Letter to the editor

The euthanasia of the St. Anthony cats removed from a hoarding situation without taking time to properly evaluate their condition or the options for their care is, unfortunately, just another instance of the death of adoptable pets given over to the care of the Animal Humane Society.

Organizations and individuals were offering their assistance as soon as they were aware of the problem. No effort was made by AHS to even contact their own foster caregivers to see if they could help with these cats in this lightest cat season of the year.

It is very clear that these cats were used as a vehicle for advertising AHS and raising funds. My hope is that these cats have not died in vain and will finally reveal to the public at large the policies of AHS.

There are numerous misconceptions about the Animal Humane Society. Many mistakenly believe that AHS is associated with a larger national organization such as the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) or the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Many also mistakenly believe that AHS is an “official” or governmental controlled or approved organization. Many would be shocked at the percentage of the funds they donate to you in the multiple millions of dollars each year that are spent on highly paid administrators.

Finally, most assume that AHS is a “humane” organization and that the stray, sick, and unwanted animals that come in to you will be evaluated, cared for and adoptable animals will be offered for adoption. The public is not aware that 40-60% of the animals surrendered to AHS are euthanized immediately. Only the young and healthy and desirable even get a chance. Occasionally, a young and desirable injured animal gets special treatment with a dramatic surgery like removal of an infected eye or amputation of an injured limb, but I have come to believe that those acts of seeming generosity are simply fundraising gimmicks like the St. Anthony cats. Wonderful rescue stories keep those donations rolling in.

It's time the Twin Cities became a "no-kill" zone which simply means all adoptable animals go up for adoption. Only suffering and truly unsocialized animals are euthanized. Much larger metropolitan areas than the Twin Cities (New York City, for instance) have already made the commitment. It won’t happen overnight, but it's time for all the animal rescue organizations to work together to make the changes necessary to achieve that goal.

"Humane" Society board meeting tomorrow--Thursday

From: Andrea Lee Lambrecht [mailto:andreal@umn.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 3:53 PM
Subject: Animal "Humane" Society Board meeting tomorrow-Thursday

Most of you are well informed about the St. Anthony cat situation. I just got off the phone after a very upsetting conversation with Deb Balser, HS public relations. When I inquired, she said every single cat had ringworm AND UR and FIV was present. I had many questions and she had no sane response. When I asked her if any rescue groups or individuals familiar with hoarding and rescue offered to take some of the cats, she said “No, not until after they were euthanized.” I was outraged. When I told her I didn’t believe all the cats were beyond help and that the HS did not appropriately consider options. She told me I was entitled to my opinion and hung up on me when I asked for her last name.

Please consider the following:

The 26 board members will be meeting tomorrow (Thursday, Feb. 26 at noon) in Golden Valley. The next board meeting will not be held until April. The meeting is NOT open to the public.

However, people can call (763-522-4325) and register their outrage at how this situation was handled and the tragic result.

You may also e-mail your comments to board members to Megan Pelka (mpelka@animalhumanesociety.org), who is the assistant to Janelle Dixon, CEO/President. I was told by Megan e-mails she receives that are directed to board members will be forwarded to those board members. Considering the meeting is less than 24 hours away, I asked if she would also print out a hard copy to distribute to the board members at the meeting tomorrow. She said that would be done.

In spite of my anger, I feel it is important to not only state my thoughts on the matter, but also to say a new protocol should be established regarding contacting rescue organizations and individuals when decisions are being made to destroy EVERY animal.

Also, be sure to state your experience with cats, animals, feline disorders/diseases, hoarding and rescue, so they know you are well informed on the issues. Otherwise, they may think you are clueless and doing a knee-jerk to the bad publicity.

Right now I am too mad to carry on, but I ask you to please flood the HS office phone & board member e-mails. This is especially important they hear from the public prior to the meeting.

Pass the word and carry on.

Andrea Lee Lambrecht

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

More bad snowmobilers in Wisconsin

57 ducks run over by snowmobile in Wisconsin
Updated: 1/14/2009 5:36:39 PM

FOND DU LAC, Wis. -- Investigators are trying to find a snowmobiler who ran over and killed 57 mallard ducks on a river near Fond du Lac.

The Department of Natural Resources says the ducks were killed Tuesday and found in a hole in the ice and on both sides of it in the Fond du Lac River.

Warden Supervisor George Protogere says it appears a single snowmobiler performed two passes of water skipping over the ice hole and hit the ducks. The warden calls the killer a person with no concern for life.

The incident comes as public outrage grows about another thrill killing near Waupaca. A group of snowmobilers herded and ran over five deer last weekend. Four were killed, and one was euthanized.


(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
All Material Copyright 2009 KARE-11. All Rights Reserved.

Appalling attack on deer in Wisconsin

Snowmobilers round up and run over deer
By ROBERT IMRIE , Associated Press

January 12, 2009

WAUSAU, Wis. - A group of snowmobilers in central Wisconsin herded and killed four deer and severely injured a fifth in what a warden called a senseless act of cruelty on Monday.

No arrests have been made in the Saturday morning incident about five miles south of Waupaca, said Ted Dremel, a state Department of Natural Resources warden.

There's talk of closing all snowmobile trails in Waupaca County until the "rogue snowmobilers" are caught, he said.

"It is senseless. I don't know how else to describe it," Dremel said. "It is probably something they thought was fun or humorous at the time. They did purposely run over these deer. The tracks in the snow were in a circular manner, almost looking like they were chasing the deer back to other snowmobile partners."

Randy Yorkson, who farms the land, said people cannot believe what happened.

"I am going to guess it is somebody who left a bar. They probably had been using that trail before, knowing the deer were out there," he said. "This is just some yahoos who don't have any common sense."

Landowner Virginia Niemuth, 80, immediately shut off access to her property, closing five miles of the main snowmobile trail across Waupaca County.

"There's sick people out there," Niemuth said. "I used to love to snowmobile, but this is too much."

Dremel believes three or four snowmobiles were involved in a roundup of deer in a moonlit alfalfa field where 30 to 40 animals were known to feed. Witnesses reported hearing snowmobiles in the area about 3:30 a.m., he said.

Three deer were found dead in the field. A snowmobile stopped atop one and ripped open its stomach, Dremel said. A fourth deer with broken legs was euthanized.

The fifth deer was dragged from the field and tied to a tree about 25 feet from a road. Investigators think someone may have planned to return for that deer, Dremel said.

"It looked like the deer wrapped itself around the tree and choked itself to death," he said.

Dremel said he has never heard of this kind of "cowboy-style" attack on deer with snowmobiles.

"Usually, it is an accident — a deer standing in a trail and a snowmobiler can't avoid it," he said.

The dead deer included two bucks and three does. One was a fawn.

Investigators have no suspects. Some snowmobile clubs have offered $4,000 in rewards for information leading to arrests, Dremel said. Information can be phoned into the DNR's tip line at 1-800-TIP-WDNR.

"This is not characteristic of the snowmobile community in Wisconsin," DNR Chief Warden Randy Stark said in Madison. "Obviously, we are looking to get any public assistance we can in identifying who is responsible for this."

___

On the Net:

Department of Natural Resources: http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/

© 2009 Star Tribune. All rights reserved.

2009 Minnesota Humane Lobby Day

2009 Minnesota Humane Lobby Day
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.
Minnesota State Capitol Building, Great Hall
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155

R.S.V.P. for this event

On February 11, animal advocates will gather in St. Paul for the 2009 Minnesota Humane Lobby Day. Please join us for this exciting opportunity to meet directly with your elected officials or their staff about legislation that will significantly impact animals. Click here for details and to R.S.V.P.

In order to prepare you for your meetings, we will give you tips for lobbying and an overview of pending animal legislation. Then, along with other animal advocates, you will be able to meet with your legislators and let them know about your support of humane legislation.

Face to face meetings are one of the most effective ways to get involved and make a concrete difference in the lives of animals. We hope you can join us on Wednesday, February 11, and experience how you can be an effective animal advocate.
Feel free to pass this information on to others in Minnesota who may be interested in joining us. This event is free of charge, but an R.S.V.P. is requested to attend.

Click here to R.S.V.P. now.
Hope to see you there!

Sincerely,

Jill Fritz
Minnesota State Director
The Humane Society of the United States

Minnesota Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act

Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act Begins Taking Form in Minnesota

On Friday, December 20 - just in time for the holiday season, the State of Minnesota began working on gift for thousands of dogs and cats currently trapped in puppy mills in the state: The Puppy/Kitten Mill Cruelty Prevention Act.

Unlike other failed attempts to regulate pet breeding in Minnesota, this bill will work to ensure large-scale breeders are in compliance with the all federal, State and local animal welfare and cruelty laws. Among the interesting provisions in the bill is a statement that will prevent anyone previously convicted of animal cruelty from owning a dog or cat breeding operation.

Mike Fry, Executive Director of Animal Ark, the largest no kill animal welfare organization in Minnesota, says that one of the beauties of this new approach is that it makes effective use of existing animal cruelty laws and law enforcement structures. He believes that if the bill becomes law, this will make it easier to enforce than previous bills.

Additionally, several small breeders have contributed to the development of the Puppy/Kitten Mill Cruelty Prevention Act, helping to ensure there will be no unintended consequences for smaller, responsible breeders.

The first draft of the official bill language is due the first week in December.

For more information, call (651) 772-8983.
Related Links:

Animal Ark's Puppy Mill Resource Center

Ask Your Senator and Representative to Support the Puppy and Kitten Mill Cruelty Prevention Act

Donate to Help