Comments on: Regarding the unfortunate ‘spoilage’ of the merchandise http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/10/12/regarding-the-unfortunate-spoilage-of-the-merchandise/ 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: H. Houlahan http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/10/12/regarding-the-unfortunate-spoilage-of-the-merchandise/comment-page-1/#comment-476682 H. Houlahan Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:25:22 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=9476#comment-476682 I just read the story. While a thousand animals of any kind is, you know, A LOT, the discussion doesn't acknowledge that the majority of them seem to have been poultry, rodents, and small "cage" pets. You can get to a thousand animals of those kinds fairly easily -- AND it is possible for one disciplined person to care for them adequately, at least adequately in terms of food, water, cleanliness, attention to injuries and illness -- basic husbandry that keeps one within the law and out of the realm of atrocity. Obviously this guy did NOT provide that basic husbandry, but this is fundamentally less daunting in its scope from neglectful hoarders/millers of 300 cats, 60 horses, 200 dogs, even though the raw numbers seem so shocking. At peak this summer, I was caring for around 180 poultry -- and they were being treated extremely well, had the kind of lives that conscientious omnivores want to provide to the animals that provide their food. Once I got the protocols for hauling food down and automated the water supply to the 106 free-range meat birds, it was very little work for a very high standard of animal welfare. Were I to do it full-time, 1000 would not be difficult to manage. Full-time, 1000 rodents and small birds and poultry combined would be easy, assuming well-designed housing and adequate facilities. Obviously this guy provided none of the above, most particularly the self-discipline to care for the animals. I just read the story. While a thousand animals of any kind is, you know, A LOT, the discussion doesn’t acknowledge that the majority of them seem to have been poultry, rodents, and small “cage” pets.

You can get to a thousand animals of those kinds fairly easily — AND it is possible for one disciplined person to care for them adequately, at least adequately in terms of food, water, cleanliness, attention to injuries and illness — basic husbandry that keeps one within the law and out of the realm of atrocity.

Obviously this guy did NOT provide that basic husbandry, but this is fundamentally less daunting in its scope from neglectful hoarders/millers of 300 cats, 60 horses, 200 dogs, even though the raw numbers seem so shocking.

At peak this summer, I was caring for around 180 poultry — and they were being treated extremely well, had the kind of lives that conscientious omnivores want to provide to the animals that provide their food. Once I got the protocols for hauling food down and automated the water supply to the 106 free-range meat birds, it was very little work for a very high standard of animal welfare.

Were I to do it full-time, 1000 would not be difficult to manage. Full-time, 1000 rodents and small birds and poultry combined would be easy, assuming well-designed housing and adequate facilities.

Obviously this guy provided none of the above, most particularly the self-discipline to care for the animals.

]]> By: H. Houlahan http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/10/12/regarding-the-unfortunate-spoilage-of-the-merchandise/comment-page-1/#comment-476680 H. Houlahan Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:02:12 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=9476#comment-476680 How about a civil attorney who advises a criminal defendant charged with felony animal cruelty, against the counsel of her public defender, to fight the criminal prosecution so that the county will be bled dry by the cost of caring for the 200+ victims and "make a deal?" (Didn't work.) Who, after the conviction, sues the county and the tiny rescue group that took on the responsibility of placing 240 formerly abused dogs into homes that were appropriate for their needs -- on behalf of an associate of the convicted felon who was denied one of the dogs she wanted and feels "entitled." Because the indigent convicted felon was forbidden to sue as a condition of her suspended sentence, and a lawyer gotta make some lucre somehows. Why not try to extract it from the meager funds meant to care for all the dogs? Who (the lawyer) is the <i>president of the local humane society.</i> Could I make this up? I could not. It would make implausible fiction. How about a civil attorney who advises a criminal defendant charged with felony animal cruelty, against the counsel of her public defender, to fight the criminal prosecution so that the county will be bled dry by the cost of caring for the 200+ victims and “make a deal?” (Didn’t work.)

Who, after the conviction, sues the county and the tiny rescue group that took on the responsibility of placing 240 formerly abused dogs into homes that were appropriate for their needs — on behalf of an associate of the convicted felon who was denied one of the dogs she wanted and feels “entitled.” Because the indigent convicted felon was forbidden to sue as a condition of her suspended sentence, and a lawyer gotta make some lucre somehows. Why not try to extract it from the meager funds meant to care for all the dogs?

Who (the lawyer) is the president of the local humane society.

Could I make this up? I could not. It would make implausible fiction.

]]> By: Rosemary Rodd http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/10/12/regarding-the-unfortunate-spoilage-of-the-merchandise/comment-page-1/#comment-476678 Rosemary Rodd Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:22:05 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=9476#comment-476678 He's really not doing his client any favours by trying to convince the court that this is a legitimate "business" that went wrong, is he? The guy HAS to be a hoarder and I would guess he'll just start accumulating animals again if he's not required to get any kind of psychological treatment or continuing supervision. He’s really not doing his client any favours by trying to convince the court that this is a legitimate “business” that went wrong, is he? The guy HAS to be a hoarder and I would guess he’ll just start accumulating animals again if he’s not required to get any kind of psychological treatment or continuing supervision.

]]> By: Linda Kaim http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/10/12/regarding-the-unfortunate-spoilage-of-the-merchandise/comment-page-1/#comment-476663 Linda Kaim Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:10:53 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=9476#comment-476663 Gawd. In what world is any of this OK? I remember when the story broke and thought that the newscaster meant to say a hundred, or even hundreds. When I actually verified that it was a thousand, I almost gagged. And. Then. This???? Gawd. In what world is any of this OK?

I remember when the story broke and thought that the newscaster meant to say a hundred, or even hundreds. When I actually verified that it was a thousand, I almost gagged.

And. Then. This????

]]> By: Alison http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/10/12/regarding-the-unfortunate-spoilage-of-the-merchandise/comment-page-1/#comment-476659 Alison Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:17:33 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=9476#comment-476659 "Boado's attorney, Brian Storts, said his client recognizes some responsibility for his actions" I'd just love to hear exactly how he was only responsible for *some* of his actions - who was responsible for the actions he wasn't responsible for ? What a cop out ! As for the attorney, what sort of mind could come up with the phrase 'spoilage' to describe what was going on ? my mind boggles. Anyway,I'm glad he's lost his home, and has to pay costs towards the rehabilitation of the animals, so many cases of animal cruely/neglect just get a slap on the hand. At least in this case it does seem to have been considered seriously. “Boado’s attorney, Brian Storts, said his client recognizes some responsibility for his actions”
I’d just love to hear exactly how he was only responsible for *some* of his actions - who was responsible for the actions he wasn’t responsible for ? What a cop out !
As for the attorney, what sort of mind could come up with the phrase ‘spoilage’ to describe what was going on ? my mind boggles.

Anyway,I’m glad he’s lost his home, and has to pay costs towards the rehabilitation of the animals, so many cases of animal cruely/neglect just get a slap on the hand. At least in this case it does seem to have been considered seriously.

]]> By: catmom5 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/10/12/regarding-the-unfortunate-spoilage-of-the-merchandise/comment-page-1/#comment-476658 catmom5 Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:11:39 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=9476#comment-476658 Dear God, how can people be so ignorant/cruel/greedy/stupid . . . or all of the above? "spoilage"??? Dear God, how can people be so ignorant/cruel/greedy/stupid . . . or all of the above? “spoilage”???

]]> By: Janeen http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/10/12/regarding-the-unfortunate-spoilage-of-the-merchandise/comment-page-1/#comment-476655 Janeen Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:39:16 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=9476#comment-476655 IMO Storts and Boada deserve to be "spoiled" just like those animals were. IMO Storts and Boada deserve to be “spoiled” just like those animals were.

]]> By: Sarah http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/10/12/regarding-the-unfortunate-spoilage-of-the-merchandise/comment-page-1/#comment-476654 Sarah Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:26:24 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=9476#comment-476654 that's one of the worst comments i've read in a long time that’s one of the worst comments i’ve read in a long time

]]> By: EmilyS http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/10/12/regarding-the-unfortunate-spoilage-of-the-merchandise/comment-page-1/#comment-476653 EmilyS Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:13:31 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=9476#comment-476653 sick. It's people like that who drive breeder limitation laws sick. It’s people like that who drive breeder limitation laws

]]> By: Mary Mary http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/10/12/regarding-the-unfortunate-spoilage-of-the-merchandise/comment-page-1/#comment-476652 Mary Mary Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:12:04 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=9476#comment-476652 OK, I read maybe one or two of the examples of what the animals were eating and drinking and I am fairly sick now. Won't be reading any more. OK, I read maybe one or two of the examples of what the animals were eating and drinking and I am fairly sick now.

Won’t be reading any more.

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