 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/08/volunteers-silenced/#comment-256304 The manager of the San Luis Obispo shelter is totally responsible for all the problems there. His name is Eric Anderson. He does not have the animals best interest at heart, and spends plenty of money on other things besides the animals. New leather chairs in his office, a $5,000 Bose stereo system also in his office, to name a few! I guess he has to be comfy when he spends all day in his office and not attending to any veterinary concerns of the suffering animals in the kennel. May I remind people who don't know him, he is a veterinarian who would rather kill the animals than treat them. His misdiagnosed conditions of the animals, gives him their ticket to the crematorium. He is so very evil it is scary. And he actually has the audacity to call himself a vet. It's no wonder he wants to restrict the volunteers comments, because they actually know about his dastardly deeds. Something needs to happen at the San Luis Obispo shelter and soon. The animals can't talk and they desperately need your help, they are the innocent victims. The manager of the San Luis Obispo shelter is totally responsible for all the problems there. His name is Eric Anderson. He does not have the animals best interest at heart, and spends plenty of money on other things besides the animals. New leather chairs in his office, a $5,000 Bose stereo system also in his office, to name a few! I guess he has to be comfy when he spends all day in his office and not attending to any veterinary concerns of the suffering animals in the kennel. May I remind people who don’t know him, he is a veterinarian who would rather kill the animals than treat them. His misdiagnosed conditions of the animals, gives him their ticket to the crematorium. He is so very evil it is scary. And he actually has the audacity to call himself a vet. It’s no wonder he wants to restrict the volunteers comments, because they actually know about his dastardly deeds. Something needs to happen at the San Luis Obispo shelter and soon. The animals can’t talk and they desperately need your help, they are the innocent victims.

]]> By: Peter http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/08/volunteers-silenced/comment-page-1/#comment-249399 Peter Thu, 10 Apr 2008 05:39:17 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/08/volunteers-silenced/#comment-249399 Perhaps some of you have already seen this story about Best Friends' work in Pahrump, Nevada... It was a volunteer who blew the whistle, and in so doing, helped save the lives of more than 800 cats! http://www.moderncat.net/2008/04/06/reflections-on-the-best-friends-cat-rescue-cats-laid-to-rest-case-moves-to-the-courts/#more-342 Perhaps some of you have already seen this story about Best Friends’ work in Pahrump, Nevada… It was a volunteer who blew the whistle, and in so doing, helped save the lives of more than 800 cats!

http://www.moderncat.net/2008/...../#more-342

]]> By: CathyA http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/08/volunteers-silenced/comment-page-1/#comment-249256 CathyA Wed, 09 Apr 2008 18:27:56 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/08/volunteers-silenced/#comment-249256 Granted, the whole thing was pretty stupid on the part of the employees. That's not my point. In FL we have the Sunshine Law, which says that any communication discussing govt biz between parties working for any govt (and any meeting) is public info. This includes email addys if you email a govt office. It does not include private communication not discussing govt business however, which is a case already won in the courts yrs ago. By public I mean I could go request copies of communication. I'm not talking about your immediate supervisor seeing it, but it becoming published in the paper or available for any citizen to look at. A BD card sent to me at a FL govt workplace is not public info. A note to a friend in another FL govt office on my breaktime discussing a mastectomy is not public info. Anyway, I've gotten OT. My point was that if you see power grabs going on locally, even if it's not animal related, doesn't hurt to let the powers that be know someone is paying attention. Once that mindset is established, it spreads like a virus. Granted, the whole thing was pretty stupid on the part of the employees. That’s not my point.

In FL we have the Sunshine Law, which says that any communication discussing govt biz between parties working for any govt (and any meeting) is public info. This includes email addys if you email a govt office. It does not include private communication not discussing govt business however, which is a case already won in the courts yrs ago.

By public I mean I could go request copies of communication. I’m not talking about your immediate supervisor seeing it, but it becoming published in the paper or available for any citizen to look at. A BD card sent to me at a FL govt workplace is not public info. A note to a friend in another FL govt office on my breaktime discussing a mastectomy is not public info.

Anyway, I’ve gotten OT. My point was that if you see power grabs going on locally, even if it’s not animal related, doesn’t hurt to let the powers that be know someone is paying attention. Once that mindset is established, it spreads like a virus.

]]> By: Lis http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/08/volunteers-silenced/comment-page-1/#comment-249195 Lis Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:08:20 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/08/volunteers-silenced/#comment-249195 <i>Not just animal shelters. In our county private personal emails between employees on govt computers were made public (which as far as I can tell was against the law, Florida sunshine law or no) and some of those emails were not (shall we say) complimentary about some public officials. Some were fired.</i> Not to defend the use they made of it, but honestly, if you think that anything you do on your employer's computer (whoever the employer is) is private from the employer, or that they can't use it as a basis to fire you, you're mistaken. This is one the employers won, long before 9/11. <i> Admittedly, part of the issue was use of govt equipment on govt time for non-govt issues (but do we fire people for standing at the water cooler and dishing?), but at the base was the issue that they shouldn’t be saying bad things about govt. while they were employed by same.</i> In fact people have been fired for standing around at the water cooler dishing. Now, I think there ought to be <i>more</i> right to criticize the government when you're an employee of it, even on the job, than other employers. And I don't doubt that in this case the firings were to suppress needed criticism, not to protect productivity. But the fact remains, if you're going to criticize your employer, it's a bad idea to use the employer's resources to do so. Not just animal shelters. In our county private personal emails between employees on govt computers were made public (which as far as I can tell was against the law, Florida sunshine law or no) and some of those emails were not (shall we say) complimentary about some public officials. Some were fired.

Not to defend the use they made of it, but honestly, if you think that anything you do on your employer’s computer (whoever the employer is) is private from the employer, or that they can’t use it as a basis to fire you, you’re mistaken. This is one the employers won, long before 9/11.

Admittedly, part of the issue was use of govt equipment on govt time for non-govt issues (but do we fire people for standing at the water cooler and dishing?), but at the base was the issue that they shouldn’t be saying bad things about govt. while they were employed by same.

In fact people have been fired for standing around at the water cooler dishing.

Now, I think there ought to be more right to criticize the government when you’re an employee of it, even on the job, than other employers. And I don’t doubt that in this case the firings were to suppress needed criticism, not to protect productivity. But the fact remains, if you’re going to criticize your employer, it’s a bad idea to use the employer’s resources to do so.

]]> By: CathyA http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/08/volunteers-silenced/comment-page-1/#comment-249178 CathyA Wed, 09 Apr 2008 13:25:27 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/08/volunteers-silenced/#comment-249178 Not just animal shelters. In our county private personal emails between employees on govt computers were made public (which as far as I can tell was against the law, Florida sunshine law or no) and some of those emails were not (shall we say) complimentary about some public officials. Some were fired. Admittedly, part of the issue was use of govt equipment on govt time for non-govt issues (but do we fire people for standing at the water cooler and dishing?), but at the base was the issue that they shouldn't be saying bad things about govt. while they were employed by same. I think it's just becoming more popular to put in employee conduct regs that govt employees must be muzzled, period. AFAIC, this is all blowback from the Homeland Security squashing of civil rights. Being in total control seems to be a big issue for local govts especially. Restriction is the word of the day, as can be witnessed by local regulatory efforts WRT speutering/pit bulls (sic)/number of animals allowed in your home. I think fighting these issues, whether animal related or not, is important on your local homefront. Once they get a taste with a success, they'll just keep going. Not just animal shelters. In our county private personal emails between employees on govt computers were made public (which as far as I can tell was against the law, Florida sunshine law or no) and some of those emails were not (shall we say) complimentary about some public officials. Some were fired. Admittedly, part of the issue was use of govt equipment on govt time for non-govt issues (but do we fire people for standing at the water cooler and dishing?), but at the base was the issue that they shouldn’t be saying bad things about govt. while they were employed by same.

I think it’s just becoming more popular to put in employee conduct regs that govt employees must be muzzled, period.

AFAIC, this is all blowback from the Homeland Security squashing of civil rights. Being in total control seems to be a big issue for local govts especially. Restriction is the word of the day, as can be witnessed by local regulatory efforts WRT speutering/pit bulls (sic)/number of animals allowed in your home. I think fighting these issues, whether animal related or not, is important on your local homefront. Once they get a taste with a success, they’ll just keep going.

]]> By: Christie Keith http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/08/volunteers-silenced/comment-page-1/#comment-249024 Christie Keith Wed, 09 Apr 2008 06:22:37 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/08/volunteers-silenced/#comment-249024 I was glad to see the HSUS was the consultant brought in on this one, because this issue is NOT about Nathan Winograd. It's about a changing paradigm of animal control and sheltering. And I am hearing stories from all over the country that are similar in one way or another to each other. I was glad to see the HSUS was the consultant brought in on this one, because this issue is NOT about Nathan Winograd. It’s about a changing paradigm of animal control and sheltering. And I am hearing stories from all over the country that are similar in one way or another to each other.

]]> By: Pai http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/08/volunteers-silenced/comment-page-1/#comment-249021 Pai Wed, 09 Apr 2008 06:16:45 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/08/volunteers-silenced/#comment-249021 As much as folks like to cast doubt on Winograd's opinion of the current Shelter system, the more I hear about it, the more it just convinces me that he IS totally right about it all... It's just sad how so many seem to have forgotten all about the animals wellbeing, and just want to protect their own behinds. As much as folks like to cast doubt on Winograd’s opinion of the current Shelter system, the more I hear about it, the more it just convinces me that he IS totally right about it all…

It’s just sad how so many seem to have forgotten all about the animals wellbeing, and just want to protect their own behinds.

]]> By: kb http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/08/volunteers-silenced/comment-page-1/#comment-249013 kb Wed, 09 Apr 2008 05:27:39 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/08/volunteers-silenced/#comment-249013 Hmm, I thought you were talking about the King County shelter again. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004331980_sheltervolunteers07m.html Other volunteers have found themselves at odds with management. After an outspoken volunteer at the Crossroads shelter was temporarily suspended in January, 23 volunteers wrote the County Council to say she was being punished for publicly questioning management policies. Hmm, I thought you were talking about the King County shelter again.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.c.....rs07m.html
Other volunteers have found themselves at odds with management. After an outspoken volunteer at the Crossroads shelter was temporarily suspended in January, 23 volunteers wrote the County Council to say she was being punished for publicly questioning management policies.

]]> By: Susan Fox http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/08/volunteers-silenced/comment-page-1/#comment-248976 Susan Fox Wed, 09 Apr 2008 01:57:28 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/08/volunteers-silenced/#comment-248976 Let's hope that the position of San Luis Obispo County Sheriff is an elected one and that he's out soon. What an idiotic thing to do. Let’s hope that the position of San Luis Obispo County Sheriff is an elected one and that he’s out soon. What an idiotic thing to do.

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