Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Animal Humane Society: "Humane" in name only

Dear friends:

You've probably heard about the Animal Humane Society's recent "rescue" of 130 cats in St. Anthony, Minnesota. This was a case of a couple hoarding a ridiculous number of cats in a small trailer. However, pictures released by the AHS show cats who appeared to be pretty well socialized and well fed. Various people who have been involved in seizures of hoarders' cats say these were in better shape than they expected.

The AHS invited all the media to come see the cats in their cages at the Golden Valley site. Their press person said they would spend 2-3 weeks evaluating the cats for illness and socialization. The AHS later admitted that they killed them within 48 hours. Every single one. As people and organizations from all over started contacting them to offer help, they were already busy killing cats. They say now it was a public health issue, but have not explained: 1) why the timeline was changed; 2) whether they actually tested cats for illness; and 3) if the cats were so critically ill, why they even brought them to the shelter. (Hint: the Star Tribune article didn't ask people to volunteer, but did ask for money.)

This Saturday, 2/28, we will be protesting at the Humane Socy in Golden Valley -- 1 p.m. to 2 or 2:30 (depending on how cold!) at Highway 55 and Meadow Lane North. Please join us and wear thermal underwear & bring signs! It is one exit west of Theodore Wirth Parkway. There are several parking lots nearby. Note that this protest is not sponsored by any organization, but just an ad-hoc group of extremely pissed off citizens!

Can't make it? Can make it & want to be even more helpful? Here is a link for more information & a list of contacts for AHS board members. Please ask them to investigate thoroughly and make necessary personnel changes. (That would be a polite way of saying that they need to fire CEO Janelle Dixon, who has presided comfortably over the deaths of tens of thousands of animals, first at the St. Paul shelter & then at the head of the 5-shelter AHS system.)

Feel free to share this with anyone interested. If anyone outside the area has a moment to write a few board members, it would be very helpful. Let them know there are people watching everywhere.

Thanks so much!
Ellen Weinstock
St. Paul, MN

More info: http://animalarkshelter.org/animal/ArkArticles.nsf/EmailArticle/58760A421FF6284386257560005A2E8F

Jeff Ament
Smith Barney
445 E. Lake Street, Ste. 320
Wayzata, MN 55391
(952) 475-4304
(800) 433-0147

Emilie Buchwald
6808 Margaret’s Ln
Edina, MN 55439
(952) 941-5993

Ed Clausman, DVM
Southdale Pet Hospital
3910 W 70th St
Minneapolis, MN 55435
(952) 926-1831

Barb Colombo, Esq.
Hamline University
1536 Hewitt Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55104
(651) 523-2800
bcolombo01@hamline.edu

Kerry D’Amato
502 Grand Hill
St. Paul, MN 55102-2613
(651) 222-6441

Lisa Goodman
Minneapolis City Council
350 S 5th Street, Room 307
Minneapolis, MN 55415
(612) 673-2207
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/contact/email-form-goodman.asp

Dean Hedstrom, VP Engineering
Aetrium, Inc.
2350 Helen Street
North St. Paul, MN 55109
(651) 770-2000
info@aetrium.com

Cyndi Lesher, President
Xcel Energy, Inc.
800 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN 55402
(800) 328-8226


Teresa Morrow, Senior VP
Bremer Financial Services
445 Minnesota Street, Ste. 2000
St. Paul, MN 55101-2135
(651) 227-7621

Ned Patterson, DVM
C339 Veterinary Medical Center
1352 Boyd Avenue
University of Minnesota
Saint Paul, MN 56345
patte037@umn.edu

Nicholas S. Pifer, CFA
RiverSource Investments
70100 Ameriprise Financial Center
Minneapolis, MN 55474
(800) 817-4647

Wayne Popham, Esq.
Popham Law Office
33 S. 6th Street, #4100
Minneapolis, MN 55402-3601
(612) 333-7680
wpopham@pophamlaw.net

Boyd Ratchye, Esq.
970 Wagon Wheel Trail
Mendota Heights, MN 55120-1316

Damon Schramm, Esq.
Lakes Entertainment, Inc.
130 Cheshire Lane
Minnetonka, MN 55305 US
dschramm@lakesentertainment.com
(952)449-7069

Kristi Skordahl, Esq.
Family Law Services
2139 Carroll Ave
St. Paul, MN 55104-5043
(651) 644-1443
Kristi@kristiskordahl.com

Robert Washabau, DVM
1352 Boyd Avenue
College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Minnesota
Saint Paul, MN 55108

You can contact the following board members c/o Animal Humane Society, 845 Meadow Lane N., Golden Valley, MN 55422. (763) 522-4325
Don Jacobsen

Sheila Kennedy

James Lane

Linda Lee

Walt McCarthy

Murphy McKee

Lia Melrose

Deborah Patterson

Carolyn Smith

Stephanie Swanson


You may also wish to contact the Humane Society’s sponsors. All of them have links here: http://www.animalhumanesociety.org/aboutus/sponsors

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I don't know where you expected these cats to go if not the AHS? I personally hate euthanasia, but I hate the people more who think they can give a home to a hundred cats! Or even 10 for that matter. I don't blame the AHS. I blame the owners! And personally, I wouldn't want one of these cats that the owner "abused." They pee and poop everywhere (not in their box) and the claw and bite people. They are not socialized. Did you want one of these cats? Do what I did and spend your time catching strays and get them neutered/spayed and STOP the cycle!