UPDATE 4/27/08 on the 19 Seeley Collies Rescued in Upstate NY

Statement by AWCA President Jean Levitt 

     In our previous updates from March 13 - April 20, 2008 (see the Archives) we have introduced several volunteers and their stories. Now we introduce another volunteer who worked with the Seeley Collies and Dachshunds on Saturday, November 11, 2007 at the SPCA of Upstate New York located in Queensbury. This was the first time AWCA volunteers went in to work there.  As always, her real name will not be used.

"Miranda"

     Miranda has never owned a purebred Collie of her own, but she is a great fan of the herding breeds.   She has owned and trained a Collie/Tervuren cross, a Shetland Sheepdog (rescue and heart dog), and Border Collies. She is currently competing in agility with her 5 year old Border Collie, Rook, who is a rescue.   She has put obedience and agility titles on the others.   She has worked in a nursing home as Human Resources Coordinator for over 25 years and is fortunate to be able to take her dogs to work with her every day.

     This is her story:  

     "When I was asked to walk Collies on a crisp November morning, I did not know what I was in for.
Now I know why I was told beforehand to behave myself and to keep a happy face.

      "We were introduced to the Director of this "shelter" who was outside the building as we were walking in.  Upon entering, the stench of urine and feces blasted us in the face.   All kinds of clutter surrounded what was to be considered an aisle.  The facility did not have a sprinkler system, so far as I could see.

      "We proceeded to a room which basically warehoused many dogs.  I don't even know how many as they were stacked in crates, some animals being too large for the crate they were in.   It reminded me of how lab animals would be kept, but 100 times worse.   If the dogs weren't crate fighting with their neighbor, they were withdrawn and "catatonic" like.  My heart broke as I looked around.  Sad to say, but it is my opinion that most of those dogs are no longer adoptable. 

      "We were led to the attic area (as I call it) which housed several Collies, many of whom were standing in their urine and feces.   As each crate was vacated, it was thoroughly cleaned.    Most could not climb down the stairs and had to be carried.   It is hard to say whether it was due to muscle wasting, eye problems, or they just never learned how.  They did a better job going up.   We took them out one by one, all of them enjoying the sunshine, exercise and human interaction.   Not one of them wanted to go back in the building.  

     "Last but not least it was the old sable man's turn to get out.   We were told he could not go outside and that we could walk him to the other room.  He was too weak in the rear to go on his own so we made a sling with a towel and helped him move along.    He was in desperate need of a bath, his open wounds caked with feces and probably burning from the urine he had to lie in.  He did his best to acknowledge us with a wag of his tail, but it was obvious that this guy was hurting both physically and emotionally.   We expressed our interest in giving him a bath and were told by the Executive Director that we could give him a sponge bath as there was no time to give him a bath and the groomer would be coming on Monday.   One of us held him up in the sling, the other sponged him down.  I hope it made him feel a little better.   There was an empty IV bag hung in the vicinity of his crate and when asked if he had been given fluids, no one knew.

      "Our time limit came around and we updated the Director and the President of the Board of the SPCA of Upstate New York with what we thought were important things they needed to know.    We did mention one tri female who strained quite a bit when urinating, which could indicate a possible urinary tract infection.   Without getting a urine sample on her, the Director barked out orders to her staff to give the dog an antibiotic. 

      "I never returned."

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     Folks, we continue to be very concerned about the old gentleman, as well as the remaining Seeley Collies and Dachshunds held in crates at the SPCA of Upstate New York in Queensbury. We thank you for your continuing messages of concern for them all.

     We have received confirmation that there are still Collies there, held in crates on the top floor.  Yet we also hear from local people who have tried to adopt Collies, only to be told that there are no Collies there, or--if a Collie is seen--that they are "spoken for".  "Spoken for" for more than six months while they lie (or spin) in cages in a dim isolated room while adopters are turned away? 

     We also hear--again from local people--that this shelter often refuses, for lack of space, to accept local strays or pets that owners cannot keep; yet more truckloads of animals are transported from the South to be housed in the SPCANY building and sold at PetSmart.

      And still--with space in such short supply--the Collies continue to be held when fine alternatives are available.

     Why?   It has been 194 days.

Calmly,

Jean Levitt

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