Decrease Kill Rates at Pr. Geo. County Animal Shelter (deadline ASAP, around Dec. 6)
Hello, Prince George's County residents--
Please drop a note to the Baker transition team asking them to:
(1) Retain Dr. Charles W. Wilson in the position of the Director of the Department of Environmental Resources (oversees Animal Management) in the county.
(2) Help implement Dr. Wilson's more humane approach to animal management at the Prince George's County animal shelter.
Thanks....
> From: PG Ferals/ TimSaffell@USA.Net
> Subject: IMPORTANT: PG Animals need your help
> To:
> Date: Mon, 29 Nov 2010 15:45:17 -0500
>
> We send email messages very infrequently, so we hope that you will read this carefully.
>
> The situation surrounding animals in our county is at a tipping point, and we need a few minutes of your time to help make a difference. This message is a bit long, but we would like you to be informed about this extremely important matter. Please don't put this message aside. Your help is needed promptly, as timing is critical. Please reply to this message and let me know what you did. Thank you very much.
>
> Let me back up. About 25-30 healthy, friendly, adoptable animals will be killed today at the county's Animal Services Facility (ASF). This is not a special day, by any means, since about 25-30 healthy, friendly, adoptable animals are killed every business day, or about 6,- to 8,000 each year.
>
> After a decade of advocating for humane policies at the ASF, we met Dr. Charles W. Wilson, the Director of the Department of Environmental Resources (over Animal Management). Beginning in July 2009, we showed Dr. Wilson a comparison of the data for our ASF, alongside that of some other municipal, open-admission facilities. We talked about how Susanne Kogut took over the Charlottesville-Albemarle (C-A) SPCA and after only a year and a half, was saving 90% or more of all animals taken in, including those needing medical treatment or behavior rehabilitation. We pointed out the differences in attitudes, policies, and procedures between our ASF and the C-A SPCA.
>
> Dr. Wilson got it.
>
> We worked with him to develop an implementation plan which involved new policies based on those adopted at shelters with proven results, including training for ASF staff. In November 2009, Dr. Wilson announced the "New Philosophy" at the ASF. Please take a few minutes to read his speech here (note: clicking this link will open or download a pdf): http://bit.ly/8YHw0U
[EDIT, 12/05/10: HTML version of Dr. Wilson's speech: http://www.fopgca.net/info/display?PageID=8805]
>
> That was when the resistance became apparent.
>
> After Dr. Wilson made his announcement, there was no change. The "Old Guard", led by the current Chief of Animal Control, Rodney Taylor, with the support of one of Dr. Wilson's deputies, Sarah Boulden-Carr, refused to change from their old killing ways, in spite of the examples of the life-saving results at progressive shelters. In an attempt to educate the management and staff of the facility, Dr. Wilson brought in Susanne Kogut from Charlottesville to speak at the ASF. Still there was no change. Dr. Wilson arranged to have five staff members attend the two-day No-Kill Conference in the summer of 2010. Still there was no change. All the while, Dr. Wilson's attempts to deal with the disregard for his directions were thwarted because some key personnel were close to the current County Executive, Jack Johnson. Dr. Wilson has been frustrated, due to no fault of his own, and in spite of all of his attempts to save lives at the ASF.
>
> This summer, PGFF held a County Executive 2010 Candidate Forum in which we asked the candidates for County Executive about their understanding of animal issues, including "The Link" between domestic violence and animal cruelty, their familiarity with Dr. Wilson's "New Philosophy", and their intentions with regard to allowing Dr. Wilson to continue, with the backing of the administration, to implement the changes that he had not been allowed to under the Johnson administration. Please take a few minutes to listen to the responses of County Executive Elect, Mr. Rushern Baker, here: http://bit.ly/bePo8K
>
> It is typical that, when a new County Executive is elected, he brings in many new people at the level of the Department Directors. We have little hope that a new person who might replace Dr. Wilson as the Director of the Department of Environmental Resources would implement the plan that Dr. Wilson wanted. That plan would save 90% or more of all healthy, as well as treatable, or rehabilitatable animals that are received at the facility. A new Director might very well be satisfied with the national average, which means killing about 50% of the animals taken in. (S)he might even be satisfied with our facility's ten-year average of killing 60% of all animals taken in. It's a big gamble, but after ten years of advocacy, and identifying only one county administrator who chose to do anything about the killing, it is very risky.
>
> We think that we have a much better chance of achieving positive change if Mr. Baker appoints Dr. Wilson to continue as the Director of the Department of Environmental Resources and gives him the authority and support to do what is necessary, even if it requires making personnel changes.
>
> As I said, we have been busy, full time, advocating for Prince George's County animals, especially feral cats, for over a decade. This is one of those situations that we can not handle alone. We need the help of many other people who want to stop the killing. Would you PLEASE:
(1) Send an email message,
(2) Make a phone call,
(3) Write a letter.
The more ways you can communicate this message, the better. Please be polite, and do not quote me, but use your own words and those in Dr. Wilson's speech and Mr. Baker's interview. Tell Mr. Baker and his Transition Team that you are excited about Dr. Wilson's "New Philosophy" and appreciate that Mr. Baker agrees with it, because there has been enough killing in this county and it is time for a change. Tell Mr. Baker that you would like to see Dr. Wilson given the chance to implement his plan. Remind Mr. Baker that Dr. Wilson will need the backing of the administration to make personnel changes. Be brief and polite. Remember, if we are not able to effect change, 25-30 healthy, friendly, adoptable animals will continue to be killed every business day.
>
> County Executive-Elect Baker can not appoint anyone until the inauguration, but after that takes place on December 6, he is free to move ahead. It would be best to express that your preference for the position of Director of DER, would be Dr. Wilson, BEFORE he makes another appointment to that position, so prompt action is required.
>
> Ways that you can contact Mr. Baker and the Transition Team (this information is changing constantly, so please let me know if you have any problems by contacting TimSaffell@USA.Net):
>
> Email: mailto: contactus@rushernbaker.com
>
> Website: http://www.abetterprincegeorges.com/ Click on "Contact Us"
>
> Call: 301-322-7864
>
> Write: Mr. Rushern Baker III
> 1100 Mercantile Ln, Ste 135B
> Largo, MD 20774
> (If you are going to write, do it TODAY, so that your letter arrives in time. Please call or email as well.)
>
> Thank you very much for your help. Please reply and tell me what you did. My contact is TimSaffell@USA.Net
>
> P.S. If you would like to hear about the exciting changes that will be made when Dr. Wilson is allowed to implement them, you can watch Susanne Kogut's presentation, "Building a No Kill Community", given at the ASF, by clicking here:http://bit.ly/elXzNf
>
-30-
Please drop a note to the Baker transition team asking them to:
(1) Retain Dr. Charles W. Wilson in the position of the Director of the Department of Environmental Resources (oversees Animal Management) in the county.
(2) Help implement Dr. Wilson's more humane approach to animal management at the Prince George's County animal shelter.
Thanks....
> From: PG Ferals/ TimSaffell@USA.Net
> Subject: IMPORTANT: PG Animals need your help
> To:
> Date: Mon, 29 Nov 2010 15:45:17 -0500
>
> We send email messages very infrequently, so we hope that you will read this carefully.
>
> The situation surrounding animals in our county is at a tipping point, and we need a few minutes of your time to help make a difference. This message is a bit long, but we would like you to be informed about this extremely important matter. Please don't put this message aside. Your help is needed promptly, as timing is critical. Please reply to this message and let me know what you did. Thank you very much.
>
> Let me back up. About 25-30 healthy, friendly, adoptable animals will be killed today at the county's Animal Services Facility (ASF). This is not a special day, by any means, since about 25-30 healthy, friendly, adoptable animals are killed every business day, or about 6,- to 8,000 each year.
>
> After a decade of advocating for humane policies at the ASF, we met Dr. Charles W. Wilson, the Director of the Department of Environmental Resources (over Animal Management). Beginning in July 2009, we showed Dr. Wilson a comparison of the data for our ASF, alongside that of some other municipal, open-admission facilities. We talked about how Susanne Kogut took over the Charlottesville-Albemarle (C-A) SPCA and after only a year and a half, was saving 90% or more of all animals taken in, including those needing medical treatment or behavior rehabilitation. We pointed out the differences in attitudes, policies, and procedures between our ASF and the C-A SPCA.
>
> Dr. Wilson got it.
>
> We worked with him to develop an implementation plan which involved new policies based on those adopted at shelters with proven results, including training for ASF staff. In November 2009, Dr. Wilson announced the "New Philosophy" at the ASF. Please take a few minutes to read his speech here (note: clicking this link will open or download a pdf): http://bit.ly/8YHw0U
[EDIT, 12/05/10: HTML version of Dr. Wilson's speech: http://www.fopgca.net/info/display?PageID=8805]
>
> That was when the resistance became apparent.
>
> After Dr. Wilson made his announcement, there was no change. The "Old Guard", led by the current Chief of Animal Control, Rodney Taylor, with the support of one of Dr. Wilson's deputies, Sarah Boulden-Carr, refused to change from their old killing ways, in spite of the examples of the life-saving results at progressive shelters. In an attempt to educate the management and staff of the facility, Dr. Wilson brought in Susanne Kogut from Charlottesville to speak at the ASF. Still there was no change. Dr. Wilson arranged to have five staff members attend the two-day No-Kill Conference in the summer of 2010. Still there was no change. All the while, Dr. Wilson's attempts to deal with the disregard for his directions were thwarted because some key personnel were close to the current County Executive, Jack Johnson. Dr. Wilson has been frustrated, due to no fault of his own, and in spite of all of his attempts to save lives at the ASF.
>
> This summer, PGFF held a County Executive 2010 Candidate Forum in which we asked the candidates for County Executive about their understanding of animal issues, including "The Link" between domestic violence and animal cruelty, their familiarity with Dr. Wilson's "New Philosophy", and their intentions with regard to allowing Dr. Wilson to continue, with the backing of the administration, to implement the changes that he had not been allowed to under the Johnson administration. Please take a few minutes to listen to the responses of County Executive Elect, Mr. Rushern Baker, here: http://bit.ly/bePo8K
>
> It is typical that, when a new County Executive is elected, he brings in many new people at the level of the Department Directors. We have little hope that a new person who might replace Dr. Wilson as the Director of the Department of Environmental Resources would implement the plan that Dr. Wilson wanted. That plan would save 90% or more of all healthy, as well as treatable, or rehabilitatable animals that are received at the facility. A new Director might very well be satisfied with the national average, which means killing about 50% of the animals taken in. (S)he might even be satisfied with our facility's ten-year average of killing 60% of all animals taken in. It's a big gamble, but after ten years of advocacy, and identifying only one county administrator who chose to do anything about the killing, it is very risky.
>
> We think that we have a much better chance of achieving positive change if Mr. Baker appoints Dr. Wilson to continue as the Director of the Department of Environmental Resources and gives him the authority and support to do what is necessary, even if it requires making personnel changes.
>
> As I said, we have been busy, full time, advocating for Prince George's County animals, especially feral cats, for over a decade. This is one of those situations that we can not handle alone. We need the help of many other people who want to stop the killing. Would you PLEASE:
(1) Send an email message,
(2) Make a phone call,
(3) Write a letter.
The more ways you can communicate this message, the better. Please be polite, and do not quote me, but use your own words and those in Dr. Wilson's speech and Mr. Baker's interview. Tell Mr. Baker and his Transition Team that you are excited about Dr. Wilson's "New Philosophy" and appreciate that Mr. Baker agrees with it, because there has been enough killing in this county and it is time for a change. Tell Mr. Baker that you would like to see Dr. Wilson given the chance to implement his plan. Remind Mr. Baker that Dr. Wilson will need the backing of the administration to make personnel changes. Be brief and polite. Remember, if we are not able to effect change, 25-30 healthy, friendly, adoptable animals will continue to be killed every business day.
>
> County Executive-Elect Baker can not appoint anyone until the inauguration, but after that takes place on December 6, he is free to move ahead. It would be best to express that your preference for the position of Director of DER, would be Dr. Wilson, BEFORE he makes another appointment to that position, so prompt action is required.
>
> Ways that you can contact Mr. Baker and the Transition Team (this information is changing constantly, so please let me know if you have any problems by contacting TimSaffell@USA.Net):
>
> Email: mailto: contactus@rushernbaker.com
>
> Website: http://www.abetterprincegeorges.com/ Click on "Contact Us"
>
> Call: 301-322-7864
>
> Write: Mr. Rushern Baker III
> 1100 Mercantile Ln, Ste 135B
> Largo, MD 20774
> (If you are going to write, do it TODAY, so that your letter arrives in time. Please call or email as well.)
>
> Thank you very much for your help. Please reply and tell me what you did. My contact is TimSaffell@USA.Net
>
> P.S. If you would like to hear about the exciting changes that will be made when Dr. Wilson is allowed to implement them, you can watch Susanne Kogut's presentation, "Building a No Kill Community", given at the ASF, by clicking here:http://bit.ly/elXzNf
>
-30-