Title: FW: Response to HSUS from PasadoRescue
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From: Kinship Circle <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Sat, 15 Oct 2005 00:03:16 -0500
To: Kinship Circle <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Response to HSUS from PasadoRescue
We were asked to post this statement on behalf of PasadoRescue
This statement is not from Kinship Circle. You may cross post it.
Response to HSUS Statement
>From PasadoRescue
It appears that supporters of HSUS have expressed their concern over why
HSUS was not involved in investigating the St. Bernard dog shootings, or why
they didn't assist Pasado's Safe Haven in upgrading Pasado's $10,000 reward
offered to find the killers . A blanket response appears to have been issued
today by HSUS to thousands of people across the country, based on the
forwarded copies we've received. Sadly, HSUS chose to point fingers at us,
rather than answer why they haven't acted to help in this case.
We feel it is necessary at this point to respond to this widely-broadcast
message. I would like to say that I find this waste of time very sad. The
time it took for HSUS to write this - and for us to respond - could have
been used to actually do something positive for the animals.
Pasado's Safe Haven is a small organization, comparatively speaking. We have
a total of six shelter staff members, three of which are still in New
Orleans rescuing animals. I do all of the website work myself, so I take
credit for any statement that Mr. Unti refers to (as well as the typos I may
make late at night!).
We, like other rescuers in the Gulf, waited for the large animal
organizations to DO SOMETHING when the St. Bernard dog shootings came to
light. But nothing happened. As quickly as Mr. Unti disseminated the
statement about Pasado's, help could have been offered by HSUS in this case..
Pasado's Safe Haven, having been on the ground for weeks rescuing, decided
to contact the AG's office and found out that no one had offered help in
funding an investigation. We respectfully disagree with Mr. Unti in stating
that law enforcement or state authorities rarely want or accept financial
assistance. As sad as it may seem, local, county, and state governmental
agencies rarely have funds (or will use them) to investigate animal cruelty
cases. We routinely offer financial assistance in cases like this. A cat
poisoning trial slated to go to court this month, involving a woman who
poisoned three cats with anti-freeze, is based on evidence Pasado's paid for
on behalf of the prosecuting attorney's office. To us, it's a small price to
pay to find the perpetrators of such crimes.
Since that phone call, Mark Steinway, Pasado's Humane Investigator, has been
working alongside the Louisiana State AG. And we're very pleased with their
response. Not all law enforcement or AG's offices are as responsive.
For those who are not aware, Mark and our veterinarian worked with an
Assistant State¹s Attorney and two AG investigators on the scene at three
separate schools and a football field, where cats and dogs had been tied up
and shot. The night before the meetings in St. Bernard Parish, Mark
purchased all of the investigative recovery equipment: plastic bins, labels,
videotape (to document the recovery), paper enclosures for bodies, plastic
evidence bags for bullets, etc. to conduct the investigation. The AG's
office personnel oversaw the recovery of spent shell casings, other
forensics, and the bodies to assure proper investigative protocols were
followed. Mark spent very long days literally scooping up the remains of
these animals who laid in these hot schools for nearly a month. Mark and our
veterinarian transported the bodies to the State of Louisiana's LSU
Veterinary Teaching Hospital for necropsy. Pasado's Safe Haven is paying for
the radiological exams and necropsies. Once the Diagnostics Lab has
completed their work, we will then assume costs for ballistics and other
forensics exams necessary to perhaps, find the killers. Additionally, we
offered a $10,000 reward seeking the arrest, prosecution, and conviction of
whomever is responsible for these crimes. We have never overestimated our
ability to pay for the necessary forensics services or the reward, despite
HSUS¹s insinuation to the contrary.
We have not asked HSUS to help in any way, nor will we. Although we have
never written about this before this e-mail, it is our opinion that there
was a great degree of mismanagement of the Lamar Dickson facility in
Gonzales. When HSUS could no longer operate at Lamar Dickson, their
representatives approached our rescuers in Raceland, LA to use our facility
in exchange for a generous donation to offset our costs. While negotiating
in good faith with HSUS to reach an agreement (and without a signed
agreement), we allowed HSUS reps to use our facility and support staff,
equipment, and supplies. After all, it was in the best interest of serving
the most animals possible. But, due to the chaotic nature of the HSUS-led
rescue efforts and their inability to keep good records on animals rescued,
it was only a matter of four days before our rescuers had to ask HSUS people
to leave. We were never reimbursed by HSUS for those four days nor will we
ask for reimbursement. Pasado¹s does not need HSUS¹s money. What we were
attempting to do was force HSUS into making a written commitment to follow
through in an organized manner and set clear, reachable goals. This was not
to happen.
Simply "writing a letter" to the AG's office, or "offering our full
cooperation" as Mr. Unti's letter stated, means little. It looks good for
public relations, but DOING something is what counts. Pasado¹s attitude is
³Put your money where your words are². According to published reports, HSUS
brought in $17 million dollars in Katrina-related donations. Their net
assets total just under $100 million, according to their 2003 tax return.
Supporters of HSUS, in our opinion, should ask for a detailed accounting of
where the millions of dollars were used to support the animals of this
disaster. Supporters of Pasado's, or any other animal rescue group who asked
for donations, should be expected to do the same. And we will. I would like
to note that the ASPCA DID contact Pasado's and requested we submit a
fast-track grant to help our rescue efforts. Additionally, the ASPCA is
offering to pay for transport of Katrina animals from shelters back to their
owners, as well as reimburse rescuers for associated costs. We applaud them
for using their funds in these ways. A safe prediction is that after your
letters to HSUS, prompting this discourse, we might be seeing some creative
uses of HSUS funds for the animals now.
For details on how HSUS spends your donations, click here:
http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2003/530/225/2003-530225390-1-9.pdf
To see how Pasado's Safe Haven spends your donations, click here:
http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2003/911/843/2003-911843707-1-9.pdf
Once again, my apologies for having to take up your valuable (and my) time
responding to this. My only concern is that we find the people responsible
for killing these helpless animals. Since we are inundated with requests for
a response to the HSUS statement, I would kindly ask for you to widely post
this.
Thank you, and for the animals,
Susan Michaels, Co-Founder, Pasado's Safe Haven
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.pasadosafehaven.org/
Charity Navigator Update: Charity Navigator has now ranked Pasado's Safe
Haven the only 4-Star animal charity in the Northwest. Click to see how
other local and national animal charities use your donated dollars:
http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm/bay/search.summary/orgid/6634.htm
"A single voice may not be heard, but the voices of many
cannot be ignored. " ~ Author Unknown
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