Since the interim director at Louisville Metro Animal Services, Susan Neumeyer, Greg Fischer and a few Metro Councilfolks are working furiously to ignore the conditions at LMAS, we thought it’d be a good idea to take a look at a portion of an email sent by an experienced animal care advocate to those individuals on July 14.
Here’s an excerpt:
First, conditions at Manslick: The conditions that were noted as urgently needing to be remedied in the Performance Review of LMAS have not been addressed. Not only is there no plan to address them, but the plan offered by No Kill Louisville to address the most egregious of the problems—that of the unsafe, unsanitary condition of the structure(s) at Manslick—were cited as a main reason for rejecting NKL’s proposal to run adoptions and sheltering. The conditions listed in the RFP for sheltering and adoptions as the minimal standard for animal care are not currently being met, and there is no plan to meet them. Conditions continue to be dangerous for the animals and probably for staff as well. You are extremely fortunate, so far, that staff have not filed complaints with OSHA over the conditions in which they are forced to work. Ethical leadership wouldn’t wait to be forced to provide safe working conditions and to meet the basic requirements of animals in the “care” of Metro government, but I have seen no evidence of ethics or accountability within the highest ranks of Metro government leadership.
Second, the ongoing issue of an abominable euthanasia vs. live release rate, and the lack of action to promote adoptions: There are 38 dogs in this week’s Derby City Dog Rescue album on Facebook of dogs “needing rescues.” Several have a notation on their photo that says, “Urgent. Must have rescue commitment by 7-18 at 5:00.” Several of those dogs are puppies, and two are seniors who are suffering in the heat giving the inadequate ventilation at Manslick, although presumably they could be cared for at Animal House if anyone in LMAS considered adequate animal care to be their responsibility!
There are 12 dogs listed on Petfinder (4 of which don’t even have photos posted). None of those in the DCDR album is listed on Petfinder, and there is still NO publicly visible effort to market or promote animals for adoption. LMAS does not appear to be promoting any of the animals that members of the public are fostering at their own expense. It looks like LMAS is back to its usual tricks of not making dogs available for adoption, just putting the onus on rescue groups under threat of death of the animals. How many dogs are at Manslick and how many at Animal House? And how many go to their deaths without ever being considered for adoption at all?
Third, the death of Blue, ID# A439479. This dog had a broken leg which was apparently not treated; No Kill Louisville (NKL) was asked for help by an unnamed staff member of LMAS in the last hours of the dog’s 5 day stray hold period, and supporters of NKL worked overnight to secure a foster, financial sponsorship and rescue. In the morning an announcement was posted that Blue had been killed. There has never been an explanation of what happened, whether he was treated at all or left to suffer for 5 days, and why he was killed instead of rescued. When will those questions be answered?
Enraged yet?
This is the perfect opportunity for Jim King to stand up and show he’s got the ability to be where he is. Playing behind the scenes is not enough.
And Kelly Downard? I know first-hand that he’s tried to work behind the scenes and has been more than fair – he’s tried on multiple occasions to give people the benefit of the doubt. But it’s time for him to step up and yell publicly, as well.
WHEN will Metro Council sack the hell up and force some accountability on the part of Greg Fischer and Metro Animal Services “leadership”? WHEN?
9 responses so far ↓
1 GtownReader // Jul 21, 2011 at 6:00 pm
Gosh — this would be a GREAT time for a Republican politician to step up to the plate. If he/she really had a solution to this mess, they would earn the undying admiration – and future votes – of MANY fed-up citizens, Democrat, Independent, & Republican.
2 Fischycouldnotmanagehiswayoutofapaperbag // Jul 21, 2011 at 6:23 pm
Here’s would I would like to see:
the entire email put on billboard
placed in the Courier by way of entire full page ad. pic of every animal killed since Fisch took office instead of the tacky self absorb asshole pics in the Voice Tribune society page
King and Downward to grow a backbone and offer vacant land in their district for a new shelter to be run by someone other than Fisch’s crew
3 jake // Jul 21, 2011 at 7:29 pm
Please. The only thing Jim can do is give $20K to the KDP, which then spends the money attacking him and his daughter.
And Kelly? He’d be tremendous if he’d just step up and get loud.
Both of them have a great opportunity to lead. Neither will take it.
4 TRANSPLANTED TO KENTUCKY // Jul 21, 2011 at 10:33 pm
Here is hoping that someone will step up and DO SOMETHING. Please Kelly and Jim take charge of this mess. Read Nathan Winograd, the voice of No Kill, and see who he chronicles as Enemy no. 1 to the No Kill philosophy and rumors abound that we are about to get a Director via Chris Pointer’s slip of the tongue, who while talks a good game, is worse than Meloche with actually less experience.
5 curtis morrison // Jul 22, 2011 at 1:42 am
It appears your “experienced animal care advocate” knows what’s going on. I just looked on Petfinder, and my foster beagle, Chubbs, (aka A437866): not there.
Susan told me the site LMAS uploads pictures to only interfaces with Petfinder once a week. Obviously that’s not ideal. I’m hoping whoever the mayor hires as the new director has some expertise in marketing and social media.
6 curtis morrison // Jul 22, 2011 at 1:50 am
Correction. Found Chubbs. He’s apparently been adopted by invisible parents. Nice. Anybody need a beagle? He prefers to go by Dr. Chumley than Chubbs. (He’s self-certified, like Dr. Paul)
http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/19934840
7 chico // Jul 22, 2011 at 2:34 am
Jake….neither of those two Nincompoops!….has has the nuts to stand up and take authorship of handling this horrible situation!…That’s cause they are not TRUE Leaders!!!!….a true Leader would have jumped on this challenge and already made a difference!
8 TRANSPLANTED TO KENTUCKY // Jul 22, 2011 at 11:48 am
Greg Fisher ran on a No Kill agenda and was supported by many people who believed that he truly wanted to make a difference. Metro Council passed a No Kill resolution. The No Kill bid was turned down in part, according to the administration, because they allegedly did not have enough experience. Google Nathan Winograd, the father of the No Kill philosophy and see what he says about Wayne Pacelle of the HSUS and its direct impediment to No Kill. Now one asks why would the Mayor hire a 20 something person working for HSUS with virtually no experience or track record for LMAS ? Why would Chris Poynter state that he would name his staff next week? (See WHAS story from last night). Should this come to pass not only will LMAS get worse but there will be a local and national uprising. This community is sick and tired of this mess. This simply unbelievable!!!!!
9 jake // Jul 22, 2011 at 12:00 pm
Let’s get one thing straight: No Kill Louisville’s bid was turned down because Patti Swope and Allison Woosley, Greg Fischer’s right-hand, pushed him to nix it. The Kentucky Humane Society is VEHEMENTLY against no-kill goals. It’s fucking ridiculous.
Let’s quit pretending it’s because of lack of experience. That’s most certainly not the case.
Greg will appoint a friend or donor, LMAS will continue to rot, Jim King will never sack up and do anything about it and folks like the Browns will just choose to sit on their hands and ignore the harsh realities surrounding this mess.
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