Dog Fights

[tdinger]

I don't feel that just because I am an assistant moderator, I am not allowed to express my feelings.  And animal welfare is an area I am EXTREMELY passionate about.  I have done animal rescue for years and have yet to physically attack anyone.  And am afraid I don't have the funds to hire a hitman   But if you had witnessed some of the conditions in which people keep their "pets" you might also feel as adamant as I do.
I am certain Scott, as well as others on this forum, have come to know me well enough to realize I wasn't condoning actual physical harm to anyone.  If you took my words literally, I do apologize.l

Nancy as others have said you have no need to apologize.  I happen to agree with everything you have said.  Having been in rescue for several years I know how bad pets come in and how hard it is not to literally beat the crap out of someone.

[Shorty]

nancyo   you dont need to appologize keep up your good work in helping animals

[nancyo]

Thanks all for the support.  I do all my fighting with words and will continue to do so as long as this old body holds out. 

[loners4me]

Considering the fact that our homes will be searched and we will be beaten for crimes, I'm starting to think I live in Nazi Germany and not Danville, IL.

Obviously you don't understand the intentions of these "blitzes".  First, no laws are broken, concerend citizens and city peope are walking around looking for violations.  Trash, tall grass, old cars, inhumane treeatment of animals.

It is your choice to live in Danville and by choosing to do so you agree to adhere to the city's policies.  If your within the city's guidelines you have nothing to worry about.

I for one would like my neighbors to mow their lawn, take out their trash and be productive members of society.  If you lived next to me, you'd keep your lawn mowed as well, trust me.

[BOB]

Hey loners4me I agree with you and Nancyo...for sure...There's too much trash living off of the state that are to lazy to do anything but run to the mailbox and get their check...to lazy to get rid of their trash,to lazy to mow their yard but just lazy enough to be rewarded by the state for their laziness........I'm not talking about the ones that have lost their jobs I'm talking about the ones that have never worked and aren't going to start now....

[steffyann]

ok, off of the subject of dog-fighting, how about just being creul to your animals. there is a woman that lives behind were i work, she has three pitbulls and to see how she treats them on a daily basis is crazy. these dogs get out of the fenced in yard, chase my employees through our parking lot and she isn't home to go after them to take care of it. we have called the humane society and haven't seen them do anything,(not to say they haven't). she will lock two of them in pet taxis outside all day while she is gone and leave one to roam the yard. now, after the dog got loose again the other day and chased a child on to our parking lot and the child ran into a parked car, she has been fined(HEARSAY). the sad thing about the whole thing is that she now keeps them locked up in her shed in the yard while she is gone. you would think if you don't have the resources for them to be safe, you find them. i don't see were a shed is the place for them, no light, no fresh air. i don't know. just thoughts!!!!

[nancyo]

Steffy I would play the squeaky wheel.  Each and every time you witness something being done to those dogs that appears inhumane, call the humane society.  And don't be afraid to ask the outcome of your previous complaints.  Locking them in a shed even in colder weather is not good.  They need ventilation and light even in winter.  Plus if they don't have houses or something small to curl up in, they will lose body heat.  And it is only going to get much colder before we have any good weather again.  Those people don't sound like they deserve to be pet owners.

[Caregiver]

There are people in Danville and Vermilion County who know where some of these dog fights are taking place.  They include people working with animals and the police.  I asked one of the C-News reporters to write about this topic months ago and she said that she was told "not to touch it"--that it might hinder the "investigation".  I am sorry--I do not think there is an active investigation.  The vets seldom see these poor dogs, unless they are asked to crop their ears.  There are some living on my street that I am sure are being used to fight.  The other day they got loose and one of them is covered with scabs and old scars; the other one had lots of old scars.  They chased the mail person and were picked up, but released to the owner.  Just look around town--especially in the East end.  All kinds of pits are being walked(often dragged) down the street.  There is money to be made in this sick illegal activity.  I often wonder if someone is being paid to look the other way.  And I do not mean JoAnn or Shane.  Here is one hint--there has been a lot of attention paid to the area of the new school track.  Maybe someone should walk down some alleys in that vicinity.  It will make you sick.  It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out who is fighting these dogs.  They are driving around in nice vehicles, not working, and often have gold on their teeth.  They purchase huge bags of "high energy" dog food and are not the type you would really want to have a conversation with.  The authorities have to act on this and it does not look like this is one of their priorities. Caring people need to continue to call the authorities.  Here is a phone number of the Anti-Cruelty League: 1-618-345-8086. Maybe they can give you some pointers. They are all symptomsointers.  AND CONTINUE TO CALL THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES--who knows--maybe they will get tired of the calls and actually do something.

[Mayor 61832]

Caregiver....while I got the hint regarding the high school (will follow up tomorrow) if there are other addresses I need to follow up on please send me a private email and I will do so.....thank you.

[elefan]

i would rather everyone call the Vermilion Co. Animal shelter when possible rather than the humane society Nancyo.  I am extremely active with the vcas but the other day someone I  know went into the humane society where there was an ACTIVELY BLEEDING dog in its cage.  I mean there was blood everywhere!!  I was pissed, sickened, and shocked.  I  gave Joann a call.  She said not to worry the dog had just bitten the pole they use to trap the dogs with.  I told her that letting the dog sit in a cage where the public could see it suffering was INHUMANE!!  She said her local vet comes by regularly.  I told her that really wasn't good enough if she wanted the public to have any respect for the humane society...which most people do not.  I am 100% convinced that if the vcas were to handle a pit bull call, they would treat the animal and the people with dignity.  I cannot give that same guarantee with the humane society.  It is just a gross and mishandled place.  Very sad for the animals.  Also, I don't think the kennel workers there are there by choice.  I have heard they are there on work release?  If that is true, it is almost impossible to be assured that they are giving the animals the care they need. 

[tdinger]

I have been told that the "workers" are doing their Community Service Hours.

This to me while being a workable situation for the shelter (free man hours) and those needing CSH.  There has to be some sort of over sight of these "workers".  They have told me in the past incorrect information on animals and it's easy to see which people there enjoy animals and which ones see it as easy hours.

Danville HS also needs to get some volunteers to do more than run the thrift shop.  They NEED someone to go in a couple times a week and take pictures to put on Petfinder (not only increases adoption rate but may increase the number of animals reunited with their owners), they NEED to work with rescues (compile a list of rescues willing to work with them) and CALL them when a pure bred comes in.  Yes it takes more work to decrease their kill rate but people will react differently to the shelter if things change.  Also another HUGE change has to be made...they REALLY NEED to start having the animals spayed/neutered prior to release.  Increase adoption fees if need be....do it like VCAS if the animal is adopted prior to spay/neuter then the new owner needs to wait to pick the animal up from the vet after the surgery.  There is very little over sight on that.  The gentlemen I've met either out and about or behind the counter are nice people who care about the animals and from what I've seen want them to get homes but there is one person there that when ever I've talked to her I've gotten a cold shoulder.  From turning in a stray (That doesn't make me evil...if you are that jaded to that someone turning in a stray is reason for an attitude then you need to step back for a LONG while) to asking if I can take pictures of the dogs to get the word out....I've gotten attitude. In fact she didn't even answer me about the pictures, just stared.  I don't know if she is an employee or a volunteer but she appears to me to be jaded and hardened by the shelter system.  Once you hit that point you need to step back and take a break (trust me I've been there).


Sorry to go so far off topic but y'all know me and how I feel about the creatures god put us in charge of.

[nancyo]

elefan you are so right.  I used the term as a collective meaning contacting animal authority but I have the same thoughts about the differences between the two shelters.  I wonder if the humane society would be receptive to accepting a foundation board such as vcas has?  I would be willing to bet they would not want anyone around that is actually interested in the welfare of the animals. I have heard the same thing; workers are work release prisoners.  How much compassion do they take to their job when they really don't want to be there?! 
tdinger I'll bet the aloof woman you spoke with is the one who manages it. I won't mention any names but she can be very hard to talk to and too many years in that profession seem to have completely hardened her to the suffering all around her.

[BOB]

Yep I wonder....I had heard and forget who even told me now that the animals are mistreated there....but wish I could now...I personally would hate to walk in there and have to see someone mistreating an animal in there...I would be forced to get violent myself...I'm thinking anyway....I wish I could remember who told me that now...but maybe it was a one time thing but I doubt it...Of course I have to say this but they deal with idiots daily that don't take care of their animals but that doesn't give them the right to mistreat the animal either no matter how aggressive it is...really....

[nancyo]

I admit I am ignorant as to the funding breakdowns between the two.  I don't know if the fact that vcas has the foundation but they just seem to operate more humanely than the other.  I can't even bring myself to visit the thrift shop anymore because I don't want to be confronted with anything I am unable to do something about. 
Mayor Scott, can you give us more info on their financial situation and any suggestions you may have on the way some of us animal lovers can be of assistance to help improve conditions?  Also the status of employees who work directly with the animals?

[McGregor]

I was listening to the scanner a couple days ago. Police had to shoot a dog and was chasing another dog. I got on the last of the incident but the Humane Society was involved in the chase and capture. Did anyone else listen to it. I believe it was on Monday.