This is how I have been addressing this personally:
About removing pets from their families: Just because a pet "looks" neglected from our perspective, doesn't mean it is unloved. Often, the state of the animal (health, appearance, safety) reveals more about the challenges faced by their family or community. If we really care about making the lives of animals better, then we have to care about making their people's lives better and addressing their challenges. Improving access to care and resources should be number one. Because when people have access to the resources they need, they always do right by their animals. This can be a pet food pantry, low cost or no cost spay/neuter, vaccination or veterinary care, mobile clinics, building a fence (to unchain a dog), etc.
About picking up strays: Depending on where we are talking about. Just because an animal is free-ranging, does not mean it is not bonded with a person, family or community. For many people, letting dogs roam free is a sign of respect. Taking stray animals away without checking with the community first, is akin to stealing pets. Love takes many shapes and we must respect that and understand that we do not always know everything. In the case of community dogs especially, I encourage people to define what is "better". Is it better for an animal to live free, to go "home" at night and roam during the day, living life on their own term? Or is it "better" for the animal to be in a cage somehwere for months, or placed into an apartment and live at the end of a leash for the rest of their lives? "Better" is a very subjective concept. And we must look at the whole picture, to make informed decisions, on a case-by-case basis, in consultation with the community.
Ultimately, taking dogs away from their people without consulting them first and making sure this is what they want, is very destructive. It breaks the trust. These communities and families are less likely to contact the organization when they need help, or report issues when they see something. They will feel judged and excluded from the conversation. It's disrespectful and very counterproductive. Take a dog away like that, and it will soon be replaced by another one. But help a family or community address their challenges, and you can support forever loving homes for pets.
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Sophie Gamand
Photographer, Artist, Advocate
Sophie Gamand
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-24-2023 03:31 PM
From: Anonymous Member
Subject: Community Conversations - 7/24/23 - REDI for Change: Learning How Inclusivity Saves Lives
This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous
Unanswered question from the chat (asked at 00:55:35 in recording):
"How do we say this to the public that are picking up strays or removing dogs from people they think do not deserve them?" - Christina Avila
Original Message:
Sent: 07-20-2023 10:50 AM
From: Maddie's Pet Forum Admin
Subject: Community Conversations - 7/24/23 - REDI for Change: Learning How Inclusivity Saves Lives
Updated 7/24/23 at 3pm PT: Recording now available to watch on-demand!
We hope to see you on Monday, July 24, 2023 at 11am PT for our next Community Conversations call for a panel discussion, "REDI for Change: Learning How Inclusivity Saves Lives."
Join Dr. @Alina Luna, Dean of the Circle of Learning and Leadership, and @Sheila Kouhkan, Chief Engagement Officer, from Companions and Animals for Reform and Equity (CARE) for a panel discussion with animal well-being leaders across the country. Panelists include Sophie Gamand, Pit Bull Flower Power artist and animal activist, @Mindi Callison, Bailing Out Benji Founder and Executive Director, @brad shear, Potter League for Animals Chief Executive Officer, and @Erika Pratte (She/Her), Partners for Pets Humane Society Director. Together, they will discuss their experiences with CARE's Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion course and the positive impact their learnings have had on themselves, their organizations, and their lifesaving goals. Tune into this panel for an honest conversation that will open our hearts and minds about how the future of animal welfare is Human and Animal Well-Being.
Register here for our Monday Community Conversations Calls: maddies.fund/CommunityConversationsRegistration
Companions and Animals for Reform and Equity (CARE) is the recipient of a historic $6.5 Million grant from Maddie's Fund®. The grant will provide CARE with the funding to pilot a groundbreaking national program called Community Animal CARE, which will help support underserved people and their pets, overcrowded shelters, and chronically overwhelmed veterinarians. This is one of the largest grants awarded by the Foundation. "Maddie's Fund believes in the transformational power in CARE's holistic human and animal well-being mission," said Mary Ippoliti-Smith, Executive Leadership Team, Maddie's Fund. CARE is amplifying the work already being done, and transporting it to marginalized communities who will recast it into something all their own. We are honored to support what is truly an evolution in our field in order to help keep pets and people together." Read the full press release here.
If you are unable to make it live on Monday, this thread will be updated with the recording and resources so you can watch and share whenever you'd like. After you watch the recording or attend the call live, be sure to complete this July entry form to enter to win a grant: https://www.maddiesfund.org/weekly-community-conversations-jul23-giveaway.htm
#Diversity,Equity,InclusionandJustice
#EducationandTraining
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Maddie's Pet Forum Admin
Maddie's Fund
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