Please read the below story from PetConnect.Us with an open heart and share with your friends and family to help make a difference and take action. From Laura Tonkin, the Director of PUP regarding this issue: “Some ask us why we pull from the Stockton and Merced California shelters. You just have to read this piece below and watch this video to understand. We go where the need is. That is what rescuers do. We still pull from our Washington shelters as this is our home, but we will not turn our backs on these dogs in other states. We just will not do that. We started working with the California rescuers that pull from the San Bernardino and Devore California shelters this past week. I look forward to building an even stronger relationship with these very dedicated folks.”
The puppies in this photo are the tiny victims of the shelter’s deadly new policy.
We look at this box of tiny puppies, their eyes not even open yet, and we ooh and aah and delight in their cuteness and innocence. They are adorable, sweet, and have their whole lives ahead of them…or not. In reality their lives have already ended thanks to a cruel and inhumane policy recently put into place at the increasingly deadly San Bernardino City Shelter. In what could be called their most callous, hateful move to date, shelter supervisors have declared that they will no longer allow staff or volunteers to contact rescues to save underage puppies or kittens dumped at the shelter without their mothers. If a rescue is present at the time the babies are impounded the rescue can take them, but if no rescue is there the puppies or kittens will be taken to the back and immediately killed. Many shelters in Southern California have foster programs set up for bottle babies as well as underage puppies and kittens surrendered without their mothers. L.A. Animal Services sends regular emails asking for fosters to sign up for the many puppies and kittens in their care. There is no reason San Bernardino City Shelter can’t implement a similar program.
Maria Sanchez was in the shelter lobby on Saturday, 5/11, when this box of underage puppies (A446036) was surrendered by a young man. After taking photos and video, she spoke with Ryan Long, the kennel supervisor, and told him she was going to network for a rescue for the pups. Ryan told Maria not to bother; that she would be wasting her time. That’s when she learned of the new policy – and the deaths of the babies. Ryan and many of the other employees appear to be totally desensitized to the plights of the animals in the shelter. Perhaps staff members suffer from compassion fatigue as they seem to be without concern or care for the innocent lives they take each and every day.
If you are a rescuer willing to take in underage animals on short notice please try to convince the shelter to start a registry and please let me or Maria Sanchez know you are available. We can’t stand by and let the killing of tiny babies go on without putting up a fight.
The puppies in this below video are the tiny victims of the shelter’s deadly new policy:
How to take action
Don’t just get angry…take action! I encourage you to send emails to everyone on the list below …it’s the only way to affect change. Tomorrow I will post a sample letter, but please feel free to email on your own and don’t forget to copy everyone below on your email.
CONTACT INFO FOR SAN BERNARDINO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS:
Email: council@sbcity.org
CONTACT INFO FOR MAYOR:
Patrick J. Morris
Mayor
Email: morris_pat@sbcity.org
FYI: THE SAN BERNARDINO CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT OVERSEES THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
CONTACT INFO FOR CHIEF OF POLICE:
Robert Handy
Chief of Police
Email: handy_ro@sbcity.org
CONTACT INFO FOR CAPTAIN:
Raymond King
Captain
Email: king_ra@sbcity.org
CONTACT INFO FOR SERGEANT AFFRUNTI:
Ph# (909) 384-7228-(Office)
Ph# (909) 693-6339-(Cell)
Email: affrunti_ad@sbcity.org
CONTACT INFO FOR “TEMPORARY” OPERATIONS MANAGER:
Debi Shuker
Desk: 909-384-1304 ext 1515
Email: Shuker_De@sbcity.org
CONTACT INFO FOR SHELTER KENNEL SUPERVISOR:
Ryan Long
Cell Phone: (951) 538-6010
Email: Long_Ry@sbcity.org
