Lost Dogs Home Can’t Justify Their Killing
[Update] Kate Hoelter is not among the more than 550 people who have Like’d this post on Facebook! We’re still waiting for her to come back with a figure for the number of animals they fostered out last year.
An animal pound contractor in Australia has discovered that selling themselves as a loving protector of animals can bring millions in donations. The problem is, their business model is based around adopting out a few of the unclaimed animals and killing the rest.
Management at The Lost Dogs Home must be fans of the TV series Mad Men, which featured 50’s ad men trying to sell people on cigarettes in the wake of a Reader’s Digest report that smoking will lead to various health issues including lung cancer.
The following comment was made by Lost Dogs’ Home fundraising staffer Kate Hoelter on the public Facebook Page of one of their ‘Ambassadors’, comedian Claire Hooper. I doubt Claire was ever told the organisation using her face killed 13,594 cats and dogs while reporting a $2.7 mil profit in 2010. Kate’s comment was posted in response to me pointing this fact out to Claire.
Let’s Break It Down Shall We?
The Lost Dogs’ Home does a lot of good work for dogs and cats.
You kill most of them Kate.
We work hard to reunite lost pets with their owners
You refuse to put photos of lost pets on the Internet to make it easier for owners to find them. and find loving new homes for those who are not claimed. You killed 6 out of 10 unclaimed dogs last year without ever making them available for adoption.
You close at lunchtime on Sundays even though weekends are the busiest time for adoption.
We run an extensive foster care program
I asked you how many animals were fostered in 2010 and you had no idea. I’ve offered to donate $100 if you disclose the figure within the week. We’re still waiting.
and a behaviour modification program for dogs so they can be rehomed.
How many dogs that failed your temperament test passed after being placed in this program in 2010?
The surplus income was spent on building new facilities
You ended the 2010 financial year with $9.3 mil cash and cash equivalents. In that same year you killed 13,594 cats and dogs while adopting out just 3101 animals.
such as The Lost Cats’ Home,
This is a warehouse next door that doesn’t even have an adoption section.
Sick and Injured Shelter
Indoor kennels…
and Training and Education Centre.
you mean to say you’ve been killing pets to save money to build a classroom?
Plans are under way to further improve facilities that will increase our ability to care for and rehome more pets.
What is the point of improving facilities when you close at lunchtime on Sundays and public holidays? These are some of the busiest days for adoption and pet stores are certainly open to take advantage of it.
Questions are being asked about why you are pursuing more pound contracts when you already have such a high kill rate.
The Home runs many proactive services such as the National Pet Register which is responsible for reuniting over 19,000 lost dogs and cats with their owners every year through their microchip and free tag service.
Central Animal Records also run a microchip registry, as do Australasian Animal Registry. How does running an entirely separate business change that fact that you provide high kill pound services to Councils?
Online pet Licence helps educate new pet owners.
Once again, this has nothing to do with your decision to kill so many of the animals entrusted to your care.
The Home is run by a team of compassionate and dedicated people.
Motherhood statements like this mean nothing. Claiming to care does not equate to caring.
The Lost Dogs Home has a business model built around killing. The current leadership have been in control for more than two decades and refuse to make meaningful changes.
Statistics taken from The Lost Dogs Home Annual Report 2010
See also:
Pound Kill Rate Sparks Concern, The Sunday Age [May 1, 2011]