A few weeks ago I helped raise money for the Berks Humane Society by participating in their Walk-tober fest. I personally was able to raise $105 (not bad since I had only decided to do the walk the week before the event).
However, I am now having second thoughts. Other than all of their fundraising events I am not sure exactly what the Humane Society’s function is in Berks County any longer. Last year we found a stray (actually lost) cat on our back porch and took him down to the Humane Society, which is only a few blocks from us and an excellent location for anyone in the city to take an animal. They called us the next day to say they had found the owners, who wished to give me a reward. I asked them to just donate the reward to the Berks Humane Society (they must have as I was then added to every animal group looking for money’s mailing lists).
So what makes me question them now? My best friend (who went to the walk with me and works with a dog rescue herself) saved a little dog the other day who was abandoned by his owner who moved to Texas a few weeks ago (some people should not be allowed to have pets or kids). This little Chihuahua was left on his own living in the streets off scraps for at least two weeks. They were finally able to get him, crate him, feed him and take him to the Humane Society who turned them away!
They refused to help this poor little guy get healthy and find a loving home! My friend had to drive miles out of the city to take this scared little doggy to the Animal Rescue League simply because of some stupid bureaucratic crap about some contract (I don’t remember if it was a city contract or county – something makes me think it was county as they told my friend they no longer take in strays found in Berks County). Can you believe that? They no longer take in strays from Berks County? Contract or no contract I think it is the duty of an animal support group to do whatever they can for the strays and lost animals found in the city where they are located. Maybe that is why they really need all this money so they can move out of Reading leaving us to become over run with stray dogs and feral cats. And here I thought the Berks County Humane Society was a good, caring organization, guess I was wrong.
Leave a Reply