RESCUED WITH LOVE INC.

The Lost Dogs Home have done it again.  They have tried to 'explain away' and 'take credit' for the huge number of dog adoptions in January in their facility.

Read Below.

January 2010 has set a blistering pace for adoptions at The Lost Dogs' Home with 220 dogs rehomed at its Gracie Street headquarters. This is a staggering 59 percent increase compared to the same time last year.

“The establishment of ‘Buckley’s Friends in Need Fund’ has helped enormously. Donations to the Fund means that unclaimed stray dogs requiring surgery to remedy health or physical problems can undergo surgery before going up for adoption. There’s no additional cost to the adopter, which in the past may have been a turn-off to someone wanting a new pet,” commented Managing Director Dr Graeme Smith.

Extended opening hours and increased publicity can also be attributed to this exceptional result.

For those in the know, there is a distinct snicker of laughter in the background.

59% more adoptions than this time last year. 

 Mmm, what has not been published is the Impound stat, the Kill rate and the reclaim rate for January to make a serious comparison. Do we just blindly believe the LDH figures they publish??  In fact the LDH since being forced in November last year by The Age article to publish their kill rates (and wear a backlash from donors over their appalling kill history) they have gone back on their word by not publishing one more stat.

The establishment of Buckley's Friends in Need Fund.

You have to be KIDDING.  How many MILLIONS of dollars do they have in the bank, and it has now been decided that stray dog CAN undergo surgery to get them into a home because they NOW have enough money?

I can hear the guffawing from here

And as it was explained to us, Buckley was a goner before a staff member leaked his plight to the Herald Sun, makes it  even more ironic.

So the LDH need more funds, holding the public hostage to save more lives?  Emotional blackmail lives on.  While other pounds/shelters/rescue groups do this as a matter of course FOR the animals, the LDH now decide they will save the dog IF the public will pay for it.  Disgraceful stuff.

A turn off to someone wanting a new pet. 

I can hear more laughter, turning to outrage.  When rescuing in there and more recently the number of people who called and emailed me when Phoenix was impounded, the stories of people begging to pay for surgery of dogs they wanted to save, and being told no by the LDH, was phenomenal.  The LDH charged people for patella surgery or eye surgery if they truly wanted the animal and would kill it if they couldn't pay the extra.  There was no liason about taking it to their own vet and making a payment plan, the animal was just disposed off like a piece of garbage.  I know.  I tried to save a little boy many years ago and was told I would have to pay for both his legs to have patella surgery there and then or they would kill him.  I begged to take him to my vet and was told no.  No life spared I guess.

Extended opening hours and increased publicity can also be attributed to this exceptional result.

Extended opening hours!  More laughter, now hysterical laughter.  For years and years people have begged and pleaded with the LDH to stay open longer on weekends.  The answer was always an arrogant NO.  After the hard hitting publicity in November where the LDH reeled from the public backlash, they finally decided to do so.  Well done LDH, nothing like being dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

And the increased publicity, no doubt would be the little puppies with their mouths wired shut, who were also for the 'highjump' except it was leaked to RWL about their plight who then rang Kelly Ryan a journalist at the Herald Sun, who immediately called the LDH.

The 'increased publicity' infact was more like the pressure that was applied over the issue of Phoenix, a little matted dog who would never have passed assessment in this facility.  His story flew around Australia, and the rest of the world and the LDH were inundated with questions of 'please explain." Coming from their very own staff who were distressed with killing spree's as one called them, they spoke out and along with many of the public shamed the LDH into a position where it made it impossible for them to kill Phoenix without receiving exposure for their actions.

While this no doubt made the LDH management (and if they know, the Board) furious, the question remains.  When will it dawn on these people that their sheltering practices are inadequate?

Since Phoenix, MORE people and many in a position to make choices and noise about it, are aware of the appalling practices of the LDH and their bid to hide their agenda from their donors and the outside world.

One senses, that the door opened just a crack and people did not like what they saw.  So 59% more dogs were saved in January.  Does anyone think it will actually happen in February?  I doubt it. 

We see a spike in numbers every time the LDH is forced into the spotlight, not something they enjoy at all.  As time goes on, there will be more spikes in numbers due to people complaining, the media being notified and a pattern will emerge.  Then it will be just a matter of time before the door is opened wide and they will be on full display to the world, and most importantly their donors who have been left in the dark for too long.