"Shelter Dogs" documentary on HBO

*****IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE SHOW YET, AND ARE PLANNING TO, DON'T READ ON*****







Ok, I know at least 2 other members who wanted to discuss this show, so I thought we could discuss it here.

Personally, I was quite troubled by a few events, but mainly, Beau, the cocker spaniel.

It seems to me as though she pushed him too far, and unfortunately, had to put him down.
The show stated that he had been passed from a few homes, but with a bit of work, I'm sure he was a wonderful dog.
It upsets me how she makes her decisions--no one else at the shelter wanted to put him down, and he passed part of her temperament testing with flying colors--he didn't mind when she touched his mouth to look at his teeth (he was certainly not at all like that wheaton terrier they showed briefly), and he didn't even blink when she grabbed the food dish and taunted him excessively. When she gave him the rawhide was when it got disturbing. I have never seen anyone do temperament testing in person, but I have watched it on Animal Precinct (on one episode, the dog snapped just when they touched the food dish, but one of the officers ended up adopting the dog--I think it was a fairly large dog too).
She just kept going, as if to prove her point that she had a "feeling" that dog was a biter. I know my Kito would have snapped at her too--he gets very protective of his bones, that's why he can only have things like greenies when he is alone, and everyone is separated, and there is no chance of anyone getting hurt. He was so good while she bathed him, and shaved him, but she kept saying "I know this dog is a biter." Then it seemed as if she just wanted to prove her point, so she provoked him to the point where she was right.
Maybe she could have gotten a behaviorist in there or an aggression specialist to work with Beau. Why could he not have been adopted to an older couple without children who know not to try to take his bones or rawhide away from him? I forget, but did the "owners" say he had bitten anyone or anything?? He certainly was no menace to society.

I have been doing some research about the kennels and this woman all morning.
Seems I'm not the only one who dislikes her.

Just one of the hundreds of links I found:

http://www.angelfire.com/extreme4/c_adams/

I watched that also. I got the same feeling like she was trying to get Beau to bite the hand thing. The owners did say that Beau did bite their other dog. I didn't really like the lady at all. I only watched the last half of it. So I missed the other dog you were talking about.

Katie

I wouldn't be able to watch it and what dog isn't protective of his bones and such? Duke loves to play and growl as I try and take away his rawhide. However, I don't take it too far because he might bite. I don't think he would but I'm smart enough not to push it. I don't think I would like that woman either but as I stated in the Dog General section, she has been doing this so long that you have to kind of step back from it or you'd have lots of problems. I'm a dispatcher and have heard lots of disturbing things but if I let all of them affect me, I'd be in a room with a straight jacket on. So, I'll give her a little benefit of doubt but I still don't think I'd like her.

SHELTER DOG SPOILERS

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Sue Sternberg is definitely a controversial figure. The part with Beau disturbed me as well. I truly think that he could have been rehabilitated. I do think in her mind, however, she felt like they could not in good conscience adopt him out into another home and that euthanasia was the best option. I don't agree - I think even with the resource guarding and since he was a specific breed, they could have found a rescue organization for cocker spaniels that would have taken him and worked with him.

A comment I got from my shelter trainers group was interesting though, so I am going to throw it out. A behaviorist from the group made the point that if you spend too much time trying to rehabilitate one dog, you run the risk of 5 totally adoptable dogs being put down due to issues of space. Unfortunately it happens on a daily basis. At my shelter I have to avoid the days the vet comes to euthanize dogs. I'll be quite honest - I don't want to know. Maybe I am putting my head in the sand, but I try really hard to focus on the dogs that have been evaluated as adoptable and work with them.

Another thing about the film that disturbed me, was the shots of the no kill shelter. I personally would rather see the dogs humanely euthanized than living in conditions like that for the rest of their lives. It really hit home, because just recently in this area a "rescue facility" was shut down and the dogs were transfered to the spca. (This wasn't publicized - the animal control officers told me about it). While well intentioned, the dogs were sick, malnurished and socially inept. All but one of them had to be euthanized do to health or behavioral issues. Because this woman could not make the decision, there were dogs that had been living in cages for 5 years, covered in feces with little human contact. Some of them had gotten into fights and had bones and wounds that had never healed. Very sad.

Most rescue organizations know their limits and only take dogs they can care for. We use rescue organizations at the shelter all the time. But so many times the answer is "I'm sorry - we have no room right now" and since we are an animal control facility the staff there sometimes has to make tough choices. I know I couldn't do it.

I am glad the film was made. I hope it will open people's eyes to the problem of pet overpopulation. Until we have a national mandatory spay/neuter program for mixed breeds that is low or no cost for everyone, and breeding regulated more for purebred dogs - the problem is not going to go away.

I was going to make the same points Clara did. Unfortunately Sue's shelter is not no-kill, so they have to keep only the most adoptable dogs. I think the average length of time a dog stays at her shelter is about a week before being adopted. Because of this, they are able to cycle dogs through very quickly, thus saving more lives.

With that said though, I still believe all dogs have a right to live unless they are truly a menace to society (and those are very few and far between).

Ugh. Shelter life :( Its so hard.

We had a debate at a volunteer meeting a few years ago about Sue Sternberg and half the room, including me, was in tears.

While Sue Sternberg is NOT my favorite person, by a long shot, I do agree with Clara4457.

Every shelter worker is cleaning up the messes made by other people, people who don't care. Shelter workers do the best they can with far too little time, money and space - and far, far too many dogs that were dumped in their lap.

As disturbing as things like this may be, it is important to remember to place the blame where it belongs - not with the shelter workers who do the best they can in a difficult, thankless job, but with the back-yard breeder, puppy mills and irresponsible pet owners.