No Kill group puts pressure on animal shelter
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EUGENE, Ore. - A group that opposes euthanizing sick or dangerous animals is applying pressure to the humane society that holds the public contract for animal control in Eugene and Lane County.
Greenhill Humane Society took over animal control in a contract signed by city and county leaders, replacing Lane County Animal Services as the operator of the shelter on 1st Avenue in Eugene.
A group called "No Kill Lane County" wants the shelter to no longer put down sick or dangerous animals.
"Greenhill has said they are not a no kill shelter, they have said that many times, and that's what we want them to be," said Molly Sargent with No Kill Lane County. "And if they would just do that, if they would just do that one thing, it would make all the difference."
Sargent said the group is concerned about veterinary care at the shelter.
"They are being held without medical treatment for so many days without medical treatment before they are being treated," she said.
And No Kill Lane County questions the practice of putting down sick and dangerous animals.
Greenhill said there isn't a problem.
"Most of the time we are able to adopt the animal out, if it is not returned to its owner," said Jacklyn Semple with Greenhill. "That's the vast majority of situations."
Kelly Darnell with the City of Eugene said city staff visit the shelter unannounced two to three times a week and report they are seeing well fed and exercised animals.
Darnell said that, although the city receives regular emails from a half a dozen community members with shelter concerns, the City of Eugene is not hearing concerns from the larger Eugene community.
"We truly believe that we are making the best choice the most humane choice for every animal with experience staff, with professional experience," Semple said. "We have multiple veterinarians that work for us, and they are the ones that make those decisions."
No Kill Lane County said they are preparing to sue Greenhill over access to information.
The City of Eugene and Greenhill said they just want to concentrate on continuing to adopt out the animals that come into their care.
Considering that California is dumping dogs on Oregon, "rescues" are bringing more into the state while others die in local shelters, why is No Kill complaining?  http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/5a45e0aa49774df6990a5831c501e13a/CA--Pet-Transport
These uninformed fanatics have gotten far too much media attention as it is. Ignore them and they will eventually get lives of their own and wander off.
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And like Runfast says, if you don't like the way it's being handled, open a shelter and do it yourself.
You simply CANNOT save EVERY animal. It's a sad and hard fact that everyone in animal welfare must realize. If Greenhill would simply just "do that one thing" and not kill dangerous, unadoptable dogs the whole world will be a better place right? And do what with these dogs? I much prefer Greenhill to spend their precious resources working on the animals that can be placed in permanent, loving homes.
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What I really want to remind NO KILL LANE COUNTY is what Greenhill was like when I volunteered there 25+ years ago. Where a large percentage every animal that came into the shelter was put down, where many puppies never even made it to the kennel for a chance at adoption. If you think that didn't happen back then I can tell you worse stories than that about what it was like in those days. To spend your time and money bashing this organization that has done a 180 degree change over the years is disgraceful and disgusting.Â
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I suggest that the good people at No Kill Lane County open up their own shelter specifically to house the dangerous or sick animals they are concerned about.
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I have personally had some very good experiences at the West First Shelter. I took in what I thought was a very sick stray cat, expecting him to be euthanized. I was surprised that he WAS NOT euthanized and in fact was put into foster care, then on to an organization that spent several hundred dollars correcting his eye defects. I have fostered kittens for Greenhill that I thought would be put down, but instead every effort was made to give them a chance at life and adoption. My current relationship with Greenhill is that of a foster parent and I know how much time, money and care goes into giving these animals every opportunity to be adopted.
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So go ahead No Kill Lane County and sue Greenhill for access to information. Spend valuable financial resources and negative publicity to drive to their knees the very organizaiton that is doing the most for animal welfare in this county. But while you are at it please be sure to cover your faces because your ignorance is showing.
I think it is a shame that a so-called "progressive" city treats their lost, feral and homeless animals this way. LCAS was not humane and the 1st St location, even less. There is a No-Kill solution but it takes participation by the city, county, and most of all, residents. I agree with Molly Sargent...Greenhill could do a much better job but not without help from city and county officials. That we only have ....wait, do we even have ANY officers anymore to take pit bull attack complaints or farm animal cruelty or hoarders who have 67 cats? I mean, we sure can't ask the Sheriffs for help and the city is not much help either. Pretty sad. We can spend money on "art" but not on animal welfare?
@Just Duckee Then you volunteer your time, your dollars and your space to put these animals up indefinitely...oh and the professional medical care to treat them as well. Do you fanatics think money grows on trees?
Honestly, there's so much conflicting and sketchy information on both sides that I'm not sure who to believe.Â
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I do think it's a SERIOUS problem that Eugene basically no longer has animal control. Greenhill doesn't accept strays. Animals have to be owner-surrendered, you have to pay a fee to surrender an animal, and Greenhill and pick and choose who it wants to accept or not. Considering that Oregon has had 2 cases of plague this year acquired from fleas on stray cats, I see this as a serious issue. Who deals with stray dogs? Dangerous ones? Rabid dogs? Not Greenhill. It is my understanding that the people behind NKLC are the same people who had a problem when LCAS had a kill rate of 30 something percent. Guess what? That's what happens when you take in ALL animals. You're receiving the dangerous, the diseased... and you put them down and focus on the ones you can save. That's a better system than what we have now; just leaving the strays on the street and hoping that it will be fine.Â