On How can county get handle on stray animals?
Posted on December 16 at 10:49 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
One last thought: For years, animal shelters have made people feel guilty for surrendering unwanted pets. The thought was that if they make it difficult, the person will think twice and keep the animal, that has never and will never work. The reality is that it sometimes just doesn't work out, no matter how well intentioned getting the pet was in the first place. Sometimes it is embarrassing to admit it didn't work out and the person feels they will be judged poorly for giving up on their pet. So it becomes easier to dump the pet out in the country somewhere and the various townships end up paying the cost. That is what needs to change, if people feel unjudged in turning in unwanted pets, there would be many fewer strays.
On How can county get handle on stray animals?
Posted on December 16 at 9:16 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
If the shelter has room, my understanding is that they do not euthanize. They have had some dogs there for a year or more. Certainly they could, but would go against their mission. If not for donations from people in the community, this would not be possible.They do have volunteers at the shelter and Mounds satellite clinic, I have been one of them.
On How can county get handle on stray animals?
Posted on December 15 at 9:28 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Badgerlvr, regarding costs: When a stray animal comes into the shelter, it has to be assumed that it has had no immunizations and has to be updated on everything so as not to potentially infect others. By law, a vet has to do a health check when it comes in and then every 30 days (there is no vet on staff and incurs an extra charge). It has to be wormed, treated for fleas, fed, and taken outdoors twice daily by staff. It may have other medical needs as well. Then there is a vehicle and gas that is used to go pick up the animals, a monthly phone bill, utilities to heat and cool the building 24/7, medicines to buy, staff who cover the shelter 24/7 (remember they come in on holidays), building maintenence, a parking lot to plow and grass to mow. There is equipement to purchase such as bowls, blankets, leashes, crates, dog toys, dog beds, cleaning supplies. On any given day 100 cat pans may need to be changed. THEN, after 7 days, if the animal is not claimed, it is neutered and spayed, which at most any vet clinic in town will cost you more than $130. If the animal is claimed by the owner after a day or two (which is the exception, rather than the rule), expenses are lower, but many of the animals may be kept for months before they are adopted out. So on average, it costs considerably more than $130 to house the average stray and the shelter relies on donations to cover the balance. A county wide program is the ONLY good solution to this problem.
Posted on December 12 at 10:33 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
There is such a thing as a bad patient too. They can be vague historians with a difficult to piece together history; multiple complaints; 45 minutes worth of problems that don't fit into the 15 minutes THEY scheduled; don't know their medications/doses; comes in for every little thing which begets the "cry wolf" syndrome, comes in for nothing until the boat is sinking; disagrees with person accompnaying them about what their symptoms really are; obtains care at multiple clinics which makes it hard for the right hand to know what the left hand is/was doing; "forgets" that they already had a work-up for this same problem sometime in the recent or remote past. So it's not just the clinic or hospital, it's as often as not the patient that can make it hard to deliver good health care.
On Are Walmart gripes justified?
Posted on November 6 at 5:55 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Walmart was asked specifically during a neighborhood meeting when they were trying to obtain their conditional use permit, "will you be a good neighbor?" by one of the nearby residents. All of the big wigs noded up down, like a row of puppets, and replied unanimously, "oh of course!" Will you pick up the garbage? Will you not allow over-night parking lot campers? Will you follow the rules and regulations set forth by the City? Affirmative. Without exception, all of the homes that back up to Walmart were there long before Walmart built in this new location. And if one bothers to look back at City zoning plans in 1988, it was zoned "light commercial", which Walmart is not.
Walmart is not above anybody else and should comply with City regualations. Take a walk along the bike path and check it out-the natural state of the green belt was most definately altered, now looks like a barren, rocky field.
On Petition says residents near Janesville Walmart have seen six years of problems
Posted on November 2 at 7:03 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Tax and spend you got it wrong. That property was NOT zoned commercial over 40 years ago, that is a fallacy that keeps perpetuating itself. Regardless, that idea has nothing to do with the concerns those residents raise. You would also complain if there was garbage all over and a cesspool in your backyard! I also applaud those residents for organizing and taking Walmart to task.
On Headline: What age is too old for trick-or-treating?
Posted on November 1 at 9:28 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
If you're smoking a cigarette, you're probably too old.
I love to see "kids" of all ages! It's a magical, mystical night where kids, old and young, get to rule the world for a few hours. The little tiny ones don't really get it, the bigger kids seem to enjoy it more, why should we pick an arbitray age to say they are too old??
On OWI epidemic
Posted on October 18 at 10:17 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Alcohol dependence/abuse is likely both a habit and disease.
Typical characteristics include: Impaired control over drinking, preoccupation with alcohol, use of alcohol despite adverse consequences, distortions in thinking (denial).
Genetic factors play a big part; if children of alcohol dependent parents are adopted and raised by non-alcoholic parents, they are still at up to 50% increased risk of alcoholism. Genetic factors seem to influence the intensity of an individual's response to alcohol.
That being said, environmental, social and psychological factors also play a big part in alcohol dependence. Binge drinking, unfortunately, is often an expected rite of passage for teenagers and the habit may continue into adulthood.
There is no magic pill or treatment for dependence of narcotics or alcohol. For those without the disease, it is easy to say, "just quit drinking." It can be done, but is not easy.
On Rock County officials meet to talk animal control contingencies
Posted on September 24 at 7:28 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Twinkiepied- where did you get your facts about the Humane Society putting down "more adoptable" dogs and keeping pit bulls? Simply is not true. Dogs are never put down for space issues, only temperament or significant health issues. Pit bulls can make exceptioanlly nice pets, just like any breed, given the right owner.
A county wide contract is absolutely what is needed; I applaud Dean Peterson and Danny Davis for trying to get this going; something our county has needed for years. In the long run it will ensure more animals are spayed and neutered; the price will be heavy at first. But the problem will never go away and only continue to grow exponentially if we don't do this. We just can't keep looking the other way.
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On How can county get handle on stray animals?
Posted on December 16 at 5:20 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
janesvillian- you misunderstand. I do not mean that shelters prefer people dump their animals, but have witnessed first hand people who are made to feel guilty for bringing in their unwanted animal. Part of the shelter response is in frustration over yet another unwanted animal. It becomes easier to say, "I found this animal", when in fact it is their own; clearly a very large number of animals are booted out the door or dumped in the country. Sometimes people just feel guilty and ashamed and presume they will be judged. You have to ask yourself why?