Student concerned about care at Humane Society

Assistant Director of Residence Life Craig Wymer is organizing an Armstrong team for a Humane Society fund-raiser, and some students aren't happy about it.

In response to Wymer's e-mail invitation to join the Dog Lover's Walk, student Kacie Bazemore replied to all the recipients that she was horrified at the treatment of an ill cat housed at the shelter and she thought the society was run "by a bunch of ignorant, uncaring people."

Bazemore is dissatisfied with the Society and concerned about their ability to provide quality care for the animals since she attempted to adopt Zack, a cat suffering from an upper respiratory infection (URI). She didn't believe the antibiotics given to Zack were strong enough to beat the infection, and questioned how donation money was spent.

"They wouldn't release him, much less allow me to get him to the vet for proper care on my own dime."

Humane Society Policy

"Even though she had already been cleared to adopt him," the organization informed Bazemore that she would not be able to take Zack home once they realized he was sick, as he had to be held in quarantine, said Humane Society of Savannah/Chatham, Inc. Executive Director Lynn Gensamer.

Although the shelter reminds visitors to wash hands between handling animals, cats are frequently afflicted with URIs in a shelter setting, where they are more likely to endure stress through loud noises and strangers, and Gensamer compared it to the instances of colds in day-care settings.

It's Humane Society policy not to release sick animals, even if the prospective owner promises to visit a veterinarian immediately. The policy not only ensures the animal will receive proper care, but also protects new owners from shocking vet bills if the animal's illness actually masked other infections.

URIs are viral diseases, and antibiotics given are only to prevent secondary infections. Gensamer said occasionally URIs hide cases of feline leukemia, a serious, incurable disease.

The shelter has certain rules and regulations when allowing people to adopt animals from them. First of all, one must fill out an application and be approved to adopt. Second, the animal must be free of diseases and must be evaluated to make sure he or she is actually adoptable-in good health and temperament, not aggressive or dominant and able to socialize with children and other animals.

Where the Money Goes

Veterinary technicians employed by the shelter, along with 21 full-time and 23 part-time employees, conduct all of these tests. The two salaried positions at the shelter do not have any benefits, such as medical coverage or pension, to accompany the pay.

The Humane Society of Savannah spends 75 percent of their budget directly on programming for the shelter, while 16 percent goes to management and 9 percent to fund-raising. Www.charitynavigator.org recommends 25 percent or less of a charity's budget goes to overhead costs in order to be worthwhile.

'Serious Misconception'

The Humane Society of Savannah is a non-profit organization that operates mainly on the financial support of Savannah residents through events such as the Doggie Carnival, the Dog Lover's Walk and the Mutt Strutt, which are vital to the existence of the shelter.

Gensamer said the Humane Society of Savannah "truly suffers from a serious misconception" that they are affiliated with Animal Control and other member organizations. If they were, they would receive local, state and possibly federal funds.

However, Gensamer said they do not receive any support from the Humane Society of the United States or any government agencies. Every penny that is used to operate the shelter is donated by local businesses and private donations. Without donations from the public, it would not be able to remain an open home 365 days a year for the animals.

Healthy Cats

Zack spent three weeks in quarantine, with an especially difficult case, during which Vet Techs administered a full course of antibiotics. He has since been adopted.