Ok…I have to be honest here. The Liberty Humane Society Board of Directors hasn’t exactly distinguished itself as intelligent or honest.
They are paranoid enough to probably require medication. They are firing people left and right, throwing volunteers out of the shelter, and posting on Facebook pages these utterly childish, transparent diatribes about how great the new board is, and how they are a model shelter.
They have killed 30+ dogs. There is enough room now. Yet the killing continues. Here is just a sampling of the emails I have been receiving, and it absolutely breaks my heart.
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Doctor
Doctor was that dog you are describing. There is an intake room in the trailer with more dogs. That is where she was. Her reason was food aggression. She was a sweet dog. I never had any problem with her. I hugged her and kissed her and she never reacted in a negative way. Her tail was always wagging.
Please also see the intake card. it seems minds have been made up about this dog’s doom before the 7 day state mandated stay expired. they waited for the 8th or 9th day to kill her off. Read the rest of this entry »
Filed in Uncategorized by matt on Aug 30, 2010. There are 36 comments.
I have to say that I was disappointed to read your coverage of Liberty Humane Society.
I’m not sure where to start. First off, I am the President of Pets Alive Animal SANCTUARY in Middletown, NY and Elmsford, NY. While we are by definition a shelter, we act as a sanctuary for animals. We have been no-kill for 35 years and will continue to be.
The article characterizes the “board” of Liberty Humane Society as victims that no one will help. And Pets Alive as an out-of-state organization that is going to sue them into being no-kill.
Neither of those are in any way true.
We contacted Liberty Humane very early on in this debacle and asked how we could help. We took two dogs immediately, and I arranged with the SPCA of Connecticut for them to borrow some outdoor runs to get the dogs out of the kennels, making it unnecessary to kill them, at least for the time being.
We then offered to sit down with them and help them map out the right way to be no-kill. We can’t SUE them into being no-kill any more than they can write a 5 year plan for becoming no-kill. Either you are going to kill the animals in your care or you are not. No-kill has not failed Liberty Humane. Liberty Humane has failed no-kill, and has abdicated their moral responsibility in the stewardship of these animals.
We are talking about a comprehensive plan that includes best practices for adoptions, training, fostering, working with rescues and anything else we can think of to help them get animals out the door instead of in the ground.
The boards, past and present, are textbook examples of the mindset chronicled in Nathan Winograd’s book Redemption, where he proves a theory that the egos of boards and shelter managers are the reason dogs and cats are being killed in places like Jersey City. Why is it that no-kill has worked or is working in San Francisco, Reno, Las Vegas, St. Paul, Tomkins County, NY, Austin and individually in thousands of shelters around the world? Is Jersey City that unique? No…it just has leadership that would rather kill animals and stroke their own egos than accept being wrong and make things right.
LHS is hiding behind temperament testing as an excuse to kill dogs that could be in rescues or in homes. We’ve seen it a million times and certainly we’ve seen it before from Liberty Humane. Take a look at Moet….http://petsalive.com/moet.jpg
Moet is a senior dog (11 years old) that was deemed “aggressive” by the testers at Liberty Humane. Volunteers were outraged, and pleaded for the life of this dog. Liberty Humane refused. At the time the idiotic policy of the shelter was that “pit bulls” like Moet could only be adopted to rescues anyway. So that ensured the deaths of many of them BEFORE the temperament tests get them. A group of Pets Alive volunteers pleaded with us to take Moet, so we did. Moet was adopted a few weeks later and is still in a forever home. That picture was used for our Holiday card last year because it so perfectly depicts the love between animal and caretaker.
Where would Moet be at the hands of these people at Liberty if not for the volunteers that cared so much about the dog? DEAD…a fate that is befalling more and more animals at Liberty Humane. And that doesn’t have to be.
No-kill is what the volunteers at LHS want. It’s what the community wants. It’s the reason they got the contract from the Mayor of Hoboken. Yet they would rather kill dogs and cats.
We offered to work with them for free to come up with a plan to save the animals of Jersey City and Hoboken. We will bring in other experts where we need to, including Best Friends Animal Society, Nathan Winograd, the Tomkins County SPCA and anyone else whose advice would help make this a success. As the old adage says…if you want to be successful hang out with people who are. We are, and we can bring people to the table and work this out.
The board refused.
Someone told me that one of the board members felt like we we’re giving them an ultimatum. Actually, I guess we are. Either stop putting your own egos before your moral responsibility to those animals or get the hell off the board.
We are not going away. I have twenty or so emails from volunteers, ex- and current employees and concerned members of the community and in looking at them a pattern emerges rather quickly…Liberty Humane is disorganized, unresponsive, incompetent and hostile to those who simply ask for information or question what they do. I would be happy to share some of these with you if you wish.
In fact, until the light was shined on them, LHS was refusing to return phone calls from organizations and shelters (including ours) who wanted to take animals from the crowded cages they were stuffed into and waiting to be killed. This is not the behavior of an organization dedicated to the lives of these animals.
Pets Alive has put LHS on notice that we’re watching. We, unlike them, are listening to their volunteers and employees and even the Mayor(s) who trust them with their constituents’ animals. They want transparency. They want to know about the disposition of specific animals. They want cogently articulated policy on which animals are being killed, and they want to know when an animal is about to be killed so they can work with rescues to commute that death sentence, even if LHS won’t. All of this information is arguably required to be provided by New Jersey’s Open Public Records Act (OPRA). We are collecting the requests that they have not responded to, and we may consider a class action lawsuit to get the information on behalf of the citizens of New Jersey who want to know. Those are the kinds of lawsuits we are contemplating.
It’s about right and wrong. Killing these animals when there is another alternative is wrong.
——————
Tomorrow we are going to step up the pressure and work harder to get the word out. Please help.
Matt
Filed in Uncategorized by Admnistrator on Aug 29, 2010. There are 2 comments.
Matt here. I am SO angry I am shaking. We were used. Lied to. I knew it too. I knew something was fishy and there was a piece of the puzzle missing.
We have all heard the story of Liberty Humane. Those who don’t believe in No-Kill are saying that their attempt to be No-Kill was what caused the horrible conditions the animals are enduring. Uh. No. The idiots that RAN the shelter, regardless of their intentions are the ones who caused the suffering. Philosophies don’t kill — people do.
So now Liberty Humane has an “interim board,” the members of this board they refuse to identify. I am curious about who appointed or elected these board members, as if everyone on the old board resigned who can elect them? Hmmm. That could make their actions at best unauthorized and at worst illegal. But more about that later.
PLEASE SUPPORT US IN OUR BIGGEST EVENT OF THE YEAR!
WE NEED THIS SUPPORT!
It’s also that time of the year again! The Annual Pets Alive Spring Yard Sale is just around the corner.
The sale this year will be June 5th and 6th – so make sure to save that date.
Help the animals of Pets Alive by donating items for us to sell.
Suggested items are:
Household Items
Children’s Items
Clothing
Sporting Equipment
Knick Knacks
Pet Related Items
Holiday Items
New and Used Items
Craft Items
Books
Movies
Music
Please note the following:
Drop off donations any day between the hours of 10-3pm in the kennel lobby.
Mark your donation(s) as Yard Sale Item(s) labels will be available in the lounge if you need some.
Please observe the cut-off date for donations: Saturday, May 8th.
***For large item donations*** – Please schedule a drop off time with Becky. Email her at becky@petsalive.com. (Guideline for definition of “large item”: if you are not sure, assume it’s large.)
Thank you in advance for what we are sure will be a huge success!
The Yard Sale Divas – Debbie, Debby, Kim, Yvonne and Becky
Filed in Uncategorized by kerry on Apr 10, 2010. There are 0 comments.
So a lot of you had contacted us about the “Hunter situation” here in Orange County. Hunter is a dog at the Orange County Sheriff’s K9-Unit. His handler, Deputy Edward Josefovitz, was leaving the department and wanted to take Hunter with him. I must say that at first I felt like I had to be on the side of the handler. How could you live with a dog for two years and then be forced to give it up? This poor family must be heartbroken, I thought. So I looked for more information and all the web had was stories about how much the family loved him and that he was sick and elderly and was now living in a cement pen, depressed and dejected laying in the back of it, day after day. I confess I was really surprised and felt terrible for these people. So I reached out to the Sheriff’s department and spoke to Orange County Sheriff’ Carl DuBois. I’ve known Carl for a lot of years and was really surprised that he would treat an animal this way. REALLY surprised. That’s because Carl is a HUGE dog lover. In fact when his dog died this past year, he and his wife couldn’t get another one because they were so crushed and heartbroken by the loss. So how could this situation be true?
It’s the holiday season at Pets Alive. There’s a foot of snow on the ground here in Middletown, New York and more is falling right now. Pets
Alive is 80 acres of magic, and this is the most magical time of the year. Boxes of cookies and treats appear out of nowhere, and this is
the time when we receive cards and letters from all of the wonderful people who saved the lives of the animals in our care.
The wall in the Brick House outside our office becomes speckled with photos of the animals who found their forever homes this year, a sea of
smiling faces — human, canine, feline and even equine. We all have memories of the people and animals that we’ve met so briefly here this
year, and we all have those special memories of the animals and people we will never forget. It’s amazing to read the cards, look at the
pictures and get that feeling again, remembering and sharing a special moment that warmed us months ago, a respite from the weariness that
sometimes casts its shadow around here.
It’s those moments that leave their imprints on our hearts, amidst the time away from our families and loved ones — the missed birthdays and
other occasions, the inquiries from our friends and families asking us where we’ve been, the understanding spouses, the getting up in the
middle of the night to meet a transport of scared dogs that were headed for the gas chamber or a deadly needle. The endless stream of animals
needing our help that never seems to slow down.
The gnawing in the pit of our stomachs every time we worry about where the next month’s funds are going to come from.
This is Matt, sitting here in my family room, typing this on my computer. Roscoe, the dog with the 2 luxating patellas that needed
expensive surgery is curled up next to me on the couch, and Tyson, the little black dog that I picked up from a transport and fell in love with
immediately is snoring peacefully on the other side of me.
Kerry is at home anxiously awaiting the arrival of a transport of 14 dogs that were headed for the gas chamber in North Carolina. She was
outside earlier in the snow with her 4 dogs, including Jake, the puppy saved from a needle in Georgia, and Scrumpy, the one-of-a-kind Corgi mix
who is “awkwardly designed,” with his front legs shorter than his back ones and other interesting features. He’s only alive because of a
clerical error. It’s quite a story and he’s quite a dog.
There are a year’s worth of stories here thanks to the generous support of people like you. We often speak of how fortunate we are to be here
at Pets Alive, and we truly feel like we have the best jobs in the world.
As the Pets Alive employees and volunteers pass the door of our office they stop to read the cards and letters on the wall, contemplating their
own personal favorites. We will often hear people sharing those stories, remembering an animal that touched their heart. It makes us
smile.
We appreciate your support and ask that you continue to support us in the coming year. We have some funding challenges and it’s one of our
biggest worries for 2009. Share some cheer this holiday and donate to Pets Alive. Your help is what keeps us going.
As we take a day or two off with our families we will take a few moments to reflect on our success this year and all of you who have made it
possible. Thank you to everyone who adopted an animal this year, to Rob and Marisol Thomas for their help, both financial and spiritual. Thanks
to all of our generous volunteers and supporters. We truly can’t do this without you. We love you all.
Thank you for the cards, emails, notes, telephone calls, pictures and other expressions of your support and affection. We read them all and they have made
a tremendous impact on us. One of the donation checks that came in this week had a blue post-it note attached to it that said “I’m SO GLAD you didn’t go under.”
Yes ma’am. So are we.
From our families to yours, and from our Pets Alive family to yours, we wish you a joyful holiday season and look forward to a 2009 where we can save more animals
and make more of an impact on the community and the country.
Kerry Clair & Matt DeAngelis
Pets Alive Executive Co-Directors
And the entire Pets Alive staff
Filed in Uncategorized by kerry on Dec 22, 2008. There are 0 comments.
Pets Alive currently needs to fill two positions — a cat caretaker and a horse caretaker. If you are interested in working with animals and can start almost immediately, please email us your resume and a note on why you want this job to: info@petsalive.com.
Cat Caretaker
This position is 36 hours a week and the hours are somewhat flexible to help fit your schedule. The main job is really cleaning, and not playing with cats, so please recognize that. You MUST have no allergies to cats or cleaning products, and be able to work outside as we do have a feral cat area that also needs cleaning and care, even in the winter and the rain. The pay is $10 an hour and we offer corporate benefits only (you can pay for a discounted health plan if you choose to).
Position Summary:
Working within a team setting to oversee the health, well being, and general care of cats.
Essential Duties:
Preparing food (including special diets; feeding, watering, and medicating cats.
Socializing with cats, light grooming, watching behavioral issues, feeding patterns, and creating a positive living environment.
Cleaning work areas and preserving physical appearance of cat buildings and grounds: litter box cleaning, sweeping, dusting, mopping, trash removal, scrubbing, etc.
Working and interacting with visitors and volunteers: assigning work, answering questions, promoting Pets Alive’s mission, and assisting with their needs.
Monitoring overall health and behavior of animals and reporting changes/concerns to manager.
Other duties as assigned.
Experience / Requirements:
Must work with a positive outlook, be upbeat, energetic, and take initiative.
Strong desire to work with cats. Previous experience a plus.
Experience in interacting with the general public.
Ability to professionally advocate Pets Alive’s positions on issues.
Basic computer skills helpful.
Physical Requirements:
Must be able to routinely lift 40 to 50 pounds.
Must be able to work in all weather conditions.
Horse Caretaker Position Summary:
To feed and monitor horses and to ensure standards of care are adhered to.
Description of Duties:
Attend meetings and provide staff with updates.
Support company and department standards, procedures and strategic directives.
Oversee the ordering of supplies, food and medication for the department.
Perform caregiving duties, feeding, grooming, and maintain a clean working environment.
Monitor, evaluate and document farrier work.
Monitor overall health and behavior of animals and report changes/concerns to manager and appropriate individuals/systems.
Create a healthy and positive living environment for the animals.
Assist in transporting of animals as requested.
Interact with volunteers, interns and visitors; answer questions and assist with their needs.
Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications/Experience:
A working knowledge of horses with proven ability to promote a positive, cooperative work environment.
High level of interpersonal skills. The ideal person for this job is a team player, personable, professional, positive, energetic, proactive, tactful and diplomatic.
Able to perform strenuous work in adverse and hot weather conditions.
Able to lift 60 pounds.
Filed in Uncategorized by kerry on Nov 11, 2008. There are 0 comments.
It’s the holiday season at Pets Alive. There’s a foot of snow on the ground here in Middletown, New York and more is falling right now. Pets
This is Matt, sitting here in my family room, typing this on my computer. Roscoe, the dog with the 2 luxating patellas that needed
Thank you for the cards, emails, notes, telephone calls, pictures and other expressions of your support and affection. We read them all and they have made
Horse Caretaker