AR-News: (NY - US) "Sanctuary" allows dogs to freeze to death;
HELP NEEDED
Sara Whalen
petsaliv at warwick.net
Fri Jan 23 08:47:41 EST 2004
Hi Sherrill,
You are so right.
Just for your information - throughout the years I have pleaded with the
ASPCA to go up there - I never got a response. Additionally I contacted
the supposed 'rescue people' in NYC who brought him dogs, gave him a
donation to take them and then just walked away and left the animals to
their fate. They were living in a 'dream world' - wanting to believe
that the dogs were in 'heaven' while I was telling them they were in
HELL. They didn't stop bringing animals there and they are just as
guilty as Brother Victorian is. They have now found another kennel
upstate that they are overloading with their 'rescues' and it is only a
matter of time before we read of another horror story.
I know the people who take dogs off the streets do not want to bring
them to the CACC but I believe that the alternatives they choose are
much much worse. If the original rescuers would follow up, visit the
dogs routinely and check with a veterinarian to make sure that in fact
the animals at that supposed 'shelter' receive care (both routine and
emergency) that would be fine but their 'commitment' seems to end when
they drop the animal off. Other agencies, like the Ulster County SPCA
which is now in court with another negligent 'rescue kennel' are forced
to use their resources to prosecute people who should never have been
permitted to be the guardians of an animal's life.
I think education is needed at the 'ground level' - If these people
cannot take responsibility for housing or boarding the rescued animal
and finding it a new home themselves OR find a reputable sanctuary that
has room to admit them then that 'rescue angel' is in effect becoming an
'angel of death and suffering'. Getting an animal off the street is the
BEGINNING of rescue, making sure the animal is in a safe place is the
ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY.
Snugglezzz at aol.com wrote:
>Hi my Friends:
>
>Yes, I know the first thing is to rescue these animals and give them proper care which rescuers know how to do and do well... but I must state that this Brother Victorian Mattison, owner of The Lazarian Society, on Pine Wood Road, Sullivan County, has been requesting donations since I know of him about 20/25 years ago - and receiving them "for his animals". I didn't believe him and never sent him a penny. I had written him whether it would be possible for me and another activist to visit his "shelter" and he never answered this question, but just sent me a form letter requesting donations. God help animals in "shelters" like this and, unfortunately, many others like tis too!!!
>
>I strongly recommend everyone to vigorously investigate any "shelters" or "kennels" or whatever they call these animal concentraiton camps, BEFORE supporting them! -- Adela
>
>Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2004 7:40 PM
>Subject: FW: 20+ animals need help-Lazarian Society/rescue grp. being closed Sullivan...
>
>Please crosspost widely!!!
>
>I was asked to crosspost these two newspaper articles (see below) in an
>attempt to find help for the 20 or so remaining dogs. Supposedly a good
>number of dogs had to be euthanized last Saturday. Appx 40 were found dead on the property (including 3 in garbage cans). Many are believed to have died from exposure to the elements. There are appx 40 dogs currently in a
>40 X 50 tin shed type building. Several dogs are being taken by NYC area
>rescue groups. There are 20 or so dogs which are still in need of help.
>There is also a pot bellied pig as well as a number of cats. I'm told the
>contact persons are: Bonnie Swack/SPCA at 845-796-3120.
>or Liz Keller at 845 434-7191. Cochecton NY is 45 mins NW of Monticello NY on the NY/PA border.
>
>Dogs still in need of rescue:
>6 - smallish black gsd mixes (heinz 57 types)
>8 - purebred labradors (one chocolate the rest black) (2 of which cower on
>floor but are friendly)
>1 - spotted pointer/dal mix
>1 - collie mix
>1 - chow/akita mix - black - old dog - very sweet
>3-4 older dogs - shep mixes
>1 - smaller white male senior dog named Snitch (who led the inspectors to
>the dog carcasses)
>
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>January 15, 2004
>
>Frozen dogs in plastic bags at private shelter in Cochecton
>
> By Victor Whitman
> Times Herald-Record
> vwhitman at th-record.com
>
> Cochecton. The owner of an animal shelter has been charged with cruelty
>after inspectors found frozen dogs wrapped in plastic bags.
> More than 40 other dogs were found running around in cages in
>sub-freezing temperatures.
> Brother Victorian Mattison, 74, owner of the Lazarian Society on Pine
>Wood Road, was cited yesterday with two counts of failing to provide
>adequate shelter, Sullivan SPCA President Bonnie Swack said. Other charges
>are pending.
> The SPCA photographed 10 frozen dogs wrapped in plastic bags near piles
>of other garbage at the back of the property. The dogs most likely died of
>exposure, Swack said. On Sunday, Mattison allowed the SPCA to remove eight
>adult dogs, 10 puppies, three adult cats and four kittens. However, he has
>refused to surrender 47 other dogs and one pig.
> "We're trying to get a warrant and get them out of there, so they can get
>better," Swack said. "The older dogs don't do well in the weather."
> The SPCA has put down four of the adult dogs, and will have to destroy up
>to half the animals, Swack said. SPCA volunteers have moved older dogs into
>a covered area.
> On Sunday, a dog led an inspector to the pile of frozen dogs, and began
>chewing on the carcasses, Swack said. Rats have infested the piles of
>garbage, a barn and living quarters. Inspectors also found the jawbone of
>another dog and a dead cat behind the building.
> Yesterday, several breeds were running around in the large, chain-link
>cages. Each kennel had a dog house and fresh hay had been spread. Some of
>the dogs' bowls had ice and snow mixed in with the food. The water in the
>plastic buckets in each cage was frozen into blocks.
> Mattison, who has run his "no-kill" shelter for more than two decades,
>denied that any of the dogs died of exposure on his property.
> "Sure, it's cold, but they will survive," Mattison said, standing near a
>kennel where dogs circled and jumped in the cages. "You can come over here
>tomorrow, and every dog will be alive."
> Mattison said the SPCA only found five dead dogs on the property. He said
>three died of old age; one had been dumped outside his property; and one of
>his staff members had picked up a dead dog along the side of the road and
>planned to bury it.
> "This isn't an old man with a bunch of dogs," Mattison said. "We are a
>legitimate nonprofit."
> But Mattison doesn't have a permit from the town to run the kennel. He
>has also been cited several times for dogs running loose, Town Attorney John
>Keating said.
> He was scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 26 on the code and animal
>complaint violations. He will appear Tuesday on the animal cruelty charges
>
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>http://www.recordonline.com/archive/2004/01/16/brf455.htm
>January 16, 2004
>
>Cochecton
>SPCA will take over animal shelter
>
> An animal shelter where 10 frozen dogs were found stuffed in trash bags
>will be shut down today.
> The Sullivan Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals obtained a
>warrant to take over the care of 47 dogs at the Lazarian Society in this
>rural western Sullivan County town, said SPCA President Bonnie Swack.
> The SPCA will impound the dogs and keep them on the property, Swack said.
>A veterinarian will visit the shelter over the weekend, and volunteers will
>take over their daily care. Up to half the animals the aggressive or sick
>dogs could be destroyed, she said.
> The SPCA will recommend that 94 additional counts of animal cruelty be
>filed against the owner, Brother Victorian Mattison, Swack said.
> Mattison, 74, has been charged with two counts of cruelty for failing to
>provide adequate shelter or adequate food, water and medical care. On
>Sunday, Mattison let SPCA volunteers take puppies, kittens, adult dogs and
>cats, but he refused to let them remove other animals.
> On that visit, the SPCA found the dogs stuffed in trash bags near piles
>of other garbage. The animals most likely died of exposure, Swack said.
>Inspectors also noticed the bones of other dogs and a dead cat.
> Mattison, who operated the shelter for 22 years, remained defiant
>yesterday. He said no dogs had died from exposure.
> "How can they come in here and impound our animals?" he said. "This is a
>democracy. I think this is an effort on their part to eliminate this place
>because it is competition."
> The SPCA needs foster parents to provide temporary homes for the dogs. To
>help, call the SPCA at 796-3120.
>
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>Barbara Lukowski
>Husky House NYC
>
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