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sadness
20 Jan 2011 21:32 #246
by LahLah
Hi all,
This is a summary of what happened at the IMHS board meeting tonight. Channel 7 news taped the whole meeting and the board president audio taped it as well – although she did not say what she planned to do with it. I will do my best to outline what happened in as unbiased a way as I can… (I’m only human…)
I have decided not to include individual names of the speakers in this summary. It has come to my attention, as well as being noted at the meeting, that someone vandalized a member of the board’s business. Perhaps this is just a coincidence… but I find this almost as disturbing as what IMHS did to the cats – so I will not provide information that could be used to hurt anyone else. I hope that as a community we can continue to work together in a positive and respectful way. Unfortunately, the bad actions of one person reflects negatively on us all.
The board has stated that they are taking suggestions from the community at this forum, and they will continue to take suggestions over email on how they can make any positive change. If you would like to submit a suggestion I believe they said the email address is:
They will consider these suggestions over the next month and (I think) discuss them at next month’s board meeting.
In general I would characterize the meeting as being very “civil” and polite. It had a moderator who kept the time. 7 people had signed up to speak, which included 1 board member and 1 staff member. There was about 30 minutes of open discussion after that. Most of the speakers praised the board for their time and efforts, including those speakers who were critical of the decision to euthanize.
The meeting opened with a board member and a staff member discussing the rationale for euthanizing the cats. I think the clearest point that was made was that the primary job of IMHS is to Intake animals (including from other shelters outside Colorado) and to find homes for those animals. With the limited funds they have they do not see it as their mission to treat those animals. It was stated that IMHS would either have to cut programs or get additional funding to treat animals with illnesses. “What type of facility does the community want IMHS to be?” was the question posed by this staff member.
The other board member also wanted to clarify that the cats were euthanized in a humane manner, and that each cat was held before they were killed. Since they hadn’t had any human contact for the week prior I think she was saying they were kind for a moment before giving the cat their lethal injection. Another point that was made was that IMHS has had at least 3 major staff and board changes over the last several years. With each change, the organization has taken time away from its progression.
Here are some of the points made by the various speakers:
• The language that ringworm is “ highly contagious” is loaded and may cause unnecessary alarm.
• IMHS has lost the good will of the community because it is not carrying out the expectations of the community – i.e. the community did not know animals would be euthanized for ringworm. Another speaker noted that this policy to euthanize animals for ringworm was put into effect in 2008 (or 2009?), yet on their website this is not made clear. People may be bringing animals to IMHS expecting they will be treated, not euthanized.
• Various speakers noted that IMHS is doing a lot with limited volunteers and that they felt more people needed to step up to help with time, and money.
• A specific proposal was given to the board members by saveintermountainanimals. (If you have not seen this proposal but would like to please let me know). This proposal had been planned to be presented at this meeting, but for some reason, it was not presented to the group at large. The main points of this proposal include the following:
o Changing the policy so that euthanasia was only used for animals with an untreatable condition, of if it was treatable but no other resources could be found to treat the animal. Ringworm is included in this.
o A Community Resource person (a new volunteer position) would enlist the aide of volunteers to foster, raise funds, and find other resources as necessary in the community if a medical or other need arises that is out of the normal operations of IMHS. This person would keep a database of people who can and will help. In the case of ringworm this person would find homes to place the animals and coordinate treatment efforts.
o An Advisory Committee be formed with the express purpose of deciding if and when an animal must be euthanized. This committee is separate from the board of directors – it will have at least 2 vets and 1 legal professional. This way more than 1 professional will give their professional opinion before an animal is euthanized.
o Specific forms were also drawn up to help with the flow of information, and a legal release of liability form will be given to anyone fostering an animal with a known or potential transmittable illness.
• 2 vets with many years of experience spoke in support of the above proposal.
• Both vets also spoke of their experience treating ringworm and spoke of how other (larger) shelters successfully handled ringworm outbreaks. They also expressed that the treatment is not expensive, and that most people will not contract ringworm if reasonable precautions are taken. What has been found to be successful at Max Fund is for 1 person in the shelter be solely responsible for treating the animals with ringworm to minimize the potential that it travels.
• One vet also stated that ringworm is transmitted only through contact – it is not airborne. Mostly it affects animals and people with weak or compromised immune systems.
• A board member who stated she is a microbiologist contradicted this vet, saying that virus’ can be airborne.
• One speaker who has been a volunteer offered to help the board with their process of determining what changes need to be made. She handed out a chart (I didn’t get a copy) that I think showed how this process can work effectively. She suggested that it needed to be fact-based.
• The point was made that IMHS has no “isolation room” to keep sick animals, making transmission of contagious illness a problem.
• A suggestion was made that IMHS be used only for sick animals and that foster homes be used for healthy animals. That way IMHS could be the “isolation” room.
• Someone who also rescues cats has found that Tea Tree Oil is a very effective (and inexpensive) treatment for ringworm.
• Someone who had contracted ringworm from an animal found it very problematic and uncomfortable, and could not get rid of it for a year. She and her partner kept passing it back and forth.
• After the suggestion that more people needed to foster animals I explained why I no longer fostered animals for IMHS. I explained how IMHS euthanized the kittens I had raised after they found they had ringworm. I also stated that I was not told until after the fact and that I was not given the opportunity to help them. I stated that I now foster for an organization that has promised not to euthanize any animal I foster or care for.
o Interestingly, one of the newer board members asked me when this had happened. I was shocked that she was not aware of this in their history.
o Someone followed up with a question to the board about how they would help future foster homes to ensure that their animals would be helped, not euthanized if they contracted ringworm (no answer was given but someone from the board said “That’s a good question.”).
• A board member stated they have 63 active volunteers and 170 volunteers on their distribution list. They need volunteers to help raise money, go to adoption day events, etc.
• Another vet talked about the early history of IMHS and how it operated with only foster homes, and had no facility. They were very successful at that time and had several vets that helped out.
This is the extent of what I heard. Perhaps others will add (or have a different perspective) on what happened.
This is a summary of what happened at the IMHS board meeting tonight. Channel 7 news taped the whole meeting and the board president audio taped it as well – although she did not say what she planned to do with it. I will do my best to outline what happened in as unbiased a way as I can… (I’m only human…)
I have decided not to include individual names of the speakers in this summary. It has come to my attention, as well as being noted at the meeting, that someone vandalized a member of the board’s business. Perhaps this is just a coincidence… but I find this almost as disturbing as what IMHS did to the cats – so I will not provide information that could be used to hurt anyone else. I hope that as a community we can continue to work together in a positive and respectful way. Unfortunately, the bad actions of one person reflects negatively on us all.
The board has stated that they are taking suggestions from the community at this forum, and they will continue to take suggestions over email on how they can make any positive change. If you would like to submit a suggestion I believe they said the email address is:
They will consider these suggestions over the next month and (I think) discuss them at next month’s board meeting.In general I would characterize the meeting as being very “civil” and polite. It had a moderator who kept the time. 7 people had signed up to speak, which included 1 board member and 1 staff member. There was about 30 minutes of open discussion after that. Most of the speakers praised the board for their time and efforts, including those speakers who were critical of the decision to euthanize.
The meeting opened with a board member and a staff member discussing the rationale for euthanizing the cats. I think the clearest point that was made was that the primary job of IMHS is to Intake animals (including from other shelters outside Colorado) and to find homes for those animals. With the limited funds they have they do not see it as their mission to treat those animals. It was stated that IMHS would either have to cut programs or get additional funding to treat animals with illnesses. “What type of facility does the community want IMHS to be?” was the question posed by this staff member.
The other board member also wanted to clarify that the cats were euthanized in a humane manner, and that each cat was held before they were killed. Since they hadn’t had any human contact for the week prior I think she was saying they were kind for a moment before giving the cat their lethal injection. Another point that was made was that IMHS has had at least 3 major staff and board changes over the last several years. With each change, the organization has taken time away from its progression.
Here are some of the points made by the various speakers:
• The language that ringworm is “ highly contagious” is loaded and may cause unnecessary alarm.
• IMHS has lost the good will of the community because it is not carrying out the expectations of the community – i.e. the community did not know animals would be euthanized for ringworm. Another speaker noted that this policy to euthanize animals for ringworm was put into effect in 2008 (or 2009?), yet on their website this is not made clear. People may be bringing animals to IMHS expecting they will be treated, not euthanized.
• Various speakers noted that IMHS is doing a lot with limited volunteers and that they felt more people needed to step up to help with time, and money.
• A specific proposal was given to the board members by saveintermountainanimals. (If you have not seen this proposal but would like to please let me know). This proposal had been planned to be presented at this meeting, but for some reason, it was not presented to the group at large. The main points of this proposal include the following:
o Changing the policy so that euthanasia was only used for animals with an untreatable condition, of if it was treatable but no other resources could be found to treat the animal. Ringworm is included in this.
o A Community Resource person (a new volunteer position) would enlist the aide of volunteers to foster, raise funds, and find other resources as necessary in the community if a medical or other need arises that is out of the normal operations of IMHS. This person would keep a database of people who can and will help. In the case of ringworm this person would find homes to place the animals and coordinate treatment efforts.
o An Advisory Committee be formed with the express purpose of deciding if and when an animal must be euthanized. This committee is separate from the board of directors – it will have at least 2 vets and 1 legal professional. This way more than 1 professional will give their professional opinion before an animal is euthanized.
o Specific forms were also drawn up to help with the flow of information, and a legal release of liability form will be given to anyone fostering an animal with a known or potential transmittable illness.
• 2 vets with many years of experience spoke in support of the above proposal.
• Both vets also spoke of their experience treating ringworm and spoke of how other (larger) shelters successfully handled ringworm outbreaks. They also expressed that the treatment is not expensive, and that most people will not contract ringworm if reasonable precautions are taken. What has been found to be successful at Max Fund is for 1 person in the shelter be solely responsible for treating the animals with ringworm to minimize the potential that it travels.
• One vet also stated that ringworm is transmitted only through contact – it is not airborne. Mostly it affects animals and people with weak or compromised immune systems.
• A board member who stated she is a microbiologist contradicted this vet, saying that virus’ can be airborne.
• One speaker who has been a volunteer offered to help the board with their process of determining what changes need to be made. She handed out a chart (I didn’t get a copy) that I think showed how this process can work effectively. She suggested that it needed to be fact-based.
• The point was made that IMHS has no “isolation room” to keep sick animals, making transmission of contagious illness a problem.
• A suggestion was made that IMHS be used only for sick animals and that foster homes be used for healthy animals. That way IMHS could be the “isolation” room.
• Someone who also rescues cats has found that Tea Tree Oil is a very effective (and inexpensive) treatment for ringworm.
• Someone who had contracted ringworm from an animal found it very problematic and uncomfortable, and could not get rid of it for a year. She and her partner kept passing it back and forth.
• After the suggestion that more people needed to foster animals I explained why I no longer fostered animals for IMHS. I explained how IMHS euthanized the kittens I had raised after they found they had ringworm. I also stated that I was not told until after the fact and that I was not given the opportunity to help them. I stated that I now foster for an organization that has promised not to euthanize any animal I foster or care for.
o Interestingly, one of the newer board members asked me when this had happened. I was shocked that she was not aware of this in their history.
o Someone followed up with a question to the board about how they would help future foster homes to ensure that their animals would be helped, not euthanized if they contracted ringworm (no answer was given but someone from the board said “That’s a good question.”).
• A board member stated they have 63 active volunteers and 170 volunteers on their distribution list. They need volunteers to help raise money, go to adoption day events, etc.
• Another vet talked about the early history of IMHS and how it operated with only foster homes, and had no facility. They were very successful at that time and had several vets that helped out.
This is the extent of what I heard. Perhaps others will add (or have a different perspective) on what happened.
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