How shelters and rescues have failed

If you're involved in animal rescue or politics, and are not reading Nathan Winograd's new blog, stop right now, quit reading the KCDog Blog, and go there.

Over the weekend, Winograd gave a speech in Los Angeles promoting his new book, Redemption.  He's published his speach in its entirety here.  Here are a couple of exerps:

The book opens and closes with a series of questions—questions for you, the reader.

The opening question is “how did this happen?”

How is that a nation of people who spend $40 billion dollars on their animal companions and donate billions more to animal related charities, have ended up with an animal shelter system that is the leading cause of death for healthy dogs and cats in the United States That is the question I seek to answer in the first half of the book, going through the history of companion animal protection, and all the claims and justifications and excuse-making that has defined our role as stewards for homeless animals for a century. And the end result is that shelters have failed animals almost completely. And worse, these shelters are doing what they are doing in our name: they are doing it with our taxes, with our donations, as agencies representing us, and they are even blaming us (and our neighbors) for doing it by claiming they have no choice because of the public’s irresponsibility. And although we are picking up the tab, we are not paying the ultimate price. That is being paid by the animals who are unfortunate enough to enter US shelters and lose their lives as a result.

In the middle, the book asks the question: “can we do anything about it?”

And the answer is yes. Over the past decade, communities across the United States have embraced not only the No Kill philosophy, but the programs and services which make it possible. As a result, they have achieved unprecedented lifesaving success, saving in excess of 90% of all impounded animals. Not only did death rates plummet and adoptions skyrocket in these communities, but these results were achieved in a very short period of time—virtually overnight—proving that saving lives is less a function of any perceived pet overpopulation, but rather of a shelter’s leadership and practices.

Later in his speech:

There is no breed of dog in America more abused, maligned, and misrepresented than the American Pit Bull Terrier. There is no breed of dog more in need of the humane movement’s compassion, in need of a call to arms on its behalf, and in need of what should be the full force of a shelter’s sanctuary. Many shelters, however, have determined that these dogs are not worthy of their help. They have determined that Pit Bulls do not deserve to live.

The more circumspect among them might not say so publicly. They may couch it in more benign terms, shifting the blame to others, claiming that no one will adopt them, convincing themselves that only a ban and death will keep them out of harm’s way, but the end result is exactly the same. By their actions, words, policies, and failure to speak out positively on behalf of Pit Bulls, they stoke the fire that has at its core only one end: their mass killing. To a breed abused for fighting, victimized by an undeserved reputation, relegated to certain death in shelters, add one more torment: those who should be their most ardent protectors have instead turned against them.

Read the rest here.

Winograd will be in Kansas City giving a presentation and doing a book signing on Saturday, October 13 at 7:00 pm at the Unity Temple on the Plaza.  Proceeds from the Book sales will go to No More Homeless Pets Kansas City.   I think it will be a great event -- and I'm personally very much looking forward to it.  Get your tickets early, as I expect this will be a sell-out.

Comments

[Becky]

Thank you so much for posting this, Brent. Everyone, please read the 'more'... This has brought me to tears -- some tears are of outrage and grief over the misery suffered by our animals, esp the pit bull; others are tears of joy that this man is brave enough to stand up and point fingers and name names and TELL the truth and DEMAND rectification.

[MJ]

The shelter in Artesia NM puts down any dog that looks like it may have any pit bull in it. On the other hand if a dog looks to be full blooded, (regardless of behavior problems) they save those dogs to be adopted.