Houston-based blog "Hair Balls" has been covering the Houston SPCA's decision to allow twelve homeless Hurricane Ike victims go to rescue. It seems only natural that an animal welfare org - whose mission is to -
Promote commitment to and respect for all animals and to free them from suffering, abuse and exploitation. - would assist sound, adoptable dogs who've lost their homes. But not so at HSPCA, where every unclaimed pit bull that walks in the door leaves in a dead barrel. The no-adoption policy of this 21+ million dollar
charity shows
no mercy and offers no apologies.
So
why help these lucky twelve storm orphans then? Hair Balls Blog quotes a HSPCA rep who explains, "The circumstances with Hurricane Ike, we felt all the animals should get a chance.”
Thank you HSPCA, that's very kind of you. But what about Hurricane Foreclosure, Hurricane Landlord Discrimination, Hurricane Unemployment, and all the other disasters that are rendering adoptable dogs homeless?
ARTICLE: Pit Bull Laundering by the Houston SPCARIGHT: BAD RAP alum Boris lives near Houston. He's a happy survivor of Hurricane Oakland.
12 comments:
I don't understand how branches of the same organization could be so different. It pains me to read this about the HSPCA because it smears the name of the SPCA, and the San Diego SPCA has been a terrific resource for me and my pit bull, even though I adopted her elsewhere. SDSPCA always has pitties up for adoption.
OMG I had no idea that ANY branch os the ASPCA could even do that. I am horrified. Does the ASPCA allow for this to happen? I cant believe what I'm reading right now. Thank you for alerting me to this. I will no longer donate to them.
Jaime Smith
Hey guys - This is a really common confusion.
The ASPCA is not affiliated with any other SPCAs.
SPCA is a generic name that's used across the board by shelters everywhere, and it's just a name - nothing more.
Just as local humane societies are not connected with the Humane Society United States.
All orgs work independently of each other, so when you donate to the HSUS for example, you are not giving your money to your local humane society. It works the same when you donate to ASPCA --- your local SPCA does not benefit.
Good point Donna. I found that out earlier this year when Badrap posted on the Texas SPCA not helping out pit bulls during Hurricane Gustav. I posted on the boards of the Austin Humane Society (where I volunteer) to see if we were affilated. We aren't, and we did house pit bulls during both Gustav and Ike (as well as offering them for normal adoption).
I guess some SPCAs only prevent cruelty to dogs if they're the right shape.
OK, do I need reading glasses or relearn my letters? The Houston SPCA website that I'm looking at has a line that reads PROMOTING COMMITMENT TO AND RESPECT FOR ALL ANIMALS. I think they like to fool the public or they are forgetting their own motto. It should say RESPECT FOR SOME ANIMALS. Shouldn't they be charged with cruelty to animals, especially if their plumped up budget should allow them some financial effort to rehome good pitbulls? There should be a campaign to educate the public about their use of donations. The public might not be so happy to know that not ALL animals are treated fairly. Then again, Pollyanna's, such as myself like to believe all living beings should be given a chance. Fostering and educating myself about Pit Bulls has certaintly knocked my rose colored glasses off. Maybe this recent saving of the "Houston Dozen" might start the change about Pit Bulls.
OK everyone. I've done it and I think it's time for everyone out there who cares for our bully companions does it. WRITE TO Patricia Mercer (President of the Houston SPCA) and the Board Members. Shame on their breed discrimination (is this Mercer or the Board?). Houston is the
4th largest city in the country and to have such an archaic rule to "kill all pit bulls who come into the shelter" is inexcusable! As Donna noted, this shelter has tons of money and resources to outlaw this stupid law.
Bully hugs to everyone.
Boris' Mom
Arg, how lame!! HSPCA basically admitted that their stance on pitties being "unsafe" is flawed by allowing these twelve through (but only while they were playing the hero). So hypocritical.
I also think that people should write Animal Planet. They are a source of income for the HSPCA. I don't believe that they would be happy that one of their cornerstone shows - Animal Cops Houston - is breed selective.
Not only is Houston not Pit friendly, but Detroit and Miami also are Pit unfriendly, yet all three cities have a place on Animal Cops? I'm confused. If the channel is called Animal Planet, doesn't that mean all animals? Maybe they should call their channel All Animals but Pit Bulls Planet. Unless of course we can show fight footage on the Vick case...........
It is odd that Animal Cops shows cover the cities have the least amount of tolerance for people's pets.
Detroit is actually working to change their tune, tho.'
This is a recent sign of what we hope is a better day for the pit bulls in that area:
http://www.michiganhumane.org/site/News2?JServSessionIdr001=pnzfdln5r2.app6a&page=NewsArticle&id=10847&news_iv_ctrl=-1
It doesn't seem like Animal Planet cares either way. After all, there's a Miami version of Animal Cops, and Miami's a city that's not just Pit unfriendly. The entire county has an outright ban on Pits altogether. Remember, they also used to have a San Francisco version as well, and Frisco's become increasingly Pit intolerant over the last few years.
Every day I whatch animal cops Houston they are constantly trespassing on private property finding falsehood to sieze peoples pitbulls and every case they say these dogs are used for fighting even without proof, and the judge with mostly no merrit always grants the seizure. And for the great purpose of killing them!!! WELL THAT IS JUST GREAT! LETS JUST CALL FOR WHAT THEY REALLY ARE THE HOUSTON PIT KILLERS!!! OH YEAH THE HUMANE PIT KILLERS.
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