There is a lot of information here, and I ask that you click on each link and read or listen to each attachment. The attachments and recordings here will do more to show what is going on, than anything else.
This is a very long blog but I could find no part of it that I felt ok with cutting out. I hope you will bear with me, look at these pictures, play the videos and recordings, and as you read see the reason for my complete disgust, angst, horror and anger. As an executive director of Pets Alive for the past six years, what you are going to read are some of the most egregious accusations I have ever personally come across in our “back yard”.
I first found out that the Port Jervis Humane society didn’t seem to be all that humane, about a year ago when a former employee came here looking for a job. He told us all sorts of very horrible stories. He seemed normal, humane, kind, compassionate. He said he quit, because he couldn’t take it anymore. He told me many stories that were cruel and neglectful and inhumane. He also told me stories of theft and mismanagement of money. I asked him if he would go public with it. He said he had already tried. He had a reporter interested in writing a story, he had documented all sort of evidence, he had turned it all over, and the story was all set to be written when suddenly it was squashed and no one would talk to him any more. Calls went unreturned. The story never made it to the press even though the reporter had spent hours on it. I asked why that would happen, and the former employee felt that the people in power at the Port Jervis Humane society “knew people” and squashed it.
At that point I kind of wondered if the story was true. Here we clearly had a disgruntled ex-employee. Was this all just a story because he was unhappy and angry at his bosses? One story he told me absolutely riveted me though, and to this day, over a year later it was one I couldn’t get out of my head. He said the executive director, Bill, would euthanize animals and “guess” their weight. He was often wrong. The former employee told me he walked into a room and saw a dog tied down and thrashing and screaming. He said it went on for over an hour before the dog died. The former employee told me that Bill shrugged and said he guesses he estimated the weight too low and didn’t give a high enough dosage.
I’m sorry. What???
Is Bill even licensed to perform euthanasias?
If so maybe it is time he had a renewal course. At the LEAST.
Disgusting and horrific if it was true.
But again, this was a former employees word against an organization, and I told the guy that without some sort of documentation and proof there was little that could probably be done. I asked him if anyone else could back up his story. He said yes. MANY employees, but every one of them was terrified of losing their jobs.
So without evidence, and without knowing this person well, and without seeing any physical evidence, I couldn’t asertain for sure if all the things he was saying were true or not.
I will say that we had gone round with Bill and the Port Jervis Humane Society once before when they wanted to kill a dog that we were willing to take here. It was quite a battle, but in the end they did give in. I wrote a blog about that here – A Note To Shelter Directors: Choose Life! (Update that Katie is STILL in her home and is STILL very much loved!).
So I already didn’t have much respect for “Bill” the shelter director there.
I heard nothing more about Port Jervis Humane and so I thought perhaps it wasn’t true. Indeed, two of my Facebook friends seemed to promote them, and one of them was on the board there. I had a lot of respect for Angelo Cervone – he adopted a dog from us, and I knew him to be a wonderfully kind man and a BIG animal lover – so I had great doubts that the story could be true if he was on the board there.
Then in August, I started to hear more and more horror stories in regards to the Port Jervis Humane Society and then Angelo contacted me. He asked if he could come to Pets Alive to talk to me.
Angelo came here with another board member – the treasurer, Keith Ricciardi.
They spoke to me for hours and told me many, many, tales of horror about what had gone on there. Keith told me tales about spending his own money on training dogs and getting them adoptable and working to find them a home, exercising them, spending a lot of time with them, and then getting families down to meet the dog – but when they arrived, Port Jervis had euthanized the very dog that Keith had been working so long with and had a potential home for. They told me stories of animals being killed that had fosters waiting and wanting to take them.
They told me stories (and this was told to me MANY times over the next few months) of volunteers that would take a liking to a certain dog or a cat and then suddenly that cat or dog would be euthanized, because the director advised he didn’t want volunteers getting “too attached” to animals and creating problems.
They told me about working their butts off to do offsite adoptions and coming home with tons of applications for the animals, but the applications just stuffed in a drawer and those same animals that people applied for, eventually were just euthanized.
They told me they too had heard the euthanasia stories of animals suffering and dying an agonizing death due to not being medicated in the proper dosage. They told me a story of a young 14 year old girl who was a volunteer and would come every day to the shelter and they finally let her take home some cats to foster. But she spoke out against them and they sent animal control to her house and confiscated all the shelter animals and her OWN pets one day (when her parent weren’t home). They euthanized all the shelter animals she had been caring for. True? I don’t know. But these are BOARD members telling me these horror stories.
They told me stories for hours. I showed them Pets Alive. As we walked around they kept uttering, this is so clean. The animals look so happy. You have so many volunteers, the staff and volunteers are all smiling – it is so different here.
They also told me stories of the financial mismanagement there. Keith resigned as treasurer (but he stayed on the board) for fear that the treasurer would be held responsible for the fiscal mismanagement. He sent this letter to the board, that I was able to obtain a copy of.
From: Keith Ricciardi
Subject: Humane Society of Port Jervis
It is with regret that I am writing this e-mail. Due to circumstances beyond my control. I feel it is necessary to resign from the position of Treasurer of the Humane Society of Port Jervis/Deerpark. Due to general mismanagement our current deficit, year to date is $ -98,789.22 (9/13/12). I find this to be unacceptable but I’ve met with considerable resistance from other board members on the topic of instituting meaningful change. This shelter will cease to exist in a few short years unless major changes are made immediately. But for some odd reason there has been a general unwillingness to make any positive changes.
There have been changes made recently such as banning people from the shelter, confidentiality agreements and blocking people from the Facebook page. However, only punitive actions have been taken. No substantial changes have been made in order to address the financial problems or animal welfare issues. Instead, the board is concerned about keeping the public from knowing about the mismangement and ill treatment of the animals at our facility. This organization receives public funds and therefore the taxpayers have a right to know what is being done with the money given to this facility. Imagine the surprise if they discovered that the shelter Director had been allowing employees to take money from the cash register and had attempted to conceal the theft. Yet again though, no changes have been made to ensure that this conduct does not ever happen again. Security cameras were supposed to be installed but as of yet that has not happened.
But instead, confidentiality agreements were made to keep everyone quiet and the public in the dark. At our monthly board meetings the topic of adoptions is never discussed. The animals in our care should be our primary concern yet they receive no socialization what so ever unless a volunteer comes to the shelter and spends time with the animals. There are board members that do not come to the shelter unless they are attending a meeting. Therefore those board members have no idea what is happening at the shelter.
Also, there is no comprehensive adoption plan or even an employee who has been tasked to interact with the public and work on adoptions. The amount of animals that get adopted correlates directly to the amount of money that comes in to the facility. It is inexcuseable that I should have to raise these issues to a group of educated people. It is also inexcuseable that an Assistant shelter Director had to be hired because the shelter Director refuses to do his job. He is paid roughly $ 50,000 a year plus his benefit package and cell phone. And yet the board is concerned about what is being said on Facebook.
Clearly, priorities need to be re-evaluated and positive changes need to be made. Therefore, I am resigning from the position of Treasurer. I will remain on the board of directors but I will not be involved with the financial mismanagement that is rampant in this facility. Since I have raised issues in the past and have met with considerable resistance I have spoken to an attorney in regard to these matters. If any punitive action is taken against me or any of the animals in the shelter as a result of the uncomfortable truths that I have raised then I will not hesitate to bring legal action.
They also told me something that Christine later confirmed (and the former employee).
That incoming cats were NOT tested for FIV/FELV before being put in with other cats.
They were ONLY tested at point of adoption.
So think about this for a second.
You go and pick out a cat you want to adopt.
There are three cats in a cage. You pick one.
They test your cat. It is negative.
You take that cat home to your other cats.
But what if one of the three cats that were put in there yesterday had FELV?
That cat has very potentially and likely infected the cat you just took home and put with your other cats.
Your new cat WOULD test negative for FELV at this point because the incubation period is longer than a couple of days to show a positive.
So now you have just infected ALL your cats at home with FELV.
If this is true, this is an absolute disgrace.
If basic quarantine protocols are not carried out, this puts the lives of adopters pets at risk as well!
Additionally they seem to house intact males with unspayed females.
That’s just great. Brilliant.
And how do you put animals in the same cage together without them getting to know each other and making sure they will all get along? I was told by Keith, Angelo, Christine and the former employee as well as a current employe, that no behavior eval is done there before sticking cats together. Here is a video of something that happens there as a result of this. Look at this TINY cage with THREE cats that don’t know each other stuffed in there together. THIS is what is happening at your local Port Jervis “Humane” Society”.
Fatso attack
I asked if they were willing to go public.
I told them they had to start documenting EVERYTHING.
They seemed to think the powers that be were involved heavily in local police and politics and that they would get nowhere by going public.
Keith told me a story about how he went to a major public official and showed him all sorts of evidence and information and asked him to intervene. The public official was horrified. Said they would immediately STOP their contract with the Port Jervis Humane and he would order an investigation. After a week, Keith heard nothing. He contacted him again and suddenly everything was quiet, the guy said he couldn’t get involved and he was sorry but that it would be political suicide if he did.
So I advised Angelo that they HAD to go public with everything. That I would contact a reporter we had worked with. That we could present all this to him and we could picket and protest. They seemed to think that slowly they could try to make a difference and get things better. And I said HOW SLOWLY? This has been going on for years. You KNOW about it. You now have to do something. They were afraid. Asked for some time to think about it. I said ok, let me know and we will blast this out there. I told them we would help. I quietly reached out to friends at Mid Hudson Animal Aid who also offered to help. I assured Angelo and Keith that the animals would be ok, that we would send in staff and volunteers to help if this hit the fan. But that we NEEDED them to go public.
I waited weeks.
Nothing.
On September 10, I reached out and asked what they wanted to do.
No response.
On Sept 11 I asked again and advised that i heard conditions were WORSE.
On Oct 3 I asked again.
Then I accused him basically of not giving a damn.
Again he begged for more “time”.
On Oct 8 I emailed Angelo this, after we exchanged many emails about how he couldn’t do anything yet, and didn’t know what to do, and didn’t think he had enough evidence, and all sorts of excuses:
As long as animals are still being killed for no legitimate reason, as long as kittens die because of lack of care, then it isn’t enough – in fact it is illegal.
I’m sorry that you feel insulted.
I think you have done a great job…but you’ll be out soon.
I truly believe they will not allow you to stay on the board.
And then what, Angelo?
What is going on there has to be made public.
It is WRONG.
I’ve sat by for months and waited for it to get better and better slightly isn’t enough.
Animals are dying.
It isn’t enough.
At this point an awesome and caring volunteer, Christine got in touch with me.
She told me the same stories I had been hearing, and asked what could be done.
I asked her to start documenting it all.
And document she did.
She took pictures of flea infected and dying animals.
The kittens in the picture above all died. Of what? Flea infestation according to the staff there. Click here to play a recording of the staff telling Christine that they did basically nothing to help these kittens, not even a flea bath, which might have saved their lives.
She made recordings of telling staff that the food was infested with worms. She took pictures of all those worms in the food. Days later they still dished out the same wormy food and she says they laughed about it. She documented horrible injuries on animals that never had medical treatment sought for them. (Click the picture for a close-up)
October 9:
I borrowed a recorder and got one of the workers/volunteers on tape today telling me how all those kittens died from fleas. She talked about how there was blood everywhere from the fleas and how horrible it was. I asked if they told the shelter assistant and if anyone did anything for them and she said Katrina just euthanized the few that were barely still alive. I also inadvertently got her on recorder saying how no one had fed the cats yesterday in the room we were in, so they went 24 hours without food. I can stop by with the recorder so you can listen.
Also, I’m attaching the only 2 pictures I was able to get of those poor cats last week with my cell (they’re not time/date stamped because it was on my cell, but my cell has the date the pic was taken). One is of the sickly kittens and the other is of the water bowl with fleas floating around.
On October 12 Christine and I decided to go to the Times Herald Record. We meet with a reporter that day. We invited Angelo, and Keith and he former employee. Suddenly Angelo, Keith and the former employee backed out. The former employee said he had someone close to him still working there and that job had been threatened. He could not come forward. Angelo never bothered to reply.
Keith replied the following:
I understand very well and believe me when I tell you that I felt horrible about those kittens. If you feel that this is the best path then please do what you think is right. I will support you behind the scenes. The animals have been my only concern and Angelo and I have been working for 2 years to make changes. But you know the caliber of people that we had to contend with. I was hoping to make the necessary changes quietly and from within. If you feel that the appropriate course of action is to go to the media. I will certainly support your decision but I am concerned about these people digging in their heels.
The former employee sent me this email (I edited names out of it to protect current employees):
(I have edited this a bit because he had specific names of people that could be hurt, and some foul language): The employee I know that is there will not talk because she is afraid for her job and she needs it)
You see when I reported the missing money and the cruelty I was shunned. I was told NO ONE WILL FIND OUT and well I find out the hard way that people do find these things out and whistle blowers of this kind have no protection. Less then 2 months AFTER I broke the money stealing story I was kicked out of the shelter and now I can do NO good for the animals.
Now here are my concerns. … NO ONE has wanted change in this place more then ME I can assure you that. I worked HARD for a year to change that place and its culture and I was making change. I was kicked out and banned me from the shelter because I went to the newspaper and SOMEONE from the newspaper that they know contacted her.
What happens if this does not work and no one is forced to change? They will automatically think that people from this shelter are helping. They will stop allowing volunteers and probably have Keith and Angelo removed from the board and then the animals will have NO ONE. This is my biggest concern and again believe me I would love NOTHING more then to see change BUT I do not want that change to come at the cost of potential animals lives.
I have a lot of information from pictures to audio to stats of how many animals have dies there over the last 3 years. I have hard copies of shelter reports dating back to 2010. I have all the info on the stolen money and the cover up. I am willing to give it all to you but do not want my name attached to the story simply because I do not want them to punish anyone that still works there for my actions.
Christine continued to document the apparent cruelty and neglect. She got recordings and emails with shelter workers and other volunteers admitting that animals were left without any food, water or litter all night. She recorded audio of the staff telling her they often forget to feed and water and clean animals in a certain room of the shelter. Seriously. You won’t believe this. Play this audio.. And you’ve already played the audio documentation of employees stating that animals died of fleas and nothing was done to help them, not even a flea bath which is standard protocol in most shelters.
She also documented animals that were injured. She took photos and asked the staff to get medical help for the animal. She said the next day she would come in and the animal was simply gone. No one would tell her what had happened to it. I guess we can guess.
On Octover 20 Christine started to get heavily pressured at the shelter.
I got cornered at the shelter yesterday by the President and Vice President of the board (also a former Port Jervis Lieutenant). They started questioning me about the “rumors” they’ve heard that I’m taking pictures, video & audio to provide information to Pets Alive. I didn’t admit to all that, or mention your organization, but I did say that I fully intended on speaking the TRUTH about what I see and hear regarding the animals’ welfare to whoever needs to know. The audio lasts about 13 minutes, let me know if you want me to forward it to you. It’s sickening to hear because they are acting so nice, telling me I can’t trust the other board members except them.
You might also find it interesting that there were other board members there yesterday walking around and checking out the place. I NEVER see board members there. I also know they must have killed TONS more animals because it’s more cleaned up. They admitted to having an Agriculture & Market inspection last week, which is why I’m sure so many killings. I wish they had a surprise inspection yesterday because the place was a disaster!!
A sign was also put up in the window of the Port Jervis Humane Society advising that no photos or video recordings were permitted. Additionally one day Christine was upset that none of the cats were given anything soft to lay on. Piles of donated material was in the back and she gave the cats all something to sleep on (you will note in all the pictures that the animals lay on nothing at all but newspaper – IF that). A sign went up the next day at the facility also advising that volunteers were not allowed to give bedding to the animals, yet on the Port Jervis Humane Society Facebook page they are appealing for donations of blankets and towels and bedding. Why?
The next day we met with the reporter from the Times Herald Record and turned over much of our evidence. He contacted the local Port Jervis reporter and supposedly they are working on this story.
In November, Christine again tried to reach out to the Port Jervis board. She sent them this letter documenting all the issues and asking them to intervene and help the animals they are responsible for.
The response? She was “fired” and told she could no longer come back to the shelter. They fired the volunteer that wrote them asking them to provide better care for the animals there. She was no longer permitted on the property. You can read the brief letter they sent her here: Volunteer Termination Letter
Additionally she filed a FOIL (Freedom of Information Law) request to ask for information on their finances and number of animals killed.
That too was denied. You can see a copy of the FOIL-Denial-Letter.
How many animals is Port Jervis killing? Well. They won’t tell you. They have refused to reveal any of their numbers or documentation and claim to be “private”. We would argue correctly though that by accepting state and county contracts they are now open to HAVING to reveal their numbers. By having government contracts they MUST open up their numbers and their books. We will be pursuing that legally.
And how many times have they reached out to us, the largest no kill sanctuary on the East Coast to help with the lives of the animals they are murdering? Never. Yet they KNOW we are no kill. Our website even says this:
“The main focus of Pets Alive, however, is to build, create and help sustain no-kill communities across the nation. To that end, we will try to help any organization that reaches out to us, and help any animal from any location, if shelters want help to stop killing the animals in their care.”
That is an open invitation to any kill shelter to reach out to us for help before slaughtering innocent lives. And indeed Port Jervis Humane is right in our back yard. Why would any organization CHOOSE to kill innocent animals instead of asking for help?
The evidence seems to suggest that they WANT to kill them.
3 cats in a dirty, filthy cage with no food or water
They CLAIM to volunteers that they reach out to us all the time and that we have never helped them. Ha! That is just ridiculous. A complete lie. We have never once been reached out to or asked to help with overflow or an animal. The one time we got an animal from them we had to fight for her.
In fact, during volunteer orientation you are told that if you don’t accept that they kill animals there then you can leave. That this IS a kill shelter and that they KILL animals here.
Interesting.
They seem almost proud of it.
Flithy cage. NOON. No food or water.
Keith also told me that that during his interview to become a board member that he was questioned for a long period of time on any connection he might have with Pets Alive and the “no kill whackoos” there.
Volunteers said they are often asked the same questions – if they have any connection to us.
Volunteers are also now forced to sign a CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT. Really? Why would ANY volunteer EVER have to sign such a thing if there is nothing to hide? And why is the Port Jervis Humane Society afraid of us? Are they afraid we will oust them, show who they are? Show what they are doing and maybe try to save some of the lives of the animals they are killing?
So I ask you reader to look at these videos, play these recordings.
Stare at these photos.
Are we making this up?
The Port Jervis “HUMANE” Society has a lot to answer for.
Go to their facebook page and ask them for answers.
My prediction is that they will ban you…block you…try to silence you.
And as to Christine? The volunteer that has risked so much to try to help the animals there? You are my hero. The disgusting board of the PJHS will likely try to sue her and make her life more difficult, but if they do, she will have a crowd of supporters and admirers who will walk with her the whole way. We have your back Christine. Thank you for standing up for these animals. When the executive director didn’t care, when ex-employees were afraid to stand up, when current employees did nothing, when board members cowered in fear, when other organizations couldn’t help you – you didn’t give up. You’re my hero. Keep fighting for animals.They deserve it. They have no voice.
To everyone else I urge you to not let this die.
FIGHT for the animals of Port Jervis.
FIGHT for the cruelty and neglect to end.
Gather together and start petitions.
Picket outside.
Spread the word.
Post on their Facebook page and demand answers to these accusations.
Don’t accept that this is ok.
It isn’t.
We aren’t the only ones covering this. Recently YesBiscuit! wrote about it as well and they also sent a letter to the Port Jervis Humane Society and asked for information – they were denied. Read their article here.
Courage is not an absence of fear.
It is doing the right thing EVEN in the midst of that fear.
Have courage.
Do the right thing.
Let’s fix this and protect our animals.
Yes. OUR animals.
Because one day YOUR pet could get lost and wind up at the Port Jervis Humane Society. Let’s make sure he or she gets out.
I am not shocked at all about them. I went to the Port Jervis Humane Society with a friend to report animal neglect (which the person) was still allowed to keep the animals they were neglecting I mean these animals were living in their own pee and poop possible mange, no food, etc…but I was told by an employee about the st bernard they kept behind the desk. I was told it was her dog and a kid who set a cat on fire was sentenced by a therapist to volunteer there to learn to respect animals. Well he was found having sex with the dog right there behind the desk by the employee telling me the story. I had asked what was done and she said nothing and this dig is traumatized for life and won’t go near anyone in fear for her life. I hope they get shut down and get their licence pulled. I also have a dog from there that I had adopted and thank god he is perfect!
Tell us what we can do about this
What is the next step
If there are animals in immediate danger where do
They go and how do you get the out of there?
I think the next step is to post on their facebook page and demand answers. Start a petition. Call them repeatedly. Picket outside their animal shelter and DEMAND immediate change.
I’d like to see what they have to say to this and then we will start the next step.
Please stay tuned.
I just posted on their wall and shared on my Facebook.I am going to call them now..I will picket outside if other people would be willing to come with me
I think we should picket. Let me see – a Saturday would be best. I’m away this Saturday. Let’s look into this more, but I think a picket is a good idea. Let all the traffic in Port Jervis know what is going on inside. We will need posters and signs made up.
Ok I can help make signs just let me know I can get people that would help and picket also
As a resident and taxpayer, I find this revolting but not surprised . In my dealings with the shelter and the stories I heard from a former volunteer, I stopped donating my time, money and dog food/treats etc. This all came to light after I adopted my dog there years back. Like many towns in this country…sad to say…it is all politics and anyone that speaks out against ‘the powers that be’ will be threatened and hushed.
That is one of the most horrible and disgusting things I have ever read. When I lived up in Orange County (moved away 6 yrs ago)- I was under the assumption that Port Jervis was a no kill shelter. Since I am not able to be up there in person – I will do my small part in getting the word out via FB/Twitter. Good luck to you all!!
I have posted this on every FB page that I could think of – especially the Humane Society!
My issue is first with the medical issue. Do we know what Bills last name and is he authorized to euthanize? Was anyone able to identify a local vet responsible for the shelter as he might be more approachable due to his NYS license at risk. thanks! Also Kerry we are with you on whatever approach you decide to take here.
Thanks for reporting on Port Jervis Humane. In the almost five years I have been here in Port Jervis, Bill has always maintained that he loves pit bulls and that his adoption rate is that of no-kill to 95% with dogs. I had no idea that Bill was performing the killing of the animals, as he has stated that a veterinarian (who also treated elephants) was there twice per month to perform this procedure and spay/neuter.
I had availed myself to perform home visits since they were not being performed but I did not get a call back.
To the community’s knowledge, they have regular adoption events and fundraising events.
In any case, “Bill” was said to have departed from his position as Executive Director. Is this not the case? And how does “Angelo” and “Keith” and “Christine” feel about the new Executive Director (I do not have her name available).
John Wortmann, President, No Kill New York, Inc., and I have also availed ourselves to start a robust TNR program here in Port Jervis and have already started on our own private funds. We will be applying for grants that we learned of from a fellow advocate that we met at the meeting in Middletown this year.
Please keep us updated as to any actions you feel should be necessary. Are there board meetings public for instance? in which case, we should all attend. To my knowledge, Port Jervis Humane only receives $10,000 from the city’s budget and Deer Park does not contribute a dime. So I’m not sure if the county allots any funding to this pound at all. My phone number is 845 856 7366. Kay Riviello, VP, No Kill New York, Inc.
Thank you for sharing this. Though I am disgusted and saddened by this. We adopted our cat, Charlie, from the Deerpark Humane Society in 2007 and I didn’t think there was any problems with them. Has anyone called the police?? I just posted on their page, but I feel that there is more that I should do besides that. Criminal charges should be filed. Isn’t there enough evidence to bring this to the police??
I got my dog from you guys @ pets alive..what can I fl to help?
My name is Ed Turner and I am the ex employee mentioned in this blog. I started working for the Port Jervis Humane Society as a maintenance man back in August of 2011. On top of being an employee I was also a volunteer. I was getting paid for 12 hours a week and volunteering another 40-50 hours. I started to take a serious interests in the animals and there welfare. I started to work with the dogs and personally get to know them all. At one point I could tell you the name of every dog and cat in that place and why they were there.
I have worked in retail most of my life, selling has always came easy to me. When I started to take an active role in adoptions I learned quickly that I could apply my sales backgrounds to getting these dogs and cats adopted faster then they were. I started to walk people to the back kennels and tell the dogs stories to potential adopters as we went along. Before long dogs were going home at a rate of 7-10 a week. Good, loving homes. I found out tugging on the heart strings of people really worked. Euthanasia numbers virtually disappeared in both cats and dogs for almost 8 months. With a few board members behind me, some great staff and even better group of volunteers we started to hold adoption events EVERY weekend. We held one on Saturday and one on Sunday. Things were changing and they were changing for the better.
In May 2012 the new president was put in place and a new office manager was hired. Some of the old euthanasia practices had started to come back. I was not comfortable with these as now I had personally gotten to know ALL of the dogs and cats housed there. It hurt far worse to see a dog or cat you have worked with for so long die for no apparent reason but space. I could not take this and decided with a heavy heart that I could no longer work for the shelter. I quit 2 weeks later.
I don’t know much about what happened in the summer months at the shelter as because of some of MY actions I was no longer allowed at the shelter. Was I a no kill freak? No, I was not but I also could not sit by and watch innocent animals loose there lives. I take FULL responsibility for my actions and for me not being allowed there and for the longest time I had the guilt that my actions prevented me from helping as many animals as I could.
I heard things at the shelter were getting bad. From what I understood the board of directors had put a plan in place. This plan was to hire a new Executive Director that would transition into the current director leaving. This new director from what I can tell has an amazing heart, she is smart, knowledgeable and motivated to find these animals homes. She was hired at the end of August and the transition started. Soon the current director and his ways would be gone and a new youthful and creative girl would take his place.
Several weeks after this hire the office manager left and a long standing employee was hired as the new office manager. This person is also very youthful, creative, smart and passionate about saving the animals lives. Virtually the entire staff except 2 people have been replaced with new younger people who are energetic and passionate about saving lives.
With this new leadership and these new employees as well as some of the BEST volunteers an organization could ask for the humane society of Port Jervis is INDEED making strides in the right direction.
Are things perfect? No… Are there things that need to be implemented?? Of course. Like any organization or company change takes time. We have to give the NEW leadership time to change things and make them better.
NO ONE, and I promise you this is more passionate about saving animals lives then myself. I dedicated more time in a year then most people do in 5 years. I stand behind EVERYTHING I told Kerry Clair last year and it was ALL the truth but that was LAST year and this is this year.
One of the new and exciting changes that will be coming to PJHS in the coming months is the all new FREE RANGE CATTERY and this is BECAUSE of the push of loving dedicated volunteers and the approval of both the board of directors and new executive director and office manager..
Pickets, protests are all great but we are talking about the lives of ANIMALS here people. IF this shelter closes what will happen to it’s over 200 residents? Where will they go?
Change is happening and albeit it may be slow it is HAPPENING.
I beg you ALL to give the new director and the office manager as well as the board of directors time to make things right. Give them time to change things from the way they used to be run to the way they should be run and can be run!
Instead of picketing and protesting go volunteer your time to take a dog or cat out of there cage. I promise the dogs and cats will appreciate this WAY more then you holding signs, sending there potential adopters away!
This is sickening. Criminal.
Sounds like this place needs to be shut down, everyone relieved of their duties, and completely revamped. I’m on board for a picket if need be. Please keep updating!!!
Agree 100% with the pickett! Please keep us updated!
This is heart breaking 🙁 Some of it made brought tears to my eyes. Definitely “in” for a picket, please keep us updated.
please keep us updated on this and how we can help, this is heartbreaking
katie- was the monster kid ever arrested for that horrible act??? OMG
Kerry,
Thanks for a very comprehensive expose of the situation at Port Jervis Humane Society. I know it had to be difficult for you to be the one to bring this all out into the light; but, it had to be done.
This is proof positive that we all need to be vigilant about what goes on in our own backyard.
Please know that you and Pets Alive have the full support of No Kill New York and if you need anything you know how to reach me. Look forward to hearing from you.
Camille Hankins
Founder & Director
No Kill New York
http://www.facebook.com/NoKill.NewYork
This is so sad and sickening. It brought tears to my eyes. I would love to help in any way possible – donations, time, rescue missions, anything. If there is ANYTHING I can do help, please let me know.
What a DISGRACE!!!!! And to think I was going to send them a donation this year back with the paper Christmas ornaments they sent me. What a joke!!! They are lining their own pockets with our donations. This story brought tears to my eyes. To think that people could be so cruel to those poor innocent animals when all they wanted was a safe place and to be cared for. As for that rotten BASTARD Bill I would like to guess his weight and give him a dose. Just utter disgust!!!! How can the people of Port Jervis cover something like this up. They have no souls. If you decide to picket, I will be there. So sad
Disgusting. If people are gathering, let me know!
Just reading through posts on their page, and they are defuting all of these claims. saying that christine took these pictures before the cages were cleaned and posting pictures of clean cages ect… I never liked the deer park humane society and when i had to surrender my dog i went to a different shelter that was no kill and used a friends address so that I could do it. I didn’t want to surrender my dog but i had no choice as i couldnt find a home for her, I was no longer able to care for her I was heartbroken. The shelter i took her to assured me she would be well cared for and even updated me daily until she was adopted which was only a few days
Is the “Bill” you are looking for Bill Lloyd??
This is all very disturbing. It seems new management is in place, were Christine’s concerns under old or new management? Have any changes been made with the new people in place? Do we know if there are public board meetings that can be attended? I couldn’t find that information on their website. Thank you for all you do to protect animals.
So Ed, what you’re really saying is.. you got threatened, got pushed up against a wall somewhere and told to take it all back? And now your only solution to all of this disgusting behavior going on is to “go adopt an animal or two” but you know what? That will not matter. It will continue to not matter as long as there are pets to adopt. Do you have any idea how disgusting it is to me, that a few of these feline horror stories were dating back to October of this year, when I had brought 2 of my oldest cats, and a blind kitten to go when I had to move out of my home of 16 years? So it is nice to know what really happened to Morris, Pudge and Wooley. Maybe there is something we can do about this, you know, as many people as they may “know” and have close political relationships with why don’t we all pull out our phone books and see who we’ve got. The best way to accomplish anything in any situation is use your resources as wisely as possible. I have a VERY close family friend that worked at the PJHS who suddenly was terminated from her job after years devoted there, I’m sure there was a reason why. I’m sure there is something she knows. The mayor of Port Jervis is also an immediate family member of two of my CLOSEST friends growing up, I’m sure he’d listen to what his family members concerns were. All it takes is people who have the guts to stand up and SPEAK. We all got the funny feeling PJHS was not doing something right at one point or another I’m sure.. I know that I got that feeling at the age of 13 when one of my cats was neutered there and came home with a horrible infection, and has for the past 9 years pee’d blood ever since, unfortunately this article and information was not brought to my knowledge any sooner and Pudge was sent back there to “find a new home” in October. Well, hopefully her new home in heaven is better than the hell we can all call the Port Jervis Humane Society.
Something must be done, and I am willing to devote my time and efforts to save these animals as someone who has 2 years of college experience in Liberal Arts & Sciences with an understudy of Environmental Studies, I am devoting my life to Animals and the Environmental welfare of the people in this community. Kerry, if you could please E-Mail me directly to speak, maybe we can make a plan.. I think I may know some people who would like to get involved in helping, even if it’s organizing picketing days and places through out Port Jervis.
First I’d like to thank Ed Turner for his statement above, with whom I have been discussing this issue with since back in early November.
Blogs like this can be useful tools, but I think an effort to obtain both sides of the story, as Mr. Turner has fortunately sought to provide for us, is critical. But there is more we need to know in order to form an informed judgment on the shelter. It is absolutely critical that we have the following information:
Intake: dogs/cats
Dogs destroyed
Cats destroyed
Dogs adopted
Cats adopted
Released to rescue
Returned to owner.
We are also seeking sworn testimony in the form of affidavits as to the shelter conditions both in the past and currently, in order to achieve an informed judgment on the shelter for all concerned and for the animals before any further action can or should be taken.
We are also currently seeking funding to move the TNR program along here. This was begun earlier this year in response to a city councilman’s suggestion that feral cats be rounded up and destroyed. This is the work we do every day.
John Wortmann
President
No Kill New York, Inc.
I personally know the new executive director of the PJHS and she is a GOOD person with a HUGE heart. She was bawling to me and some friends one day because of the practices performed at the shelter prior to her taking over. Please allow her time to instill new, better, SAFER practices. She has many ideas to make the shelter a better place for the animals, unfortunately she has people she has to present those ideas to and get them approved. Please give her a shot. Like Ed said, she’s only been there since August. 4 months! She needs more time to make things right. No pickets just yet. Those poor animals need your help, not your signs.
Is PJHS not a 501(c)3 organization? I could not find any information to that on their website. If not than then donations to them are not tax deductible and they are correct in that they do not have to publish their 990’s, and financial information, as they have continued to refuse to do. It is just a shame, that in the spirit of transparency, they will not disburse data information to direct requests.
Their 990’s are public
We are requesting the number of animals they take in compared to the number they kill.
Who polices the Animal Police? The private “humane societies” and “SPCAs” who (a) are granted cruelty investigation authority in their county/region and/or (b) hold municipal/governmental animal control contracts?
What checks or balances do we have on their practices? How can they be exempt from open-government laws? How can they stifle free speech or flagrantly violate the laws that they themselves are expected to uphold and enforce?
Something must be done. Something must change. They must be held accountable.
Contact cnn thay are not afraid of the shelter and thay can get the word out.
I’d applied for the assistant director position and after 2 exhaustive interviews was denied because I was “too no kill” Sadly, none of this surprises me. If the blog administrators wish to speak to me, I’m available.
This is absolutely one of the worst things I’ve ever read.its made me sick to my stomach. I look at my own dog and think how could this happen? Who could treat animals like this? I have a bunch of people who are willing to try to help. Please let us know what we can all do to help!!!
Instead of wasting your time getting the word out through the computer- go there and help out by volunteering your time there. Change takes time and patience.
Fighting, writing negative things and picketing in public is not helping the animals. It will make it worse. Shelters depend on everyone helping each other in a positive way not negative.
I went to the PJH, to have two of my cats neutered!!! OMG what an awful smell in there, I received a phone call after the cat was there for 6 hours, that my cat is sick and I need to come get him. I picked up the one cat with horrible bleeding he literally had just been neutered. Good thing I am a vet tech and could take of him. The other kitty could not breathe at all when I picked him up, I could not breathe to well, the smell of mildew/mold was so awful. THIS LITERALLY COULD HAVE KILLED MY KITTYer!!!! The kitty was sick for several days.I would never go back there to get another cat fixed….
Out of curiosity I filed an FOI request to obtain 2011 municipal animal shelter statistics (dogs and cats) for Humane Society of Port Jervis/Deerpark – (202 U.S. 209 Port Jervis, NY 12771 ), specifically to include intake numbers, number of adoptions, numbers returned-to-owner, number transferred and number euthanized .
I received a “No Responsive Documents”
Melissa,
it is because they don’t have that information. PJHS is not a government agency. when you foil for information they need to have that information in order to give it. although people seem to think it is a conspiracy theory.