Him ~ “This is what we do for aggressi….., err I mean dominant breed dogs.”
Me ~ Wait, you just said aggressive…
Him ~ “Oh, no I didn’t.”
Me ~ Well, actually you did, you kind of stopped yourself…
Him ~ “Well, if I did I didn’t mean to, I meant dominant breed.”

A few minutes ago I read a despicable piece of news… It’s one of those things that literally makes your heart actually hurt from knowing that stuff like this ACTUALLY HAPPENS. The dog pictured below is Bambi (#A1221591). She was located at the Harbor shelter in San Pedro, CA…

I say “was” because Bambi was killed at 12:51p (yesterday/Sunday) WHILE HER FOREVER FAMILY WAS ACTUALLY WAITING IN THE LOBBY FOR HER RELEASE…

Does it get any more awful? I mean, just trying to put myself in that family’s shoes, I can’t. I cannot imagine how they must be feeling, and my thoughts go out to them on this day… Then you have the poor volunteers–who apparently had organized this situation down to a tee, and who were very much aware that her new family was coming in to get her… Pretty much devastating. RIP Bambi, for this kind of stuff is completely avoidable and should have never happened, ever.

So what gives? Which staff member erroneously made this counter-decision? A worthy question that at some point will hopefully have an answer. To me, there is just not an excuse in the world that would ever legitimately justify something like this happening, and it speaks to the supremely poor attention to detail by someone (multiple people?) working on the inside… Fact is that this call had to be made by somebody–15 dogs just don’t euthanize themselves mid-day on a Sunday when numerous kennels are already sitting empty… Hopefully there is going to be a push for some accountability, and not the pushing of this story down the memory hole!

Again, please click HERE to read a public Facebook note on the topic, written by Nicole Salter…

The Harbor facility is one of the LAAS (city) shelters being overseen by Brenda Barnette, who is the general manager for all of the city shelters… At this moment I personally do not have the name of the manager onsite at Harbor, so I guess the only suggestion I can make is to contact Ms. Barnette directly…

Department of Animal Services
221 N. Figueroa St.
5th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone ~ 888-452-7381
Fax ~ 213-482-9511

Brenda Barnette ~ General Manager
213-482-9558
brenda.barnette@lacity.org

Kathleen Davis ~ Asst. General Manager
213-482-9527
kathy.davis@lacity.org

Board of Animal Services Commissioners
Melanie Ramsayer ~ President
Ruthanne Secunda ~ Vice President
Tariq Khero ~ Commissioner
Theresa Macellaro ~ Commissioner
Kathleen Riordan ~ Commissioner

You can call 888-452-7381 to then be directed specifically to Harbor, but according to their website they are closed on Mondays.

This is something that I recorded a few days ago… It is meant to note my experiences with this specific institution, and my opinions based around different decisions being made & actions being taken there… Feel free to share, as the sole purpose of recording these pieces is to start a conversation about the practices that are being implemented at this location… Dialogue is always healthy, and I embrace it all, agreeable or not. This specific video is centered around the topic of “temperament-testing.” This will not be the last video.

THANK YOU ALL for heavily networking these dogs… Lots of work went on behind the scenes and I appreciate the hell out of those people who cared enough to make these saves possible! Lyla already has a FOREVER HOME, and both Bart and Pirate (the dog pictured in my “Surrendering” video) will be going to rescue.

Once more details are straightened out I will post how donations can be made towards both Bart and Pirate… In the mean time, here is a video taken today at the shelter:

As you can see, these specific dogs know what’s up… All 3 sporting big grins, they must know…

Every day that goes by is 1 more day that I become more experienced in the area of NOT understanding shelters…

Do I understand and see quite clearly what they are doing? Yes. But do I agree with the process? Does it make sense to me? Do I feel it’s the only way? All NO’s. Hence the “not understanding” part… We all know–there are some really unfortunate trends continuously playing out, and I’m going to start pushing back in the only way that I know how to…

This is BART:

Clear as day, THIS IS WHAT HIS KENNEL CARD READS:

It was written there by a volunteer who (you guessed it) actually INTERACTS with Bart! This same card has been out and on display since Bart came into the shelter back on May 23…

This past Friday I called the shelter (prior to the big holiday weekend) to ensure that the staff had noted “being networked” within Bart’s file… It was at this time that the phone operator said that Bart was deemed “Rescue only,” due to him getting a “D” on his temperament test. I will leave my immediate response out of this article, but lets just say that this judgment by the shelter is a complete disgrace… Anyways, this test that Bart apparently “failed” was given back on June 3. By my count that was 28 days ago… Even more shocking than this, was that I was told that 2 interested adoption parties were turned away due to this profiling…

On Saturday morning I called again, and made the request that Bart be Re-temp-tested… Guess what? I was told “No,” flat out. This was the same response that an actual volunteer was given when she called Friday afternoon and requested the same thing… When I asked the phone operator why not, I was told–because Bart was “VERY AGGRESSIVE”–so not just aggressive, but now VERY…

Let’s get back to reality here for a second… In the video you can see one of the volunteers going in and getting Bart out for a walk… As you can see, Bart is extremely scared. He’s putting the brakes on out of fear and uncertainty… He doesn’t know, for all he knows he’s being led to the “kill-room.” The volunteer eventually leads him out by being friendly and supportive–and notice Bart’s tail, always wagging (even after he initially retreated, he came back to her, tail constantly moving)… Yet, according to the phone operator, it was the kennel cleaners and feeding staff who were the ones that noted this mystery “aggression.” They claim Bart “cowers in the corner” when they enter his kennel… Well, maybe he does? And maybe it’s justified? What do you do when an unwanted person enters your space? It might be scary… Or maybe he’s afraid of water? These persons just hose down the kennels, sometimes with no regard whatsoever for the animal… My own girls run to the other end of the yard the second I turn the hose on… Does that mean they are aggressive? Or sketchy? Or unfit for living? No, No, and No!

Point blank, numerous things don’t add up… How has an “aggressive, rescue only” Pit Bull survived 42 days in Carson’s extremely high-kill shelter, when totally friendly and adoptable Pit Bulls on average only last there a fraction of that time? I mean seriously… Carson killed about 10-12 totally harmless pitties this last week alone, and that number is only based on the dogs that I know of, because I photographed them just days earlier… If Bart was even partially as nasty as they claim he is, how is he still alive after 40+ days? By their own logic it’s beyond puzzling… The only answer I can come up with is that every time someone asks about Bart, that Carson then confuses the dogs? And I know that’s not the case because you can’t mess up the same way 20 times in a row… Clearly Carson knows who Bart is, and they honestly think he’s an aggressive dog–or they are just taking the word of an employee and don’t care to check it out for themselves, or their temperament-testing methods just suck, or all of the above…

All I know is that this bungled, confused, mess of a reality is costing dogs their lives! Carson shelter discriminates against all Pit Bulls, by putting them (no matter the age) through this rigorous situational course of foolishness before allowing them to be adopted out by any member of the public… Am I against temp-testing as a concept? No, not really… I think all dogs of EVERY breed should be payed attention to, showed love, and monitored accordingly… But when it’s being done by uncaring individuals with bad energy, with big sticks, and with fake hands, used to pull at the dogs food while it’s eating and so forth… It’s just bullshit. You know your concept of “temp-testing” ISN’T WORKING when angelic dogs who wouldn’t harm a damn fly are getting scores in the D-percentile range… But enough about that.

Back to Bart… Look at him, watch that video, go visit him and see for yourself… This dog is the exact opposite of an aggressive dog. It insults my intelligence to have this shelter staff even utter that phrase… To know that they have DISALLOWED 2 separate opportunities for Bart to actually get a home, it’s enraging. Not only that, but that they are now denying multiple requests coming from myself and others, to have Bart re-tested by their shitty temp-test… Why? Why fight so hard against people that are actually wanting to help? You’ve kept him alive for this long… All I’m trying to do is get that “aggressive” label back off of him so that he’s given the pure chance that he deserves… Maybe 1 of the interested parties are even still interested in adopting him? It’s worth checking into… Isn’t the point to save the dog? (Sometimes I feel I’d be horrified at their honest answer back)

As it stands right now, Bart is still alive… Since there has been this level of push back concerning the original temperament test, he has been spared until at least Tuesday–which is when the sargeant gets back in, at which time he will hopefully reassess the situation.

Just to be clear, I have used some very harsh phrasing within this article… Should that then categorize every person who makes up the shelter staff? No. Absolutely not. There have been individuals who I’ve found to be helpful, others who I’ve found to be just the opposite, and then others still who obviously exist and who are allowing things like this to continue to happen… 3 different realities, but 2 different problems, and sometimes the problematic areas seem to overlap.

Finally–yet another thing I found interesting… Even though the kennel card pictured above remained on Bart’s cage through his intake week AND THE ENTIRE MONTH OF JUNE, it is now GONE… Replaced with a new card that has no notes on it… Carson shelter.

This is what surrendering a dog at the shelter looks like…

The dog in this video is still alive, but will most likely be killed in a matter of days if not rescued or adopted…
He also has full sponsorship from a very generous admirer!
So if any part of you is considering adopting/rescuing/fostering then please take a trip down to the Carson shelter and meet him.

Pedro (aka Pirate) ~ A4301119
Male/5 years old
Well-behaved boy, seems to be good around other animals

Carson Animal Shelter
216 W. Victoria St.
Gardena, CA 90248
Phone = 310-523-9566
Fax = 310-538-9229

So this post was originally crafted back in January on my personal Facebook wall… It was essentially a 1-line rant that, due to me not shutting up, ended up turning into a 20-point rescue manifesto-type thing.

I don’t know exactly what sent me into it, but it was plenty of built up frustration over all that I had experienced since first taking shelter photos and immersing myself into this rescue world. To be honest, being online and getting tagged in hundreds of different rescue scenarios–you see plenty of wild stuff… And plenty of it is of a very quick and careless nature. Not only that, but I’ve also seen it play out locally as well, so it was probably prompted by a combination of just seeing how not very responsible certain people are capable of being.

More directly, there’s a fine line you walk when wanting so badly to help all the animals you can, and then balancing that with what you are capable of concerning the animals that you may already have… And for a few of us it’s very easy to tilt that responsibility and all that “should” go into it for a chance to save 1 more dog, and then 1 more, and so forth… Some people get taken advantage of, some overwhelmed, others just lose perspective on the process–but it all opens the doors for sloppy mishaps, and who then suffers? The animal.

Just to be clear: Save as many animals as possible, I’m all in favor of that… But do it responsibly, be accountable–if not for yourself and your reputation, then for the animal’s safety! As they should always come first regardless, yes? And what happens if you get out of control and do your reputation harm? Well then people take note and it minimizes your ability to legitimately help those animals going forward, even if you learned your lesson prior…

Bottom line… It seems as though sometimes rescue work gets treated like an assembly line, where checks and balances are forgotten for the draw of saving another. People just need to do their due-diligence, to protect the animals they do have, or else they may sloppily throw something together where the animal then ends up in a more dire strait than it was in while in the shelter… What follows is essentially my explosion on anything relatable to this topic, and what I thought was relevant in that moment…

~Josh Liddy // 1/3/2011 // SwayLove.org

01) If you want a dog and then are asked for a reference, give the reference! No one is too big to not be properly verified as legitimate. Your reputations do not precede you in this. If you think that your shit doesn’t stink, got news for you, it does–everyone’s does. If you disagree with this then you have simply lost sight of what is important and you need to go back to the drawing board ASAP.

02) If you want a dog and then are asked for a verifiable environment check, give that check… Allow your area to be deemed as appropriate or safe by the person currently caring for that animal. It’s only meant to protect the animal and is rather simple and not intrusive at all.

03) If you are in the position as a citizen/puller/rescue/etc. to pass off an animal, and then are not doing 01) and 02) prior to passing off said animal, then you are being highly irresponsible.

04) If you are a puller, and yet the dog you are about to pull does not have a legitimate plan in place, with checks made and ducks in a complete and structured row, then do not pull the dog… Unless of course you yourself are going to foster the dog while said things are completed.

05) If you are a puller, and yet are then not doing your due-diligence to make sure that the animal that you pulled is fully accounted for at all times, then you are simply failing at your responsibility.

06) If you would rather censor other people’s opinions by deleting/blocking/badgering people to do said things, instead of simply explaining yourself out in the open and then standing on your own opinions/actions, then you are not cut out for doing this (or any) important/meaningful work in the way that it should be done.

07) If you cannot take criticism without getting confrontational, if you cannot take criticism without running to others to defend you, if you cannot take criticism without clearly defending your position and then proceeding to rationally respond to anything that follows, then you are not cut out for doing this (or any) important/meaningful work in the way that it should be done.

08) If you are commenting about a dog in a picture or a video, and are proceeding to ask questions that can be answered by you simply taking 30 seconds of initiative, then damn it, take the initiative. It goes a long way and speaks volumes to your sincerity.

09) If you are commenting about a dog in a picture or a video, and all you can add to the comments are whiny statements i.e. “Why is no one saving this dog yet?” — My advice to you is this: Get off of your butt and save the dog yourself. Make a call. Send an email to a rescue. Google something. Share a post. Drive down to a local shelter and pet the dogs in your area. Take their pictures. Tag people. Compliment the animal or just make a simple silent prayer for its well-being. Do anything besides sitting behind a keyboard and berating others for not doing anything, when you yourself are not doing anything.

10) If you are wanting to save an animal, but yet live across the country without a way or a desire to pay for any potential pull/vetting/boarding/transport, then be prepared to not only do 01) and 02) to the fullest extent that may be requested, but to also take part in helping to raise those funds and then making life as easy as possible on the people that actually raise those funds for you.

11) If you post things like “I am done with rescue” every time the wind blows in the wrong direction, then you are clearly not passionate enough to just keep plowing forward regardless of the situation. It silently says a lot.

12) If you have a disagreement with someone that you are working closely with, please contact them directly. It saves a lot of time and is a way to illustrate that we are actually all adults. It’s also responsible and eliminates hearsay or opinionated versions from 3rd parties.

13) If you are ever above saying that you are sorry, admitting that you made a mistake, owning up to said mistakes, or simply just reaching out to someone to hear their side of the story, even while intending to air your own grievances back (and even if it’s inevitable that you will never totally agree)… It’s sometimes still appropriate, and that lack of action speaks loudly to your character, or lack thereof. If you are above this basic exercise in humility, based in respect and open communication, then you may just want to rethink your approach.

14) If rescue A and rescue B cannot seriously come together and eradicate any road blocks that were manifested purely by egotistical means, then you have simply lost sight of what is important and you need to go back to the drawing board.

15) If for whatever reason you feel that you are ethically obligated to ever speak up, about anything, then do so. Because if it gets to that point, then you must believe in your heart that you are doing the right thing… On the other hand, if your concerns were to be knowingly misplaced, or based in jealousy, or based in vindictiveness, or based in ego, or all of the other ugly human traits that we are all susceptible to at one point or another… You would simply then run into someone who holds 06) and 07) in high regard and those things would be clearly seen through by your peers.

16) If you treat the rescue world with a clique mentality, then you are treating it like it’s a game and like you are a child. You should be able to form your own opinions and not just have opinions that fall in line with other people whom you may in some way be affiliated with, personally or professionally. If someone you respect says or does something that you disagree with, you should have no problems with respectfully stating as much. And you should also want to be held by that same standard, which would obviously keep you accountable.

17) If you are a bystander or uninvolved in a situation, do not then blindly insert yourself like a keystone cop and create a fabricated version of what was reality. This is Facebook, and rumor travels fast. But if you still cannot contain yourself, just know that at the end of the day you will most likely take the fall after someone who cherishes 06) and 07) thoroughly makes a fool out of you.

18) Human ego and self-glorification should never come anywhere near trumping an attempt at safely and efficiently carrying out an animal’s rescue. Never. Ever. Solo or amongst 20 different people. Never. Never. Ever.

19) Keep the line of communication open to those that are intimately involved with your rescue attempt… Be it assets/helpers/funders/supporters… As they are what, in tandem with your own actions, then builds your name and your reputation. If you take advantage of those people by misrepresenting yourself when using certain tools of the trade, then you are also discrediting those outlets as a whole for everyone… This usually results in less new people coming to the table who are willing to trust, and ultimately less lives that you are able to save.

20) Finally… If you have a problem with the bluntness, or feel offended by anything that I’ve said, then (I’m sorry, but) that kind of speaks for itself. I am just a photographer who does everything that I do in order to maybe have the chance to affect 1 Pit Bull’s life in a positive way. Thankfully I’ve already done that, so everything beyond this is just a pleasure that is very embraceable. I love what I do, because I love more than anything in the entire world who I did it for, and who I continue to do it for.

It was also requested that I make this a PDF document so that others could download, and you can do that by clicking HERE.