READERS:
There remains a good deal of confusion, anger and
misinformation about the Pet Rescue/Humane Society merger. So I recently asked
Emily Marquez Dulin to address specifics that I’ve seen in various emails. I
forwarded passages to her exactly as they came to me, and she responded in red.
I will tell you that some of the questions came in a Letter to the Editor and passed on to me. The person who sent it may or may not
exist, and claimed not to have a phone number. She used an address that I
couldn’t find in any of the Herald’s many public-records databases. Her
comments are nasty and accusatory – and based in ignorance.
Especially odious is the assertion that Humane Society
donors get their dogs from puppy mills. I know many of the people to whom she
refers, and every one of them got their dogs from the Humane Society,
Adopt-a-Pet, Animal Services, or off the street. Some have indeed purchased purebreds, and reasonable people can disagree on whether breeders of any kind
should be permitted to sell dogs, but choosing a purebred hardly marks one as
unfeeling to the plight of unwanted animals.
So, to whoever you really are: If you’re going to aim low
blows, at least have the decency to do it as your real self. There’s nothing
more cowardly than hiding behind anonymity to take shots at people.
I’m hoping that this will lay to rest a controversy that
has wasted a lot of time and psychic energy and doesn’t do anything positive for
the critters. (OK- call me a dreamer, but that’s what I hope).
1. “For 27 years Pet Rescue has
not only accepted thousands of animals in need into the sanctuary to receive
shelter, food and vet care, hundreds of
animals a year have been found tied to the gate and tossed over the fence of
Pet Rescue. Every one of these animals received a second chance. What will
happen to these animals... now?’’
1. According
to the Board of Directors of Pet Rescue, the organization never described
itself as a sanctuary. The mission of Pet Rescue, which is almost identical to
that of the Humane Society of Greater Miami, is/was to save the lives of
homeless and abandoned pets, and to finding these animals loving homes since
1982. Pet Rescue, Inc. is/was a no-kill animal shelter, providing care to
unwanted cats and dogs, attending to their needs until a suitable home is
found, offering a second chance at life.
2. Over
the last seven years, when the Humane Society of Greater Miami Adopt-A-Pet embraced
a no-kill philosophy, hundreds of animals have been tossed over the fence, tied
to a bench or left at our front door, too. They all have been given a second
chance with medical treatment, food and shelter, and the undivided attention of
the staff.
3. Animals
that are tied to the Pet Rescue gate or are thrown over the fence will be
transported to the Soffer and Fine Adoption Center for care, and will be placed
for adoption. At present, staff members are at the location sorting and
cleaning so they will be able to transport animals with the frequency required.
2. “What will be the hope of
these future Pet Rescue animals?’’
1.
All Pet Rescue animals (65
cats and 9 dogs) that were at Pet Rescue now live at the Soffer and Fine
Adoption Center where their chances of adoption will increase dramatically due
to the amount of people who visit the shelter on any given day.
2.
At present, all cats and
dogs are in quarantine where they are being monitored. They have all had their
vaccines updated and will be microchipped in the next few days. The dogs are in
excellent condition yet the cats came with one or more of the following ailments:
ringworm, coccidia, upper respiratory infections, or urinary-tract infections.
They are all being treated.
3.
It is important to
recognize that Pet Rescue was no longer taking in dogs, as the organization’s
financial situation did not permit it.
3. “It will be a tragedy if [Pet
Rescue’s] land is used for anything else but a refuge
for homeless animals. Please, we hope that the new Humane Society/Pet Rescue
Miami organization will not abandon this haven for animals or change its use,
but continue to use this 4 acres of land to rescue and house homeless animals
regardless of their age or special needs, as Pet Rescue has done for 27 years.’’
1.
At present, the Humane
Society of Greater Miami has not decided what it will do with the land. The
priority has been to service the needs of the animals and relocate them to the
Soffer and Fine Adoption Center, where they are under the care of a
veterinarian and a team of veterinary technicians.
2.
Surely the issue of the
land will be discussed at upcoming Board meetings. The decision will be based
on what the organization will be able to sustain in the long run.
4. “The Humane Society solely is
for the care and well being of animals, why relocate them to your shelter when
they already have 4 acres of land to live on? There are so many people in Miami-Dade County who are against this. There is no reason why
they can't stay where they are. I am sure the
Humane Society can still reap profits from the land by building a clinic, but
having a sanctuary is what is needed most.’’
1. The
animals were moved so that they could be quarantined, evaluated and treated,
and later placed for adoption. This has proven to be the right thing to do as
all the cats were exposed to a multitude of diseases that could hinder their
quality of life.
5/6. “Will animals be euthanized
because of lack of space?’’
"It's also not fair for these animals to live in a cage for
majority of their life."
1. The Humane Society of Greater Miami
Adopt-A-Pet is an adoption-guarantee or limited-admit shelter (or “no-kill”
shelter). This means that no animal is euthanized for space and that once
he/she is admitted into the shelter, he/she is admitted into a safe-haven, free
from the threat of euthanasia. 98% of the animals enjoy a cageless lifestyle.
7. "I feel we deserve a
response and furthermore I would really like it if the Humane Society could really think about what animals need
most and hopefully we can come to an agreement that what they need most is a
sanctuary, not another shelter where they are caged and "hoped" to
find a home. Animals have a right to live. They should not have to die just because of the poor
decisions people have made.’’
1.
Again, Pet Rescue was
never founded as a sanctuary; it was a no-kill shelter, a safe-haven for
animals pending adoption. Three-legged dogs, one-eyed cats, scarred puppies,
seniors, and black cats are all considered adoptable at the Humane Society of
Greater Miami.
2.
Animals are not caged at
the Humane Society of Greater Miami, they free roam in rooms where they are
kept safe from the harshness of the environment, they are fed and walked at
least twice a day, and get fresh linens (bedding) and toys every day.
3.
Animals have a right to
live a healthy life, and the Humane Society of Greater Miami takes great pride
in ensuring that the animals in its care receive the best preventive medicine
and if need be, be treated for any disease
8. “Did Lisa DiPriest or anyone
else in the Pet Rescue administration make the
financial problems widely know? Did Robbie Coy with Sabbath Memorial Rescue offer to take PR over and bring
$100,000 in new money?’’
1.
We’re not privy to any
information they sent out or received from outside sources regarding their
financial situation. We had been helping Pet Rescue for many years and were
aware that the organization was declining steadily.
9. “What they did at Pet Rescue
was a travesty. What merger? There was no merger. They took the land, which
they will sell off, and a couple of animals to
their shelter. Usually a merger means both sides get something out of the deal.’’
1.
This was absolutely a
merger, with the Humane Society of Greater Miami assuming responsibility for
all the animals and securing the jobs of all [Pet Rescue] employees.
2.
This is a legal merger
with both Boards of Directors signing the contract. The contract and articles
of merger have been registered with the State of Florida and are public record.
10. “Rescue groups from around
the state worked hard to place many…animals
that the Humane Society ordered off the property by the merger date of Nov.
1st.’’
1. There
was NEVER an order to take the animals off the property by any date. November 1
was simply the date the merger came into effect. In fact, the Humane Society of
Greater Miami asked that animals not be moved from the property so that staff
could ensure the microchipping of all the animals, which has proven to be the
best way to ensure the return of an animal to its owner or to its shelter. Dogs
and cats were not being microchipped by Pet Rescue.
11. “Ask Ms. Marquez what happened
with Adopt-A-Pet merger. Same thing - they
took the land and sold it and sent all the animals to other sanctuaries around
the country. Sure, no animals were euthanized
by them; they just shipped them to other places.’’
1.
Although Ms. Marquez was
NOT an employee of the Humane Society of Greater Miami at the time of the
Adopt-A-Pet merger, it is well known that animals at that property were
evaluated and treated. Most of them were incorporated into the shelter’s
population while others were sent (and their care paid for) to sanctuaries
across the U.S. None of these sanctuaries euthanized any of the animals.
2.
The Humane Society of
Greater Miami still owns the [Adopt-a-Pet] property. As part of that merger,
the Humane Society took in over 100 animals not including those sent to
sanctuary. In addition, the Humane Society of Greater Miami also inherited the
liabilities – fines - that came with this property, a huge expense for any
organization.
12. “What does the Humane
Society of Greater Miami actually do? They host sci sci (sic) cocktail parties where half the donors don't know what a
rescue dog is. All of their dogs came from
breeders or puppy mills.’’
1.
The Humane Society of
Greater Miami is caring for more than 350 animals on a daily basis, finds homes
for more than 1,200 animals a year, provides medical care for animals in its
shelter, sterilizes 12,000 animals a year (not including those in the shelter)
of which more than 3,000 are free for those who cannot afford it, educates more
than 8,000 children and adults on responsible pet ownership, and provides pet
therapy to those in need.
2.
The Humane Society of
Greater Miami is the beneficiary of many caring supporters who either host
events to raise funds or participate in many fundraisers organized by the
Humane Society of Greater Miami to raise such funds. The monies raised directly
benefit the care of the animals in the shelter.
3.
As determined by the
last audit of the Humane Society of Greater Miami, 82% of all funds raised
directly benefit the animals at the Humane Society of Greater Miami.
4.
It is irrelevant where
the dogs and/or cats of our donors come from. They are committed to our mission
and cause. It is only through the donors’ care and concern for homeless animals
that we can sustain what we do.
12. “All dollars raised go to
pay the high level salaries of Ms. Marquez and
Ms. [Laurie] Hoffman. Last year when the [air
conditioning] crisis hit and they begged the
community for assistance - what happened to all the money raised? Who got
bonuses? Ask Ms. Hoffman and Ms. Marquez why the front
counter staff received no raises and no added
help.
1.
All funds raised for the
AC crisis where used for only that, and we continue to use the funds for the
repair and maintenance of the AC units that service our cats and dogs. This is
a restricted fund and cannot be touched for anything else.
2.
Neither Ms. Marquez nor
Ms. Hoffman received bonuses last year nor did any member of the senior staff.
3.
The only bonuses
presented were the Holiday gifts to all staff, which are the same for everyone,
depending on years serving the organization. They vary from $25 to $100.
13. “They run it like a business
with no care for the animals in their charge. It should be renamed the Saks
Fifth Avenue Humane Society.’’
1.
The brand Saks Fifth
Avenue stands for quality, customer service and excellence, so this is a fair
comparison to the Humane Society of Greater Miami. The organization takes great
pride in offering the highest standards of medical care to its residents and
ensuring that they are placed with great families.
2.
It costs close to $400
to care for each animal in the shelter on a monthly basis yet an average
adoption fee is $100. Only through fundraising can the Humane Society of
Greater Miami ensure that animals are healthy before they are placed. It is
thanks to our donors that we are able to make-up the difference.
14. “Their top donors should
look more closely at their finances and their mission statement. No one can
quite figure out what they do or how they promote the pets in their care for
adoption. The upper management and board of directors should be ashamed of
themselves.’’
1.
The Board of Directors
of the Humane Society carefully reviews the financials on a monthly basis. The
organization is audited every year and financials are public documents.
2.
The mission of the
Humane Society of Greater Miami is to place every dog and cat in our care into a loving home and to
promote responsible pet ownership and spay/neuter programs.
3.
The Humane Society of Greater Miami adopts more than 120 dogs and
cats into loving homes on a monthly basis, and takes in the same amount each
month.
4.
Adoptable animals are promoted via the Internet, on television, at
community outreaches and special events. Shelter statistics are available on
the website, under Maddie’s Fund.
5.
The Humane Society of Greater Miami is the lead agency in Miami-Dade
County for Maddie’s Fund Starter Grants. Pet Rescue was a participant in this
project too. Guided by its mission to
revolutionize the status and wellbeing of companion animals, Maddie's Fund®
has devoted its resources to help build a no-kill nation. Towards that end,
Maddie's Fund supports local coalitions that combine the talents and resources
of adoption guarantee organizations, animal control agencies, and traditional
shelters to end the killing of healthy and treatable shelter dogs and cats in
their communities within 10 years.
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