The letter has been submitted to the Rocket Miner newspaper, Rock Springs, WY's local media source.
Please read and respond as you see fit.
Thank you for visiting this site and we hope to hear from fellow animal lovers out there in WY (as well as elsewhere)
The Animal Guardians
Letter follows:
GOLDEN LAB's LIFE ANYTHING BUT GOLDEN
a concerned citizen in Rock Springs speaks out
Writing about animal cruelty is probably about as tired a subject as the Iowa Caucuses are to Iowans right now. Yet, I feel compelled to try and do something for a golden retriever that lives just off Springs Drive right before you make a left on Winterhawk here in the town where I live, Rock Springs, WY. I’ve driven by this dog in some of the coldest, snowiest days so far this season, and seen this unfortunate animal chained up outside a poor excuse for a doghouse (unheated and uninsulated).
I thought when I first saw this that I could just report such animal abuse to an Animal Control Officer here in town and something could be done. I talked to the Animal Control supervisor, Jim Storey (307-352-1455). He shared with me that numerous people have called to report this dog being left out in the cold with no source of heat except huddling inside the doghouse for warmth. He further stated that the person who owns this golden lab is breaking no city ordinance and therefore cannot be subjected to disciplinary action by the City.
This brings me to the issue of the current City Ordinances. Let's break them down shall we as they pertain to animals and how we treat them.
If you go to http://www.rswy.net/Ordinances/Ch_03Art_05.htm you can read for yourself the wording of Ordinance 3-532 Cruelty to Animals under Chapter 3 of Morals and Conduct as part of Article 3-5 HUMANE CONTROL AND REGULATION OF ANIMALS in the Rock Springs Code.
Unfortunately, just as Jim told me, the City Ordinances pertaining to keeping an animal are not strong enough to warrant taking the dog away from said person.
The current ordinance regarding care for a domesticated animal reads as such:
(c) Every person owning an animal shall provide it with necessary protection from extreme weather, medical attention, treatment to prevent suffering, food, water and care. The failure to do so shall be unlawful.
Not terrible in terms of a broad statement to protect domesticated animals from cruelty, but as you and I both know in this litigious society we live in, the devil's in the details, and for this poor dog, "necessary protection" is neither defined, nor elaborated upon. The lack of details in this ordinance might even make you want to switch your cliched supernatural mascot to an angel.
These ordinances are extremely vague and lax in terms of shelter. I got the cordial brush off that Animal Control in Rock Springs had their hands tied so to speak in dealing with this particular animal.
Jim did however offer to call the person housing the dog for me, give them my phone number, and have me wait to see if they felt compelled to call me about said issue with their dog
I imagine the conversation, if it ever were to occur (odds being better than winning two lotteries in two different states on two consecutive days) going something like this:
Phone rings…
Me – “Hello”
Person with animal – “What (delete expletives) do you think you’re doing leaving your number to try and get me to take better care of my dog! He’s a dog! Go mind your own (delete expletive) business! If I find out where you live, you’ll be sorry!”
Click.
Sure, if we lived back in the Eocene (50 million years ago when Wyoming had a much more temperate climate, complete with palm trees), the kind of doghouse this owner provides to his dog would pass muster. But, last time I checked, I haven't seen anything resembling tropical plants on the sagebrush steppe, and "temperate" is not a word that trips off my lips when I describe winter to folks outside the area.
After talking with the Animal Control Supervisor, I contacted the Rock Springs Humane Society and asked them if they would be willing to contact the person with the dog, and offer to donate a bale of straw (about $5) that would be provided by us as excellent insulation to this currently uninsulated doghouse.
Unfortunately, I was told, they can’t do that. What they can do is contact Animal Control and give them their number, and wait to see if said person contacts them. The Humane Society said they would do such, and contact me if they heard anything back from said person. That was three weeks ago and I have yet to hear anything.
So, here I am, a citizen of Rock Springs, faced with limited options. I’ve thought about the surreptitious approach; go under cover of darkness, as well as fear of being bitten by the animal I am trying to help, and put some straw in the doghouse. I could even ratchet it up a notch, physically removing the animal from its current cold circumstances, and give it to someone who gives a damn about owning a mostly defenseless creature.
But, I’m a law abiding person, and I want to exercise my legal options. The first of which is what I am doing now - raising awareness of this particular issue. I believe if we all think globally, and act locally, we can affect change in our communities.
I ask you reading this, if you care about animals, and you care about trying to make a difference in this community, take the time to send a short email to the local city council persons and begin the process of affecting change.
It took me a while, but I was able to locate the council persons' email addresses, here they are by Ward:
Ward 1
Carl Demshar - carl_demshar@rswy.net
Joyce Corcoran - joyce_corcoran@rswy.net
Ward 2
Neil Kourbelas - neil_kourbelas@rswy.net and nkourbelascouncilward2@hotmail.com
Harry Horn - harry_horn@rswy.net
Ward 3
Kent Porenta - kent_porenta@rswy.net
Rob Zotti - bob_zotti@rswy.net
Ward 4
Chad Banks - chad_banks@rswy.net
David Tate - david_tate@rswy.net.
You can also by following this link http://www.rswy.net/Government/Council.htm run your mouse over the council persons' name and be able see their email address.
Couldn't find the mayor of Rock Springs' email, but the very fine, capable, and progressive mayor, Tim Kaumo, might be another person to contact by calling his office directly at 307-352-1510.
For starters, you could ask for two things:
- A provision be made to define what "necessary protection" is with the caveat that whatever is defined as "necessary protection" include a heated human residence or some type of adequate insulation and/or heating unit be put inside the outside pet housing unit to provide aforementioned "necessary protection".
- A provision be made to define the environmental extremes that make it necessary to provide necessary protection (i.e. temperature and wind speed specifics below or above which the pet must be adequately protected from).
Ask yourself this, how does it feel to be fumbling for your keys for only 30 seconds at your car loading groceries in minus zero temperatures, and howling 25-30 mph wind gusts? No matter how thick a domesticated animals' coat, those kind of conditions are simply uncalled for.
Let’s try and make sure our domesticated animals here in town don’t have to experience that same feeling 24/7.
Thanks for your time in reading this.
The Animal Guardians
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