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.