I am not at all comfortable with that statement. I feel it gives us permission to not try as hard as we might. It gives our heart an “excuse” when things don’t work out. And for some, it gives reason to not even get involved in the first place because “we can’t save ‘em all.”

With that logic in mind, who CAN we save? Which animal will we wave our magic wand over and rescue?

Do we pick the one that just needs to be brushed off and will likely be easy to place, say a healthy, cute one…. or do we pick the one with immediate and perhaps long-term needs? The one that may never look quite “normal;” the one whose life may not be as long because of it’s physical maladies?

In a kill-shelter where animals are routinely culled, the animal with serious injuries is often the first to be eliminated. Her life is deemed not worthy of the chance. She is too much bother, so put her on the kill list. And within hours of coming through the front door as living, breathing, feeling sentient beings, animals like this go out the back door dead — they are waste to be disposed of as you would trash, often to be sent to landfills.

But what if the answer doesn’t seem so obvious? What if from the outside both candidates look like they have good potential to be selected by a loving family?

In this case, the dog on the right, Jerome, is dead. A seven month old dog originally adopted from the ASPCA, the richest humane society in the US, was euthanized by a New York city pound who claimed that Jerome guarded his food, a condition which should never result in a dog being killed because the prognosis for rehabilitation is always good.

Who are the people making these life and death decisions? Are they even trained behaviorists/veterinarians?

I looked at the stats for a Canadian SPCA. The number of cats and dogs in the “euthanized for space” column seemed low with regards to their overall numbers, but the numbers for animals killed because they were sick/behavioral (yes, the two were lumped into one column) seemed high. They certainly seem to have a lot of very sick and/or very ill-mannered cats: 1844 killed in 2009 alone! And of the 316 dogs killed that year, 311 had medical/behavioral problems.

Wow! Maybe they need to re-evaluate the way they assess animals in their “care.”

NS SPCA 2009 stats

I think we need to take a closer look at the statement, “We can’t save ‘em all.” We should change the word “can’t” to “won’t” — because that is what the original statement actually implies.

Then maybe we can add a few words at the end of the sentence so it reads something like –

We won’t save ‘em all — if we don’t try.

I am much more comfortable with that statement. It leaves me infinitely more positive that we WILL affect change.

With regards to the animals used in this post today:

Bottom right: Jerome — dead because the ASPCA refused to pick Jerome up from the pound even though his microchip was registered to them..

* Rescued by Let’s Adopt! members

Join us! on Facebook.

Ciao, Holly

“When you take killing animals off the table as an option,” Nathan Winograd explains, “you’d be surprised at the creative solutions you come up with.”

That statement comes from an interview Nathan did with Reader’s Digest four years ago.

Let’s Adopt! has emerged as just such a “creative solution.” From seemingly out of nowhere came a group of single-minded individuals who were totally committed to changing the status quo.

Largely internet driven, Let’s Adopt! makes use of social media in general and the networking site Facebook in particular to educate the general public on animal welfare issues, conduct rescue operations for animals in danger and rehome them.

In just over two years, we have completely changed the animal protection environment in Turkey. And because of the need and the interest, we are expanding with people in Germany, France, US, Canada, and Thailand.

Let’s Adopt! offers animal lovers the possibility to connect with people like themselves. We are not only about animals; we are about people and change.

We are looking for committed people to join Let’s Adopt! Canada as we build this network of volunteers focused on raising social awareness to the necessity for animal rights and prevention of animal abuse throughout the country, rescue operations and rehoming activities; a network of members who will volunteer their time to improving the lives of primarily dogs and cats who have been discounted by society and now live marginal existences on the streets, in shelters and other inhumane conditions.

By working together, we can create a fostering system in which the animals who have been rescued, stay with a foster family until they are ready for their new homes. We can bring people together with our dogs and cats who are looking for their home.

Together, we can campaign for better legislation against animal abuse.

I hope you will join Let’s Adopt! Canada and invite your Facebook network of friends to join us, too.

Together we can make a change in the lives of our companion animals. We can take killing off the table.

And check out Leonard Coyne’s challenge! He is our friend, a businessman based in Byron Bay (Australia) who is also deeply involved in running theSoi Dog Foundation, our Thai partner.

Ciao, Holly

Well, you probably know where the rest of that question is heading without me telling you. I heard that question posed as an analogy, a philosophy of sorts, many years ago. The answer is, “Because he can.”

I think that despite its rather crude exterior, the question makes a valid point: we CAN.

Beyond the daily tasks we do, it explains those less common behaviors like random acts of kindness: opening the door for someone, picking up a parcel that drops, or even something so simple as sharing a smile. Have you ever walked through a store with a smile on your face and noticed how contagious it is? It’s inspiring to see your smile appear on someone else’s face.

“CAN” may require a little effort, but the rewards are infinite and worthwhile.

For the various officials of the city of Halifax to say they CANNOT do anything for Brindi’s situation because the case is before the courts is just not correct. THEY CAN!

The city initiated this second attempt to kill Brindi. They CAN negotiate a resolution, but they have so far ignored offers to discuss any such option. So here we are almost 16 months after the Supreme Court declared certain portions of By-law A-300 invalid and quashed the decision to have Brindi euthanized still trying to free Brindi.

Elephant in the Room (photo by David Blackwell)

Both sides in this case can point to the other as reason for the delays, but overall, that is neither here nor there to this discussion. The bottom line right now and the most significant point, the elephant in the room with us, is that the city of Halifax CAN negotiate a resolution, but they choose not to.

Instead they hide behind the overused statement that “it’s before the courts.”

Why?

Negotiations on cases like this occur every month in the provincial courts. Even the fines are negotiated: owning a dog that attacks another animal may cost one person $330, but cost another $75. There is one case where the report shows a fine of $1 for owning a dog that attacks a PERSON. Yet Brindi sits on death row.

Brindi has caused no serious injuries and never bitten a person.

People who have repeatedly been charged with the same by-law offence — including owning an animal that repeatedly attacks — have repeatedly paid a fine. It’s reported on the Halifax Animal By-Law Violation report included on the city’s website every month.

So Halifax, why is this case different? Even the Criminal Code of Canada clearly states in section 718.2 (b) “a sentence should be similar to sentences imposed on similar offenders for similar offences committed in similar circumstances…”

Why is this case any different?

Please, Halifax… negotiate a resolution and send Brindi home to Francesca.

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Francesca makes her pre-sentencing statement before the judge on April 16, 2010.

Please call and/or email the contacts below. Do it often and do it regularly.

Ask them to let Francesca visit Brindi. And ask them to negotiate a resolution to this craziness so Brindi can go home to Francesca.

“Yes dear, someone’s turned the light out,
put the pieces out of touch.
Do we now try lighting candles?
Does it really matter quite that much?”
– author unknown

These are the words from a poem I read in high school. I can still remember them clearly thirty-some years later because I added music to them. Throughout high school and college, I played a LOT of guitar. But it’s not like Kevin and I got (m)any requests to play this “song” — it’s just four lines long. Maybe the shortest song in song history?

But I have never forgotten the words.

The poem comes to me in moments where a big decision needs to be made as a way for me to check my reasons for my decision. “Does it really matter quite that much?”

Francesca has likely never heard this poem… and definitely would have never considered that last line when Brindi was seized. Rather she immediately started lighting candles… everywhere she could. And over time, those candles have spread around the world creating an amazing lightfulness of support.

From those far-flung candles come letters and emails and phone calls. They offer support and sustained hope; they put forth wisdoms and tears and wonderful stories. By their light, she is better able to see her way.

They are the stuff that makes the darker days easier when the winds in Halifax blow down Francesca’s own flame.

So here on this Friday afternoon, I send out a “thank you” to all the wonderful people EVERYWHERE who have stayed the course with Francesca and Brindi on this incredible journey.

You are an astonishing lot!

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Francesca makes her pre-sentencing statement before the judge on April 16, 2010.

Please call and/or email the contacts below. Do it often and do it regularly.,

Ask them to let Francesca visit Brindi. And ask them to negotiate a resolution to this craziness so Brindi can go home to Francesca.

This morning, I spent a little extra time in bed snuggling. This time it was with a cat named Sebastian, and two dogs, Bosco and BooGee. This time, it was because I did not feel like starting the day.

I thought of Paketo. She had the funniest little quirk to her meow. She would open her mouth to speak, but there was a time delay between when she opened her mouth and when her voice actually came out. Maybe a half second.

And I thought of Francesca. Our lives seem to mirror each other’s right now. She, too, is unable to see her beloved one, her Brindi. But not for the same reason.

Brindi is alive and well and was recently transferred to the new pound facility — Homeward Bound City Pound. The Nova Scotia SPCA has lost their contract with the city to house animals seized by Halifax’s Animal Services.

In December, the city revoked Francesca’s visitation to see Brindi –  a once-a-week, half hour visit she had enjoyed for almost seven of the 20 months that Brindi has been impounded.

IN A NUTSHELL: Brindi was seized by the city of Halifax in July 2008 because they deemed her a threat to the safety of the community, a dangerous dog who must be killed. They handed Francesca a piece of paper that included the date she would be destroyed… August 7, 2008.

Fast forward 10 months to May 2009. Brindi is still alive, but still impounded. The SPCA sends Francesca a photo of Brindi taken with staff and volunteers as a birthday present… to let her know that Brindi is doing okay and that they love her. Brindi is eating birthday cake in the photo.

A threat to the safety of the community? A dangerous dog who must be killed?

Fast forward again to a couple months ago when the NS SPCA releases a letter they have submitted to the city suggesting an alternative to killing Brindi, their beloved mascot. Let’s “re-home” her.

Re-home her?

Let’s not return her to the woman who knows her, the woman who has made several unanswered attempts to mediate the situation with the city, the woman who has built a fence and offered to solicit more training, the woman who has made it quite clear that she will do what she needs to do to have her dog returned to her? The woman who has endured this struggle each and every day for 624 days?

C’mon folks. This train is way off track. This can be negotiated. We need to work this out. These are lives we are talking about… living, breathing beings. Not used towels or old cars.

I again ask everyone in Halifax involved in this situation to step back for a minute. Those closest may need to take a few extra steps back to see the whole picture because maybe you are just too close.

Imagine this happening to someone you know: your mother, your sister, your uncle, your grandfather. I ask this so you can separate the specifics from the person at the center of the ruckus because from where I sit, the city’s beef seems to be with Francesca and not Brindi. So replace Francesca with your aunt, your grandmother, your best friend. And perhaps you will see what the rest of us see.

Perhaps then you will see the absurdity.

Francesca Rogier is an American citizen wishing to emigrate to a small rural coastal town outside Halifax in Canada. She is a Fulbright scholar; a university professor of Architecture; a giving person who has donated her time as a volunteer in the community. She became the guardian of a senior dog to save him from a neglectful home; she nursed him back to health and had him until passed a few years ago. She moved Rudy, the cat she adopted when she was teaching in Germany, back to the States with her and then here to Canada; and she adopted Amelia, a companion for him. (Sadly, Rudy passed away a few weeks ago after a long illness.) Her pets have been regularly vetted. They live inside. They are fed every day. They have water to drink. And they are loved. A wonderful home.

Brindi broke away from her. Yes, three times. And she was taken away.

There were no serious injuries and no person was ever bitten.

And the fence she has offered certainly gets to the heart of things.

Lest you have any concerns, Francesca is aware of all of this. She has learned her lesson in a very hard way and has promised she will do better. I think it is in the best interest of the city to work with its citizens and support them, especially those who wish to do better.

There is still time for the city to negotiate an amicable resolution. Hiding behind the statement that “it’s before the court” is not quite right.

Halifax city officials, please… give peace a chance. Negotiate.
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Francesca makes her pre-sentencing statement before the judge on April 16, 2010.

Please call and/or email the contacts below. Do it often and do it regularly.,

Ask them to let Francesca visit Brindi. And ask them to negotiate a resolution to this craziness so Brindi can go home to Francesca.

“Dear God,
sorry to disturb you, but…
I feel that I should be heard
Loud and clear.
We all need a big reduction in amount of tears
And all the people that you made in your image,
see them fighting
In the street
’cause they can’t make opinions meet about God,
I can’t believe in you…”

Yesterday, my heart was wrapped in this song by Sarah McLachlan; it’s entitled Dear God. I could have filled a video with photos of my little Paketo, but as I started to work on it, another motivation came through me. It addressed an equal anger that’s inside me.

So for our animals still searching for their own homes, their place to fit in, this is for you from Paketo and me.

To everyone that sent me a special note: each one made me cry all over again. But not at my loss so much as at the warmth and the heartfelt love contained in each one. Many, many gracias to each of you. Your notes have been so wonderful and so appreciated. Your stories, so touching.

Hug a rescuer. Donate to animal advocacy. Join Let’s Adopt!