A magic program for creating the appearance of success when an agency is failing
The challenge is accounting for the health and well being of animals in their care. The task is how to kill shelter animals without being held to account. The method is to make animals responsible for their own deaths. This is the process:
1. Eliminate expertise and the community to expedite killing by dismantling every element of community and professional participation and involvement.
The Citizens Advisory Committee which is not comprised of stakeholders and is not transparent does not count. It is a distraction.
How did MCAS become an authoritarian regime?
- 2016 under then Director Jackie Rose training programs and professional experts with behavior and training backgrounds who once advised and participated in disposition decisions and training for animals were eliminated. So was the participation of volunteers, staff and any member of the public who once had permission to participate in disposition decisions. At the same time a policy was initiated eliminating a Shelter Review quorum in euthanasia decisions now permitting an animal to be euthanized at any time based upon any one or two managers’ decisions.
- “Modified Shelter Review Process to be daily and/or as needed, as opposed to weekly with animals waiting up to six (6) days for decision making. (November 2015).” Part of the summary of accomplishments presented by Jackie Rose to Department of Community Services Director, upon her departure in April 2029.
- 2023 MCAS’ Policy of Euthanasia (effective as of 11/28/23), “consideration of placement for pets who may be eligible for placement is not a guarantee of placement, that “other considerations for euthanasia may include the available resources to manage or address the needs of the animal, as well as lack of available placement opportunities.” (https://www.multcopets.org/sites/default/files/2024-03/MCAS-PLC-001%20v1%20Euthanasia%20Policy.pdf)
MCAS managers have repeatedly declined to respond to the following questions stating “no responsive documents.”
- The employment positions /professions of the Shelter Review Committee members (positions not names).
- The animal behavior science and training credentials of the Shelter Review Committee members.
- The outside consultants of the Shelter Review Committee: The public was supposed to be part of establishing euthanasia guidelines.
- The minimum number of attendees when euthanasia decisions are made.
- The transcript records of discussions for euthanasia decisions permitting transparency.
- The decision making process for euthanasia dispositions.
- The parties in charge of supervising the committee’s adherence to standards and holding the Shelter Review Committee accountable.
“It’s a mystery” as the Catholic Church would say about the unfathomable when unwilling to respond.
2. Label all dogs killed for behavior or medical reasons, “unhealthy and untreatable” despite objective evidence to the contrary in nearly every case. It relieves the responsibility of working.
3. Claim a “lack of resources” or “available placement options” to excuse a lack of effort, initiative, and their management failures: “We tried, then cried.”
4. Treat animals as criminals listing ‘crimes’ committed, then kill them for preventable incidents caused primarily by human error and ignorance including management’s shocking lack of skills and knowledge. Don’t create an intervention program.
5. Turn the shelter into a pet store and commodities market. Quote inapplicable research as justification: “Free or nearly free animals are just as loved.” No, they are not, flying back at warp speed as “adoption returns.” Selling animals at rock bottom prices, $25, to anyone, giving them a free “try out,” discourages commitment and encourages returns within 2 weeks for a complete refund if an animal does not work out; No owner education provided.
6. Take owner surrendered dogs for $50no questions asked, provide no owner surrender counseling to help owners understand reasons behind incidents, and how to prevent incidents and alternatives to surrender. Its the cheapest option in town to get rid of your now inconvenient companion animal.
7. Glorify dog bites as incredibly dangerous unpreventable threats to “public safety” that can only be resolved by killing. Most bite incidents can be prevented. Here is the answer.
“I have long suspected that many people perceive injuries from dog bites through a different lens (possibly a magnifying glass) than the one they use for injuries from other ordinary causes. In fact the data on ER and hospital treatment for dog bites bear out this suspicion. As a class of injury receiving medical treatment, dog bites, on average, are less severe (according to the accepted measurement, called an injury severity scale) than any other class of common injury.
The average treated dog bite is rated as minor, at the lowest level, 1 out of 6. (a Level 1 injury is one from which the person recovers quickly with no lasting impairment, a level 6 is one likely to be fatal. Only one percent of all treated bites rate as more severe than Level 1.” (“Dogs bite but balloons and slippers are more dangerous” Janis Bradley, James and Kenneth Publishers 2005, page 47)
Ironically MCAS does magnify all bite pictures because often the bites that have broken the skin are not clearly visible without magnification and bites that are visible are magnified to enhance effect.
8. Create a management dynasty based upon internal loyalty to the throne, advancing others according to loyalty to management not ethics, public service or competence. The effect is harmful to public service. For example, the current director, Erin Grahek, has proven herself to be wholly unsuited to lead MCAS, appointed to MCAS as director after not advancing at the Department of Aging and Disabilities. I don’t know why failure at one agency leads to promotion at another in Troutdale. MCAS has become the consolation prize for failing elsewhere in government. Multnomah County government’s welfare program is “Leave no manager behind,” prioritizing management welfare over public service.
“Grahek didn’t come to Animal Services with any animal welfare experience. ‘I will bring on strong professionals who have the animal welfare background that I don’t, and marry that with my experience as a manager and a leader in Multnomah county,’ Grahek said.” https://www.opb.org/article/2023/02/21/animal-care-concerns-multnomah-county-troutdale-shelter
By hiring an inexperienced person as MCAS director what was created instead of “strong leadership” was a power vacuum. Since human nature abhors a power vacuum, ambitious middle level managers filled it in, with the goal of creating an agency that works for them. It meant replacing caring for animals, pet redemption and public service with caring for themselves: Vacations, and 36/44 hour work weeks take precedence.
This is a short list from public records/citizens’ reports. Can this be corrected? The fish rots from the head. No, not unless honest government accountability replaces indifference and failure is not hidden by government propaganda behind which failure lies. That task belongs to the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners.
“‘I know the difference the shelter can make’ she [Jessica Vega Pederson] said Friday. ‘My family and I adopted our cat. Marie Curie, from the shelter and our team and I will be working so that the animals I visited today have the same opportunity to find a family.’” https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2023/01/former-multnomah-county-animal-services-staff-volunteers-say-deep-rooted-problems-have-led-to-years-of-animal-neglect.html
Over 2 years later nothing has changed but the cover: Animals are still suffering and are being killed indiscriminately or tossed out the door, unprepared and frightened to anyone.
Gail O’Connell-Babcock