PetsMart Charities Inc. - Rescue Waggin' Program
The Rescue Waggin' program developed by PetsMart Charities Inc., a 501(c) non-profit organization, was recently adopted by Los Angeles CITY Shelters. The idea is to transport dogs and puppies from areas of high pet overpopulation to places where adoptable pets are in demand. In addition, the program wants to address the root of the pet overpopulation problem by funding spay/neuter efforts in areas of high pet overpopulation.
The PetsMart Charities Inc. goal for California is to save more than 10,000 dogs and puppies each year through the Rescue Waggin' program. The program currently operates and saves the lives of 4,000 dogs and puppies each year in the Midwest states of Wisconsin, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and Michigan.
But reports are filtering in from around the Los Angeles area that this program is NOT being implemented correctly and may in fact be putting the lives of shelter animals at a greater risk of stress and disease due to the extended periods of time they must remain in shelters while waiting to be picked up by Rescue Waggin' transport. And during this period of time, dogs selected by Department of Animal Services officials for the Rescue Waggin' program are no longer available for adoption, by either the public or by rescue groups.
This issue has been put on the Animal Services Commission meeting agenda scheduled for Monday 8-22-2005.
Guerdon Stuckey, General Manager for the Department of Animal Services in Los Angeles, remains open to communicating with groups and/or individuals about any issues they may have. The question is, does this communicating result in anything? Stuckey has been approached and made aware of problems with the Rescue Waggin' program but refuses to suspend the program while these issues are worked out. After being pressed further on these issues, Stuckey has let it be known that he will not be making any immediate changes to the program and will take his direction from the Animal Services Commission at the next scheduled meeting. [ less ]
All the Rescue Waggin' files listed below are provided as MS Word documents.
GUIDELINES
Guidelines for Destination Shelter 02/04 [ 73kb ]
Guidelines for Source Shelter 02/04 [ 136kb ]
Guidelines for Day of Transportation 02/04 [ 143kb ]
UPDATES 8-18-2005
Guidelines for Source Shelters [ 346kb ]
Guidelines for Day of Transport [ 358kb ]
Guidelines for Animal Transport [ 296kb ]
Rescue Waggin Pre-Transport List [ 75kb ]
ATC Rescue Waggin Dog Checklist [ 92kb ]
SAFER Test Worksheet - Emily Weiss Consulting [ 236kb ]
NOTE: Year ending January 30, 2005 PetsMart Charities Inc. reported a little over $18 Million in total revenues. $16.6 Million was put towards program expenses of which $370,360 went into the Rescue Waggin' Program. The bulk of program expenses went towards contributed program rent, goods, services and grants.
(PetsMart Charities Inc. Annual Reports)