Comment to council meeting in regards to Apple valley shelter today 01/24/23.
Please read this on the meeting.
In July I adopted two dogs from Apple valley (#218330 and #218335 Dolly and Star) I inquired about those two dogs, knowing they’d be euthanized if not adopted (this is obviously not a secret).
I was treated like as if I’m doing something wrong the whole time, which confused me, as I was thinking „shouldn’t they be happy people try to adopt the animals that are set for euthanasia?“ I asked how the process works and was immediately asked why I wanted to adopt two dogs. I explained that I have a large property and since they were kenneled together and got along fine I felt like they should stay together.
I was sat aside and ignored for 30-40 minutes at at a time where other people who came after me were taken care of. Later they revealed that they have looked at my social media and assume that I am a rescue who’s not partnered with AVAS and that I should tell them now if I work with one. This was the first time I came in context with AVAS and did not have any rescue intentions.
I told them and was put aside again for 30-40min again, when they called my vet to inquire about any possible animals I may have. I do dogsit, so there was dogs on my account that I brought in during their stay, and was accused(?!) that those are my dogs. I denied, and explained.
Waiting again. After that I was told I need to pick one dog, they still think I’m a rescue and I should be grateful they even consider giving me one dog, and I need to make a decision which one. I asked why and if the other one would get euthanized then which brought attention of other people to me and the whole situation, one of which asked why they still haven’t allowed me to adopt a dog (I’ve been there since they opened and it was 1PM at this point)
They then said i couldn’t take either one because their vet doesn’t have appointments until in a couple weeks and they wouldn’t hold one to the dogs for so long.
I again said, so this means they get euthanized even though I want to adopt them? People looked at me, so they gave in and allowed me to take both after a meet and greet.
Instead of giving ne both on a leash I just purchased they had them on slip leashes and just took them off at the same time when they got into my trunk So that Dolly ran off right away and the staff member just turned around and said „should habender taken one, good luck getting that dog“.
Both dogs developed upper respiratory/kennel cough after their adoption which made it impossible for me to make appointments to get spayed. Both got then into heat as well, so I couldn’t take care of the Spaying as I wanted and I was getting harassed by shelter staff over weeks. I told them the situation and was repeatedly threatened by them.
I then had a family emergency and had my neighbor take them to get fixed, and after I got multiple calls a day again I did send the receipt and was told that’s not enough. I didn’t get it and wasn’t really taken too much notice of what they wanted since I was overseas at that family emergency. They wanted a „spay certificate“ which I had no idea what that even means. The same time I called and asked the vet for it, so did AVAS. Since the vet sent it without having the dogs there and just trying to help me out, they accidentally sent a cert that had a wrong color on it (but the correct name) and AVAS harassed me again, saying I wouldn’t have had them spayed. I called the vet asking them to correct it, before AVAS called me, assuming this would happen. They then repeatedly called the vet and harassing them as well questioning of those are the correct dogs after all (how much time is wasted for something like this??) and why their breed is different (both were listed as shepherd mixes, and we identified their true breeds and had them listed as such at the vet).
I’m shocked to be treated like this, when I was trying to do a good thing for the animals. You should think those staff members to all in their power to safe as many animals as they can, but clearly they do not care for the animals and that is so wrong.
After this incident I did start looking more into AVAS, their euth numbers and how they treat rescues and I’m disgusted how tax dollars are wasted on a place that won’t help a single dog to get saved and rather have them all killed.
It’s time for a change.
Sincerely,
Vanessa