Souring "No Kill" in New York

Animal Extremist Flagship Scrambles for Cover. . .

. . .as Nathan Winograd puts the screws to the ASPCA, the NYS Legislature mulls "Oreo's Law" and Pets Alive still hasn't filed mandatory tax forms with the NYS Charities Bureau.

The curtain is about to go up on The Clash of the Titans, Act II.  So make yourself some popcorn.

 And grab a box of tissues, if you're not okay with a lot of political posturing at the expense of defenseless animals used as pawns in the this "humane" brinksmanship extravaganza.

 Barbarians at Ed Sayres' gate: animal extremists protest at ASPCA



These are not days of wine and roses at E. 92nd Street, and it  just     gets     worse  for Agent Orange -- the "voice of the voiceless" --  as things spiral downward.

Meanwhile, at the state capital. . .

 ASPCA's not the only one hearing voices

Invoking the name of a dog tormented by a criminal then rescued tormented by a criminal, exploited for her fund-raising potential, and finally killed by the ASPCA, agents for the "humane" treatment of animals are administering their own litmus test in Albany:  "Oreo's Law" -- For or Against?

The proposal makes the transfer of shelter animals scheduled for euthanasia to another shelter or rescue that wants them mandatory and a matter of state law.  Amended four times since it was first introduced in January, "Oreo's Law" appears to be slowly strangling in its own red-tape, procedural requirements and specifications.

Why would non-profits operating lawfully in the State of New York invite government involvement in what was their private, lawful business, anyway?

Oreo's unintended consequences

Here are a few questions for New York's elected public officials:

What if the "NONPROFIT, AS DEFINED IN SECTION 501(C)(3) OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE ANIMAL RESCUE OR ADOPTION ORGANIZATION" is fiscally irresponsible and has no competence whatsoever with dogs like Oreo, that -- for whatever reason and with an unknown capacity for improvement -- keep trying to bite people?

What connection is there between an organization's tax reporting status and its ability to manage problematic dogs?

Doesn't the mandate of elected officials include protecting the safety and welfare of the People of the State of New York from the blunders of outfits like Pets Alive?

What mechanism exists to protect the welfare of animals in the custody of  those "adoption organizations"?  They are exempted from humane standards of care requirements made of similar facilities with a differing tax-filing status, and are not routinely inspected by the State of New York.  Dogs with temperament issues could spend a lifetime sequestered at a private "adoption organization."  Who's going to check on them?

Will all of those tax-exempt "adoption organizations" stand up to public scrutiny?

Pets Alive:  Still crazy.  After all these years.

Pets Alive of Middletown, New York, occasionally known as "Best Friends, East Coast Division",  doesn't seem to notice subtle warnings.

 As of April 15, 2010, the self-styled "hero" of the campaign to pass Oreo's Law remains a scoff-law private corporation risking its tax-exempt status by failing to submit IRS Form 990's to the New York State Charities Bureau, as required by state law.  The Charities Bureau hasn't heard from Pets Alive since 2003.

In 2007, Pets Alive also needed to file for exemption from 2008 property taxes.  Neither its founder, nor any member of the Pets Alive Board of Directors, fulfilled the requirement.  Pets Alive was billed $46,000 for 2008 taxes and when they failed to pay, the county moved to foreclose.

Last month Pets Alive narrowly escaped disaster when the county executive took up their cause.  Would Ed Diana -- the elected public official that Pets Alive says "has our back" -- intervene on behalf of the rest of the people in Orange County, New York if they didn't make timely submissions to the tax assessor's office, too?

It isn't clear how the Town of Wallkill and the Pine Bush School District, short-changed when revenue from Pets Alive taxes failed to materialize, will manage without the income they expected.  Does Diana have $23 thou for the Pine Bush School District?  Cause they're looking for the funds. 


Business as usual at Pets Alive

In addition to its on-going failure to comply with state law, Pets Alive also continues to sell "cranky" dogs to "self-centered, arrogant, egotistical and yes, stupid people" who later return the dog, ask for their money back, involve their lawyer when Pets Alive refuses to issue a refund, and complain to the Better Business Bureau.

The beg-a-thons continue. 

The rationalizations for importing more and more animals from all over the country, and Puerto Rico, increasingly sound like a page from a hoarder's diary.  Days away from last month's near-miss with foreclosure, Pets Alive was busy bringing in more animals:

But they refuse to stop rescuing animals — [co-Executive Director] DeAngelis was in West Virginia over the weekend, rescuing more than 80 dogs and cats.  "We just can't stop on the possibility that we might close," [co-Executive Director] Clair says.

The Road to No Kill ?

This isn't working for me.  Not at all.  It leaves a sour taste in my mouth -- and I'm a person who really wants to believe in "no kill."  Or very, very low kill.

The pissing contests and political correctness assessments involving the ASPCA and the state legislature are bad enough. 

But legislation that would further empower a dysfunctional group like Pets Alive, and mandate placement of vulnerable and possibly dangerous animals to their care?  

I'm not buying it, and I don't think the people of New York should be compelled to buy it, either.  This is no where. 

ASPCA Flim-Flams the Feds

Publicly-ish Accountable Law Enforcement

Privately employed, self-described "humane authorities" training civil servants and law enforcement personnel on the Fed's nickle. Nation, perception is everything.

You just gotta love Stephen Colbert:

It used to be, everyone was entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts. But that's not the case anymore. Facts matter not at all. Perception is everything. It's certainty. The perception of authority The ASPCA goes to great lengths to mimic public servants answerable to tax-payers and voters -- truthiness! gotta have it! -- but in reality ASPCA employees are private contractors responsible to a privately-controlled corporation which is effectively shielded from public scrutiny. The Freedom of Information Act doesn't apply to the ASPCA. They mostly don't have to tell us shit if they don't feel like it. ASPCA's privately employed personnel are responsible to its own privately-elected board of directors. Not "We, the People". U. S. Department of Justice underwrites ASPCA jive ASPCAPro.org (an ASPCA offshoot that has "gathered information and knowledge from our experts, along with profiles, sample materials, and inspiration from proven programs in the field, for you to share and use") recently announced a free, online training program for law enforcement personnel on "dogfighting detection." The program is financed by the U. S. Department of Justice. Knowledge from their experts, huh? "Experts" like Melinda Merck?

Is the DOJ okay with the ASPCA's scorched earth policy for "pit bull" owners in Georgia? Working hand in hand with Norred and Associates -- the private, for profit, security-firm-turned-humaniac-tool that boasted of initiating 19 raids leading to the deaths rescues of "fighting dogs" in Georgia in 2009 alone -- the ASPCA has been instrumental in violating the civil rights of dog and animal owners. Just as a reminder, here's a shot of the Merck tucking one of Joe Woodall's puppies under her arm and walking off with him. She dumped the pup in a dog pound 250 miles away, along with the rest of Joe's dogs. Merck never looked back.

Some "expert" she is. Woodall was never arrested, never charged with any crime. . .despite Merck's "expert" opinions. How many dogs have died due to ASPCA "expertise" ?

Privatized law enforcement: hunky-dory with the DOJ? The American Dog Breeders Association is calling for an investigation into interference in law enforcement functions by private corporations, including the ASPCA, in Georgia: The Governor or Attorney General of the State of Georgia should implement an immediate and thorough investigation into the undue and corrupt influence of these private corporations in law enforcement training and procedures. The citizens of Georgia cannot continue to be victimized by privately employed individuals operating in the public sector with the assistance and blind support of law enforcement and prosecutors throughout the state. Fair and lawful enforcement of Georgia statutes is the responsibility and exclusive domain of our public servants. I think the ADBA is right, and I hope the citizens of Georgia get their investigation. Your tax dollars at work: ASPCA training for civil servants Looking at the list of resources provided -- and there is plenty to choose from -- I have to wonder just what kind of crappola persons trained by Agent Orange are likely to receive. Planted in the ASPCA-dominated resource material are any number of truthy fake facts, like:

Tethered dogs and dogs not surgically sterilized are more likely to be "aggressive."

Castration leads to a "longer, healthier" life for pets.

"Many" "puppymills" thrive because the operators are animal torturers.

Private persons who take in large numbers of animals are "hoarders", and keep the animals in deplorable and squalid conditions.

And there's more. Lots more. Fake cops doing fake jobs

In the radical animal rights movement, each of the four main players has its own area of dominance. Sure, there's some overlap in activities, but there are no real policy differences between PeTA, Best Friends, HSUS and the ASPCA.

An extremist idea -- for example "doggy gonads just have to go" is first dramatized by PeTA.

Legislation to eliminate objectionable dog testicles and etc. is then lobbied by HSUS. . .

and resulting anti-testicle laws are subsequently enforced by the ASPCA's private army.

Finally, Best Friends steps in to make us feel better about the whole thing. We are promised that in compensation for genetic oblivion, the sterile dogs will get to live out their days in permanent seclusion in the middle of a desert.

Some shit, huh?

Perception-based government

Transparency-ness and public-ish accountability.

Anybody else got a problem with the DOJ handing over hard-earned dollars so that the ASPCA can mess with the minds of local sheriff's department employees? Who authorized the DOJ to bankroll an animal rights indoctrination program? Dude. Who stole my country?