What does it mean when a rescue is asked to sign an Animal Welfare Agreement between their rescue and an animal shelter they “pull” (save cats and dogs) from? This question has come up since Greenville County Animal Care Services (GCACS) in Upstate South Carolina has asked the organizations who rescue from their facility to sign a Humane Discourse and Conduct in Animal Welfare Agreement.
The screenshot leaves the print too small to read clearly for this article, but the content of the agreement is listed below.
“We the individuals and organizations in conjunction with Greenville County Animal Care reject and condemn verbal abuse, threats, harassment, and other acts of violence directed against animal welfare personnel and volunteers. As rescue partners, we call on every animal welfare group to join us in actively promoting compassion and respect, not just for animals, but for those people who work tirelessly on their behalf. By signing this agreement, we the individuals and organization will not engage in attacks on fellow individuals, organizations or agencies in any manner as they do not further the cause of animal welfare. We, along with Animal Care and its approved rescue group partners, when discussing differences of policy or opinion, agree to do so in a manner that is neither denigrating nor abusive. Different groups can have (and voice) differences of opinion but need to display those differences in a respectful way.”
The Greenville shelter (not to be confused with the Greenville Humane Society) has often been the subject of controversy. In other words, they do good things and they do bad things. Those who follow their pet rescue page on Facebook, as well as the volunteers who promote the animals (and do an excellent job of it), know you can be both “for” and “against” the shelter at the same time.
What concerns me, and the cause for this article is those in rescue who have taken the time to consult an attorney have been told NOT to sign this agreement. It really raises some red flags on the part of the shelter.
For one, I know rescues see a lot of what goes on behind the scenes at a shelter. Any shelter. If abuse or neglect or if policies are being broken, this new Animal Welfare Agreement would prohibit the rescue from reporting it.
Shelter Director Shelley Simmons says we all have to work together for the welfare of the dogs and cats at their facility. But how is it helping when rescues are being told they shouldn’t sign the agreement? I also wonder whether this would prohibit rescues who save sick or injured animals from posting photos on their wall, as in a way that would be negative publicity for the shelter.
Is this contract even legal? Wouldn’t it be easier to not do anything wrong that rescues would feel the need to report on? This new contract isn’t saving lives. I fear it will costs them.Has anyone had any issues with Greenville lately? Please feel free to sound off in the comment section of this article (Facebook comment section is faster, as comments from Facebook don’t have to be approved before being posted).
Has anyone had any issues with Greenville lately? Please feel free to sound off in the comment section of this article (Facebook comment section is faster, as comments from Facebook don’t have to be approved before being posted).
Elisa
Yes, the truth needs to by out. You don’t want it to be quiet. There is many things go wrong there. Shouldn’t be keep quiet. It will be keep going on. It needs to be stopped. And the word needs to out. This innocent animals, and people need to help them, even the truth has to be out.
Beth, did you see where one of the “free adoptable dogs” from a few weeks ago was allowed to run loose with no fence and was killed? LOTS of blood so it suffered. It didn’t die instantly.
Target Zero is a sham. They are good at teaching shelters how to fudge the numbers and hide misdeeds. Sara Pizano was known as Dr Death in Miami and run out of the shelter on a rail
I was advised not to sign sorry guys I’ve been dealing with this crazy BS contact all week it’s wiped me out mentally!
Animal advocates attend every county council meeting in Greenville. They helped bring about the very program that is now having pregnant cats spayed on intake. From what I’ve heard even near full term. That’s not what advocates wanted.
One council member said he was more concerned with the sidewalks than with animal welfare. Go back and read the article I did about pregnant cats. https://pictures-of-cats.org/does-anyone-know-whats-going-on-with-pregnant-cats-brought-to-upstate-kill-shelter.html
I was advised not to signed this paperwork, that is was nothing but a bunch of BS and just the shelter trying to strong arm and show power over rescues. My problems have been discussed with the assistant County Adminstrator and the shelter director and nothing came of that meeting but a waste of my time away from my job. They want to maintain not allowing me to pull Schnauzers because there is a community need for dogs at the shelter, the community does not have a need, the community in fact has failed these dogs, as my rescue and many other rescues have taken in various dogs that have been adopted from the shelter that came back in with major medical issues. What they don’t realize is Target Zero is funded by Maddie’s Fund. Maddie’s Fund is owned by a couple and named in the honor of their late Mini Schnauzer. From my understanding GCACS is following the policies of Target Zero and in which receives funds from them. I’ve reached out to Maddie’s Fund as a Schnauzer rescue and Schnauzer lover to let them know how GCACS is failing not only this breed but other dogs and animals as well. This free and low cost adoption stuff and not working with rescues needs to come to a halt ASAP! I think we should all ban together in memory of the poor dog that was adopted on free dog day and brutally hit by a car two days after the adoption. In memory of all the horrors of what happened to dogs that we don’t actually know about that were adopted on free dog adoption days. Yes people there was heavy chatter amongst known dog fighters on FB about the free dog adoption day.