Please help our Local Humane Society!!!

[Racerbvd]

As many of you know, I have a soft spot for furry little animals, our local (Jacksonville, FL.) Humane Society suffered a major fire.

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/040907/met_9138527.shtml

Humane Society Immediate Needs;

As many of you may already know, a terrible fire swept through the humane society yesterday, destroying the building and killing most of the cats. It has been very traumatic to the surviving animals and those who work for the humane society. They are in desperate need of immediate help. Below you will find a list of everything needed. Please read through the list carefully and see if there is anything that you can contribute. Then, please forward this email to everyone in your address book. Thank you to everyone for helping our Humane Society in their time of need!

Here is a list of what we need first and foremost at the shelter:


Cash, check, or credit card donations! Donations can be made at the Humane Society Thrift Store which is
located at 8328 Beach Blvd. Also, Wachovia Bank has established an account for us. So you can make
donations at any Wachovia Branch to the Humane Society account #2000034081857. Any donation, no matter how small, will help.

We also need:

Blankets, towels, bleach, mops, brooms, cleaning buckets, squeegees, hoses, paper towels, old newspaper, office supplies (pens, pencils, staplers, paper, file folders, etc.), a laminating machine, and copier.

We could also use coolers filled with bottled water and/or sodas.

All of these things can also be donated at the Thrift Store. The Thrift Store is open Monday through Saturday 9-5. It will be open this Sunday (April 8) from 10-5.

Our pet food was kept in the warehouse and was not destroyed by the fire, so we are not in need of any
food at this time. If we do run short, Purina has assured us they will send us what we need.

Please let everyone know that all the animals that survived are doing well, considering what they have
been through. We are still missing two dogs. Should anyone find a lost dog, please take it to a local vet
and have it scanned for a microchip. As previously reported, we are pretty sure most of our cats perished
in the fire. However, we have not been allowed in yet to do a body count (for lack of a better term). Until
we can do that, we are hoping that some may have gotten out on their own. So if any cats are found,
please have them scanned for microchip as well.

I was there at 2:30 a.m. during the worst part of the fire. It was pretty horrific! I have seen and heard
things that I will never get out of my head. When dawn broke, the light of day confirmed just how bad
everything was. All I could tell my staff was "don't look in the windows". You don't want to remember our
animals like that. I wish I didn't look. We did thebest we could given the circumstances. Our surviving
animals have been relocated to our clinic and I am hoping to find either foster or permanent homes for
all of them during the next week. Once I have all the animals situated, then we can regroup and figure out
how/when we can start accepting animals back in. If anyone is interested in fostering or adopting, they
can call me (Karen Padgham) directly at 591-4748. The main phone number to the shelter is currently not working. Obviously, we are not accepting any owner surrender animals at this time. Anyone who needs to relinquish their pet would need to contact Animal Care & Control at 387-8924.

Given everything we have been through, the staff is holding up pretty well. It was very emotional as we
consider these animals part of our family while they are waiting to find a family of their own. The
shelter will be closed at least until Tuesday. The insurance adjuster has to come on Monday and has to
give permission to allow the public back on the property. I'll let you know if our open date changes.
In the meantime, I'm willing to process adoptions or foster situations from home.

Thanks for your help and support!


Karen Padgham

Humane Society


;

[pwd72s]

Byron, do you have a complete address I could send a check to?
Hey guys..kick in.

[Racerbvd]

Originally posted by pwd72s
Byron, do you have a complete address I could send a check to?
Hey guys..kick in.

Thanks!!!

Jacksonville Humane Society
8464 Beach Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL 32216
(904) 722-9599

[Joeaksa]

Any chance they take Pay Pal?

Where are all the bleeding heart libs here?

[Tim Hancock]

Originally posted by Joeaksa
Any chance they take Pay Pal?

Where are all the bleeding heart libs here?

They are busy searching for corporate robber barons on google right now

[cashflyer]

Since I would only support a no-kill shelter, I checked their website. Just for anyone else who would want to know, the website says that they are a no-kill shelter.

[pwd72s]

Originally posted by cashflyer
Since I would only support a no-kill shelter, I checked their website. Just for anyone else who would want to know, the website says that they are a no-kill shelter.

That makes it even better. I support a local no-kill shelter, but this deserves a special donation...Byron, thanks for the address...

[Moneyguy1]

I have, over they years, made my home the home of many animals. However, I have become confused since my neighborhood has more animals with lousy owners than it really needs. Night after night I hear dogs wailing to get in with the rest of their "pack" and regardless of the weather. Since we have a few months of really hot and dry weather, some of these animals are left out all day while Mr.and Mrs. Animalover go off tho work, the animal left with only water and in some instances little or no shade. Contacting the local Animal Shelters gets me nowhere. It seems once the animals are placed, there is no follow-up to see they are well taken care of. Is this the case in other areas?

And, practically every day we see pleas on TV for people to adopt animals, and the situation gets worse. The Police have beter things to do than chase down stray dogs and investigate the occasional "anti-social" (read abused and neglected) animals. We have no Animal Control activity with "teeth", and when a situation arises, the citizen is advised to try "diplomacy" with the offending owner. Some day, someone is going to get shot, either by a neighbor who has put up with 24/7 howling or in defense of their "pet" who can do no wrong.

If one is ok'd to adopt an animal, the shelter should schedule a follow-up to assure the animal is well taken care of, and not just a trophy.

The true "bleeding hearts" are those who turn a blind eye once the animal is placed, with little or no thought for the animal's long-term welfare. Make sure your neighbor's animals are not abused. CHeck on them as you would on an elderly neighbor and report abuse where found.

[pwd72s]

Good point, Bob...but not just shelter mutts that receive poor treatment. Some folks buy expensive animals for status, then don't have a clue how to care for them. It's almost as if they don't realize that these are sentient living beings...

I'll confess...this is also a bump for the shelter...

[Racerbvd]

Originally posted by Moneyguy1
I have, over they years, made my home the home of many animals. However, I have become confused since my neighborhood has more animals with lousy owners than it really needs. Night after night I hear dogs wailing to get in with the rest of their "pack" and regardless of the weather. Since we have a few months of really hot and dry weather, some of these animals are left out all day while Mr.and Mrs. Animalover go off tho work, the animal left with only water and in some instances little or no shade. Contacting the local Animal Shelters gets me nowhere. It seems once the animals are placed, there is no follow-up to see they are well taken care of. Is this the case in other areas?

And, practically every day we see pleas on TV for people to adopt animals, and the situation gets worse. The Police have beter things to do than chase down stray dogs and investigate the occasional "anti-social" (read abused and neglected) animals. We have no Animal Control activity with "teeth", and when a situation arises, the citizen is advised to try "diplomacy" with the offending owner. Some day, someone is going to get shot, either by a neighbor who has put up with 24/7 howling or in defense of their "pet" who can do no wrong.

If one is ok'd to adopt an animal, the shelter should schedule a follow-up to assure the animal is well taken care of, and not just a trophy.

The true "bleeding hearts" are those who turn a blind eye once the animal is placed, with little or no thought for the animal's long-term welfare. Make sure your neighbor's animals are not abused. CHeck on them as you would on an elderly neighbor and report abuse where found.

I do keep an eye out for strays in my neighborhood, but I'm lucky, this is a good area, people take care of their pets. We also do alot to support this no-kill shelter

http://www.safeanimalshelter.com/

[id10t]

Byron -

Trying to get something done here at the college, either just notifying everyone (Jax is a little far away for local news), or perhaps hte teaching zoo can assist in some ways. Its been passed up hte ladder ...

[Superman]

Originally posted by Tim Hancock
They are busy searching for corporate robber barons on google right now

It's worse that you think, Tim. We communists think that money is for helping charities that we can't reach with our hands. Local charities should get our actual help. If we weren't so busy keeping up with the Joneses and the fuel bill, we'd be meeting as groups within the local community, and the local animals and humans would be getting all the help they need.

For many of us, Sadly, the answer is simple. Commerce substitutes for community. Money is the answer.

[Jim727]

Originally posted by cashflyer
Since I would only support a no-kill shelter, I checked their website. Just for anyone else who would want to know, the website says that they are a no-kill shelter.

Excellent - you answered my initial question, thx. Check goes out tonight with bills.

[Overpaid Slacker]

Wow.

$ is on the way.

And, Byron, update us if they determine that there was foul play and/or arson involved. I'd make a substantial contribution to a campaign to end the life of whatever shytbag would do something like that.

EDIT --
thinking about it, if an animal shelter employee accidentally caused the fire, I'd throw in a few bucks for therapy for them. If I'd accidentally caused it, I'd be emotionally ruined.

JP

[Jim727]

Byron -

Thanks for the heads-up. Good cause.

[Racerbvd]

Thanks guys, please keep spreading the word to help and I'll keep you updated as they report new info.

Carrera says thanks too

[pwd72s]

Byron, looks like you're not afraid to to adopt the unadoptable too. One of our cats is an ugly (fat) gray female...abandoned by neighbors who moved away, taking the dog, leaving the cat to starve. Of course, no choice, we had to take her in...she's still here, 8 years and $ thousands in vet bills later. No digital camera here, or I'd post a pic. Trust me, she's no cat show winner.

[on-ramp]

I'll send a couple hundred dollars to help out. this is very sad.

[Racerbvd]

Originally posted by pwd72s
Byron, looks like you're not afraid to to adopt the unadoptable too. One of our cats is an ugly (fat) gray female...abandoned by neighbors who moved away, taking the dog, leaving the cat to starve. Of course, no choice, we had to take her in...she's still here, 8 years and $ thousands in vet bills later. No digital camera here, or I'd post a pic. Trust me, she's no cat show winner.

I have had Carrera since he fit in the palm of my hand, as he developed cancer in his eye, that is why it looks so bad. The vet said that there is nothing we can do, as it doesn't seem to bother him and he isn't in pain. I know all to well about large Vet bills, but I have to take care of my babies, speaking of which, this is the newest one to move in & take over (she too was very young & small) Thanks again for everyones help and please pass the word and keep it up!!

[dafischer]

Byron, isn't that the survivor of the two that you rescued from the storm drain? She's lookin good!

Thanks for the address...we're sending a donation. We always support our local no-kill shelter. and we'll help yours as well.