Monday, June 15, 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Rescued dog alerts family to intruder
Dog alerts family about intruder in home
Updated: 6/9/2009 9:05:27 AM
The Treichel family of Cambridge didn't need convincing. They'd already fallen in love with Izzy, the Australian Shepherd they adopted in February.
But what Izzy did at 3:00 Sunday morning has earned her family's gratitude for life.
"She just jumped up on our bed and started growling," says Maggie Treichel about the unexpected wake-up that greeted her and husband Tom.
Their bedroom door was closed, but Izzy seemed to sense something on the other side.
"She knew something was wrong," says Maggie.
Within seconds Tom was standing at his daughter's doorway staring that something in the face. "It was a silhouette of a man sitting in a chair next to my daughter's bed."
The stranger had pulled a small chair alongside the bed of now awake and freighted six-year-old Allyson.
"He said how old are you and what your name was and he shook hands with me," she recalled shyly on Monday afternoon.
Tom turned on the light and soon realized the man seemed pretty scared himself. "I just kept asking him 'What are you doing in my daughter's bedroom? What are you doing in my daughter's bedroom?' and he just didn't have anything to say.
Maggie called 9-1-1, while Tom made sure the intruder would be waiting when police arrived. "He made a quick dart for the door but I was standing right by him and I was able to grab him and put him onto the ground and told him he wasn't going anywhere."
Officers arrived at the Treichel home within minutes and found Maggie's camera in the man's pocket along with some checks stolen from a neighbor.
A charge of 1st degree burglary was filed Monday again Joseph Reinhardt, 20, who is listed as homeless in court papers. Police believe he gained entrance to the home through a garage door accidentally left open.
An Isanti County official says Reinhardt is originally from Maple Grove. He is also wanted on a burglary warrant in South Dakota.
"I had no clue why he was there," says Tom Treichel, "and that's what bothers me the most is why are you sitting next to a six-year-old."
The Treichels are counting their blessings.
"Obviously God's watching out for us," says Maggie.
God and the dog they took in from Aussie Rescue of Minnesota.
The rescued Australian Shepherd that early Sunday morning evened the score.
(Copyright 2009 by KARE. All Rights Reserved.)
All Material Copyright 2009 KARE-11. All Rights Reserved.
Updated: 6/9/2009 9:05:27 AM
The Treichel family of Cambridge didn't need convincing. They'd already fallen in love with Izzy, the Australian Shepherd they adopted in February. But what Izzy did at 3:00 Sunday morning has earned her family's gratitude for life.
"She just jumped up on our bed and started growling," says Maggie Treichel about the unexpected wake-up that greeted her and husband Tom.
Their bedroom door was closed, but Izzy seemed to sense something on the other side.
"She knew something was wrong," says Maggie.
Within seconds Tom was standing at his daughter's doorway staring that something in the face. "It was a silhouette of a man sitting in a chair next to my daughter's bed."
The stranger had pulled a small chair alongside the bed of now awake and freighted six-year-old Allyson.
"He said how old are you and what your name was and he shook hands with me," she recalled shyly on Monday afternoon.
Tom turned on the light and soon realized the man seemed pretty scared himself. "I just kept asking him 'What are you doing in my daughter's bedroom? What are you doing in my daughter's bedroom?' and he just didn't have anything to say.
Maggie called 9-1-1, while Tom made sure the intruder would be waiting when police arrived. "He made a quick dart for the door but I was standing right by him and I was able to grab him and put him onto the ground and told him he wasn't going anywhere."
Officers arrived at the Treichel home within minutes and found Maggie's camera in the man's pocket along with some checks stolen from a neighbor.
A charge of 1st degree burglary was filed Monday again Joseph Reinhardt, 20, who is listed as homeless in court papers. Police believe he gained entrance to the home through a garage door accidentally left open.
An Isanti County official says Reinhardt is originally from Maple Grove. He is also wanted on a burglary warrant in South Dakota.
"I had no clue why he was there," says Tom Treichel, "and that's what bothers me the most is why are you sitting next to a six-year-old."
The Treichels are counting their blessings.
"Obviously God's watching out for us," says Maggie.
God and the dog they took in from Aussie Rescue of Minnesota.
The rescued Australian Shepherd that early Sunday morning evened the score.
(Copyright 2009 by KARE. All Rights Reserved.)
All Material Copyright 2009 KARE-11. All Rights Reserved.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Home Sweet Home
I made an unusual rescue last year. I was at AHS with some foster kittens and a couple came in with a mother cat and kittens they were going to turn in. I knew the mother cat, who was a very nice calico, would be at risk of euthanasia at AHS in prime kitten season, so I offered to take her on the spot before she got into the system. This cat had been living outdoors with no owner and I knew friends who were looking for an indoor/outdoor cat at their rural home and who would provide wonderful care. Here is an update.
Hi All,
We’re a little overdue on this but wanted to include pics of our newest cat family members. All three joined us last year, June of 2008.
Names as follows: Incidentally, we give all our cats middle names.
Female Calico: Pebbles
(middle name “Denise”) for our friend Denise who found Pebbles for us.
History: Pebbles aka “Squeakers” had been living in Richfield on 74th and Lyndale Avenue. She was shuffled between the neighbors and had given birth to her own litter of kitties in the Spring of 2008. The woman who had been watching her could no longer care for her and she took her to the Golden Valley Humane Society. Denise happened to be at the humane society that very same day. She overheard Terry say that the cat was very friendly; however, she needed to be an outside cat. Denise said “I know someone who will take her” and that’s how Pebbles joined our family.
However, before Pebbles joined us, we had committed to taking 2 abandoned kittens in Beldenville, WI. The kittens mother was lost and the family thought that the mother may have been hit by a car. Therefore, the kittens (brother & sister) were being bottle fed. We brought them home when they were only 4 weeks old and continued to bottle feed them for a couple more weeks. Then they were ready for regular food. Boy, did they grow fast!!
Male: Orange & White Tabby: Alfie
(middle name “Dickens”) He’s a little Dickens and we thought it suited him for a middle name.
Female: Gray: Enya (named after Irish singer Enya)
(middle name “Selai”)
Selai was a close friend of ours who was our neighbor when we lived in White Bear Lake. She was from the Fiji Islands and had moved to Minnesota from Hawaii. Sadly, we had found out just a few weeks before getting the kittens that Selai had passed away from ovarian cancer. She was living in New York at the time. We thought it was a fitting middle name for Enya since she is so sweet and Selai was a generous giving person.
Yeah, we really get into this name thing because our cats are our children. So…we have fun with it! All three cats are adjusting well to country living and loving it. They want to be with us when we’re outside and follow us everywhere.
Have a great day!
S&D
NOTE: All three cats are spayed or neutered and receive regular vet care.
Hi All, We’re a little overdue on this but wanted to include pics of our newest cat family members. All three joined us last year, June of 2008.
Names as follows: Incidentally, we give all our cats middle names.
Female Calico: Pebbles
(middle name “Denise”) for our friend Denise who found Pebbles for us.
History: Pebbles aka “Squeakers” had been living in Richfield on 74th and Lyndale Avenue. She was shuffled between the neighbors and had given birth to her own litter of kitties in the Spring of 2008. The woman who had been watching her could no longer care for her and she took her to the Golden Valley Humane Society. Denise happened to be at the humane society that very same day. She overheard Terry say that the cat was very friendly; however, she needed to be an outside cat. Denise said “I know someone who will take her” and that’s how Pebbles joined our family. However, before Pebbles joined us, we had committed to taking 2 abandoned kittens in Beldenville, WI. The kittens mother was lost and the family thought that the mother may have been hit by a car. Therefore, the kittens (brother & sister) were being bottle fed. We brought them home when they were only 4 weeks old and continued to bottle feed them for a couple more weeks. Then they were ready for regular food. Boy, did they grow fast!!
Male: Orange & White Tabby: Alfie(middle name “Dickens”) He’s a little Dickens and we thought it suited him for a middle name.
Female: Gray: Enya (named after Irish singer Enya)(middle name “Selai”)
Selai was a close friend of ours who was our neighbor when we lived in White Bear Lake. She was from the Fiji Islands and had moved to Minnesota from Hawaii. Sadly, we had found out just a few weeks before getting the kittens that Selai had passed away from ovarian cancer. She was living in New York at the time. We thought it was a fitting middle name for Enya since she is so sweet and Selai was a generous giving person.
Yeah, we really get into this name thing because our cats are our children. So…we have fun with it! All three cats are adjusting well to country living and loving it. They want to be with us when we’re outside and follow us everywhere. Have a great day!
S&D
NOTE: All three cats are spayed or neutered and receive regular vet care.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Stop importing animals in need; MN has plenty!
I feel terrible about dogs waiting for homes in other states, but I don't agree with going to the time and expense of tranporting them here, when we are euthanizing adoptable dogs and cats (by the hundreds!) right here in Minnesota. We need to get our own problems solved and then reach out.
AHS: Have you no shame?
25 Oklahoma dogs arrive in Minnesota looking for a second chance
Updated: 5/20/2009 2:16:05 PM
Twenty five adult dogs from Oklahoma arrived at the Animal Humane Society Wednesday morning looking for families that will give them a new home.
The dogs are part of an effort called "Save Our Strays" operated by a group in Oklahoma. These are healthy dogs that would have likely been euthanized due to a lack of space to house them.
Since April, more than 140 dogs have been transported from from Oklahoma by the "Save our Strays" rescue group. The dogs have a few days to get acclimated and be checked out by the AHS vet team. They will then be available for adoption at various Animal Humane Society locations.
(Copyright 2009 by KARE, All Rights Reserved.)
All Material Copyright 2009 KARE-11. All Rights Reserved.
AHS: Have you no shame?
25 Oklahoma dogs arrive in Minnesota looking for a second chance
Updated: 5/20/2009 2:16:05 PM
Twenty five adult dogs from Oklahoma arrived at the Animal Humane Society Wednesday morning looking for families that will give them a new home.
The dogs are part of an effort called "Save Our Strays" operated by a group in Oklahoma. These are healthy dogs that would have likely been euthanized due to a lack of space to house them.
Since April, more than 140 dogs have been transported from from Oklahoma by the "Save our Strays" rescue group. The dogs have a few days to get acclimated and be checked out by the AHS vet team. They will then be available for adoption at various Animal Humane Society locations.
(Copyright 2009 by KARE, All Rights Reserved.)
All Material Copyright 2009 KARE-11. All Rights Reserved.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Vets for puppy mills beware!
A veterinarian for a controversial Minnesota puppy mill has given up their license in order to avoid legal action by the Minnesota Veterinary Board. Minnesota Animal Welfare Advocates are suggesting the case should put other vets who support puppy mills on notice.
More information is available at Animal Ark's website.
More information is available at Animal Ark's website.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Safe journey to the river's edge
Hutchinson, MN is my hometown and I was so pleased to see this story in the local newspaper, the Hutchinson Leader, online today:
SLIDESHOW: A walk to the river with Mom
Hutchinson animal control officer Bob Loehrer escorted a mother duck and her 10 ducklings to the Crow River on Wednesday morning. The ducklings were hatched just a few hours earlier behind a bush in front of the Hutchinson Police Station along Franklin Street. The two-block trek to the river included a visit to the alley behind several Main Street businesses and a large jump up two curbs. It was all in a day’s work for Loehrer, who said it’s not unusual for him to be called to rescue ducklings after they have fallen into storm sewer drains.
Staff photos by Doug Hanneman.
SLIDESHOW: A walk to the river with Mom
Hutchinson animal control officer Bob Loehrer escorted a mother duck and her 10 ducklings to the Crow River on Wednesday morning. The ducklings were hatched just a few hours earlier behind a bush in front of the Hutchinson Police Station along Franklin Street. The two-block trek to the river included a visit to the alley behind several Main Street businesses and a large jump up two curbs. It was all in a day’s work for Loehrer, who said it’s not unusual for him to be called to rescue ducklings after they have fallen into storm sewer drains.
Staff photos by Doug Hanneman.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Legacy of the St. Anthony Cats
The fall-out continues over the swift euthanasia of the 100+ cats rescued from a trailer in St. Anthony. These photos were taken by the Animal Humane Society and posted on their website. Within 48 hours, AHS had killed every cat.
I first saw the photos on the Animal Ark blog where Mike Fry asked,
"Is the place gross? Yup. Disgusting, actually. But, take a look at the cats. Take a really good look at the cats and ask yourself the following question, how many cats look to be in such severe medical trouble they need to be humanely euthanized?
My count? Zero. In any of the pictures."
I would go a step further and say that these cats don't look dirty or skinny or even scared despite having a stranger in their space taking photos. I was physically sickened to think that these cats were euthanized without being given a chance.
The AHS board has sent out a letter to those who complained about the needless killing of these cats:
Consider Mike Fry's response on the Animal Ark blog :
Dear members of the Board of Directors of the Animal Humane Society,
As you all know, there was a recent uproar in Minnesota related to the reported "rescue" and the subsequent killing of about 130 felines the Animal Humane Society acquired from a mobile home in St. Anthony Minnesota. Multiple complaints were filed with the board of AHS over the killing of these felines.
On April 6, 2009 a form letter response from Nic Pifer, the AHS Board Chair, was sent to those who complained. In case you have not yet seen the official AHS response, a copy is attached for your convenience.
Generally, the response from the AHS Board regarding this unfortunate and unnecessary tragedy appears to have been to simply recite the talking points staff members at AHS had made publicly to justify the killing of these felines, in spite of the fact that the basic premise of these statements have been widely discredited by experts in the field of veterinary medicine and shelter management.
Basically, the argument in favor of killing the cats goes something like this: the cats posed a health risk to people and animals at AHS, and in the community at large, and so needed to be killed.
Note that nowhere in the response from Mr. Pifer was there any indication that animals were terminally ill, suffering or in need of humane euthanasia. The entire argument in favor of the killings is summarized by the above statement. Unfortunately, this statement is not supported by sound veterinary medicine.
Multiple veterinarians who are nationally recognized as experts in this subject matter have already written me saying things like, "there is no veterinary basis for this decision [to kill the cats]."
A quick review of the diseases referenced as the rationale for killing these cats is provided below:
"Upper Respiratory" or URI - This is common in felines in shelters. One of the most common causes of this condition is a virus known as feline herpes. This is not the same virus that is considered a sexually-transmitted disease in humans, which is why most animal welfare advocates avoid using the "feline herpes" term when discussing URI in cats. Some estimate suggest that between 70% and 80% of all felines already carry the feline herpes virus. Symptoms of the virus are generally comparable to a "common cold" in humans. URI is generally considered to be a stress-related ailment in cats, common in animal shelters, or other situations where housing less than ideal. All animal shelters should be prepared to isolate and treat cats suffering from URI.
Ringworm - this is a contagious fungal infection that is common in stressed cats. The fungus responsible for ringworm in cats is basically the same as the fungus responsible for athlete's foot in humans. The fungus is ubiquitous and common. When cats become stressed, they become more susceptible to this condition, which is why it is common in shelters or animal hoarding situations. It is inexpensive to treat, if proper isolation and quarantine practices are in place. All animal shelters should be prepared to isolate and treat cats suffering from this condition.
FIV - Feline Immunodeficiency Virus is sometimes, incorrectly, referred to as "feline AIDS". This virus is not related to HIV in humans, though its behavior in cats is somewhat similar to the behavior of the HIV virus in humans. FIV is only transmitted from cat to cat through close, intimate contact - generally through deep bite wounds that result when intact male cats fight. However, unlike HIV, FIV in cats often resolves itself without treatment. Additionally, simple tests available in shelters are highly inaccurate, generating large numbers of false-positive results. Additionally, cats infected with this disease usually live long, healthy lives. They are more likely to die from unrelated causes than from the disease itself. Because the tests for this disease are inaccurate; because the spread of the disease is easily prevented in a shelter setting; and since the implications of a positive test are not considered very serious, testing of shelter animals is considered, at best, controversial. Those that recommend testing also recommend confirmatory tests, which can take weeks to process.
It is worth pointing out here that the timeline uncovered and reported by KSTP Eyewitness News indicates AHS began killing these unfortunate felines within about 24 hours of arrival at your shelter. Confirmatory tests for none of these diseases was possible in that time frame.
Of these diseases, the only one that is potentially transmissible to humans is Ringworm. However, as mentioned earlier, proper isolation and treatment protocols are available for managing that condition in a shelter. For this, and the other reasons I have mentioned, the rationale that these felines represented a risk to other animals at AHS and the public seems highly flawed.
Perhaps more troubling than the questions raise by the above is the fact that several serious questions had been posed to the AHS board which were not, in any way, addressed by the form-letter response signed by Mr. Pifer and dated April 6. Some of those questions include, but are not limited to the following:
1) Has AHS Board interviewed the veterinarian in charge of the case?
2) Has the AHS Board of Directors asked for, or been given, a full briefing by the veterinarian in charge of the case?
3) Have reporters investigated the credentials of the Director of Veterinary Services, Kathie Johnson, who is not a veterinarian? Why is Ms. Johnson allowed to make life or death decisions for animals when she is not a veterinarian?
4) The 2/17 press release issued by AHS said that the cats were euthanized because "Clinical diagnosis and medical testing provided evidence of multiple health issues within the group of cats. The issues included upper respiratory infection (URI), ringworm, the herpes virus, and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)." Why have no reporters questioned whether there is an accurate veterinary basis for this statement? For example, it is not possible to definitively diagnose ringworm within 24 hours. A ringworm culture must be done and it takes at least 10 days to obtain results from this culture. Another example, a positive FIV test result does not indicate that a cat has FIV, only that a cat has been exposed to the virus. How many cats were tested and how many positives were there?
5) If the St. Anthony cats were as unsocialized as AHS claimed, how was it possible to thoroughly examine 130 cats in a matter of a few hours before the cats were killed?
None of these concerns were addressed by the simplistic response from your board. If there are answers to these questions, I believe the animals in Minnesota, and your members and donors all deserve a substantive response that addresses them.
Mike Fry, Executive Director of Animal Ark
It is my sincere hope that these innocent cats did not die in vain. I hope that their legacy is the beginning of increased awareness by the public and increased cooperation and communication among rescue groups in the future.
I first saw the photos on the Animal Ark blog where Mike Fry asked,"Is the place gross? Yup. Disgusting, actually. But, take a look at the cats. Take a really good look at the cats and ask yourself the following question, how many cats look to be in such severe medical trouble they need to be humanely euthanized?
My count? Zero. In any of the pictures."
I would go a step further and say that these cats don't look dirty or skinny or even scared despite having a stranger in their space taking photos. I was physically sickened to think that these cats were euthanized without being given a chance.
The AHS board has sent out a letter to those who complained about the needless killing of these cats:
Consider Mike Fry's response on the Animal Ark blog :
Dear members of the Board of Directors of the Animal Humane Society,
As you all know, there was a recent uproar in Minnesota related to the reported "rescue" and the subsequent killing of about 130 felines the Animal Humane Society acquired from a mobile home in St. Anthony Minnesota. Multiple complaints were filed with the board of AHS over the killing of these felines.
On April 6, 2009 a form letter response from Nic Pifer, the AHS Board Chair, was sent to those who complained. In case you have not yet seen the official AHS response, a copy is attached for your convenience.
Generally, the response from the AHS Board regarding this unfortunate and unnecessary tragedy appears to have been to simply recite the talking points staff members at AHS had made publicly to justify the killing of these felines, in spite of the fact that the basic premise of these statements have been widely discredited by experts in the field of veterinary medicine and shelter management.
Basically, the argument in favor of killing the cats goes something like this: the cats posed a health risk to people and animals at AHS, and in the community at large, and so needed to be killed.
Note that nowhere in the response from Mr. Pifer was there any indication that animals were terminally ill, suffering or in need of humane euthanasia. The entire argument in favor of the killings is summarized by the above statement. Unfortunately, this statement is not supported by sound veterinary medicine.
Multiple veterinarians who are nationally recognized as experts in this subject matter have already written me saying things like, "there is no veterinary basis for this decision [to kill the cats]."
A quick review of the diseases referenced as the rationale for killing these cats is provided below:
"Upper Respiratory" or URI - This is common in felines in shelters. One of the most common causes of this condition is a virus known as feline herpes. This is not the same virus that is considered a sexually-transmitted disease in humans, which is why most animal welfare advocates avoid using the "feline herpes" term when discussing URI in cats. Some estimate suggest that between 70% and 80% of all felines already carry the feline herpes virus. Symptoms of the virus are generally comparable to a "common cold" in humans. URI is generally considered to be a stress-related ailment in cats, common in animal shelters, or other situations where housing less than ideal. All animal shelters should be prepared to isolate and treat cats suffering from URI.
Ringworm - this is a contagious fungal infection that is common in stressed cats. The fungus responsible for ringworm in cats is basically the same as the fungus responsible for athlete's foot in humans. The fungus is ubiquitous and common. When cats become stressed, they become more susceptible to this condition, which is why it is common in shelters or animal hoarding situations. It is inexpensive to treat, if proper isolation and quarantine practices are in place. All animal shelters should be prepared to isolate and treat cats suffering from this condition.
FIV - Feline Immunodeficiency Virus is sometimes, incorrectly, referred to as "feline AIDS". This virus is not related to HIV in humans, though its behavior in cats is somewhat similar to the behavior of the HIV virus in humans. FIV is only transmitted from cat to cat through close, intimate contact - generally through deep bite wounds that result when intact male cats fight. However, unlike HIV, FIV in cats often resolves itself without treatment. Additionally, simple tests available in shelters are highly inaccurate, generating large numbers of false-positive results. Additionally, cats infected with this disease usually live long, healthy lives. They are more likely to die from unrelated causes than from the disease itself. Because the tests for this disease are inaccurate; because the spread of the disease is easily prevented in a shelter setting; and since the implications of a positive test are not considered very serious, testing of shelter animals is considered, at best, controversial. Those that recommend testing also recommend confirmatory tests, which can take weeks to process.
It is worth pointing out here that the timeline uncovered and reported by KSTP Eyewitness News indicates AHS began killing these unfortunate felines within about 24 hours of arrival at your shelter. Confirmatory tests for none of these diseases was possible in that time frame.
Of these diseases, the only one that is potentially transmissible to humans is Ringworm. However, as mentioned earlier, proper isolation and treatment protocols are available for managing that condition in a shelter. For this, and the other reasons I have mentioned, the rationale that these felines represented a risk to other animals at AHS and the public seems highly flawed.
Perhaps more troubling than the questions raise by the above is the fact that several serious questions had been posed to the AHS board which were not, in any way, addressed by the form-letter response signed by Mr. Pifer and dated April 6. Some of those questions include, but are not limited to the following:
1) Has AHS Board interviewed the veterinarian in charge of the case?
2) Has the AHS Board of Directors asked for, or been given, a full briefing by the veterinarian in charge of the case?
3) Have reporters investigated the credentials of the Director of Veterinary Services, Kathie Johnson, who is not a veterinarian? Why is Ms. Johnson allowed to make life or death decisions for animals when she is not a veterinarian?
4) The 2/17 press release issued by AHS said that the cats were euthanized because "Clinical diagnosis and medical testing provided evidence of multiple health issues within the group of cats. The issues included upper respiratory infection (URI), ringworm, the herpes virus, and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)." Why have no reporters questioned whether there is an accurate veterinary basis for this statement? For example, it is not possible to definitively diagnose ringworm within 24 hours. A ringworm culture must be done and it takes at least 10 days to obtain results from this culture. Another example, a positive FIV test result does not indicate that a cat has FIV, only that a cat has been exposed to the virus. How many cats were tested and how many positives were there?
5) If the St. Anthony cats were as unsocialized as AHS claimed, how was it possible to thoroughly examine 130 cats in a matter of a few hours before the cats were killed?
None of these concerns were addressed by the simplistic response from your board. If there are answers to these questions, I believe the animals in Minnesota, and your members and donors all deserve a substantive response that addresses them.
Mike Fry, Executive Director of Animal Ark
It is my sincere hope that these innocent cats did not die in vain. I hope that their legacy is the beginning of increased awareness by the public and increased cooperation and communication among rescue groups in the future.
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