At the core of who we are at Trusted Pet Partners is a commitment to responsible pet care by all, this includes those who have pets in their home as well as those who have a passion for rescue and shelter for pets who are homeless. Recently I came across an article in the Los Angeles Times which points to what is broken in the pet industry.
Daniel Dockery brought his 9 month old kitten to the Arizona Humane Society because the kitten had a cut. The staff told Mr. Dockery that the cost would be $400, which he did not have, but his mother, in another state, was willing to put on her credit card. He was informed that the organization did not take credit cards over the phone. He then requested to have the kitten treated and would pay the next day when funds could be wired to him. Again he was told no, but was told that if he signed over the kitten to the Humane Society they would provide the care needed and place the kitted in foster care until he paid. Hours later the kitten was euthanized.
You can only imagine how devistated Mr Dockery must have felt when he was told the kitten he had fed by hand from birth was dead. Unfortunately this seems to be more common than we believed. Another recent story finds a family with a dog who got out of the yard and ended up at the county shelter in Texas. When they went to retrieve the dog they discovered they did not have enough cash, and they were told the dog must be microchiped. The shelter said they would do it and the dog would be ready to go home in three days. The family arrived at the shelter only to be told that the dog had been euthanized! This case ended in a lawsuit in which the judge ruled that pets have sentimental value as well as monetary value. A ground breaking case which I hope will be a trend given that the majority of people with pets regard them as family members, not property.
Why, you ask, can organizations which ask for our donations in order to do "good work" for animals be so heartless? My best guess is they lack organizational structures that put the best interest of animals ahead of egos. Arizona Humane Society said they had so many animals that particular day and so few funds that they chose who lived and who died. Yet, when they felt push back by the public they hired a public relations firm! The message to the public is the animals are expendable but the organization, and inparticular the job of the director is not!
Unfortunately the message to the public is pets are property to be discarded at will. I say this is exactly the mind set we are committed to eliminating. If you have a pet in your home now is the time to take action to ensure their life. With a pet trust you know no matter what happens to you your pet will be care for by someone you know and trust. Take a step toward responsible pet parenting.
LINKS: Why a Pet Care Trust
