For the last two weeks, the Tippecanoe County Humane Society has put a hold on what are unfortunately referred to as "bully" dogs. The shelter already had a stringent adoption policy in place for any dog they suspected of having an undesirable bloodline, but it now has
decided to change its policy.
The problem is that they didn't decide on a new policy before they revoked the old one. Now there are several dogs, it is unclear how many, that simply have nowhere to go. Families desperately wanting to adopt them, and willing to jump through any hoops, are told they can do nothing but wait. In the meantime, however, these dogs are not getting the care they require.
This issue is very personal for me. There is a beautiful and kind dog, Cloud, which I have been trying to adopt for almost 2 weeks. My husband and I have visited her every day, brought her treats on her 6-month birthday, taken her for walks, and have spent hours rubbing her belly. Several times when we came to visit, her cage had urine in it, yet we have been biting our tongues out of respect for how difficult it must be to run a shelter.
But on Sunday when I went to see her, she was covered in urine and feces. I couldn't stand it anymore, and I confronted the manager about their refusal to let me adopt Cloud. He said they were adding a "questionnaire" to their adoption policy for "bully" breeds. He told me that he could tell me it would just take another week, but that he would be lying. The hold is indefinite, and he has no idea how long it will take to draft up this questionnaire.
I am a proud woman: a teacher at Purdue, in the middle of getting a PhD, but I literally begged him to tell me what I could do to adopt her. In tears, I said I would fill any questionnaire, get as many letters of recommendation as he wanted, get a letter from every vet I've known, have a home visit, anything. But, no. I'm helpless. And the adorable puppy that I have fallen in love with is still in a cage today, covered in urine and feces.
Please, Tippecanoe County Humane Society. Your mission is to help dogs find good homes. Be reasonable; be compassionate. We all love animals. We all want the same thing. Finish your questionnaire or let us adopt under the old policy until you finish it. See reason; you are only hurting the animals and loving families with your inflexible position. read more