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Alert
of 10/30/06 - Beath "shelter"
from Patti Stinson regarding Beath
“shelter”
My friends, it appears that we may have
another Page County on our hands. Many of you helped us force Page County,
VA to shut down their decrepit shelter, build a new one, and hire appropriate
staff. They are now a model shelter.
We need your help
again.
The Beath Animal Shelter in Dillwyn (http://www.beathanimalshelter.org), VA has
dogs living outside. I've been there. I've seen it. I toured
it.
While the place is fairly clean, there is a lot
going on there that isn't right. First, cats are mixed (males and females
in the same area). Second, they have not complied with state requirements
to keep records on site for 6 years. I have the State Vet's report (I
FOIA'd it) to prove this. They just keep ignoring the State Vet and the
State Vet doesn't do anything. Third, their staff turns over constantly,
and some of the ones I met worried me. One told me she was a breeder, had
several of her "mistakes" there, and tried to sell me a dog. Finally,
there are allegations that Beath intentionally hid a possibly rabid cat (with
Animal Control's knowledge and consent). We are investigating
this.
My most urgent concern, however, is that most of
the dogs live outside in chain link kennels. Although each has a dogloo,
there is no shelter from the elements unless the dogs are expected to stay in
the dogloos 24/7. They live on concrete floors. What this means is
when the temperature drops and the kennels are hosed out, the water will freeze
and the animals will be living on ice with no way to escape it except to stay in
their dogloos.
This is NOT acceptable. We need to do
something NOW - especially since the weather had dropped into the low 40s in
Virginia.
Let me assure you that money is not a problem for
Beath. I pulled their tax returns. Their 2004 return shows that
they have over $1 million dollars - yes, that's ONE MILLION.
Please email the
following:
jengland@moonstar.com - Janice England, Director. Ask her what
she's going to do to protect the dogs from the cold. Ask her why she
hasn't spent some of that $1 million to house the dogs properly and to provide
vet care. The shelter is also in line for a lot more money when their 90+
year old benefactor dies. What is Mrs. England going to do with that
money?
Call Beath at 434.983.PETS. Call and keep
calling until you get an answer. They are there between 8 am - 1 pm and do
not have voicemail/answering machine. Ask them what their plan is to keep
animals warm during the winter.
Call Animal Control at 434.969.4242 and ask them
what they're going to do about it. Also, ask for the County
Administrator, Rebecca Carter (same phone number) and ask her the same
thing. Please be polite.
Finally email the State Vet
at:
Marilyn.Haskell@vdacs.virginia.gov
Colleen.Calderwood@vdacs.virginia.gov
David.Cardin@vdacs.virginia.gov
Tell them that the Beath Animal Shelter and the
Buckingham County Shelter are two different entities. They appear to be
confused on this point. Insist that they contact Beath and demand that the
animals be housed properly, and that the vet records be available on-site.
Six years of ignoring the rules is too long.
Let's make this happen before the animals have to
live on ice.
Forward widely, and if you know any animal-friendly
media in the area, ask them to get involved.
Thanks.
Patti Stinson
Volunteer, www.aforeverhome.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EthicalRescue
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/caarr
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/caarrt
Founder
(inactive), 4 Paws Rescue
Team
www.fourpaws.org