The Humane Society of America is asking for feedback about the city of Tulsa Animal Shelter prior to a study of the facility and its workings. Mail comments before March 30 to HSUS Animal Services Consultations, RE The City of Tulsa, 700 Professional Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20879 or fax 301-258-3081. Email comments to asc@hsus.org.
For anyone on this forum who is concerned about how the shelter is run, this is an excellent opportunity to express your opinion. This study is long overdue. One of the issues I have with the shelter is that it is run by former police officers and falls under the police department's purview. I think this is problematic. Sometimes I don't think the officers even like animals. One of the functions of an animal shelter is education. People need to be reminded constantly about the importance of spaying and neutering their pets. Animal control officers rarely ticket anyone who is not in compliance with our pet laws. The shelter staff needs to be more proactive about our animal laws. Tulsa euthanizes 15,000 animals every year. That is an abomination. I know Tulsa has a lot of other problems and animals are not a priority to some but how we treat our unwanted pets says a lot about us as a city.
Take a second and send the humane society an email about how you think the shelter should be run.
Anyone that has had an experience with the Tulsa Animal shelter should definitely respond to this review.
Everyone should be interested in this review and the report that will be delivered. Many will be shocked with the results the rest of us know now what it will say and have been through this process before.
November of 05 the city gave permission to get a review team in here. Almost 18 months later it may happen. Around 18,000 animals were killed at the shelter since then,
The shelter is under the police department. There have been major complaints made for numerous years by many upstanding law abiding knowledgeable citizens, rescue groups, past city employees, volunteers, etc about the shelter, their policies, management and direction.
These complaints have included concerns and personal knowledge on Training, management, cruelty to the animals, attitude to volunteers, lack of educational programs, attitude of adoption, gas chamber, budgets etc etc....
Chief Been stated in June of 05 that he had an excellent animal control department and that there were not any problems.
There have also been major concerns on the Veterinarian contract awarded 6 months early on a closed bid. Only one vet responded....mmm This was over 150K This is all public record.
It is time to get this in the publics' eye, cleaned out and cleaned up. The Animal shelter is the bottom of the barrel and reports to the Police. Gee what runs down hill????....
As a certified animal control officer, business owner, political activist. Seeker of truth and pursuer of accountability in especially local government. PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THE SHELTER. Call your council person.
Remember-
THE 3 POLICE OFFICERS THAT ARE "certified" AND HAVE APPLIED FOR THE CHIEF OF POLICE POSITION ARE PART OF THE CURRENT system.
I believe we need A new chief that is not part of the "network" understands progressive programs and demands accountability, both processes and financially.
Any city that has a progressive animal sheltering, educational, spay/neuter, cruelty prevention programs are paying attention and doing things right even down to the bottom of the barrel.
Get Involved...this is our city
If unwanted pets were fed to the homeless wouldn't that kill two birds with one stone?
By the animals giving their own lives, real humans would be able to live. And let's be honest, isn't that the true dream of any animal? To give its life for its master?
I mean if it is good enough for regular people in SE Asia, Europe, the Middle East... Who are you to say it isn't good enough for our own unwashed masses.
"...November of 05 the city gave permission to get a review team in here. Almost 18 months later it may happen. Around 18,000 animals were killed at the shelter since then,..."
So is the city hedging on letting the inspectors in?
I think we should go up there and start carpet bombing, send ground troops in... wait I think I've heard this scenario before. [:O]
My wife says any pet she ever has from now on will be a rescue pet. I'm all for it. I told her she's on her own picking it out, otherwise we might leave with an extra one or two pets. I have to admit I'm one of those who doesn't think about the pound too much, just too sad for me.
It's very sad, indeed.
The shelter may not be run properly, but there are a lot of irresponsible people out there that help create this mess.
It is quite upsetting to think about all the pain innocent, loving creatures like dogs and cats suffer at our hands.
We have two rescue animals in our home. All you can do to cope with the mistake that is this world we live in is to try and create your own little slice of heaven. And our two dogs are just that. Full of love.
There sure are lots of complaints about the animal shelter. I haven't been out there since we rescued a dog a couple of years ago, but I have a co-worker who rants about the conditions and I talked to DeeRay last year and she convinced me something should be done.
Why is the animal shelter part of the police department? It doesn't make sense to me, but I can't think of any department that is a perfect match.
quote:
Originally posted by recyclemichael
There sure are lots of complaints about the animal shelter. I haven't been out there since we rescued a dog a couple of years ago, but I have a co-worker who rants about the conditions and I talked to DeeRay last year and she convinced me something should be done.
Why is the animal shelter part of the police department? It doesn't make sense to me, but I can't think of any department that is a perfect match.
I think it's this way in Jenks too.
It sounds like some are suggesting that.. The large number of animals being euthanized is the result of a poorly run animal shelter?
If so, (and I really wish someone would just state that as a fact and not suggest it in a round about way) what specifically are they not doing correctly that they should be? Are those specific things part of what the shelter is supposed to be doing? As in its part of their rules or mandate, there are measurable dictates saying "do this", this is your job.
If this is run and paid for by the city and the employees are not following the rules or laws and not doing the things they are supposed to be doing, this should be reported and and those people who are not doing so should be fired or punished. There should also be performance reviews or some type of record that would show that they are or are not doing what they are supposed to be doing.
If there are not measurable regulations written down for the things you think that these employees should be doing, then that is the problem.
Do they not have the time or manpower to do those things perhaps? Do they have the proper funds?
The fact that the shelter is killing 15,000 or 18,000 animals a year is not enough SPECIFIC information for me to say.... This, specifically,is what needs to be done or is not being done. This specific regulation is not being followed or implemented. etc.
Btw, What would be the expected average number of euthanized animals for a city the size of Tulsa? Just how bad is our shelter on this compared to other shelters?
Colorado Springs -- 390
Clark County (las vegas area) 24,000
Merced CA -- 1400
Salinas CA -- 1400
Monterey County CA 5000
quote:
Originally posted by TheArtist
It sounds like some are suggesting that.. The large number of animals being euthanized is the result of a poorly run animal shelter?
If so, (and I really wish someone would just state that as a fact and not suggest it in a round about way) what specifically are they not doing correctly that they should be? Are those specific things part of what the shelter is supposed to be doing? As in its part of their rules or mandate, there are measurable dictates saying "do this", this is your job.
If this is run and paid for by the city and the employees are not following the rules or laws and not doing the things they are supposed to be doing, this should be reported and and those people who are not doing so should be fired or punished. There should also be performance reviews or some type of record that would show that they are or are not doing what they are supposed to be doing.
If there are not measurable regulations written down for the things you think that these employees should be doing, then that is the problem.
Do they not have the time or manpower to do those things perhaps? Do they have the proper funds?
The fact that the shelter is killing 15,000 or 18,000 animals a year is not enough SPECIFIC information for me to say.... This, specifically,is what needs to be done or is not being done. This specific regulation is not being followed or implemented. etc.
Btw, What would be the expected average number of euthanized animals for a city the size of Tulsa? Just how bad is our shelter on this compared to other shelters?
I agree. Don't just throw out generalities. Give some specifics.
I know several rescue groups work with the animal shelter and that the shelter strives to meet standards set down by the Humane Society, although I'm not sure there is any law (I haven't looked it up, so I may be wrong) that requires a shelter to meet Humane Society standards.
Most of those employees love animals, but surely we don't expect them to take 15,000 animals home! I'm confident they'd love to see 15,000 people come up there and rescue the animals.
How do we find 15,000 new people to care about animals enough to get one from the shelter? Good question. It sounds like something that could be attempted out of a metro region our size though. We have some smart PR people on this forum.
I have to say I don't know how they market their services, work with the rescue groups or even accept their animals. I don't know enough to have a strong opinion.
I do think that there is something wrong with euthanizing 300 animals a week.
A lot of the rescue groups who "work" with the shelter are welcoming this study. From what I have heard, they are uncooperative at best a lot of the times. These groups are struggling themselves. They are being overrun by rescues. They need volunteers and foster homes badly.
As for humane society standards, I believe humane treatment of animals at the shelter would be the bare minimum requirements. Don't you? Do we want less? These animals have already been abused by their "owner" once. They deserve to be treated humanely in life and death from euthanisia at a shelter.
What I see is a lack of enforcement. Dogs having puppies over and over. Dogs running loose, unspayed or unneutered. When I call to complain, the "owners" get a letter. No ticket, nothing. No follow-ups. There is also no public information campaign about local pet laws.
I know the shelter is underfunded and understaffed, but it is also being overrun by animals due to lack of education and enforcement, which is the shelter's and the city's responsibility. You made your bed... now lie in it type of situation. Do they ticket people at Admiral and Memorial for selling puppies out of the back of a truck? Do they check to see if these people have a breeder's license as required by law.
The city also requires all pets be tagged at the tune of $3 a pop. Does anyone actually register their pets?
Hopefully this study and the problems it uncovers (or doesn't uncover), will give city leaders an idea of what is going on at the shelter and how to improve it. I suggest everyone visit the shelter. It's not bad, but it's sad. Sit in the lobby for an hour and watch what goes on. See how many people bring their pets in because they are moving or can't keep it anymore. I have seen it first hand more than once and I have to bite my tongue.
It's a hard job, no doubt.
quote:
Originally posted by recyclemichael
How do we find 15,000 new people to care about animals enough to get one from the shelter? Good question. It sounds like something that could be attempted out of a metro region our size though. We have some smart PR people on this forum.
I have to say I don't know how they market their services, work with the rescue groups or even accept their animals. I don't know enough to have a strong opinion.
I do think that there is something wrong with euthanizing 300 animals a week.
It's not about finding 15,000 people to adopt dogs from the shelter, it's about getting 15,000 pet owners to spay or nueter their pet. Stop allowing pets to breed.
Also, people should stop buying dogs. Last time I was at the shelter I saw a English bulldog ($2,000 plus), a Labradoodle ($1500) and countless small lap dogs (priceless). Before you buy check out local groups and find something for free or at a low cost. Rescued pets make the best pet. I should know.
quote:
Originally posted by recyclemichael
How do we find 15,000 new people to care about animals enough to get one from the shelter? Good question. It sounds like something that could be attempted out of a metro region our size though. We have some smart PR people on this forum.
I have to say I don't know how they market their services, work with the rescue groups or even accept their animals. I don't know enough to have a strong opinion.
I do think that there is something wrong with euthanizing 300 animals a week.
Just think how much new sales tax revenue would be generated at Petsmart and vets. [;)]
quote:
Originally posted by NellieBly
What I see is a lack of enforcement. Dogs having puppies over and over. Dogs running loose, unspayed or unneutered. When I call to complain, the "owners" get a letter. No ticket, nothing. No follow-ups. There is also no public information campaign about local pet laws.
The city also requires all pets be tagged at the tune of $3 a pop. Does anyone actually register their pets?
If its a problem of law enforcement and the laws not being enforced. Then the city or the shelter is breaking the law and there should be a way to hold them accountable. If someone at the shelter breaks the law by not enforcing it as they are supposed to, then they should pay for that or go to jail. If those rescue groups are tired of people not enforcing the law, then they should get an attourney and make some heads roll. Start fining people for breaking the law, make them pay up.
Please spay and neuter your pets....
Perhaps a free spay and neuter program would help. Have a wealthy donor or two set up an endowment, or just set up one that people could donate to, so that all animals could get free spay and neutering, forever. That way there would be no excuse from anyone. Every year have a "spay and neuter week" with TV and paper promotions and even send a flyer home with the school kids with the locations nearest them, times and phone number to make an appointment.
As for humane society standards, I believe humane treatment of animals at the shelter would be the bare minimum requirements.
Of course. And I've been to the animal shelter and adopted many pets from there and didn't really see a problem. Did the animals have a comfy lap to curl up on in front of the fireplace? No. Did I see mistreatment? No.
As to Humane Society standards, I have no idea what they are, so agreeing the standards should be met is a little difficult to agree to. That's like saying everyone needs to agree to Greenpeace standards or MoveOn.Org standards, which many believe, are a little radical.
I've done my part. We were a foster home for a cat rescue group until we hit 11 cats at my house. That was it! I'd had enough. Still have two of them that nobody wants (but me, of course).
Some are wanting some facts.
This documentation might encourage others to look a little deeper into the shelter
The problems at the shelter are just an example of the way our city is run. I personally did the research on the Vet contract, which obviously includes purchasing. The records came from the city of tulsa web site or city open records.
City of Tulsa
Animal Shelter Veterinary Contract Purchasing Irregularities
Last March the Veterinary Services contract at the City Animal Shelter came available 6 months early. The normal bid process on this service is in November. This contract is valued over 150K and is a closed bid submittal. The following companies are the ones city purchasing contacted (under the commodity number for vet services) for a licensed Veterinarian on March 9 2006.
Daniel Cason –DVM Large Animals – Did get notice
Woodland Animal Hospital –Did not get notice of bid-
Dr Genie Thoni DVM -works for royal canine as rep
NOTE THE FOLLOWINg COMPANIES>>
Baxsys Computer services
National occupational health
Buffalo Electric
Bright Ideas Training & Development
CEIS project engineering
G & K George Enterprises LLC Gifts
Community Movers, Inc.
Konecrane Ind
Energy Safety services
Harold Baker – Albertsons towing
Application Software, Inc.
United Van Lines LLC
Jerald Lee Pritchett ?
National Safe Work Institute
Aon Risk Service of Oklahoma
Ashok Kache, MD – Physical therapy
Bidders Resource Inc – Database
Solution Boxes, Inc
Wallace & Associates Protective Services LLC
Carson's Catering and Food services
Consolidated Fleet Services
Brown Cat Studio – Art studio
Bryan Consulting & Training, Inc.
MACS Performance, LLC – helicopter repair
Foreman Brothers Underground Inc.
Dunks Pool Mart, Inc.
The bid was awarded in April to the only bid submittal.... Chester Thomas DVM that lives in Sand Springs. Please note he is not on the contacted list. Many vets have worked contract at the shelter over the years, but none were sent a notice. WHY?
One of the contract vets at the shelter that March could not get any information on the contract...
The mayors office, the council, the newspaper, the action line were contacted and nothing happened. Also sent it to the Eagle and to Michael D....nothing
The contract is just one instance.
I have Budgets, expenditures, stats, training material, etc from the shelter.
This is the 3rd Shelter review I have been involved with. The other 2, I spearheaded the effort.
In Broken Arrow, the SR. Animal Control Officer was putting the dogs and cats in the same cage to euthanize. The dogs were tearing the cats apart before they could be gassed. Pretty horrific, huh
This was written up in the NACA (National Animal Control Association) report of the review of the Broken Arrow Animal Shelter.
THe report was about 2 inches thick.
There are x employees of the shelter that have tried to be heard....but someone has to listen.
As far as the solution it is an overhaul on the whole system.
It must be out of the control of the police. Any shelter that reports to the police seems to have the same problems.
Killing them is not the solution, spay/neuter is. Low/cost spay/neuter, strong and enforced ordinances on Breeders and the sale or adoption of intact animals.
Educational programs and especially the concerns of animal cruelty and abuse.
If we teach our kids the respect and responsibile treatment of animals whether, they are old, young, hurt, ugly, cute.....
Hopefully they will grow up to respect all people.
If Anyone wants more information, e-mail me. I will respond personally or blog it...
Please help us make the changes
As noted when this was discussed before. The city notifies those who have registered themselves as suppliers. If you haven't registered as a supplier, then don't complain. It's like complaining that you don't get "the daily dilbert" in email but never signing up. Obviously someone who did get it, passed it on to a vet they knew, and he applied.
You are not supposed to register for a suplier for things you can't supply, but obviously some people just registered for everything, or at least all services (900 block) so they showed up on the veterinary list. The city likely can't go through every supplier and every area and know for sure what they are qualified to do. Maybe "Brown cat studio" thought the city would look for someone to paint cats coming into the shelter and "community movers" is into cat shipping...
CSI code spamming is what we call it. It really doesn't harm anyone except for the person in a company who fields RFQ's from issuing agencies who has to sort through all the faxes and emails for un-related goods and services.
If someone doesn't properly register, it's not the city's fault, however, there is always the possibility of human error in the purchasing department in properly entering vendor and potential vendor information.
quote:
Originally posted by Conan71
CSI code spamming is what we call it. It really doesn't harm anyone except for the person in a company who fields RFQ's from issuing agencies who has to sort through all the faxes and emails for un-related goods and services.
If someone doesn't properly register, it's not the city's fault, however, there is always the possibility of human error in the purchasing department in properly entering vendor and potential vendor information.
Either way, it is a 98% certainty that the list of notified people being "weird" has nothing to do with conspiracies, buddy deals or anything else. It is verbatim city procedure.
quote:
Originally posted by recyclemichael
How do we find 15,000 new people to care about animals enough to get one from the shelter? Good question. It sounds like something that could be attempted out of a metro region our size though. We have some smart PR people on this forum.
I have to say I don't know how they market their services, work with the rescue groups or even accept their animals. I don't know enough to have a strong opinion.
I do think that there is something wrong with euthanizing 300 animals a week.
What I find interesting is that Grand Lake and Bartlesville have "no kill" shelters...
My sister in-law works at a shelter on the East Coast.... it is also a no kill shelter...
If offering free spay and neuter clinics and the public becoming more involved is a partial solution it should be done....
This could be done in Tulsa and it should be...
The Oklahoma Alliance for Animals is working to make Tulsa a no-kill city. That is their primary goal. They work one Saturday a month at the shelter to encourage adoptions and they offer low cost spay and neutering.
I used one of those low-cost places a few years back. It took 9 hours and I ended up with two spayed cats recovering from minor surgery with no anesthetic. They even admitted that this procedure was different from the service I would get if I paid full price.
quote:
Originally posted by sgrizzle
I used one of those low-cost places a few years back. It took 9 hours and I ended up with two spayed cats recovering from minor surgery with no anesthetic. They even admitted that this procedure was different from the service I would get if I paid full price.
Two spayed cats with
no anesthetic? I've heard just bathing them without anesthetic is really dicey. [}:)]
quote:
Originally posted by Conan71
quote:
Originally posted by sgrizzle
I used one of those low-cost places a few years back. It took 9 hours and I ended up with two spayed cats recovering from minor surgery with no anesthetic. They even admitted that this procedure was different from the service I would get if I paid full price.
Two spayed cats with no anesthetic? I've heard just bathing them without anesthetic is really dicey. [}:)]
They used it for the procedure but normally it stays in their system to allow them to slowly wake up and recover while still under pain killers. This place used a counter-agent meaning they were wide awake and fully feeling the effects within a couple of minutes of being sewn up.
quote:
Originally posted by sgrizzle
I used one of those low-cost places a few years back. It took 9 hours and I ended up with two spayed cats recovering from minor surgery with no anesthetic. They even admitted that this procedure was different from the service I would get if I paid full price.
Sad but true...
There are Vets. out there that do not deserve to breathe the same air as an animal...[:(]
Do not make the mistake of letting this be your reference for all "low cost" Vets.....
As with MD's or DO's or any other Profession for that matter.... you have to sort through the garbage to find someone decent...
I hope your cats made it through the ordeal..
[B)]
I have received notice that The animal alliance is holding a meeting this evening at the Hardesty Library 6:30 pm.
It is concerning the upcoming HSUS review of the shelter.
I talked to the HSUS Team Leader in DC yesterday. All comments must reach them by the end of the month. If any groups or interested parties want to schedule a meeting with them while they are here, they also need to request before the end of the month. They will only be here 3 days, she assured me the team will be thorough with their review.
New Mexico has been reviewed the the HSUS...google if you are interested in their outcome. They have made major changes, alot in the legal system concerning cruelty and abuse.
Concerning the Vet Contract. There is a lot more info than I shared. I personally talked to about 8 of the Vendors on the list. They had no idea how they were on the list nor why. A couple of them thought I was really bit crazy asking them about being on the vet contract list. None remember receiving any notice.
Black Cat studio is an art studio owned by a local teacher. She also works with rescue. Again, she was rather upset to find she had been on the list, and did not remember getting anything from them.
Interesting enough, the vets that had previously been given notice of the contract in the past (always in November) HAD NO IDEA it was being bid 6 months early and did not get a notice.....including a contract vet that was in the shelter the month the contract was let. And she was asking, due to the early vacancy...She previously had received notices in the past.
Now does that raise any flags? We all can give excuses of how things can happen, but this is not only about the shelter but also another example of our wasteful city proccesses and concerns within the purchasing department
quote:
Originally posted by Rowdy
quote:
Originally posted by recyclemichael
There sure are lots of complaints about the animal shelter. I haven't been out there since we rescued a dog a couple of years ago, but I have a co-worker who rants about the conditions and I talked to DeeRay last year and she convinced me something should be done.
Why is the animal shelter part of the police department? It doesn't make sense to me, but I can't think of any department that is a perfect match.
I think it's this way in Jenks too.
Does Jenks have an animal shelter? I tried Google, but I'm not finding any info on this.
I grew up and Jenks and there is no animal shelter that I am aware of
quote:
Originally posted by deeray
Now does that raise any flags? We all can give excuses of how things can happen, but this is not only about the shelter but also another example of our wasteful city proccesses and concerns within the purchasing department
That I can agree with.
Animal Control Jenks (918)299-9511 Maintenance Facility Dog Shelter Jenks Police (918)299-6311,
I have been visiting the Tulsa shelter for more than 10 years now. It is so much better than the former "dog pound". All the cages are inside and climate controlled. They are kept clean and the animals fed and watered regularly. Have you been out to the shelter and seen the new floors they just put in? It is an amazing difference from a few short months ago. As for the evaluation, I am glad the HSUS is coming and hope City officials will build them another building for adoptions and cut down on the number of animals euthanized there every year. I have adopted 3 dogs and a cat from there and have always been treated well.