New Board, New Attitude

After attending the first meeting of the Lakeshore Humane Society’s newly-elected board of directors, I can honestly report that I firmly believe this is the best board the Society has had in years, if not decades.  Not only did the board conduct its discussion in front of an audience of Society members, it actually focused its conversation on the animals…the dogs and cats currently in the Society’s care as well as those who will be in the future.

With nothing on the meeting’s agenda that directly related to animals, the Society’s board members launched into a dialogue about pet adoptions.  After some debate, the board members agreed to reduce the cost of pet adoptions.  Senior citizens will receive a 50 percent discount off of the Society’s adoption fees.

The board also decided to extend an invitation to members of the general public to adopt pets in exchange for reduced fees during the months of December, 2011 and January, 2012.  During this time period, a person can adopt a dog for approximately $70, half off the Society’s usual adoption fee.  During these months, the price of adopting a cat from the Lakeshore Humane Society will be reduced from $95 to $20.12 as well. 

After taking the huge step of adjusting the Society’s adoption fees, the board moved onto another  subject, boarding.  Soon after broaching the subject, the board decided to no longer allow the Society to board animals.  The board continued by dedicating the space formerly used to board animals to the specific use of quarantining dogs when they arrive.  Finally!

The board also formed a desperately needed public relations committee, discussed approaching the county to revisit previously abandoned negotiations, described the seemingly fair numbers included in city contracts and debated what information will be presented to individual cities.  Oh, did I mention that while all of this talk was going on, the board’s members actually made those of us in attendance laugh a time or two?

While I am not naïve enough to think the Lakeshore Humane Society’s board of directors can overcome all of the obstacles it inherited from previous boards in a single year, I am optimistic that the current board can and will undo years of inappropriate, ineffective policy-making and make significant headway in improving the Society’s horrible reputation.  Being a No Kill advocate, I am further encouraged by overhearing one board member ask if they should speak about the life-saving No Kill matrix, even though that was deferred to the closed session.

I invite you to attend the next monthly meeting of the Lakeshore Humane Society’s board of directors so you, too, can witness real, meaningful progress in action.  It’s invigorating to hear board members talk about the reasons they have their positions, the animals, instead of themselves.  

Personally, I can’t wait to attend next month’s meeting.  I’m hoping the conversation includes finding a new Executive Director for the Lakeshore Humane Society!  Join me there to see if it does!

Lakeshore Humane Society Has A New Board

Some of you may remember me writing about the election of the Lakeshore Humane Society’s board of directors in recent weeks.  Well, now that the election is over, I think it is time for me to comment on its results.

I am happy to report that I am very pleased with the election’s results!  I have full confidence in the individuals who were awarded seats on the board and their collective ability to make sweeping changes to the Lakeshore Humane Society.  Failing to win a seat on the board myself, I will have to rely solely on my faith that the new board will not just retain its ability to make changes, but will use its new dynamic to develop a willingness to make the necessary changes as well. 

Personally, I hope the board begins its term addressing some of the problems the shelter has with its operations.  I look forward to the day when the board hires an executive director, for instance, and hope this day is not too far off in the future.  I hope the future executive director of the Lakeshore Humane Society will put an end to the rude treatment of the shelter’s volunteers, myself included, and the seemingly random, senseless killing of animals the shelter is supposed to protect… the animals who would have made excellent companions had their lives been spared.

Until the Lakeshore Humane Society has a new executive director in place and the organization’s leader remedies the current dysfunction that remains obvious at this point despite the success of the recent election, I regret to write that I will continue to suspend my charitable donations and my involvement with the organization.

Even though I am disappointed with the way the Lakeshore Humane Society operates at the moment, I feel very, very confident in the Society’s new board of directors at the same time. I am looking forward to telling you all about the changes the board succeeds in making during the upcoming year and, hopefully, about my renewed giving and involvement with the shelter.

14 Days and Counting

I look forward to the day when I can write good things about Lakeshore Humane Society. But I cannot yet because nothing has changed, and nothing will change until the evil, insane board members are ousted and a real leader is put in charge of the shelter. This will only happen if the membership of Lakeshore Humane Society decides to vote the right way. If they do not, I believe the society will fall apart on it's own. The lack of leadership is the downfall of most any company, humane societies included.

Today, I received an email that contained a video of a dog named Mary who is being held in the back of the humane society with the public's boarded dogs, which is another problem in and of itself that I will not get into here. I would really like you to watch Mary's video and understand that these types of dogs are either killed for space, or because they looked at an employee cross-eyed, or for some other trivial justification. The excuses run on and on and on. When will Lakeshore Humane Society realize that they are a humane society and not some place the public needs to be going to everyday to beg them not to kill dogs? Is that not something we detest? Is it any different then when a dog is shot by a farmer or killed by some mean kids? What is the difference if a humane society kills an animal with medication? There is none. Killing is killing is killing. There's no other word for it. It is what it is.

Well, October 18th is coming soon. I know that officials from the city plan to attend the LHS Annual Meeting and speak honestly about the pound contracts and why there are so many problems. They will name names. The officials I am referring to are members of LHS so they have every right to speak at our meeting. Frankly I will be glad when the elections are over. Depending on who gets elected there is so much to do. But again, that's only if the right people are elected. If the wrong people are voted in, then it's all over for Lakeshore Humane Society.

NOTE:  I just received word that Mary, along with her buddy Sniper will be transported to the DeYoung Zoo in Michigan for their homes.  Great news!

Speak Out For The Animals Sake

Section 1: "Detrimental Actions" shall be defined as any actions deemed detrimental to the well being or goals of the Corporation, acting in a manner disruptive to the efficient operation of the Corporation or acting in a manner injurious or without care for the animals we serve.

 Section 2: Termination of Membership
The Board, in its sole discretion, shall have the ability to terminate any Member at any time, for among other things, Detrimental Actions and Just Cause. Should the need arise, the Board may vote to suspend a Member's membership in anticipation of termination, with a two-thirds majority vote.

The above is taken from the Lakeshore Humane Societies' bylaws, and the number one reason I have remained anonymous as the writer of this blog. I am a member of the society. These rules prevent many people from speaking up in fear that they will be kicked off the membership rolls. It has happened before and until there are changes, it will probably happen again. Case in point: a member who was on the nominating committee, mind you, a volunteer refused to take a person's name off of the election ballot when directed by certain board members. Her membership was terminated. She was doing the right thing, but because the board is so corrupt, she was stripped of her membership. Her membership was reinstated this year and she has voting rights again. She also just happens to be a Two Rivers city councilperson.

To be honest with you, I have gotten to the point that if they want to kick me off for speaking the truth, then they can go ahead. The Lakeshore Humane Society is messed up, really messed up. I know of volunteers who can't do the right thing because they know they will be banned from the society for speaking up. They fear for the lives of the animals if they are not allowed to volunteer there anymore. How wrong is that? What kind of people run an organization that does not allow people to speak their mind and suggest ways in which the society could be run better? A dictatorship runs like this. People who are hungry for power are like this. Yes, the Lakeshore Humane Society is full of people like this, and those people outweigh the good.

I try not to get too worked up about it because I know at this point in time it does not make a difference what I say, or what I suggest. It is ignored. I have become a “bad” person already, in just the few short months I have become a member, because I have asked the hard questions and I have been persistent.

The candidate forum is coming up this September 27, 2011 at 6:30pm. I have discovered that the public can attend this. You do not have to be a member. So please attend and ask these candidates some hard questions. If they are running for re-election, ask them why everything is so messed up and push for answers, not just answers that evade the question. Seek the truth. I might as well spill the beans here. I am one of the candidates, and no, I am not asking you to vote for me here. But I will tell you one thing, I am running for this board so that I can, hopefully, make sweeping changes. The animals deserve this. It is a shelter for the animals. If you are not doing a good job, and I get elected, I guess I may be considered someone to fear. But in reality I am a person who seeks truth and justice, and in this humane society there isn't a lot of either. A lot of people have been putting up with or tolerating the status quo. Sorry, but I will not go with that anymore. I believe the humane society needs an executive director who can run the shelter the way it should be run, and actually make it successful. Right now that is not being done and you have a board of directors who, for whatever reason, have allowed this to go on for far too long.

So show up on September 27th and ask questions. Then on October 18th either attend the annual election meeting and vote or request an absentee ballot. If you need help requesting an absentee ballot, email me. If you don't attend the candidate forum and would like to know more about the candidates, just email me and I will get back to you. But in the end do something. Animals have no voice. We the people are their voice. Let's tell the Lakeshore Humane Society that the animals are fed up and things need to change, for their sake!

FALL for CHANGE

Our local shelter, Lakeshore Humane Society, is not taking in stray(lost) cats or dogs or owner surrenders unless they are delivered by the police. That means if you or I find a lost dog or cat and drive to the Humane Society to drop it off, they will refuse to take the stray animal and tell you to call the police.


Say, what? Are you serious? Since when did this policy go into effect? According to the Humane Society's employees, they cannot take in strays because that is how the cities of Manitowoc and Two Rivers want it. Really? I don't think so, and I don't think you are functioning as a non-profit anymore, Lakeshore Humane Society . Aren't you supposed to be doing something for the community you serve in order to qualify as a non-profit? You are contracted as the city pound in addition to being the Humane Society, right? You lost the county contract because of your bizarre policies, and now you're about to lose the contract with the two major cities you serve. Are you nuts? Are you really just interested in the money involved in all of this. Have you completely lost track of what your mission is?


Let me remind you, you're the Humane Society. You are where dogs, cats, and all sorts of critters go if they don't have a home. You're the local homeless shelter for animals. But right now, you are just a place that no one wants to go to anymore. You treat your volunteers with disrespect, actually refusing to let them volunteer. Who in the world tells volunteers they cannot volunteer? Am I missing something here? No, I'm not.


I mean your reputation already sucks. But you don't need to damage it any further. You need to work with the city, and you need to work with the community. Including Free Roamers! Take the cork outta your rear end and start caring about the animals instead of whatever small power trip you are on. Talk about a board that cannot function, this one takes the cake! A complete makeover is long overdue!


Annual elections for this board are coming up in October. October 18th to be exact. If you have been a member of the Humane Society for 60 days prior to the election, then you can vote. I really think you all need to get out and vote on this. Animal's lives as well as community relationships are at stake here.

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Casey's Voice and A Bit More

“What kind of idiot would take their dog and pay money at that place!" I remember that day someone said this to me very well.  To be truthful, mainly because of the comment, but also because it was the beginning of the end for my very dear friend Marilyn. I was sitting in Marilyn's hospital room when her husband Dave made the comment.  I turned around and said "I'm one of those idiots."  Dave looked at me as his cheeks grew redder than Santa Claus's.  Dave never mentioned it again, but I was sure to remind him about it!

So let’s see what else I have heard about day care dogs.  Well, they are spoiled, their owners are rich or well to do, often so lazy they won't exercise their own dog, and the list goes on.  I have also been asked, why I volunteer my time at a "for-profit" establishment?  Well, the list of my reasons goes on and on.  But let me say one thing:  Central Bark Doggy Day Care has treated my family very well when we needed help and no other business in the area could have helped in the way they did when we needed it the most.  I will also tell you that I choose not to volunteer my time at Lakeshore Humane Society for very specific reasons, which I will explain to you at a much later date. It has nothing to do with any of the dogs or cats that reside there.

I might as well get this out right now, I am frustrated. No, I am very frustrated with Bay Area Humane Society in Green Bay.  You see, one of the ‘spoiled’ dogs that visits Central Bark Doggy Day Care, whose name is Casey, is sitting up at Bay Area Humane Society’s shelter right now because his very responsible owners surrendered him back to the shelter they adopted him from.  Did I just call them responsible?  Yes I did!  I knew Casey's owners.  They were an elderly couple who had adopted Casey months before from Bay Area Humane Society.  Casey is a Border Collie mix who had been surrendered by previous owners.  Well now, maybe your thinking "what did Casey do, bite someone?" No, Casey was a lovely dog.  He was a puppy and just 11 months old.  Why did the responsible owners surrender Casey back to the shelter if he was a good dog, isn’t that wrong?  Did I mention he was a Border Collie mix?  Did I mention he was a puppy?  Well those two factors could explain why an elderly couple would want to surrender Casey. After all, Border Collies are high energy dogs and even more so as puppies. Now I don't know how well Bay Area Humane Society educated Casey's owners about his breed and the responsibilities that come with it, but knowing his owners, I  would bet they did not educate them one bit!

Casey came to Central Bark every Wednesday.  It was the same day I was there every week.  Casey was wonderful!  So what went wrong?  Absolutely nothing was wrong with the owners and nothing with Casey.  Is there anyone to blame here other than the shelter?  I'm blaming the shelter?  No, not exactly, but do you think Casey would be back at the shelter a second time around had the shelter done its job?  Probably not.

I have another bone to pick with Bay Area Humane Society.  Central Bark, upon finding out Casey had been surrendered, called the shelter to tell them they would like to pull Casey and keep him at Central Bark until they could find an owner.  Gee, what a gracious offer!  Taking Casey back into an environment he knows, and place him among people he knows and love him, would be wonderful.  Why would you not jump at that and say “that would be great for Casey”?  But would it be great for Bay Area Humane?  No, Why?  Well, maybe money is the reason?  Let’s see, he was adopted out at least once before so far as we know of, for around $200, then he was brought back and adopted out for another $200 and now, he's back again, which will bring in another $200 when he is adopted again.  So, keeping Casey at the shelter is in the shelter’s best interest, right?  That's what Stephanie, from the shelter told Erroll, the Central Bark Manager, "We think Casey has a better chance of getting a home from our facility, rather than letting him go to yours." So, you’re telling me that if we could ask Casey he would say, "Yes, keep me here with no one I know, eating food I don't like when I could be running outside with my friends?"  Give me a break!  This isn't about Casey’s welfare at all.  This is about the almighty dollar!  Bay Area Humane does not have Casey's best interest at heart.  So, shame on you, Bay Area Humane Society, for not allowing Central Bark to care for him until they could find a home for him.

Dogs that attend doggy day care are not any different than other dogs.  Their owners are not rich.  My dogs go there and that proves that point.  Owners are not lazy! Sometimes doggy day cares are the last resort people have to help their dogs.  Oh, and that takes me back to the shelters.  Why are there not any programs in place to help people when they do have problems with their dogs?  Would that not reduce owner surrenders? Why couldn't a volunteer man a phone or meet with people to go over strategies to help keep dogs in homes, rather than surrender them.  Thank you Central Bark for being the only resource in the community for helping dogs out.  Shelters need to step up and play that role in their community as the resource to go to for answers, about problems people face with their animals in the community. Quit blaming the public for populating your shelter.  You can be the solution to problems of animal welfare. 

In the meantime Casey is sitting at the shelter and not at Central Bark.  What a shame!

Time is Running Out

Do you think you have the power to change organizations like humane societies? Our local humane society has a board of directors that normally consists of 12 members. Those directors are voted into office by the membership of the humane society. If you are not currently a member of the Lakeshore Humane Society in Manitowoc, WI, I urge you to buy a membership for $35 and help change the way things operate. Membership secures a vote for you in the annual election on October 18, 2011. The thing is your membership needs to be purchased before August 19, 2011 in order to have the right to vote in the annual election. The current bylaws of the Lakeshore Humane Society state that you must be a member in good standing 60 days prior to the election. I think this is a fair rule. But we need you to act fast! You do not have to live in Manitowoc County, or even Wisconsin, to buy a membership and vote. You can live on the other side of the world and still be a voting member. How's that you ask? All that you have to do is request an absentee ballot, have it notarized and get it back to the nominating committee by October 18, 2011 (Please don't wait that long!). One thing I would suggest if you’re buying a membership from out of state, do not pay via PayPal. Use a check, money order or cashier’s check. Record keeping is not the best at the shelter. If you go into the shelter itself and pay cash, ask for a receipt. At any rate, you should receive a thank-you card from the Lakeshore Humane Society within a week of paying for your membership. Here is the link to the Lakeshore Humane Society Membership Form.



This election is important as 8 positions open this October. There are many issues at stake. The Lakeshore Humane Society needs an Executive Director. They need a director who does this type of work as their passion, not just as a job. There are many problems at the shelter that are not being addressed. I don't think the board needs to be involved with day to day operations but currently it is and it's not working well. That's where an Executive Director comes in. Currently the society is run like a secret society. The membership is not kept informed of what goes on. In 2002 the bylaws were changed by the board of directors and they voted out the quarterly membership meetings. This can be added back if a motion is made at the annual membership meeting on October 18, 2011. The membership needs to be more informed about what is happening to the animals at the humane society. Oddly enough, I received in the mail yesterday a postcard from an unknown sender that stated the following: "Lakeshore Humane Society Should Not Be Euthanizing Healthy Dogs & Cats! They Say You Don't Care? PROVE THEM WRONG 1. Purchase a Membership For LHS For $35 2. Purchase Before August 13th So Your Vote Counts! 3. Attend the Annual Meeting On October 19th, 2011 4. VOTE Out Old Ideas Leadership! 5. Vote For Progressive Leadership! MAKE YOUR VOICE COUNT AND BE HEARD!” That was it. A very pointed message. One I would say I agree with. So kudos to whomever had these made up and mailed out! I do want to point out, however, that the postcard has a few dates incorrect. You actually have up until August 18th to purchase a Lakeshore Humane Society membership and still be able to vote in the election. As well, the postcard had the election-day off by one day (It's October 18th). Of course, getting your membership early is always the better route to take.

At this point in time I do not know who is running for the board of directors of the society. But when I do, I will tell you. I will also tell you what my opinion is of each and every candidate. But remember, I will only be giving my opinion. Everyone has an opinion.



So, I encourage you to take the time and help turn the Lakeshore Humane Society around. Please, purchase a membership and watch my blog to find out who is running for the board of directors. This election could be determined not only by those who attend the annual meeting but by those who live anywhere in the world! As the postcard said, "MAKE YOUR VOICE COUNT AND BE HEARD!"