Thanks, M. In a perfect world, every shelter would be able to provide all the resources to keep pets in their homes - food, veterinary care, preventatives, spay/neuter, training, temporary housing, etc. In the real world, not everyone is resourced to do that. We are not out to play "gotcha" on people who lie to us, but we don't want them to lie to us. If they need to surrender, they should tell us and we'll point them to places who are better equipped to provide appropriate care for their pet. It serves no one for us to be obligated to take a pet someone "found?" to put them in the garage in a wire crate for months on end. Yes, they get 3 walks a day and time in a play yard, food water vet care and enrichment as best we can. But they could go to a larger better resourced shelter if people would tell us the truth. We do provide information about reduced fee clinics and larger better resourced shelters in our area. We never are the "NO" and go away. We always try to help people find what they need even if we can't provide it. As to law enforcement, we have a hard time getting them to investigate/document/charge abuse/neglect/abandonment. I harbor no illusion that they would pursue filing a false report for a "found" animal. Would love to see PFL in northeast KS/KCMO area, but I understand these large national programs go where they can serve the most people/pets, or to areas where more pets are dying in shelters.
Crystal Swann Blackdeer
Executive Director
Leavenworth County Humane Society, Inc.
Lansing KS
913-250-0506
Original Message:
Sent: 09-23-2022 08:45 AM
From: M Saucedo
Subject: Suspected Owners posing as Finders
I don't think getting law enforcement involved is going to help. The problem isn't the lying, the problem is that there isn't anywhere for people who need to surrender their pet to do so, so they are getting desperate. Threatening them with legal action is going to stop them from accessing animal services for help at all, and that's not what we want! People could simply stop bringing them in and leave them outside for someone else to find and bring in, and then you're back to the same problem anyway: a dog you don't have space for. Do you have programs in place to help people figure out ways to keep their pet if they want to? Or a list of resources they can use elsewhere? Or other nearby shelters or rescues who may be able to help them?
I know many areas are overwhelmed with too many homeless pets, but getting law enforcement involved is not going to help pets or people, and will likely make their lives in even worse than they already are.
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M Saucedo
GIS Analyst
Pets for Life
Original Message:
Sent: 09-19-2022 12:50 PM
From: crystal blackdeer
Subject: Suspected Owners posing as Finders
We are seeing an upsurge in what we believe to be owners bringing in pets they claim they have found.
We have contracts with cities and our Sheriff's Office to take these found pets. Owner surrendered pets are only accepted when resources allow. We have been unable to take owner surrendered pets for about a year now due to over-crowding.
How do other organizations with contracts let people know that if they lie on the intake form, they are making a false report to law enforcement? And how do we get law enforcement to follow up and seek intake fees from these owners posing as finders?
Of course we want to help the pets and the people, but we would much rather they tell us the truth.
#AdmissionsandIntake(includingIntake-to-placement)
#FieldServicesandPublicSafety*
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crystal blackdeer
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