Rules EVERY shelter (or pound) should live by - from Bad Rap blog

In a story on Olive, a forgotten and neglected pitbull, Bad Rap blog (an incredible spokesblog for bully breeds), came up with 5 rules that ALL progressive shelters should follow.  These are taken (with Bad Rap's permission) from their blog :

The Five Freedoms

Progressive shelters follow the 'Five Freedoms' as a basis for humane care of their animals. It was originally drafted in Britain way back in the 1960's as a best practices guideline for housing farm animals. Zoos refer to it as a guidepost for their operations, as well. The Center for Shelter Dogs promotes the Five Freedoms and explains that understanding a dogs' basic needs "will enable shelter staff and organizations to not only manage the (dogs') stress, but all to improve their welfare by addressing their needs."

Five Freedoms for Captive and Kenneled Animals

1. Freedom from Hunger and Thirst – by ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigor.
2. Freedom from Discomfort – by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.
3. Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease – by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment.
4. Freedom to Express Normal Behavior – by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal's own kind.
5. Freedom from Fear and Distress – by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.

Freedom to enjoy the company of an animal's own kind gets skipped in most busy shelters. Dogs are highly social creatures who've evolved as a species to depend on relationship for their very survival, not only with other dogs, but with humans. (Recent science tells us that their domestication started as long as 33,ooo years ago. Link) It's not surprising that behaviors will degrade when they're denied opportunities to socialize.

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Since last week, I have thought long and often about Hades - and to a lesser extent - Bandit and the cruel and abusive manner in which they have (were) treated by organizations which purport on other levels to be proponents for animal welfare.  TAS has the ability to investigage cruelty  allegations (as did THS, once upon a  time) ; I know that in ANY other circumstance, if either organization had been told about a dog that was locked up, with no access to proper exercise, no opportunity to engage in "normal" behaviour, no chance to be who that animal was mean to be - we would be reading about how that dog was 'saved' from a horrific life.

Both Bandit and Hades were 'failed' on several levels - Bandit ultimately paying with his life; Hades currently continuing a sad, lonely approximation of existence (becuase I can't call it life).

Rule No. 1 - FAIL - simply feeding and watering isn't enough because a diet to "maintain full health and vigor" requires more than food.  It requires exercise, fresh air and a chance to stretch limbs and work off excess energy.

Rule No. 2 - FAIL - there is absolutely NO way that any animal could have a degree of comfort by being enclosed by steel walls for day after dreary day.  It is mentioned he has "toys" but without someone with whom to interact, toys are useless.  Physically, Hades' muscles must, at this juncture, be almost atrophed - and I have no doubt he is probably stiff and sore.

Rule No. 3 - PASS - I guess - but I wonder how many times he was vetted in the past year? How many times was his health monitored?  Certaintly his emotional and spiritual health were neglected.

Rule No. 4 - CATASTRPHIC FAIL - This dog has been isolated, ignored and forgotten.  I don't know what his capability was before his incarceration to interact with other dogs - but some effort to allow him some kind of emotional interaction - to even have interaction removed from direct contact - could only have helped.  Dogs are pack animals.  He has been denied not only interaction and the comfort of his own kind, but even a substitute pack (which is common when dogs and humans interact) would have at least have allowed him a measure of "normality".

Rule No. 5 - CATASTROPIC FAIL - Mentally, this dog must be the most painful emotional morass.  Neglected, forlorn, without a positive word or person with whom to bond, he must feel bewildered, angry and depressed. 

I don't know Hades story.

I don't know if he could have been rehabiliated - or will ever have the opportunity to try.

I have read that he has failed to interact positively with anyone with whom he has been in contact - even those who reguarly feed and water him - but frankly, I don't know how he was approached, whether those who have dealt with him did so with preconceived fears and dislike, whether they did so in an effort to engage him positively, whether there were those who sought to establish some kind of bond.. none of these questions have I answers for.

I just know that knowng this dog is living this awful life is keeping me awake at night.

And this is not how I believe ANY dog (or animal) deserves to be treated, Court orders be damned.