Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Have the wheels come off the Miami Dade No Kill Express?

Miami-Dade Commission OK’s new animal shelter property purchase

Miami-Dade took a step closer to leaving its antiquated animal shelter on Monday when the County Commission gave officials the go-ahead to spend about $6.6 million in bond money for a property in Doral.

The 33-year-old industrial-park warehouse at 3651 NW 79th Ave. originally a post office, would be customized to replace the existing Animal Services Department complex at 7401 NW 74th St. in Medley, which a distemper outbreak recently all but shut down.


Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/04/04/2150651/miami-dade-commission-oks-new.html#storylink=fbuser#ixzz1IeSoP1J2


While this news should have been celebrated by every shelter reform advocate who has ever expressed outrage over the horrible conditions with the forty-year-old disease filled shelter, this long awaited news didn't even warrant mention.  The leadership of No Kill Nation, who have been outspoken in their condemnation of shelter management's handling of dogs and cats during the recent distemper outbreak, chose not to share this breaking news with it's 100,000 plus Facebook "fans".  Nor did the news of a new shelter being built warrant mention on the "Building a No Kill South Florida" either.


For the leadership at No Kill Nation the agenda to dethrone Dr Pizano is obviously much more important then something as simple as finally providing the dogs and cats a clean shelter for the very homeless animals they claim to advocate for.  Equally important, the significance of building a new shelter for the many rescue groups and advocates who for years have lead the charge rescuing horribly sick animals was lost as well.


This leads one to assume that the leadership at No Kill Nation has lost touch with reality.  NKN places no significance in the tremendous financial and emotional cost involved in rescuing a dog and cat from the old disease filled shelter allowing the killing to stop.  These costs include isolating animals with deadly contagious diseases, tremendous costs involved in attempting to treat animals with illnesses not limited to deadly cases of parvo and distemper and the impact that these sick animals might have on foster homes and rescue animals already in their system. 

Many rescues have simply been financially forced to abandon any rescue efforts out of MDAS leaving the animals left behind to suffer.


If we as a rescue community are ever going to turn the corner and put an end to the suffering at MDAS then building a new shelter IS the obvious first step in that process.  If the leadership at No Kill Nation doesn't understand those rescue realities then certainly they can't provide the critical leadership needed in moving Miami Dade forward in finding solutions to it's "pet overpopulation" issues. 

It will take a community effort working in partnership with shelter management in reducing the carnage and suffering at MDAS - not a power play effort at blaming all the killing on an overburdened shelter staff. 


Sadly, No Kill Nation is left with a mantra that escapes reality in thinking that the only solution to what is a forty year battle with killing innocent dogs and cats in one of the nations ten largest shelters based on intake is reading "Redemption".  

Reading a book while ignoring reality will never bring about the change suggested in Winograd's writing nor will the silence coming out of No Kill Advocacy bring about that change as well. 

It appears that riding the rails of blaming the current leadership with failing to deliver a No Kill Miami Dade is much simpler then trying to explain how this goal is attainable with the current shelter - even with a new staff.


Those of us who put the animals needs in front of a personal agenda of building a No Kill Empire understand the significance of the historic vote.  We have moved closer to finally having a new shelter the entire community can be proud of.  We understand the significance in providing the shelter staff with the tools needed to do the job WE expect them to do.  We understand the significance this courageous vote has for the rescue community in providing the much needed life saving programs we need.  We ALL should be celebrating this moment - not ignoring it's significance.


It is hoped that the leadership at No Kill Nation steps back to do some serious soul searching to determine exactly WHAT is their mission?  If we are to believe that the blame game that shelter's place on irresponsible pet owners doesn't come into play then maybe it's time No Kill Nation quits playing the blame game as well.   

2 comments:

  1. That was right on the money. No Kill is only interested in throwing mud, and if the place isn't listed as Winograds" the animals be damned.The Austin reporter who called him an info-mercial had is nailed. When he thinks he is taking over it's on the front burner, then he slinks out of town when he is shown for the charlaton that he is. We can save animals, but that is not Winograds goal. Have you read No Kill No Way ?

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  2. This is great news, this is exactly what i was looking for. Thanks for sharing this with us. Wheels Miami

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