Harrisburg stray dogs and other questions for the Humane Society

Monday, 09 January 2012 16:55

Harrisburg stray dogs and other questions for the Humane Society

Written by Scott LaMar, Director of Radio Smart Talk

Radio Smart Talk for Tuesday, January 10:

Emotions run high when pets or animals are involved. That certainly was the case last week when word spread of a memo in the Harrisburg Police Department advising officers that they had three options if they came upon a stray dog -- the officer could shoot the dog if the animal was aggressive or appeared to be in poor health or differing, could adopt the dog themselves or ask someone else to take the dog in or take the dog to another location where it would be safe.

The instructions came after the Humane Society of Harrisburg told the city it wouldn't take in animals found there because it was behind in its payments to the shelter. Harrisburg paid $6,000 of its 2011 debt to the Humane Society in December -- the last month of the year. The Humane Society said the city owed another $800 before services would be resumed.

The out-of-state parents of a local woman who had been murdered several years ago heard about the situation and made the payment.

On Tuesday's Radio Smart Talk, the Executive Director of the Humane Society, Amy Kaunas, will appear to discuss the controversy and answer questions about dog laws and how strays should be dealt with.

LISTEN TO PROGRAM:

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comments

# Kelly McGinley 2012-01-09 21:34

Why isn't anyone from the rescue community answering questions alongside her, as well as asking some tough questions that she has managed to avoid? The HSHA is just as much at fault through inaction as the City of Harrisburg is for their lack of leadership and responsibility. Amy Kaunas has allowed this situation to escalate under her watch rather than seeking solutions that are truly humane. She should not be the only voice on your program speaking for the animals when she has willfully remained silent while they've suffered over the last year.

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# Elaine Holland 2012-01-10 10:34

Well said, Kelly. I have written Amy Kaunas about contracting with a local rescue/foster organization to place HSH animals. She never responded. I was told by the foster group that they must pay the full adoption price for an HSH animal if they want to place it. HSH is nothing more than a warehouse for unwanted animals. It would be more humane to euthanize them. Ms. Kaunas obviously does not care about their welfare, therefore: 1) she should not be a spokesperson for them and 2) she deserves no extra money to built bigger warehouses. My money will go to the organizations that are successful in adopting animals.

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# J.S. Augustine 2012-01-10 16:15

Your comments, as well as many others here, are bordering on ignorant and outrageous. My wife and I are weekly volunteer dog walkers at HSH. If you care about the welfare of these animals, please join us.

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# Heather 2012-01-11 08:43

If I don't pay my electric bill - is it my fault or PPL's? How many times does HBG need to be on the news for not paying their bills before the city is held responsible? Here is the simple solution for the city of HBG - pay your bills on time, sign the contract, & stop dropping off your strays in Lower paxton Township.

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# Frank 2012-01-09 21:46

The Harrisburg Humane Society is always asking for donations and saying how they need more space etc. This past Saturday I went to the shelter intending to adopt a dog (for the almost $200 fee) , I found one that I liked, it had been brought in as a stray on Sept. 28 2011 yet I was told it is not available for adoption yet because it had not had it "temperment test". Another I was interested had been in the kennel for several weeks and also was awaiting a "temperment test".

So the first dog has been at the shelter for 103 days and is still not ready for adoption. Why does it take so long? I was told that I could email to check on her status. What do they expect the potential adopter to do, email every day until they get around to it? Wouldn't it make sense to take the potential adopters application and then contact THEM when the dog is ready? Also, if you have someone definately interested in a particular dog wouldn't you think you would make sure that one gets tested?

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# J.S. Augustine 2012-01-10 16:28

Frank,

To answer your question -- why does it take so long for adoption? -- it's because the HSH is overwhelmed by animals that people have abandoned.

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# Heather 2012-01-11 08:46

Frank - That is ridiculous - honestly - the temperment test should have been done immediately

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# Kris Baker 2012-01-09 21:57

If by Ms. Kaunas own admission that the City of Harrisburg drops off an average of 40 dogs a month and her recognition of the fact that the City has no other arrangements, where did she think the dogs were going while the City was without the services of the Humane Society? In lieu of the City's financial situation and impending state takeover , wouldn't it have been in the best interest of their mission and the animals, to accept city strays until the State took over?

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# Heather 2012-01-11 08:50

Yes that is the answer give the city of HBG another free handout - just like the parades everyone has been paying for - if the city has the $$$ to have a man walk around with Linda Thompson holding an umbrella and it has the money for her to be picked up & dropped off by HBG POLICE OFFICERS at her door then it definitely has the money to be HUMANE & pay for its own strays to be sent to the HUMANE SOCIETY....GIVE ME A BREAK - be mad at the CITY - they dont want to pay their own way - they want everyone else to pay for their bills...GET A CLUE

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# Michele 2012-01-10 10:33

Caller Heather was asking about citizens taking in stray dogs and Amy, you stated you would accept them. In fact, you do not. Several people have contacted the shelter directly about a stray they found. One person yesterday who was told repeatedly to call the police, that they were NOT allowed to bring it to the shelter and then the staff member hung up on them. If you will indeed accept strays from city residents, you need to inform your staff of such.

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# Heather 2012-01-11 08:53

Michele - that is exactly why I asked this question...I do agree that getting ahold of a live person at the shelter is ridiculous - so anyone can bring in a stray to the Humane Society & they will be asked to make a donation - this is not the PREFERRED method but if the CITY of HBG is not going to do their job then guess what the rest of us have to do it...

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# Jason 2012-01-10 10:39

Humane Society Part of the Problem

The Humane Society of Harrisburg is packed to overflowing with dangerous pit bulls. You won't see that on their fundraising signs (to expand their facility to accommodate more pit bulls). But visit for a dog and they will try to push a pit on you, saying they are family friendly. Statistics and my own personal experience (my wife was cruelly attacked) show they are not.

The Executive Director of the Humane Society makes $45 per hour. She is in the business of making money and running a venture, not in the business of looking out for the families of our community. Pitying pit bulls may be understandable, but it is misplaced compassion.

As long as the Humane Society harbors these killers, I have little interest in what they have to say about Harrisburg.

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# J.S. Augustine 2012-01-10 16:21

Jason,

I'm sorry to hear about your experience with pit bulls, but my wife and I are volunteer dog walkers at the HSH, and we have successfully adopted two pit bulls. Not only are they very sweet dogs, but they love each other almost as much as they love us.

You are wrong to say that focusing on pit bulls is misplaced compassion. There is so much unfair lore surrounding this breed.

In general, pit bulls just want to please their people. If you get bad people, you get bad pit bulls. This is the real issue in Harrisburg.

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# Heather 2012-01-11 08:57

Jason - I am so sorry to hear about your wife's attack. The only thing I can say is that it is how a dog is RAISED - Obviously the owner of the dog that attacked your wife did a POOR JOB of raising it & probably abused it. When I lived in the city I witnessed a group of people teaching young pitbull puppies how to fight - guess what the police did.... nothing. The people stated that the puppies were just playing - my word against theirs...Some people should not be allowed to have pets---let alone children in my opinion.

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# Bob 2012-01-10 10:54

She is lying about if a resident brings in a stray from the city - if you can't pay the fee they won't take it.
Also, they charge people to bring owned animals in, then they charge the person that adopts it or re-claim a stray, so they make money twice off the same animal

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# Mike 2012-01-10 12:15

Lots of smooth talk and valuable information, but still many unanswered questions. Why are the fees at HHS so out of line with other shelters? Why is the adoption process so much harder? Why are animals brought in by private citizens turned away? Why are people treated so badly by some of the staff? They act like they are doing you this huge favor when you come in to adopt an animal. And Ms. Kaunas does not always answer complaints and questions she receives. Time for some major changes before other animals have to suffer.

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# Donna Weatherman 2012-01-10 19:55

I'm a volunteer for Furry Friends and am terribly disappointed at the negative remarks the caller made about the Furry Friends Network organization. I foster two special needs dogs and work with other wonderful folks in this organization. The people I work with, work so very hard to raise money and do everything they can to take care of the stray dogs and cats we take in. I don't hear any of the bashing the caller mentioned. I've gotten 2 of my personal dogs from the Harrisburg Humane Society, 1 from Molly's Place and I currently volunteer with FFN. All I see are kind, generous and positive people all the way around.

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# Kris Baker 2012-01-10 23:10

Donna,
I couldn't agree more. Furry Friends is one of the most organized, kind, compassionate and knowledgeable rescues I have ever had the pleasure of working with. I currently have one foster, I had two but adopted one, and I will continue to foster for them. They put the animal first unlike many other groups to include the topic of this show.

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# Jason 2012-01-10 21:25

Great. WITF deleted my thoughtful and pointed post about the Humane Society's dangerous policy on pit bulls. Holy censorship. Thanks, WITF!

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# witf 2012-01-11 09:17

Hi Jason,
Please refresh your page. We did not delete your previous comment.

Thank you for posting!

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# J.S. Augustine 2012-01-11 16:20

The misinformation that's going around about pit bulls is heartbreaking for me, an owner of two adopted pit bulls that were previously picked up as strays in the city of Harrisburg.

Pit bulls can be the sweetest, gentlest and most obedient of dogs!

Why isn't the same stigma attached to rottweilers? They are responsible for as many fatal attacks as pit bulls. (Please don't misunderstand, I love rottweilers, too.) Statistically, most dog bite attacks come from smaller breeds. But pit bull lore and myth prevails, because of the wicked practice of dog fighting -- which is a HUMAN anathema.

What Central PA needs is a Pit Bull Rescue. The HSH is one of the few organizations here that actually cares for these deeply misunderstood, beautiful dogs.

Check this out:
http://www.bulladelphia.org/understandabull_mythvsfact.aspx

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# Heather 2012-01-11 08:59

Jason - I think your post is still on here...

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# Jennie 2012-01-11 11:28

Ask all the municipalities who contract with HSH for the number of animals they paid for intake to HSH in 2010, most current year we have statistics. Add them all up.
Then look at HSH annual report 2010 showing number of animals adopted is 1,441 and 513 returned to owner.
Note only 8.74% of their revenue comes from placements, redemptions and surrenders.
What happened to all the other animals?

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# J.S. Augustine 2012-01-11 16:22

Pit bulls are even less likely to bite than many other types of dog! Breed groups commonly identified as pit bulls have consistently scored at or below average for aggression when compared to other dogs. Temperament evaluations by the American Temperament Test Society give American Pit Bull Terriers a very high passing rate of 82.6%, while the average passing rate for the other 121 dog breeds tested was only 77%. No spayed/neutered, indoor pit bull has ever killed a person.

According to studies by the CDC, a person is more likely to be killed…

- by a family member
- by a falling coconut
- in a bedroom slipper-related accident
- choking on a marble
- drowning in a 5-gallon bucket
- getting struck by lightning

…than by a pit bull.

http://www.bulladelphia.org/understandabull_mythvsfact.aspx

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