Can't Handle It...

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Joe Guy
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Can't Handle It...

Post by Joe Guy »

I'm thankful that I now live in the era of the television remote control. Every evening there are TV commercials that come on and show animals, usually dogs, that look as though they've been abused or are currently suffering. I can't watch them. I assume somebody wants me to send them money to help these animals. I won't be doing that.

There are plenty of local animal shelters where dogs and cats can be adopted - and money and/or food can be donated.

In San Francisco you can walk into available animal shelter to help out if you don't mind stepping over and around a few homeless people and human droppings.

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BoSoxGal
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Re: Can't Handle It...

Post by BoSoxGal »

The ASPCA fundraises constantly to fund the work of education, prevention, and rescuing animals in neglectful and abusive conditions. It’s an ongoing battle because humans are very fucking flawed. Local shelters are one way to contribute and many of them get funds from national organizations to assist. They all have their place and are very much needed.

Sorry you don’t like to see animals suffering, that seems to indicate you’re a decent sort of person. Some people see ads like that and kick their dogs and extra time or two while chortling to themselves. Many people see the ads and open their wallets. Or it prompts them to call about the dog down the block who has been tied out for years.
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
~ Carl Sagan

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Joe Guy
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Re: Can't Handle It...

Post by Joe Guy »

I hope those ads get people to open their wallets and help animals locally. I'm always leery of organizations that can afford to put long advertisements on TV and wonder where all the donated money goes. My other problem is that I don't like the idea of showing suffering animals in order to solicit donations. It seems there should be a better way but what do I know? It must be effective in some way or I wouldn't be seeing the ads so often.

Most dogs are probably most faithful friends a person can have. They may even be the best friends some people will ever have. Cats too. They deserve the best life an 'owner' can give them.

I just hate those commercials. I don't even know who the sponsor is...

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BoSoxGal
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Re: Can't Handle It...

Post by BoSoxGal »

I already told you this is a well known campaign of the ASPCA, a highly rated national organization with a very good reputation - see charity navigator.

ASPCA - American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, founded 1866
https://www.aspca.org/about-us
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
~ Carl Sagan

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BoSoxGal
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Re: Can't Handle It...

Post by BoSoxGal »

https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/26/us/2 ... ticleShare

If you can’t click the link, the article reveals that in the first 2 years of this famous ad campaign the ASPCA raised 30 million dollars for their work preventing cruelty to animals. That’s why the ad campaign is still running 15 years later.


Thanks for letting us know you care about dogs and cats but won’t be donating to this organization which makes ads you find annoying.
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
~ Carl Sagan

Burning Petard
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Re: Can't Handle It...

Post by Burning Petard »

I don't know about other places, but here in Northern Delaware, the ASPCA was strongly funded by the local county government as a kill facility.

That changed drastically a few years ago when they lost the contract with the county and began competing with a local no-kill shelter. My daughter and her family obtained their third family dog there after the S-I-L worked for them (ASPCA) as a volunteer and bonded with a dog that could have posed for one of those heart-jerking commercials. The dog was way undernourished (experts said he was too nervous to eat) Guesstimated to be about three years old and a bad history of abandonment and bad adoptions at other shelters out of state. At first the dog was scared to leave the side of my SIL, who fortunately worked from home. The dog has settled down now and become a good family dog. Gained 20 pounds and now looks like a black-and-tan hound from the front legs forward, and grey hound to the back.

Anybody know if the Sato Project is the real deal?

snailgate

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BoSoxGal
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Re: Can't Handle It...

Post by BoSoxGal »

Burning Petard wrote:
Tue Feb 21, 2023 1:09 pm
I don't know about other places, but here in Northern Delaware, the ASPCA was strongly funded by the local county government as a kill facility.

That changed drastically a few years ago when they lost the contract with the county and began competing with a local no-kill shelter. My daughter and her family obtained their third family dog there after the S-I-L worked for them (ASPCA) as a volunteer and bonded with a dog that could have posed for one of those heart-jerking commercials. The dog was way undernourished (experts said he was too nervous to eat) Guesstimated to be about three years old and a bad history of abandonment and bad adoptions at other shelters out of state. At first the dog was scared to leave the side of my SIL, who fortunately worked from home. The dog has settled down now and become a good family dog. Gained 20 pounds and now looks like a black-and-tan hound from the front legs forward, and grey hound to the back.

Anybody know if the Sato Project is the real deal?

snailgate
The ASPCA is not your local pet shelter.

Despite its name the ASPCA is not affiliated with local SPCAs and gives little of its money to them. In 2013, the ASPCA only gave $4.9 million to support animal shelters, a mere 4% of its $129 million budget. However, many Americans confuse the ASPCA with their local SPCA.
ASPCA, SPCAs and Humane Societies are all different entities, and now you also have hundreds of foster based rescue organizations which also rescue and adopt out dogs and cats.

ASPCA doesn’t have much at all to do with local shelters or rescue groups, they are more of an advocacy organization that works on legislation, education, training for law enforcement, and wider campaigns. I don’t honestly know enough about their intimate workings to advocate for them over other charitable organizations, but they do good in the world for animals and they have a good rating from charity navigator. Of course most local shelters and many rescue organizations big and small are also deserving, I couldn’t argue with anyone donating to any of them.
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
~ Carl Sagan

Burning Petard
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Re: Can't Handle It...

Post by Burning Petard »

Thanks Sue for that clarification on ASPCA and SPCA. I just guessed that SPCA was the local branch of the ASPCA. My first dog as a kid came from the SPCA in Jackson County Missouri

Sato project is specifically for strays in Puerto Rico to be given homes in here in the NE USofA The Island is small enough and isolated enough that the strays there have become almost a recognizable breed. That comes from their web page, but I have no idea how much is real and how much con.

snailgate

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BoSoxGal
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Re: Can't Handle It...

Post by BoSoxGal »

The Sato Project has a perfect rating on charity navigator https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/453743534

Are you still considering acquiring a dog? Maybe one from an American territory?
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
~ Carl Sagan

Burning Petard
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Re: Can't Handle It...

Post by Burning Petard »

still considering it. But it would mean getting out of an apartment and into a house to have a fenced in back yard. Have been baffled by some of the breed standards. The Cocker has hair that makes it totally impossible for a hunting dog and nearly so as a family dog. Another spaniel says in the breed standard that hair MUST cover the feet. Why? And I have come to a (perhaps irrational) judgement that breeds that are black with tan markings (Rottweilers, Dobermans for example, but there are others) are more likely to be aggressive. I am reminded of a talk I had with a breeder of German Shepherds years back (when I was trying to get an explanation for the ubiquitous down-slopping back in pictures of that breed. She told me that if you have health or behavior problems in your line of G-S dogs, in-breed with sable hair. Sable is permitted in the standard but a sable G-S never wins in a bench show. And she had no justification for that lowered back/hip pose. What I really want is the Brittany I had 60 years ago, but would be way too small today.

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Joe Guy
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Re: Can't Handle It...

Post by Joe Guy »

BoSoxGal wrote:
Tue Feb 21, 2023 10:32 am
I already told you this is a well known campaign of the ASPCA, a highly rated national organization with a very good reputation - see charity navigator.

ASPCA - American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, founded 1866
https://www.aspca.org/about-us
I didn’t think you were telling me that ASPCA is responsible for those commercials. I thought you were suggesting another organization to consider.

I know about the ASPCA. They are a decent organization but I still don’t like those commercials.

Big RR
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Re: Can't Handle It...

Post by Big RR »

Posted where it belongs.

One thing about the ASPCA in my state (more appropriately, the NJSPCA) had police/law enforcement powers since the 19th century; this resulted in a number of wannabe cops causing problems without much in the way of training. The state eventually rescinded this policy a while back in view of local law enforcement having the enforcement rights. FWIW, I once defended someone in municipal court on cruelty charges; it was fairly easy to get it dismissed, there was no real evidence (from what I can see, it was a PIA neighbor just causing problems) as there was no real evidence and his pet was in good health and well cared for (we had his vet's certificate too that effect if needed, but it was a complete waste of time and money for all concerned as the "investigator" was pretty much incompetent. It's what usually happens when you give some Walter Mitty a little power.

Burning Petard
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Re: Can't Handle It...

Post by Burning Petard »

On the other hand, I had a friend, now dead, who was a legal 'animal control officer' with the county government but an employee of the county SPCA. When there was a no-knock warrant for a bunch of drug dealers, he was first through the door, to handle possible sincere guard dogs, just doing their job. Was he nuts? I dunno, I do know he participated in competitive rattle snake hunts in Pennsylvania, where you bring 'em in live, in a bag, to be counted. His death was entirely 'natural causes'. But that's another story.

snailgate

Big RR
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Re: Can't Handle It...

Post by Big RR »

BP--I think it all depends on the degree of training received; I'm sure youcan find well trained SPCA officers, but not in all areas.

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