Thursday, April 7, 2011

Drinking the No Kill Nation's "Kool Aid"

Thought I'd share this from a fellow blogger on how incredibly simple implementing the No Kill Equation is - makes one wonder why only a hand full of the 3,500 shelters out these have been successful in implementing the steps.

The Incredible Simplicity of the No Kill Equation

It’s funny how many people have the same reactions when faced with the concept of No Kill.
“There are too many animals, not enough homes.”
“There just aren’t enough resources.”
“Pet overpopulation is due to public irresponsibility.”
“It’s going to take a long time to become No Kill.”
“We need to punish irresponsible owners.”
Etc., etc., etc.
All erroneous. Well meaning, maybe, but erroneous. The No Kill equation is so brilliantly simple. Some concepts MAY seem counter-intuitive to those who are used to blaming the public, assuming that it’s the fault of bad pet owners, etc., but when you look at the facts – it’s so damn clear.
For example, mandatory spay/neuter programs DO NOT work. They’ve been demonstrated ineffective time and time again.
There is no pet overpopulation. No Kill can happen overnight when a shelter is determined to make it happen.
Often, No Kill can actually happen UNDER a community’s budget – resources are not the real issue.
And so on.
Below are the steps of the No Kill Equation. This formula is PROVEN effective. Click here to learn more about the NKE and how to implement it. Please, please, educate yourself. Then, you can educate others – and the No Kill movement will grow, and spread, the way that ideas whose times have come, do.
I. Feral Cat TNR Program
II. High-Volume, Low-Cost Spay/Neuter
III. Rescue Groups
IV. Foster Care
V. Comprehensive Adoption Programs
VI. Pet Retention
VII. Medical and Behavior Rehabilitation
VIII. Public Relations/Community Involvement
IX. Volunteers
X. Proactive Redemptions
XI. A Compassionate Director

Of course, despite several attempts at getting clarification from the leaders of No Kill There are serious questions about implementing these steps.  They include:

I Community TNR Program - Are there adequate feral cat rescue groups to handle all the feral's needing rescue from MDAS?  Does the county commissioners endorse Trap/Neuter/Release as a viable option for feral's? 

II Low cost spay/neuter - MDAS already has a number of low cost spay/neuter programs in placed including a mobile bus that goes into neighborhoods - how would NKN suggest that program be expanded and where will the resources come from to pay for that expansion? 

III Rescue Groups - MDAS has expanded it's "rescue partner" program since Dr Pizano took over - specifically what other changes would NKN suggest?

IV Foster Care - in this context the NKE calls for shelters to foster out dogs/cats who have not been adopted.  Since the shelter is killing about 400 dogs/cats a week exactly how many foster homes would be needed EACH week to handle that number?  Who would pay for the cost of fostering - including food and medical care?  Who would manage/inspect the foster care homes.  Those who are involved in rescue know all too well how difficult it is to find enough foster homes - does NKN know something the rescue community doesn't?

V Comprehensive Adoption Programs - Adoptions from MDAS have increased dramatically under Dr Pizano's watch.  Specifically what adoption methods could be utilized and who picks up the cost involved and staffs those programs?

VI Pet Retention - As an open admission public shelter MDAS has a major problem with owners surrendering pets at the shelter.  Specifically what programs does NKN recommend to alleviate that problem?

VII Medical and Behavioral Rehabilitation - Who picks up the cost of evaluating and treating the 100 dogs/cats that enter the shelter each day?  What are those costs projected to be?  If we use a figure of $100 per dog/cat for a physical exam and shots wouldn't the cost projection be in excess of $3.5 million?  This area alone could easily add two to three times that amount to the expense of running the shelter?  Can the county justify that expense during an economic slowdown where many social programs are facing serious cutbacks?  Of course, that figure would not include treating/rehabilitating the huge number that enter the shelter lacking any type of medical care by their owners.  Considering the fact that the county ordered budget cutbacks that resulted in cutting the shelter's innovative volunteer program how does NKN get the commissioners to reverse the budget cutbacks?

How does one control disease in a high volume shelter that was never designed for this purpose?

VIII Public Relations/Community Involvement - this is one area where common ground dictates success just as was witnessed with the recent effort to save those who potentially could be exposed to the distemper outbreak.  Can the shelter management team rely on the community to step up next week when there isn't a crisis?

IX Volunteers - The volunteer program has been expanded dramatically under Dr Pizano's watch.  Specifically what programs have been overlooked?

X Proactive Redemptions - How does the shelter overcome the problem of owners surrendering pets in huge numbers that has plagued MDAS for years?

X! A Compassionate Director - Who specifically does NKN have in mind when it suggests a "compassionate" director will be able to end the killing?  What can and should that director do differently to overcome the limitations placed on the shelter operating with the same budget and regressive animal ordinances - including the ban on pit bulls.  How do you increase the number of pits and pit mixes rescued when there is a breed ban that needs repeal?

These are the questions that NKN leadership works diligently at dodging.  These questions are NOT welcome on the NKN Face Book question.  If implementing the No Kill Equation is so simple why aren't the answers to advocates questions quite as simple to find? 

Please educate yourself.

13 comments:

  1. I have to tell you that I find your article disgusting. As I read your rant, it becomes so clear that you are simply one of those unhappy, nasty, bullies, without a life, a coward who sits behind your computer bashing people & organizations that are trying, with every cell in their body, to save lives. You know, most people nowadays, are really starting to get tired of people like you. Trying to discredit, ruin, destroy or start a witch hunt after someone or something is REALLY starting to get OLD!!!! No one even listens to crap like this anymore because it JUST your opinion & you know what they say about those... Whatever happened to agreeing to disagree? Or to each his own? What the hell has anyone from this organization EVER done to you to make you so full of hate, that you take the time out of your miserable little life to sit down & write hate like this? This MUST be a personal vendetta against someone who is involved with NKN. It must b/c if it's not, then you really have some issues & need to seek help. Do you go after other honorable organizations too like March of Dimes or The Make A Wish Foundation??? No? Why not? Because there's no one there that's rubbed you the wrong way yet? A word of advice... People are not dumb. They know the incredible work NKN does & they know the honorable reputation of the people, the volunteers behind the org. who do it from their heart, and they won't believe this crap no matter what you say or make up. We all know it's all mean spirited hate & an article full of lies & none of us believe it. When you go after someone, it really makes you look BAD. WHen you point a finger, remember there are 4 more fingers pointing back at YOU. I think you are the one with the problem, not NKN or the people behind it. You can keep saying whatever you want. Say "The sky is falling" but just don't expect the public to believe you because we're educated today, we know what NKN stands for & we know about people like you who try to do nothing but hunt other people & destroy them. Nice try, but you FAIL with an F.

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  2. Charlese asks the million dollar question "Whatever happened to agreeing to disagree?" That went out the window when Geirge told me to "take my questions of his advocacy page". I did that - I created my own. We could have had this respectful discussion on NKN but George thought it would be better to have the discussion somewher else because "he was too busy building his organization to be bothered with answering questions about what DOESN'T work with the NKE. You NKN cultists never happy.

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  3. Why won't they answer these questions?

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  4. Tracy, Only NKN knows why they refuse to answer such simple questions. If they can't answer those questions for advocates how to they expect to answer the same questions when the politicians ask?

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  5. No one will answer anyone's questions if they are rude, obnoxious, insulting or mean when they are asking them. DUH!! Would you? I don't think so. I know I wouldn't. Thanks for explaining WHY this was written. I KNEW it HAD to be a personal thing. No one goes to this extent to slander someone unless it's personal. Thanks for making this soooo clear! You are pissed off with someone at NKN! So you have decided to get them back, by blasting them on the internet instead of writing them a personal email & discussing it privately, between you too. Very mature. Wonder why they probably don't answer you? If someone talks disrespectfully to me, I won't answer them either. Yet b/c he's affiliated with an organization, you go for the throat of the entire org. People like you are worthless in this world. You are a trouble maker. If someone doesn't do what you want, you go for their jugular & try to ruin them. Ohhhhhhhh I can't wait when Karma shows up at your doorstep Mr. You must be insane if you actually think that by making your personal vendetta public, you are harming them, when in fact, you are making yourself look like the NUT, as you appropriately titled this article. You remind me of the woman I saw on COPS the other day... She was so angry with someone she had a problem with that she called the police. When the police arrived, she was running around screaming like an insane lunatic & SHE ended up going to jail. Do yourself a favor. Get off your imaginary high horse & get real. Handle your vendetta like a real man. Go straight to the person you have a problem with & discuss it like an adult instead of resorting to such a cowardly public display. You are SO DESPERATE to make them look bad that you are forgetting how that makes YOU look. Ugly is as ugly does. If you have questions, go ask them the RIGHT way. Be respectful. I think if you act like a mature human being, with respect, you will find that people will respond to you differently in this world & you will get the answers you are looking for. You attract more bees with honey & right now, all I see is flies circling around a pile of shit on this page.

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  6. Charlese said...
    "No one will answer anyone's questions if they are rude, obnoxious, insulting or mean when they are asking them. DUH!! Would you? I don't think so."

    I agree, if your going to be rude I won't answer any of your questions. Now if you want to politely ask me one question at a time instead of rambling on I woulod be glad to answer your questions.

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  7. I am not asking you any questions!!!!!!!!! Have you read ONE SINGLE question in my comments? NO!

    I am commenting. That's what I am doing. You seem to enjoy your freedom of speech & are waving it in the public's eye like a marine waving the American flag on the 4th of July YET you are choking & taking a step back when someone expresses their opinion back at yours? What's wrong??? Can't take the heat? Better get out of the kitchen then!

    It clearly says.... POST A COMMENT. I am utilizing my freedom of speech & commenting on your rant about NKN yet you can't handle my rant about your article?

    You posted this publically, for all to see & I am one of the people in the public, who has seen it & has decided to comment on it. I am entitled to comment (As long as there it a "Post a comment section!) just like you are entitled to publish this blog.

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  8. I'm done here. You've said your peace & I have said mine. I;m moving on & if you have anything further to say to me, I expect you to be a man about it & email me directly. POsting on here when you know I won't be on to respond is the cowards way out.

    With that being said, "We can agree to disagree." And I will leave it at that. Good Bye & Good Luck.

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  9. 20 Hounds--you are spot on. After a long discussion with a No Kill advocate, this statement really demonstrated to me how out of touch they are. "It won't cost more money to reform these shelters." Haha!

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  10. Buster,I don't call them advocates I refer to them as cultists. There's a big difference. That is a MAJOR problem, In effect what they are proposing is just another big government mandate that would be allowed to grow (shelter intake) unchecked because the cultists are not only putting in place unfunded programs but removing any type of action that might place limitations on the number of irresponsible litters produced. These cultists aren't bright enough to realize that no matter how effectived their programs are how much would those same programs cost taxpayers if breeding is allowed to double or triple over the next several years.

    The greatest gains in "going no kill" will come by attacking intake numbers and that includes programs that focus on educating irresponsible pet owners and by stricter regulations on irresponsble breeding.

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  11. I have definitely referred to them as a cult before. Their inability to compromise will be their downfall, along with their arrogance and methods of personally attacking people publicly and without shame. Completely disrespectful and not a way to run a reputable organization.

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  12. "You are SO DESPERATE to make them look bad that you are forgetting how that makes YOU look. Ugly is as ugly does."

    Sonds familiar... HSUS, pETA, anyone?.... but I suppose you believe that is justified because that's what you've been taught to think :/

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  13. Thanks for the comment Texas Bob - glad you enjoyed it. So what happened at Spindletop?

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