 |
| Middletown Stray - November 21, 2010 |
A very, very brief background on this whole Oreo situation:
Just over a year ago, there was a dog named "Oreo". Her owner abused the hell out of her and one of the financially largest shelters out there took her in, stirred up a ton of media attention about her, provided her with medical attention, then a few months later killed her themselves. Another, highly qualified, shelter begged for Oreo's surrender to them so that she would not be killed. That didn't happen. And since then there has been a fight for Oreo's Law.
This law, based on other "successful" laws, would basically say: Hey, if that animal isn't being killed for a severe medical issue, and another "qualified" organization wishes to take that animal in, then you better turn that animal over to them, or else...
And yes, this sort of thing DOES happen often enough where it actually IS a HUGE nationwide issue. Just because someone works with, or is in charge of, animals, doesn't mean they give two craps about them. There are more people who work with animals that couldn't care less about them than you'd think. Put that into consideration, plus maybe somebody just doesn't care for somebody else...the individual shelter animal isn't always put on top priority.
So anyways, Oreo's FLaw:
Nothing's perfect. People just about never come up with, or find, a perfect absolute ideal fix. There's always going to be something worse, and something better. But with thinking about the colder weather coming in, and a bunch of hours sitting in front of computers logged into Social Networks, I've been wondering more and more...What's the point of Oreo's Law, really?
Colder weather. Some shelters are very fortunate to have access to outside runs mainly for their dogs. If you haven't been to this sort of environment, you're really missing out! It is a BEAUTIFUL thing to be able to go to a shelter and see so many HAPPY dogs being taken care of, enjoying the sun, getting walks, playing fetch... But now, through no fault of any of these shelters, the colder weather is coming in and a lot of places need to cut down on the number of dogs they have because their inside facilities can't hold the capacity of HUGE outside facilities. And show me a responsible shelter that ISN'T running just about always at capacity and I've got some intakes for them! Animal shelters are ALWAYS full - ESPECIALLY during the colder weather.
So now animal shelters have to start turning away animals because they need to cut down on what they already have.
Social Networks. Log on to twitter or Facebook and follow just a couple of the right accounts and I defy you to see even only twelve posts about an animal somebody is trying to place at a no-kill rescue or at least a foster and MAYBE just MAYBE get adopted instead! You'll reach twelve before you're done getting ready for work in the morning. Just because someone is cross-posted on these Social Network sites, doesn't mean they find safety. I've seen plenty of posts later that day, or a day or two later, where that animal didn't find sanctuary.
I know a dog that I personally met about a week ago in this very situation. Some dog picked up off the road that had to be turned in because he was a stray, and no owner has shown up, no fosters have come forward, and animal shelters are already over capacity. This dog dies after tomorrow night. It's not even a matter of someone saying "No! You can't have him!" A law isn't what's needed in order for this wonderful guy to live. He just needs shelter. There's just nowhere for him (maybe this was one of the few cases where he would have been better off left on the streets).
Exactly this, is ANOTHER thing that happens VERY often. I see so many posts EVERYDAY filled with dogs and cats that are just in need of some time and space. And so many of them don't get it.
What's good for the individual is not always what's good for the masses. But take away the individual...then does it really matter? Of course it matters in huge ways, but not to that individual anymore. I know I don't want to die while in the way of a cause I don't know about, and without my say in it.
Oreo's Law is supposed to be about saving lives. But, even though THAT individual is just as important as others, we're not in short supply of others who ALSO desperately are in need of being saved and there are people out there BEGGING for these animals to just find some shelter, even if it's only for a day or two. In the end, with finances and space and so many other factors at play, somebody's gonna die, whether it's the animal that a shelter is refusing to surrender, or the one on the cross-post who didn't find new shelter.
So, how important are laws like Oreo's Law to have at this moment in this world where there is no shortage of animals in need of rescue, animals in danger of being killed for no medical reason at all, but there IS HUGE shortage of funding and space? How thrilled wouldn't an organization be to even work with another organization that used this type of law to get an animal from them? What about the next animal in line? Does that one just get bumped up on the list? Who rescues that one? Who's to even say that the shelter would be willing to really show who's on the list in the future? Maybe by force isn't the answer?
I honestly don't know what the solution to all of this mess is. I know it has to start with people caring more and being more responsible, even if they aren't "part of the problem". I know we have to work together and put in real effort to make any sort of better difference in all of this. Huge, responsible movements need to take place to set all of this on the right tracks.
This is one WONDERFUL dog, and it's not someone's refusal to surrender him, or the lack of some law leading him to his death. Like so many others I see posted online everyday, it's lack of positive, forward action and space that will likely end this kissing machine's life after tomorrow night.
Oreo's FLaw is the ones we're already passing by.
