[Nepenthean]

Re: The Brooklyn Animal Foster Network, the ones that set up on Saturdays in front of John Jay HS @7th Ave at 5th St.

As I walked by last Monday (Columbus Day), their pit bull lunged at me and bit my thigh. Their first response was suggesting it was my fault because I had a bag of groceries in my arm. They also said that was their sweetest dog. They delayed getting the person in charge (who was across the street), hoping I would just walk away. After I persisted they finally brought over the boss. She offered NO apology whatsoever, but tried to get me to sign a medical waiver! WTF??

I love dogs as much as the next guy. But I was astonished how these people were more concerned about themselves than my fang scarred ass! Keep your children an extra leash-length away from these dogs when you walk by!

[kirby]

Two Saturdays ago I saw one of their pit bulls attack a man. Luckily they pulled the dog off the man's leg before the dog broke skin.

[Smitty]

yikes...guess they don't do behavioral testing.

[Hamilton]

911 should have been called and the dog taken away before it mauls a child.

[AccordingToTalia]

My friend was so touched by the dogs in the portable dog adoption center in Park Slope that she took one home with her last year, fell in love with him, then had her heart broken when he had to be put down after he attacked her and her neighbor's child.

Many of those dogs have been abandoned because they have severe behavioral problems. I am ALL FOR pet adoption, but prospective adopting parents need to beware that the dogs they're getting often times have special needs and are not the best behaved!

[brooklynpotter]

Nepenthean, have you spoken with them since? did you sign that waiver? i hate getting those animal people in trouble because they save animals, but they need to be proactive when shit happens.
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what would you tell me, if i could hear you speaking?--t.r.

[Peanuts]

I hope you didn't sign the waiver.

When I adopted one of my cats from a rescuer, one of her rescued dogs bit me very badly as I was leaving. She apologized and assured me of no rabies. (This woman is anti-profit and rescues so my animals I wouldn't have sent her my medical bills which were covered by insurance anyway). She also told me she bought the dog to the ASPCA (at that time it was a kill shelter) and strongly recommended it be put down.

These people sound very irresponsible...ALL rescued animals need to be checked for behavioral issues - some can be rehabilitated but unfortunately some should not be put up for adoption.
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Peanuts

[eggcream]

That sucks. I hope the bite wasn't too bad. We just walked by there. They are across from John Jay today. Lots of cats in the freezing cold huddled together. Saw the dog in question. They had another cute small white dog.

We adopted a cat from them over a year ago. Never got the papers they promised. But we are happy with the cat and it worked out well. She's neurotic but cute.

[modsquad]

I'm familiar with the people who run the adopt a cat at the Petco in Union Square (Earth angels?). They tried to rescue several cats left by a deli on 17th st. Ended up chasing them into the subway station. I have to say without a doubt all of those people are pretty much like the animals they rescue, basically abandoned by their families by their own choice or the family's. They are just as feral as the cats and dogs they pawn off.

[Toadette]

[lbleier]

Thank you
_________________
Laurie Bleier
Director

http://BrooklynAnimalFosterNetwork.org
718 789-6865
718 789-1465 Fax

[Mookie Wilson]

i see no inconsistency in his post. his use of the phrase "fang scarred ass" strikes me not as an attempt to describe precisely where he was bitten, but rather to make a little bit of light of an unpleasant situation. if your puppy tore his jeans, then i hardly think he "extorted" you by asking that you pay for them.

[tajmb]

I have no information about the dog biting or bitingS as the various posts seem to indicate. I do have to back up Eggcream though. I walked by yesterday 10/19 too. At about noon it was cold outside, very breezy. I doubt it was 65 as you claim. I looked in the cages and saaw several different kittens/cats that were literally shivering. I wasn't sure if it was the cold or just fear. One of them (mostly black with some white maybe) had a runny nose. Maybe that was the cold or maybe the kitty is just sick.

Some of the cages were draped with towels, but not all. My honest reaction at the time as a long time cat owner/lover was that they needed more protection. I thought that before coming home yesterday and reading about all this.

[bebevonbernstein]

To BAFN: I doubt very seriously the dog in question "knew" it was on some euthanasia list.

Having read over the BAFN materials, it's very clear that you believe that animals can do no wrong. A (shelter) dog owner myself, I recognized the woman with the pit yesterday as someone with whom I've had run-ins in the park, due to her insistence that an aggressive pit needed to be "socialized" at the risk of other dogs in the area.

I'm sure you'll disagree, Laurie, but you *do* have a responsibility to the public if you're going to have dogs on the street or in the park. If they don't know how to be "appropriate" in either setting, they have no business being there. You can blame humans all you want, but by having these dogs out where they can behave "inappropriately," you do more harm than good to your own cause.

There are many, many non-aggressive dogs in shelters that need homes -- and just as many of those are euthanized because you want to take on the cause of those dogs that don't fit in with our city society.

[Flexichick]

I am fostering two kittens from Kensignton Kitties right now. They were also out on 7th Avenue and moved all of the cats onto their little bus because they were shivering and it was too cold to be outside.

I wasn't there (obviously), so can't speak to where the poster was bitten, but $35 does not cover the cost of a pair of jeans these days.

I support animal shelters because for the most part they do great work. That said, if an animal is too unpredictable or not well socialized enough to be in public, they don't belong there. That dog probably needs some fostering until it is calm enough to be around people and eventually be adopted.
_________________
Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball!

[Lo Kee]

[Nepenthean]

[superjonbot]

I need a new pair of jeans. Where was that dog located?

[Hamilton]

[5x5]

[petsitter07]

If you know how to handle a dog it would not bite you, and would not have to be put down.

I can’t believe a Vet would kill a dog before the dog was checked out by a trainer.

[petsitter07]

It’s not the dogs that cause harm, it’s the people.

Everyone that has the adoption events are trying to save the animals from being put to death.

[Mougar]

[The Chipster]

Holy Crap! After reading the letter by their "director", I am apalled. That woman is CRAZY!! You can't hide all that bitterness and misanthropy under the guise of being a dog lover Laurie. Seriously. Disgusted.
_________________
Ask a burning question, get a burning answer.

[Hamilton]

[Laddie Din]

I know I'm going to be pounced on... These people obviously do good work but I have seen two instances in which they appear to be a bit unstable, as the e-mail from "Laurie" suggests. Last spring I saw a dog lunge at a passerby and the response of the people in charge was to blame the victim. "You shouldn't have gone behind him!" Is "Laurie" licensed? So many small children walk past that school on weekends... I'm not convinced these people have their safety in mind. But I know in saying that I'll be accused of being an animal-hater or something.

[jf22561]

I think what it comes down to is that some rescues are more responsible than others. This particular rescue sounds shaky - not all rescues are like that. Some rescues feel more of a responsibility in terms of what types of animals they put up for adoption, what type of homes they would like for their animals, how to present the animals, etc., etc. It's called using good judgement and it doesn't sound like this particular group uses it.

[BrooklynGigCenter]

I was passing this location this past summer, and I saw several cats baking in the sun, and obviously miserable from the heat. I asked the adoption people to please move their cages back a few feet so that they'd at least be in the shade, but they gave me such a freakin' hard time about it, it turned into a huge argument. I was wondering what their actual concern was about the health and welfare of the animals, and considering the posts above about shivering kitties, I sense a trend.

And considering the hysterical email from lbleier, I am getting a better sense of this operation.

BTW, this contrasts starkly with the adoption effort that takes place every weekend on 7th near the Key Food. Those people seem to take much better care of the animals than the ones in front of JJHS.

There should be some kind of rules/regulations/laws regarding these efforts. I really appreciate that people want to find loving homes for these animals, but making them suffer during the process is just as cruel as putting them down.

[Nepenthean]

[whynot_31]

there is no licensing for Laurie. Rescue groups are completely unregulated. Most don't even have non-profit status.

They are driven by the belief that no dog should ever be put down.

Given the problems with supply (too many dogs looking for a home) and demand (not enough homes looking for a dog) ...some dogs will end up having to be put down.

Their inability to accept this fact, likely prohibits them from focusing on offering the most adoptable dogs to the public. So, they try to get even the meanest dogs adopted, which likely plays a role in this incident.

...nobody likes to see a dog be put down, but until people start spaying their dogs it has to happen. ...if you tell me I'm a dog hater, I'll have my dog lick you.

[Flexichick]

[stacey]

[Flexichick]

[metalnyc]

[filmlover44]

[filmlover44]

[whynot_31]

The ASPCA is called on these groups on a regular basis. When you hear of the ASPCA taking in a large number of dogs and cats at once, it is often because the owner operates under the following logic: No, I can't take care of all of these cats/dogs, but it is better than them being put down.

They convince themselves that the animals have some chance of being rehabilitated and adopted. They convince themselves that the city is evil, etc.

I'm convinced that the groups attract a fringe element, one that is desperate to save animals ...in the worst case scenario they are willing to lie to get an animal adopted, under the logic that the adoption fee will then allow them to rescue more animals.

I am going to get so much email stating that not all rescue groups are like this ....let me say up front "not all rescue groups are like this".

[CourtneyBleier]

Ok. This has to be settled.

I am the girl that was holding the pit bull that bit you, wherever you say he did. Just to clarify, i was sitting up against the fence with the pit on a 1 foot leash. You walked RIGHT infront of us with a bag of food, with no intention of stopping. We NEVER said it was your fault. We said "thats most likely why he bit you". Clearly you're neurotic because you cant even tell the story correctly. How can you say we "stalled" getting the instructor hoping you would walk away. ARE YOU IN OUR HEADS? DID WE SAY WE WANTED YOU TO WALK AWAY? How dare you put words in our mouths! My aunt was GETTING FOOD. We called her ASAP for you! So stop your lying, and get over it. Youre very rude, and cold-hearted. To take money that was DONATED to us, is so insensitive i cant even tell you. You say you love dogs as much as the next guy, so then why did you take money from our donation bucket?

We never said it was our "sweetest dog". We said she was sweet. I caught you looking at me kissing and getting kissed and playing with the dog by Laurie's car, RIGHT AFTER the "attack". She smelled food, and you walked right infront of her. It is NO ONES fault, we NEVER pointed a finger. Youre stating that we told you it was your own fault, well you are either mistaken or dont remember the situation correctly.

Please dont try to make this sound worse than it really is, your pants were bit, the dog never broke skin. You werent even bleeding. And i am not trying to intentionally make light of the situation, but it really, and truly was NOT a big deal. The dog is a puppy, and puppies bite. YOURE FINE.


[/b]

[booklaw]

You are a public menace, and you and your colleagues should be arrested for exposing the public to dangerous animals. Puppies who bite hard enough to tear fabric should be muzzled, in cages, or just put down.

The fact that money was donated to you does not insulate it or you from damages incurred by dangerous animals in your care.

I love dogs, in spite of the fact that I nearly lost my thumb to a dog bite many years ago. I still carry a prominent scar.
That bite was due to my own stupidity in getting in between two dogs doing their best to kill one another, i.e. trying to stop the fight so as to protect my friend's dog.

In this instance your puppy bit someone doing nothing more terrible than walking down the street. That person could just as easily have been a three year old child holding an ice cream cone.

The puppy's bite was not "no one's fault". It was your fault, for creating a dangerous situation by allowing an aggressive puppy to be within biting reach of passers-by.

The fact that you love dogs does not justify exposing people to the risk of being bit.

[Anastasia Beaverhausen]

Well, that's settled. Between the two of you (Laurie and Courtney), I will NEVER volunteer for BAFN and will send you an email shortly to make sure I'm removed from your email list.
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Babies aren't meat! They're not even people!

[sweet tea]

MOD NOTE

ENOUGH.

find a way to disagree without resorting to name-calling.

i'm talking to both sides here.


_________________
Bumping ancient threads with bot-like bullshit

[RBG]

I adopted a mean little Yorkie from a reputable rescue group. He's nice, but he bites sometimes.

[BrooklynGigCenter]

[eggcream]

Loose the attitude. I see you skipped over the part where I said we adopted one of your cats.

And no, it was this past Saturday, see where I wrote "we just walked by there, that wouldn't mean two weeks ago" and it was in the 60's. Hence the reason you were probably ACROSS the street from John Jay, where there is less room, trying to get some sun. The cats were huddled together 2-3 in a cage with some towels on top. I guess it makes them more adoptable. After your posts here I'll never recommend anyone to your organization.


AND TO YOU EGGCREAM WHO WROTE:
"You just walked by there and the cats were freezing cold huddled in the freezing cold?" Was that two weeks ago when it topped 78 or last week when it was 65?

YOU WROTE:
That sucks. I hope the bite wasn't too bad. We just walked by there. They are across from John Jay today. Lots of cats in the freezing cold huddled together. Saw the dog in question. They had another cute small white dog.

[LongTimeSloper]

So, in your logic, if someone walks by a dog with a bag of groceries, then the dog will just naturally bite them-huh? What messed up logic! I have walked by tons of dogs while carrying groceries and never been bitten-ever! Including my own dogs! The fact that this dog bit someone just because they walked by with a bag of groceries is seriously messed up and it is someone's fault. your fault and your associations fault for having a dog out there that would do that! The police should have been called immediately!

As for this person taking your money-well, yeah, your animal damaged a possession of his-why shouldn't he take money from you? if my dog did that to someone, I would offer them money!

I can't count the number of times I have walked by your group and dropped money in or played with a dog or cat, that will end immediately and the word will be passed on. And not because I believe this stranger's word so much, I don't know him from Adam. but, the way the people from this group have come on here and spoken is appalling!