Post by valliesong on Jun 13, 2008 1:26:51 GMT -5
Please crosspost! Anyone have ideas on how to resolve this? Anyone know media sources that can report on this?
These animals would have been better off euthanized than released like this. Many will die of starvation and exposure, and the others will reproduce and start a colony of feral dogs that will continue to suffer. Not to mention the danger to the local residents!
Something needs to be done!
www.helena-arkansas.com/news/x441908968/Mayor-turns-dogs-loose-Freed-in-the-St-Francis-Forest
Mayor turns dogs loose Freed in the St. Francis Forest
By Michele Page
GateHouse News Service
Wed Jun 11, 2008, 07:57 PM CDT
Helena-West Helena, Ark. -
Faced with continuing problems at the city street department shop at the temporary shelters where captured animals are housed, Helena-West Helena Mayor James Valley Wednesday ordered all but three animals contained in kennels released into the St. Francis National Forest.
The city does not plan to house any more animals at the facilities.
“In the mean time, we are (in the process of) or have released all but a few our those animals heretofore housed at the sanitation shop. We fed and watered them and took them to the St. Francis National Forest and released them to freedom. We are disassembling the pens or fences and will not any longer house or keep any of these animals,” stated a press release issued via email by Valley.
Gloria Higginbotham, director of the Humane Society of the Delta, says that the city has been very cooperative about the matter.
Higginbotham says that the city does not have the manpower, facilities or funds to properly take care of the animals.
“The city has agreed to suspend the operation of the city facility and will not house any more strays,” said Higginbotham.
She added that the animals were “better off” fending for themselves.
The Humane Society is pleading with the public in hopes that someone will help with the situation and donate some property in Phillips County so a shelter can be opened to house the growing stray animal population. The group hopes to offer a countywide animal control service, which the city will help fund and man said Higginbotham. They also say that a spay and neuter program is essential in controlling the stray animal population.
Valley said that releasing the animals on Storm Creek Road was the “best possible solution.”
“They haven’t been mistreated and are kept in modest conditions,” said Valley.
He added that animal lovers may not agree with the way the city was handling the matter but he felt the animals were adequately kept.
Some of the animals may be considered dangerous and are reported to have bitten some of the animal control officers.
Some of the released animals also are sick with reported symptoms of bloody stool.
Two puppies and one adult dog with mange was picked-up by the Humane Society from the city confined area.
“This problem is dogging us and taking away from our ability to focus on the greater good for the community as a whole. One of our animal control officers has been to the hospital three times in as many months. Twice for bites and once for a severely sprained ankle growing out of incidents with these animals,” said Valley in the e-mail.
Valley said that in the future, when the city receives a complaint about a stray, the city would capture the animal and then release them “away from the complaining person.”
“How they are handled depends on the tags and registration of the animal,” said Valley.
Some animals that were at the city holding pens were slated for euthanasia. Those animals were released by the city before the humane society could tend to the matter.
Dana Pittman, a member of the local Humane Society offers a possible solution for the community until a facility is opened.
She suggests offering suffering strays food and water. She stresses that people do not need to agitate the animals and to call the city when approached by an aggressive animal.
Pittman says that the community “needs to pull together until the shelter is up and running.”
If a citizen encounters a sick or aggressive animal and feels concerned for the health of people or other animals, she suggests moving their pets or people indoors and calling the city.
“When Ms. Higginbotham’s full plan is revealed, I plan to support it and assist her and group in caring for our animals,” said Valley.
These animals would have been better off euthanized than released like this. Many will die of starvation and exposure, and the others will reproduce and start a colony of feral dogs that will continue to suffer. Not to mention the danger to the local residents!
Something needs to be done!
www.helena-arkansas.com/news/x441908968/Mayor-turns-dogs-loose-Freed-in-the-St-Francis-Forest
Mayor turns dogs loose Freed in the St. Francis Forest
By Michele Page
GateHouse News Service
Wed Jun 11, 2008, 07:57 PM CDT
Helena-West Helena, Ark. -
Faced with continuing problems at the city street department shop at the temporary shelters where captured animals are housed, Helena-West Helena Mayor James Valley Wednesday ordered all but three animals contained in kennels released into the St. Francis National Forest.
The city does not plan to house any more animals at the facilities.
“In the mean time, we are (in the process of) or have released all but a few our those animals heretofore housed at the sanitation shop. We fed and watered them and took them to the St. Francis National Forest and released them to freedom. We are disassembling the pens or fences and will not any longer house or keep any of these animals,” stated a press release issued via email by Valley.
Gloria Higginbotham, director of the Humane Society of the Delta, says that the city has been very cooperative about the matter.
Higginbotham says that the city does not have the manpower, facilities or funds to properly take care of the animals.
“The city has agreed to suspend the operation of the city facility and will not house any more strays,” said Higginbotham.
She added that the animals were “better off” fending for themselves.
The Humane Society is pleading with the public in hopes that someone will help with the situation and donate some property in Phillips County so a shelter can be opened to house the growing stray animal population. The group hopes to offer a countywide animal control service, which the city will help fund and man said Higginbotham. They also say that a spay and neuter program is essential in controlling the stray animal population.
Valley said that releasing the animals on Storm Creek Road was the “best possible solution.”
“They haven’t been mistreated and are kept in modest conditions,” said Valley.
He added that animal lovers may not agree with the way the city was handling the matter but he felt the animals were adequately kept.
Some of the animals may be considered dangerous and are reported to have bitten some of the animal control officers.
Some of the released animals also are sick with reported symptoms of bloody stool.
Two puppies and one adult dog with mange was picked-up by the Humane Society from the city confined area.
“This problem is dogging us and taking away from our ability to focus on the greater good for the community as a whole. One of our animal control officers has been to the hospital three times in as many months. Twice for bites and once for a severely sprained ankle growing out of incidents with these animals,” said Valley in the e-mail.
Valley said that in the future, when the city receives a complaint about a stray, the city would capture the animal and then release them “away from the complaining person.”
“How they are handled depends on the tags and registration of the animal,” said Valley.
Some animals that were at the city holding pens were slated for euthanasia. Those animals were released by the city before the humane society could tend to the matter.
Dana Pittman, a member of the local Humane Society offers a possible solution for the community until a facility is opened.
She suggests offering suffering strays food and water. She stresses that people do not need to agitate the animals and to call the city when approached by an aggressive animal.
Pittman says that the community “needs to pull together until the shelter is up and running.”
If a citizen encounters a sick or aggressive animal and feels concerned for the health of people or other animals, she suggests moving their pets or people indoors and calling the city.
“When Ms. Higginbotham’s full plan is revealed, I plan to support it and assist her and group in caring for our animals,” said Valley.
I look forward to learning much here