Last Hope is dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of stray, abandoned and death-due pound animals

  

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Brainstorming: To read about the last session of the Pit Bull Predicament Conference moderated by Charlie Milone (supervisor of Hempstead Town Shelter) and Chris Elton (director of Babylon Town Shelter) asking the audience for workable suggestions, please scroll down page.

Saturday, May 3rd 2008
Welcome to Suffolk County Community College, Grant Campus
Health, Sports and Education Center-Lecture Hall

Noted Speakers

Linda Stuurman, President of Last Hope, Inc. Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation
Adam Goldfarb, Issues Advisor, HSUS
Jane Hoffman, President, Mayor's Alliance for NYC'S Animals
Jane Berkey, President, Animal Farm Foundation
Bernice Clifford, Behavior and Training Manager, Animal Farm Foundation
Jacques Lynn Schultz, Senior Director, ASPCA National Outreach
Linda Klampfl, President, Almost Home Animal Rescue and Adoption, Inc.
Men from Rescue, Ink., Biagi, Johnny O, Desi, Ron, and Robert
Charlie Milone, Director, Hempstead Shelter
Chris Elton, Director, Babylon Shelter

Brainstorming Workable Solutions at Last Hope’s Pit Bull Predicament Conference at Suffolk Community College at Brentwood-Saturday, May 3rd 2008 ~ Compiled by J. Anderson

Note: The last session of the Pit Bull Predicament Conference moderated by Charlie Milone (supervisor of Hempstead Town Shelter) and Chris Elton (director of Babylon Town Shelter) asking the audience for workable suggestions was supposed to be separated into short term and long term goals. Participants’ comments tended to blend without such division. Below are the recommendations:

* Education, education, education-Pit Bull literature should be available at all shelters.

* Shelters need to do a follow-up visit/evaluation approx. 30 days after the dog is in a new home.

* Volunteers should be trained by trainers. Then volunteers can show dogs to the public.

* Need good press for shelters- stop referring to municipals as “kill shelters”.

* Shelters and rescues must work cooperatively.

*Educate new owners about the importance of continued socialization of the dog.

* Carefully select homes where dogs have strong pack leaders as guardians.

*High school students need to do community service-channel this service to rescue.

*Have “greeters” at shelters but make an escorted walk through optional.

*Need for a distribution network- such as “New Hope” partners- also an email alert of dogs desperately requiring placement.

*On a municipal level- screening is essential but needs to be fine tuned-“screening” vs. “matching” pets and people.

*Change perception of the town shelter as “the pound”.

*Have intervention while dog is still in home so dog is not surrendered to the shelter.

*Counsel surrendering owners to alternative solutions.

*Use ASPCA internet tutorial training suggestions.

*”Friends of” groups can fund raise for town shelters.

*Ask trainers to donate their time to dogs at shelters.

*Invite successful placement dogs back to shelter as ambassadors.

*Offer training incentive packages for Pits- money given back if new owner continues the training.

*Mandatory spay/neuter prior to adoption from shelter.

*Figure out a way to mandate/spay/neuter prior to redemption to “repeat offender” owners-eg. sliding fee scale essentially costing less to alter dog than to redeem dog intact. Presently Palm Beach has a much higher fee to get an unaltered dog back.

*Institute a “safety net” hotline manned by volunteers to help problem solve for owners. Offer free phone consults helping owners keep their pets.

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