A group of self interested animal welfare individuals (the same who lobbied to oust former IACC administrator) are leading a charge with yet another coalition-attempt group called the “Indianapolis Animal Welfare Alliance.” The “Alliance” recently published and distributed (via IndyFeral distribution list) the “2010 Animal Welfare Alliance Resource Flyer.” This is a renamed version of earlier editions of a resource guide entitled, “Central Indiana Animal Outreach Assistance.”
According to the “Alliance’s” Darcie Kurtz:
This document serves as a good source of local information regarding low-cost services for pet owners and also useful resources for those of us in animal rescue. There is a lot of information on this 2-sided flyer so we have tried to simplify it a bit to include mainly those services most in demand by low-income citizens….
Please forward the attached document to anyone who may be in need of services for their animals.
In the Indianapolis area there are two feral cat organizations, Feral Bureau of Indiana (FBI) and IndyFeral (IF). The resource guide authors have apparently decided that only one feral cat organization (IndyFeral) is worthy of acknowledgement for the local public needing feral cat assistance as well as “those of us in animal rescue.”
Another omission (apparently to which low-income citizens, their animals and “those of us in animal rescue” should not acknowledge or have awareness of) is that of the low-cost dog behavior assistance as is offered by Doggone Connection, www.doggoneconnection.com
Doggone Connection is one of the few (if not the only) programs that welcomes people with pit bulls, offers free training to fosters, discounts to those acquiring their animals from rescues, humane societies, ACC and significant discounted rates for folks with family members in active duty (including military, police and firemen/women). There is a sliding scale of these fees on their website.
Doggone Connection serves many of the animals from the groups on the Animal Welfare Alliance Resource Flyer such as ARPO, WAGS, Indy Pit Crew, FIDO, ACC and many other rescue groups in the central Indiana community. In 2009 the multiple trainers with Doggone Connection have given 6-week behavior classes, free of charge, to 31+ foster parents and low-income individuals and 100’s of hours in free consultations to fosters, rescues, and folks in need. There are trainers who pull some of the hard-to-place dogs from IACC and work with them until they find incredible homes. Trainers with this service program dedicate their time and efforts to educate people on resolving problem behavior and encourage the human/canine bond to help prevent relinquishment.
Can a leopard change its spots? Or,…
“What is the sound of one hand clapping?”