COMMENTARY

LYNNE LARKIN

Reach down and stroke your cat’s soft fur. Scratch your dogs ears. We love our pets. The majority of people in America care about animals, care that they are healthy and not mistreated. Care enough to try to do what they cannot do for themselves – speak out.

Woof!

You wouldn’t think there is controversy in wanting to protect animals. Millions support the Audubon Societies, the World Wildlife Federation, groups protecting endangered species, protecting wildlife habitats, taking care of injured or homeless animals. Those who care are heavily in the majority over people who abuse or neglect any living thing.

So what do we make of the story of Ginger?

Ginger was an orange tabby stray with six kittens turned into the Humane Society. A foster mom (we’ll call her “Mom”) volunteered to care for the family until they could be vaccinated, spayed and neutered, and made ready for adoption. Mom and her two daughters were delighted to engage in raising the family, helping the momma cat care for her babies, and generally putting a lot of love into those kittens. While fostering is not always easy, it is a very rewarding task to take in animals when shelters are unable to do everything for each animal.

After a week or so, Mom noticed a small patch of irritated skin on one of the kitten’s paws. Wanting to nip any possible illness in the bud, she called the shelter and they told her to bring in all the animals (for treatment). When she did so, the Humane Society of Vero Beach and Indian River County didn’t return the cats. They put them to death. All of them. Euthanized, the intentional killing of “excess or unwanted” animals.

The Humane Society never consulted with Mom, merely concluded that at least one kitten had ringworm (although there is a debate as to whether or not any veterinarian actually diagnosed the cats). While Mom is experienced in treating ringworm and was more than willing to continue taking care of the cats, she wasn’t given that option.

Devastated, she returned home to tell her weeping daughters that the kittens weren’t coming back.

The Humane Society argues that their policy is to dispose of animals that aren’t healthy or viable for adoption. They euthanize feral cats and dogs immediately.

Ringworm is no ebola. It is treatable and survivable. If your Fluffy or Rover had it, it is unlikely your vet would recommend death.

As you’d imagine, Mom was devastated. And furious. She set up a group she calls Ginger’s Army to fight for changes in policy at the Humane Society of Indian River County. She has a Facebook page further detailing this sorry episode and advocating sensible policies toward needy animals, as well as awareness among the many people who, unknowingly, support the high disposal rate at our local Humane Society.

You see the tension here, between those who really care about animals and those who have an odd sense of what “care” means. Do you wonder whether or not Walter Palmer, the dentist from Minnesota now infamous for his big game trophy hunting, has any pets at home? How about those equestrians, devoted to their amazing horses, who then choose to hunt down foxes for the fun of watching their dogs tear a living animal to shreds. It isn’t always very clear on which side people, or groups, really stand.

There are many dedicated groups that are no-kill facilities – Helping Animals Live and Overcome, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, several others. They advocate for a trap-neuter-release program for older feral cats that cannot be re-domesticated. Such programs are working all over the U.S. to decrease the feral numbers, keep the wild cats from spreading diseases, and eventually phase out the colonies entirely through failure to breed. Now, to phase out the unnecessary killing of good animals . . . maybe another step in the right direction.

Editor’s note: Leaders of the Humane Society of Vero Beach and Indian River County contend there is an important distinction between the service they provide as an “open admission” shelter, as compared to so-called no-kill shelters. No-kill shelters, they say, tend to place restrictions on the animals they will admit, and only accept animals they are reasonably confident can be adopted. On it’s website, the Humane Society offers a page explaining the organization’s position. What does it mean to be an “open door, open heart” animal shelter?