Aurora Velazquez, a Danville Deserves Better/Best Friend's Animal Society's representative "vilifies" Paulette Dean for her "euthanasia numbers" when Ms. Velazquez has her own history of high euthanasia numbers at the facilities she was in charge of. Most egregious is the treatment of Saint, a dog that came into ACCT Philly, when Ms. Velazquez was the director. At the facility, Saint's jaw was broken, Ms. Velazquez refused to allow Saint's owner to reclaim him, then illegally killed Saint and lied about it to cover up the cruel and inhumane treatment of Saint at ACCT Philly. Public outcry demanded Ms. Velazquez be fired and criminally charged for what she did to Saint. Shortly thereafter, Best Friend's Animal Society hired Ms. Velazquez. But this is nothing new for Best Friend's...they have a pattern of hiring many "upper management" people from shelters that have a history of cruel and inhumane treatment against the animals coming into their shelters.
Paulette Dean has been nothing but transparent and she ensures the animals that come into Danville Humane Society are properly cared for. It's imperative that the community of Danville know the history of those representing Danville Deserves Better/Best Friend's Animal Society...are these the people the community of Danville can trust to ensure the safety of the animals in their community...the answer is simple...NO!
Thank you, Barbara, for sharing this. It's important to acknowledge the troubling history surrounding Ms. Velazquez's time at ACCT Philly, especially regarding the tragic case of Saint. It's frustrating to see the hypocrisy in how Paulette Dean is vilified by representatives who themselves have faced significant criticism for their past actions. I have been learning that Paulette has always been transparent and committed to ensuring that every animal under her care is treated humanely. The Danville community deserves leaders who prioritize honesty and compassion in animal welfare, and it's clear that Best Friends' track record raises serious concerns about their trustworthiness.
Thank you so much for setting the record straight best friends Austin pets alive Kristen Hassen Ellen Jefferson paula Powell hass sheltering plan left in it's wake a series of deceased strays on the streets increase in dog attacks Disease at an all time high and the community afraid to walk there smaller dogs or even leave there pets alone in there own back yards in fear of attacks by strays
Ron, thank you for your note and for recognizing the complexities involved in the sheltering strategies discussed. It's concerning to hear about the issues you've highlighted. These are serious problems that underscore the need for careful consideration and adaptation of animal welfare policies to fit local contexts.
My aim is to shed light on these challenges and advocate for solutions that prioritize both animal welfare and community safety. It's crucial that any sheltering plan addresses these issues head-on to prevent such negative outcomes.
I appreciate your engagement with these critical topics, and, like you, I'm committed to continuing this important dialogue to find effective and sustainable solutions.
The term "live release rate" is unfortunate (whose idea was that??) and the actual practice has led to some bad adoptions -- as if adopting to anybody with a pulse is OK - just as long as the animal is out of the shelter and that column can be checked. If they go into a bad home - at LEAST the shelter can't be blamed for euthanizing them. Phew. Adoptions that depend on conversation between an adoption counselor and a potential adopter is totally reliant on the qualifications and experience of the counselor and their ability to be able to say NO. Things that get overlooked are past experience with pets and what happened to them; vet references; other references; does their landlord allow pets; window screens; family allergies; other pets in the household; the expense of having a pet and if they are able to afford it; what will they do when the animal needs vet care - etc. . At LEAST - NYC law requires that animals be spayed/neutered before adoption. This was not always the case.
Yes veterinary care is too epensive in NYC, but if one researches, they can find something that fits their budget. Not easy. They may have to travel. And if they cared about their animals, they would. Or they can ignore their sick pet and then a few years later return him/her to the ACC where often the animal is too far gone and is euthanized. Or they pressure overburdened rescuers to pull the animal who by this time is on the Emergency Placement List.
The main answer to this is free or low cost mandatory spay/neuter for people with pets and to TNR rescuers. Government support. Get the numbers down so few animals are dumped at the pound. So many other issues also - like landlords not allowing pets - but the spay/neuter issue if the most important.
Thanks, Elisabeth, it's clear that focusing on numbers can sometimes overshadow the importance of finding suitable homes for animals. Your insights into the adoption process and the various factors that should be considered are valuable. The emphasis on spay/neuter programs and government support of course is crucial too!
Thank you for helping our community understand the facts about them. It’s obvious they are using animals as a sad story to gain sympathy which creates financial support for themselves, not the needs of the animals.
Danville definitely deserves better funding from local government. We do not need the selfish critics who have their own agenda.
Thank you, Ed. I’m still reading your important policy analysis here. A lot to sort out. Today in The Guardian the news of relocated animals was just a brief. It wasn’t until I went back to your article that I learned the layers of agendas involved in pet rescue in dire situations.
Elyse, thank you for taking the time to read my article and for sharing your thoughts. I'm glad to hear that it provided some clarity on the complex layers involved in pet rescue, especially in dire situations. It's always important to look beyond the headlines and understand the broader context and implications of animal welfare policies.
I appreciate your engagement with these critical issues, and hope the article continues to offer valuable insights as you sort through the information. If you have any further questions or thoughts, please feel free to reach out.
As usual Ed, you point to "pit bulls" as the problem. Do you have a personal issue against any breed of dog? Best Friends is such an easy target. BTW, every shelter and rescue on the earth has made atleast one bad placement. As I recall, when you were running the large municipal shelter in NYC, you too had a few problems. How long were you there?Maybe you could share your NYC story? The place is still a wreck. Underfunded municipal shelters seem to be the problem from my point of view.
Thank you, Ballad, for sharing your thoughts. I appreciate your dedication to advocating for pit bulls and understand that this topic can evoke strong emotions.
I want to clarify that my position on pit bulls is often misunderstood. In fact, I've been called a "pit bull apologist" by those who have issues with the breed. During my time as executive director of the largest animal shelters in the U.S., I've placed more pit bulls into loving homes than perhaps anyone else, all without incident. However, I've also overseen the euthanasia of too many pit bulls due to overpopulation.
My concern isn't with pit bulls themselves but with the sheer number of them and the encouragement from some advocates to continue breeding them as a source of income rather than focusing on improving the breed. While I don't have a problem with pit bulls, insurance companies and landlords do, and more and more city and county officials do, and they continue to be the most euthanized breed in shelters across the country. This reality is troubling, and I question how comfortable anyone can be with it.
My focus is on addressing broader shelter challenges, including resource limitations and the need for tailored solutions that benefit all animals and communities. Learning from past experiences—both successes and challenges—is crucial for improving animal welfare practices.
I hope we can continue working towards solutions that support both animal well-being and public safety.
Aurora Velazquez, a Danville Deserves Better/Best Friend's Animal Society's representative "vilifies" Paulette Dean for her "euthanasia numbers" when Ms. Velazquez has her own history of high euthanasia numbers at the facilities she was in charge of. Most egregious is the treatment of Saint, a dog that came into ACCT Philly, when Ms. Velazquez was the director. At the facility, Saint's jaw was broken, Ms. Velazquez refused to allow Saint's owner to reclaim him, then illegally killed Saint and lied about it to cover up the cruel and inhumane treatment of Saint at ACCT Philly. Public outcry demanded Ms. Velazquez be fired and criminally charged for what she did to Saint. Shortly thereafter, Best Friend's Animal Society hired Ms. Velazquez. But this is nothing new for Best Friend's...they have a pattern of hiring many "upper management" people from shelters that have a history of cruel and inhumane treatment against the animals coming into their shelters.
Paulette Dean has been nothing but transparent and she ensures the animals that come into Danville Humane Society are properly cared for. It's imperative that the community of Danville know the history of those representing Danville Deserves Better/Best Friend's Animal Society...are these the people the community of Danville can trust to ensure the safety of the animals in their community...the answer is simple...NO!
Thank you, Barbara, for sharing this. It's important to acknowledge the troubling history surrounding Ms. Velazquez's time at ACCT Philly, especially regarding the tragic case of Saint. It's frustrating to see the hypocrisy in how Paulette Dean is vilified by representatives who themselves have faced significant criticism for their past actions. I have been learning that Paulette has always been transparent and committed to ensuring that every animal under her care is treated humanely. The Danville community deserves leaders who prioritize honesty and compassion in animal welfare, and it's clear that Best Friends' track record raises serious concerns about their trustworthiness.
Thank you so much for setting the record straight best friends Austin pets alive Kristen Hassen Ellen Jefferson paula Powell hass sheltering plan left in it's wake a series of deceased strays on the streets increase in dog attacks Disease at an all time high and the community afraid to walk there smaller dogs or even leave there pets alone in there own back yards in fear of attacks by strays
Ron, thank you for your note and for recognizing the complexities involved in the sheltering strategies discussed. It's concerning to hear about the issues you've highlighted. These are serious problems that underscore the need for careful consideration and adaptation of animal welfare policies to fit local contexts.
My aim is to shed light on these challenges and advocate for solutions that prioritize both animal welfare and community safety. It's crucial that any sheltering plan addresses these issues head-on to prevent such negative outcomes.
I appreciate your engagement with these critical topics, and, like you, I'm committed to continuing this important dialogue to find effective and sustainable solutions.
The term "live release rate" is unfortunate (whose idea was that??) and the actual practice has led to some bad adoptions -- as if adopting to anybody with a pulse is OK - just as long as the animal is out of the shelter and that column can be checked. If they go into a bad home - at LEAST the shelter can't be blamed for euthanizing them. Phew. Adoptions that depend on conversation between an adoption counselor and a potential adopter is totally reliant on the qualifications and experience of the counselor and their ability to be able to say NO. Things that get overlooked are past experience with pets and what happened to them; vet references; other references; does their landlord allow pets; window screens; family allergies; other pets in the household; the expense of having a pet and if they are able to afford it; what will they do when the animal needs vet care - etc. . At LEAST - NYC law requires that animals be spayed/neutered before adoption. This was not always the case.
Yes veterinary care is too epensive in NYC, but if one researches, they can find something that fits their budget. Not easy. They may have to travel. And if they cared about their animals, they would. Or they can ignore their sick pet and then a few years later return him/her to the ACC where often the animal is too far gone and is euthanized. Or they pressure overburdened rescuers to pull the animal who by this time is on the Emergency Placement List.
The main answer to this is free or low cost mandatory spay/neuter for people with pets and to TNR rescuers. Government support. Get the numbers down so few animals are dumped at the pound. So many other issues also - like landlords not allowing pets - but the spay/neuter issue if the most important.
Thanks, Elisabeth, it's clear that focusing on numbers can sometimes overshadow the importance of finding suitable homes for animals. Your insights into the adoption process and the various factors that should be considered are valuable. The emphasis on spay/neuter programs and government support of course is crucial too!
Thank you for helping our community understand the facts about them. It’s obvious they are using animals as a sad story to gain sympathy which creates financial support for themselves, not the needs of the animals.
Danville definitely deserves better funding from local government. We do not need the selfish critics who have their own agenda.
Thank you, Ed. I’m still reading your important policy analysis here. A lot to sort out. Today in The Guardian the news of relocated animals was just a brief. It wasn’t until I went back to your article that I learned the layers of agendas involved in pet rescue in dire situations.
Elyse, thank you for taking the time to read my article and for sharing your thoughts. I'm glad to hear that it provided some clarity on the complex layers involved in pet rescue, especially in dire situations. It's always important to look beyond the headlines and understand the broader context and implications of animal welfare policies.
I appreciate your engagement with these critical issues, and hope the article continues to offer valuable insights as you sort through the information. If you have any further questions or thoughts, please feel free to reach out.
As usual Ed, you point to "pit bulls" as the problem. Do you have a personal issue against any breed of dog? Best Friends is such an easy target. BTW, every shelter and rescue on the earth has made atleast one bad placement. As I recall, when you were running the large municipal shelter in NYC, you too had a few problems. How long were you there?Maybe you could share your NYC story? The place is still a wreck. Underfunded municipal shelters seem to be the problem from my point of view.
Thank you, Ballad, for sharing your thoughts. I appreciate your dedication to advocating for pit bulls and understand that this topic can evoke strong emotions.
I want to clarify that my position on pit bulls is often misunderstood. In fact, I've been called a "pit bull apologist" by those who have issues with the breed. During my time as executive director of the largest animal shelters in the U.S., I've placed more pit bulls into loving homes than perhaps anyone else, all without incident. However, I've also overseen the euthanasia of too many pit bulls due to overpopulation.
My concern isn't with pit bulls themselves but with the sheer number of them and the encouragement from some advocates to continue breeding them as a source of income rather than focusing on improving the breed. While I don't have a problem with pit bulls, insurance companies and landlords do, and more and more city and county officials do, and they continue to be the most euthanized breed in shelters across the country. This reality is troubling, and I question how comfortable anyone can be with it.
My focus is on addressing broader shelter challenges, including resource limitations and the need for tailored solutions that benefit all animals and communities. Learning from past experiences—both successes and challenges—is crucial for improving animal welfare practices.
I hope we can continue working towards solutions that support both animal well-being and public safety.