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Many Tears Animal Rescue

THEY SHOOT DOGS - DON'T THEY?
Sylvia's blog.

The last month has caused me sleepless nights and misery. I want to explain why to all and then give anyone permission to use my story wherever they want to.

Some years back I moved to a small town called Rockingham in North Carolina. Whilst there the person we bought our property through begged me to look at the huge refurbished building which was the Humane Society. An amazing women having seen the local dog pound had agonized what to do to change things. The day she had gone up to look the pound ( which was not manned and had 15 or so dogs in a compound and no shade and a bucket of water in which was a small pup who had drowned. This pup was so desperate for water she had climbed up and in to the bucket and could not get out.

She witnessed the purpose dug hole the dogs, at the end of their 3 day stay, were dropped into so that one of the two dog catchers “Bonk” or “Coon” could shoot them. She had heard some would scramble out so then were shot on the run. She also knew the tiny kittens or pups had their necks rung and others went into the gas chambers where you could hear them screaming clawing then their lungs popping.

This lady raised the money with other animal lovers and built the dogs and cats a comfortable shelter. Sadly to do this the place was partially funded by the town, so that meant all the animals no longer went to the pound but Coon and Bonk delivered them there. But the numbers were huge, so at three days they were carted off to the same fate.

In a year no director had been found to run the place and the poor animals still suffered as no one adopted them. I looked and knew I could change things but I would have to learn to euthanize. This word means painless death!!!! As a vegan this was the most terrible thing to do. Vets were keen to teach me on poor dogs just to show me but I resisted until I could not ignore the way these animals were handled and of course their terrible fate. I took the job and ALWAYS remember vividly the first poor dog I killed and after her the hundreds. I would walk up the corridor picking my friends as they trustingly wagged their tails. Beautiful dogs, pups, cats and kittens. In one day there were over 100.
Wherever possible we transported them to safety but it was rare as no space could be found. To shoot a dog is such a chance thing, one move and the poor animal suffers terribly. It's totally inhumane and barbaric.

Well I did change it and in turn it changed me. I am a dog murderer and always will have that on my conscience. Worse still, once I had the place running well, I left and fled to Wales as I could not go on.

So here I am doing my best to help when I first hand came across this incident. I was told by a dog breeder that the RSPCA told her that they prefer to shoot dogs to kill them. I could not believe I had moved away from that to come to this!!! So I called and asked RSPCA inspector Richard Abbot and was told "yes that’s right". I was gob smacked so called the local RSPCA who said there was no way this was true. They also said they were the local branch and had nothing to do with the inspectors? Although the inspectors do work out of their buildings.

I actually know our local branch do a great job, but am confused as both inspectors and the branch have the same name. I told a friend who told others and one wrote to the RSPCA and asked. Below are the replies. Before you read them can I point out if a dead bolt is used it would have to be put up to a dogs head - actually touching it. Could this be done to aggressive un-socialized dog? In the first RSPCA letter they say they advised the owners to call other rescues and yet in the next they say the dogs skin was too bad and they were too aggressive to home. The officer I spoke to said they had not asked any other rescue for help and that as officers went round on their own that was the easiest method and most humane (in his mind). He also said that that if it had been a large number of dogs they maybe could have done something. I'm not sure what he meant by that - did he mean. get press and TV and general public to cough up and save them? I wonder if the general public like paying for the dead bolt?

I moved to get away from the unbearable and here I am back where I started - it haunts me. You have all seen the skin problems that some dogs who come to us have and the we get right as well as the unsocialized terrified dogs that we turn around and get homes. Can you imagine the poor dogs below where somehow restrained with a dead bolt to their heads!!!!!

Where is my God to watch over these poor dogs? I thought “We are the voice of the voiceless, and through us the dumb can speak”. Night after night this haunts me so now I write it for you all to read.
Your local RSPCA centres are run independently and do a great job but let’s, as dog loves, put a halt to this barbaric practice. I and many others would be glad to deal with these dogs that the RSPCA officers are not trained well enough to handle. A head bolt needs to be held up to a dogs head. Did they not say these dogs were too aggressive to home? The RSPCA felt only the week before that the owners should try to find a rescue to take them. Were they not aggressive then? Was their skin good then? Are the RSPCA not able to help dogs with bad skin?

Ask questions PLEASE!!!!!

This is the first letter from the RSPCA

20-08-2009

Thank you for your enquiry. Please accept our apologies for the delay in replying. We receive a very large volume of enquiries here and have to prioritise to deal with urgent animal welfare issues first.

There has been some misinformation posted with regard to this case. The facts are as follows:
We received a call on 23 June this year from a member of the public relating to 10 German Shepherd dogs at an address in Pontardawe, in south Wales. The caller said the dogs owner, a relative, had died and the dogs had been living on their own.

An RSPCA inspector visited the premises that day and assessed the animals. The inspector took the decision that none of the dogs were at all suitable for rehoming due to concerns about their aggressive behavior and lack of socialization with people. The dogs were also suffering from a severe skin condition.

We explained the next-of-kin that they should contact other rescue groups for help. The next-of-kin were made fully aware that if the RSPCA became involved, the dogs would be euthanized.
The owners next-of-kin later contacted the RSPCA again and said they had been turned down by other charities who were unwilling to take on the animals and they signed over the dogs, fully aware of what would happen.

It is the RSPCAs raison d'etre to prevent cruelty to animals, and it was decided this sad, but ultimately necessary, outcome for the dogs was the best way to prevent the animals any further suffering. The decision was not made lightly and, as always, it was made with the best interests of the animal at heart.

Thank you again for contacting the Society.
Kind regards

RSPCA HQ Advice Team


So another letter was sent asking them again - did they shoot the dogs? This is the reply:

Thank you for your further enquiry.

Yes, they were. A decision was made following a discussion between eight RSPCA officers that the most humane form of euthanasia would be to use a captive bolt. This would minimise distress to the dogs, while also being the safest method for those people responsible for dealing with the animals. Restraining the dogs and then shaving a limb to prepare for a lethal injection would have caused these animals unnecessary suffering, due to the animals suffering from a severe skin condition.
Thank you again for contacting the Society.