First we had poor Dexter, the dog. While his owner was seriously searching for him, he had been stolen from her back yard, LAAS knew where he was, knew he had a microchip, and knew his owner was looking for him, they scheduled him for transport to another state.
http://www.opposingviews.com/i/are-l-a-s-transported-dogs-stolen-or-rescued Fortunately this story had a happy ending, Dexter was returned to his owner, BUT THE MICROCHIP HAD BEEN REMOVED! We all know that the shelters are able to change microchipped animals with the microchip company if the pet is adopted by different owners so WHY WAS THIS MICROCHIP REMOVED? To cover up a crime, if not a crime by law, a crime by morality, that's why.
This story doesn't have a happy ending, at least not yet. I was so taken aback by this one because it involves an older pet, a 15 year old cat, and her 63-year-old owner. A pampered, indoor-only Persian, descended from Grand Champion show cat lines, Ivana had accidently slipped outside one day. Panicked upon realizing that she was missing, her owner posted fliers and knocked on doors all over his development, seeking any leads that might bring about her return. Weeks passed, and the owner grieved, concluding that local coyotes had run off with his beloved Persian mother cat.
Then came later a glimmer hope: A new neighbor, having seen one of the owner’s fliers, contacted him and reported that she had seen Ivana on the day she got out and had taken her to the shelter in Van Nuys. (See, works better than postcards http://www.opposingviews.com/i/search-or-scam-l-a-animal-services-lost-pet-postcards
http://letmykittygo.com/
http://letmykittygo.com/
The owner immediately contacted the shelter, only to hit a brick bureaucratic wall. Seems one of the "New Hope" partner-rescues had pulled Ivana from the shelter, but shelter officials, citing some amorphous confidentiality policy, refused to disclose the identity of the rescue that had custody of the cat. HEY FOLKS, WE ARE TRYING TO RE-UNITE AN OWNER WITH A BELOVED PET. IT'S NOT LIKE WE ARE STALKING A HOLLYWOOD ACTRESS!!
As things stand now, the rescue has yet to allow the owner to get his cat back, despite pleas from Ivana’s vet and the owner’s cat sitter, a church pastor. How heartless is that? This "rescue" needs to do the right thing and live up to the title of "New Hope". They should be proud to be able to return this cat, could rake in donations.
In addition, the Shelter initially listed Ivana as 8 YEARS OLD, so they thought that this was an abused breeder cat she looked poorly. Fact is she was extremely well cared for but was indeed FIFTEEN years old, not EIGHT, and they couldn't tell the difference.
In addition, the Shelter initially listed Ivana as 8 YEARS OLD, so they thought that this was an abused breeder cat she looked poorly. Fact is she was extremely well cared for but was indeed FIFTEEN years old, not EIGHT, and they couldn't tell the difference.
Despite the owner ‘s attempts to alert the shelter and the rescue to Ivana’s actual age and special health, medication and dietary needs, somehow the package of materials he provided, including detailed veterinary records, never made it from the shelter to the actual location where the rescue had been keeping Ivana. The Shelter said all the docs were sent, later disclosures by the rescue who was keeping Ivana said they never recieved anything whatsoever from the shelter. This neglect can be life threatening to Ivana.
A sympathetic local cat rescuer sought to mediate on behalf of the owner to gain Ivana’s return. Problem solved, right? Not when you’re dealing with the likes of Brenda Barnette. In response to the kind rescuer’s plea, the New Hope rescue coordinator at the shelter expressed outright contempt towards the owner and advised the rescuer-mediator to tell the owner to forget about Ivana and “move on.” MOVE ON??? MOST OF US WOULD LIE DOWN AND DIE FOR OUR PETS, MOVE ON????
This heartless coordinator further stated that Ivana’s poor condition in the shelter was proof of her owner’s abusiveness – never mind the fact that the cat was actually twice as old as the shelter vet’s estimate or that by the time of rescue, Ivana had already spent two weeks in the stressful environment of the shelter, without her medicine or special diet, or the comfort of her loving owner and familiarity of her home of 12 years. IF THIS ISN'T AN ABUSE OF A LOVING OWNER AND HIS ELDERLY 15 YEAR OLD PERSIAN CAT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS.
Of course, when the intake records were retrieved, they FAILED to show that the conditions the coordinator complained of existed at time of intake -- only respiratory and mouth conditions which were pre-existing and were already under treatment, according to the cat's lifelong medical records. Her intake picture shows her looking like she just needed some serious brushing -- standard with any Persian, a well-known high-maintenance breed.
Of course, when the intake records were retrieved, they FAILED to show that the conditions the coordinator complained of existed at time of intake -- only respiratory and mouth conditions which were pre-existing and were already under treatment, according to the cat's lifelong medical records. Her intake picture shows her looking like she just needed some serious brushing -- standard with any Persian, a well-known high-maintenance breed.
So whatever new medical conditions Ivana had contracted had come from being at the Shelter, where they thought she was an eight year old cat.
While the captain of the shelter and Brenda Barnette advised the owner that they were sympathetic with his and Ivana’s plight, they advised him that they could neither disclose the New Hope partner rescue that had Ivana, nor could they require that rescue to return her to the shelter. They claimed that the law prevented them from disclosing the New Hope partner rescue’s name, even though they never were able to site the actual law with such a requirement.
And it didn’t matter that the owner was willing to apply to adopt Ivana, like any other member of the public, AND to reimburse the rescue for all its expenses relating to it custody of and any treatment or care they had provided for his cat. I ASK YOU IS THIS WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT, KEEPING A PET FROM SOMEONE???
Only with an abundance of pleas from purebred rescues, pastors, and vets, was the owner able to track down the "rescue" that had his cat. With the help of an attorney, the owner managed to locate the "rescue" that was holding the cat. The owner had submitted to the shelter many documents to prove the cat was his, including the fact that the cat had to have a special diet or it would die. Although the shelter advised the owner that the documents had been forwarded to the New Hope partner rescue, somehow the documents never reached the individual or facility that actually had custody of Ivana.
Although Barnette supposedly called the New Hope partner "rescue" and asked them to return the cat, and they refused, why isn't she taking more steps to retrieve this cat? Did she threaten this group with expulsion from the New Hope list? Did she bring the city attorney in on it? If she has taken any other steps, she ain't telling this owner. He's having to ask for donations in order to pay an animal law attorney to negotiate with the New Hope partner rescue to get his beloved cat back.
BARNETTE, YOU ARE A PET OWNERS WORST NIGHTMARE!! You can do something about this situation. YOU GET THIS CAT BACK TO WHERE IT BELONGS NOW!!