This link was sent to me about the new procedures taking place at Greenville County Animal Care in Upstate South Carolina. Please read over the information before continuing here. “To boldly go where their discomfort level for change has never gone before” definitely has those who follow this kill shelter experiencing a lot of “discomfort.”
One paragraph read
“Prior to 2016, Greenville County Animal Care was taking in 8,000 – 10,000 cats and kittens annually and euthanizing at least 50 percent of them (about 4,000-5,000 each year). We euthanized daily at our shelter because otherwise we’d have no room to house all of the new cats and kittens coming in.”
In 2016, Greenville County Council passed and supported Target Zero, a TNR/Community Cat resolution that allowed outdoor cats to continue living outdoors when they were spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and ear-tipped. The Petco Foundation gave the Greenville shelter a grant for any outdoor cat to be spayed/neutered and returned to the area where it was found.
Some numbers that happened in 2016 are:
- 2,097 fewer cats entered Animal Care in 2016
- 1,917 fewer cats were euthanized in 2016
- 1,574 community cat (TNR) spay-neuter surgeries were performed in 2016 at our clinic
- 52-80 percent decrease in number of cats picked up by participating animal control agencies
- 19 percent decrease in enforcement calls responded to by Greenville County Animal Control
Now let’s throw the monkey wrench into the machinery and look at a few issues that are upsetting a lot of people. For one, some of the top pledge raisers have been blocked from the Greenville County Pet Rescue page when they asked questions. One concern is last year at this time the shelter had well over 100 cats available for adoption.
The Greenville shelter is spaying pregnant females rather than allowing them to give birth. That’s another controversial subject. Some agree with their decision and some are outraged.
Then we have the ‘gag order.’ This was first brought up a few years ago when volunteers were forced to sign stating they wouldn’t say anything bad about the shelter. From what I’ve been told, the staff and management are also under the order and as of last month so are the rescues who ‘pull’ from this shelter. In other words, if you see something you don’t like, you can’t tell anyone.
One of the most respected rescues who save cats from the Greenville shelter was actually turned away from rescuing a mother cat and her kittens because the rescue refused to sign the newest paperwork. Those who have had attorneys look over said paperwork have been told NOT to sign it. In other words, there will be fewer rescues than ever to save the cats.
Not that there will be many cats available for rescue. Because it looks like the cats are mostly being “fixed” and returned to where they were picked up from. I’ve even heard two-pound kittens have been TNR’d, but it’s not confirmed. Does anyone know whether this is true or not?
It would be interesting to learn how 52-80 percent fewer cats were picked up by participating animal control agencies when there are fewer than 20 available in the cat’s album the shelter promotes on Facebook.
What is REALLY going on with all of the cats? Does anyone know? Are the cats getting out alive and to a safe place? I can promise you that comments won’t be removed from this article, so feel free to express your opinion. I really hope Greenville is doing what’s right for the cats at their facility, but with everything being so hush-hush, who knows?
This situation is extremely distressing. For one thing, no one at the shelter, whether on staff or as a volunteer, could give an honest answer if anything bad IS going on because they’re under orders to only speak well about the shelter. Don’t get me wrong. This shelter has done a lot of good things for the community. But to turn away a well-respected rescue who had agreed to take a mother cat and her kittens is very disturbing. It makes everyone wonder what else is going on that we don’t know about.
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Elisa
PLEASE if you are someone who lives near that AC..complain..make noise..whatever it takes!!
People who live near the shelter and complain are banned. They’re called troublemakers for being concerned about the animals. One friend of mine had to jump through hoops when her lost cat ended up there and there was a problem with the microchip. Anyone who tries to speak up is quickly silenced, one way or another.
Yup….I “stood guard” over R’s cat until she got to the shelter that day and then she had to wait for a while before she could get him out!
What angers me the most is those poor little kittens being spayed and released instead of being put up for adoption. Young ferals can be tamed. All the shelter is doing by releasing them is making them coyote snacks or the poor kittens will be hit by a car or starve to death. How can anyone think this is a good idea?
I totally agree….this is heartless! What’s wrong with these people. Greenville County…yes…animal care…NO!
I was banned a few years ago for asking questions about dogs that were tagged for rescue and even pull fees paid being put down repeatedly. They would let it go as far as we go to pick up a van load for rescue transport and they would say ” oops.. they were accidentally pts”.. I hope someone can get this place fixed, I have tried taking it to the city council only to be turned away. People I know who worked there have been fired for having concerns as well. I know years ago they were in the black , meaning money wise they were profitting!!!! They get paid for every animal that enters that place from Spartanburg, no matter if they’re killed or not. It’s a crying shame !!!!