Say hello to SkyDog

[SkyHog]

Did the shelter say why they did not scan for the chip?

Also why did he end up in a shelter so far away from you? Wasn't your neighbors who brought him in? It sounds like they went out of their way to move him as far as possible form you.

A couple of weird things about that that don't jive. They did scan the chip, they had to have, because they had him listed as "Piper" and they had his animal number, A0950301 listed on the adoption tag, which is the same number he had when I adopted him.

Also - the dog my neighbors found must not have been Piper, because an Animal Control Officer picked him up down by Kachina and Golf Course Rd (a major intersection, home to the SWAT situation I posted about a few months ago).

Finally, when I went to rescue my dog, without scanning him again, they were able to tell me that I was the owner of the dog. So he was definitely scanned.

The ****ty thing is that I checked with the shelter all day that day and the day before and they specifically checked that chip number and told me that it had not yet been scanned. His paperwork (which I'm going to scan), shows that he's available for adoption, but has his review date listed as 6/14. It shows his intake date as 6/4. The computer and report says he was picked up on 6/3 by ACOs.

There's a disconnect somewhere...BTW, the picture on the paperwork is hillarious.

 

[gismo]

T
Why do I live here again? Why do I pay taxes for some lazy fat moron to sit in a chair and tell me they don't have my dog when they clearly do?

edit: I forgot the most important part: My dog is home, and I'm finally happy again.

I'm so relieved to hear he's back with you. It does appear that animal control did prevent your dog being injured by picking him up quickly. Given that and the fact he's home, I'd give them a pass on the poor follow up. Like you wrote: "The most important part..."

 

[SkyHog]

Here's the scanned paperwork!

 

[Ghery]

Seeing that you've been reunited with Piper just makes my day. Fantastic. Sorry the animal control people are so incompetent. But, you've got him back. YIPPEEE!

 

[gismo]

Here's the scanned paperwork!

Nick, I strongly suggest you email the facility director a note thanking them for getting Piper off the streets (and out of danger), then asking them to look into why a chipped pet was put up for adoption. Right now your emotions are strong, but tossing accusations around won't help anyone, getting to the bottom of the mistake and fixing things so it won't happen again would be more productive than a vent.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

There's a disconnect somewhere...BTW, the picture on the paperwork is hillarious.

Piper has a mug shot!!

Sounds like they followed all expected procedures to track a chip BUT probably did not attempt to ctc you or failed in any attempts. I would check with the MC database to see what phone number they have on you....if you change locations/ph #, you need to call and update the MC folks.

MCs: despite efforts by various groups, there is no mc standard. Proprietry prevails. There are numerous chips and many different scanners. Many had pushed for an industry standardization to avoid the problem of failed scans but some chip mfgs insist on individuality in the industry, to the detriment of animal security/safety.
Some tell me there is a "universal scanner", but I am not convinced.

Hope Piper is not too traumatized. And no dz's brought home.

 

[Trapper John]

Glad you got him back!

Boy, he sure looks sad in that mug shot - I bet he was really glad to see you and go home!


Trapper John

 

[mikea]

Nick, I strongly suggest you email the facility director a note thanking them for getting Piper off the streets (and out of danger), then asking them to look into why a chipped pet was put up for adoption. Right now your emotions are strong, but tossing accusations around won't help anyone, getting to the bottom of the mistake and fixing things so it won't happen again would be more productive than a vent.

It sounds to me like typical city employees and managers who have positions way beyond their intelligence. They probably have no system of communication in place where the ones answering the phones actually look for recently picked up dogs.

We can imagine they have brain dead procedures in place where one group makes the "up for adoption" procedure while "the contacting the owner" group never handles the backlog. You know, maybe that guy is on vacation for two weeks. That, and they probably get hundreds of calls to the point where the #1 priority of the phone answerer is to end your call and handle the next one.

 

[gismo]

It sounds to me like typical city employees and managers who have positions way beyond their intelligence. They probably have no system of communication in place where the ones answering the phones actually look for recently picked up dogs.

We can imagine they have brain dead procedures in place where one group makes the "up for adoption" procedure while "the contacting the owner" group never handles the backlog. You know, maybe that guy is on vacation for two weeks. That, and they probably get hundreds of calls to the point where the #1 priority of the phone answerer is to end your call and handle the next one.

Could be, but given the potential for an emotionally costly mistake here, I'd think the city or animal shelter administrator could be "coaxed" into setting up a more foolproof system. I'd expect that most of them would like to do the right thing and with a little prodding might actually pull it off.

 

[wabower]

Try to project yourself into one of those jobs at the pay level they provide. See how long you would last, and the level of help you could attract for those wages and working conditions.

Could be, but given the potential for an emotionally costly mistake here, I'd think the city or animal shelter administrator could be "coaxed" into setting up a more foolproof system. I'd expect that most of them would like to do the right thing and with a little prodding might actually pull it off.

 

[mikea]

Try to project yourself into one of those jobs at the pay level they provide. See how long you would last, and the level of help you could attract for those wages and working conditions.

The wages and working conditions and low expectations of your performance are a lot better than even flipping burgers. They get great benefits like civil service and GEICO insurance, too.

There's a reason why pols in Chicago and elsewhere use those jobs as rewards for the great unwashed functional illiterate faithful. "We don't want nobody that nobody sent."

 

[gismo]

Try to project yourself into one of those jobs at the pay level they provide. See how long you would last, and the level of help you could attract for those wages and working conditions.

City administrators in medium sized towns can make a decent income, typically approaching or exceeding $100k/yr. I suspect that someone running an animal shelter wouldn't likely do as well though.

 

[wabower]

If I got a hate letter I'd show it to my troops as an example of why we're in a lose-lose deal here, starting backwards through the chain of events.

A discussion of the dog owner's contributory negligence that started the process would probably be promininently mentioned.

Nick, I strongly suggest you email the facility director a note thanking them for getting Piper off the streets (and out of danger), then asking them to look into why a chipped pet was put up for adoption. Right now your emotions are strong, but tossing accusations around won't help anyone, getting to the bottom of the mistake and fixing things so it won't happen again would be more productive than a vent.

 

[mikea]

If I got a hate letter I'd show it to my troops as an example of why we're in a lose-lose deal here, starting backwards through the chain of events.

A discussion of the dog owner's contributory negligence that started the process would probably be promininently mentioned.

You don't think that if Nick or others got a phone call the same evening they would be writing flowery thank you notes?

You're right. Probably not.

 

[SkyHog]

If I got a hate letter I'd show it to my troops as an example of why we're in a lose-lose deal here, starting backwards through the chain of events.

A discussion of the dog owner's contributory negligence that started the process would probably be promininently mentioned.

I've not yet, ever neglected my own fault here.

Does this mean we might as well just have the Animal Control people beat and euthanize the dogs too, since the owner was ultimately responsible for them getting out?

Sure, they're underpaid. If they don't like it, they can find a job they're good at.

 

[SkyHog]

You don't think that if Nick or others got a phone call the same evening they would be writing flowery thank you notes?

You're right. Probably not.

Actually, I would have. And they got my huge amounts of thanks for rescuing my dog before I laid into them a small amount for their negligence.

 

[wabower]

I didn't say you were trying to skate, I said what I would do if I were the pound guy and got a hate letter. You scorch me, I'll try to burn you.

Think again about the logic of your last sentence. What other job would you think the rank and file at the pound might be good at? I'm sure there are some dedicated people there, but might it be that for some the job at the pound is the best one they can get, whether they like it or not?

Whatever the process was, or was supposed to be, it clearly didn't work in your case, and due your perseverance the story had a happy ending. To think that the public sector will respond as you would hope to such a screwup is unrealistic. They shrug, blame the budget and lack of resources and wait for 5 o'clock and payday.

I've not yet, ever neglected my own fault here.

Does this mean we might as well just have the Animal Control people beat and euthanize the dogs too, since the owner was ultimately responsible for them getting out?

Sure, they're underpaid. If they don't like it, they can find a job they're good at.

 

[Skip Miller]

Think again about the logic of your last sentence. What other job would you think the rank and file at the pound might be good at? I'm sure there are some dedicated people there, but might it be that for some the job at the pound is the best one they can get, whether they like it or not?

Nick, those people may be the only ones willing to treat the animals compassionately.

Whatever the process was, or was supposed to be, it clearly didn't work in your case, and due your perseverance the story had a happy ending. To think that the public sector will respond as you would hope to such a screwup is unrealistic. They shrug, blame the budget and lack of resources and wait for 5 o'clock and payday.

Right. If you really want to fix the system, do the following: Find out who the shelter boss reports to, in the ABQ city administration. Write him a very flattering letter as to how happy you are that Piper was taken off the streets and treated well during his captivity, with a cc to the shelter boss. Then work into a conversation regarding how hard it was to find Piper, even though he was chipped. (Your current contact information on file with the chip guys is up to date, right?) and volunteer to review the procedures for no cost so that owner contact procedures might be improved.

You will make more progress with honey than with the bludgeon.

-Skip

 

[ReverendSlappy]

Ultimately, the cynical dismissal of issues like this and, "Bah, what do you expect?" grousing is counterproductive; it sets up a cycle of lowering expectations and ultimately becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. And nobody's interests are well served by that -- other than those of folks interested only in throwing stones from the cheap seats, I suppose.

Nick, unlike some of the blithe, blanket condemnations above, you've gotten some good advice here: Get involved. Talk to the people responsible, and if you don't get satisfaction, talk to their superior. If the situation still isn't fixed, take it to the press. Or even better: You've demonstrated an interest in public service before... Maybe you can can use this issue as your "cause" in your entrée into it.

The short version is that problems like these are fixed by the people who show up. Those who'd prefer to stand on the sidelines and whine are, in the end, destined to be the victims of their own low expectations.

 

[timwinters]

Nick,

I lost track of this thread and read the last 10 or so pages tonight.

What a saga!

So glad you got Piper back.

BTW...

I'm firmly in the pro-hate letter camp.

 

[SCCutler]

Nick, those people may be the only ones willing to treat the animals compassionately.

Right. If you really want to fix the system, do the following: Find out who the shelter boss reports to, in the ABQ city administration. Write him a very flattering letter as to how happy you are that Piper was taken off the streets and treated well during his captivity, with a cc to the shelter boss. Then work into a conversation regarding how hard it was to find Piper, even though he was chipped. (Your current contact information on file with the chip guys is up to date, right?) and volunteer to review the procedures for no cost so that owner contact procedures might be improved.

You will make more progress with honey than with the bludgeon.

-Skip

Nick:

Copy Skip's post;
Print it;
Laminate it;
Memorize it;
Execute in accord with it.

Skip offers wise advice, with which I concur wholeheartedly. Bureaucrats can always withstand (and ignore) complaints; it takes praise and persuasion to make something happen.

 

[Obi Heed Kenobi]

If I got a hate letter I'd show it to my troops as an example of why we're in a lose-lose deal here, starting backwards through the chain of events.

A discussion of the dog owner's contributory negligence that started the process would probably be promininently mentioned.

Ummm...being as assisting the public with their own "mistakes," if they can be deemed such (if you're claiming that you've never made a mistake with a pet, you're full of something stinky), asserting a pet owner's negligence as an excuse/justification/defense for not doing your job isn't really allowed.

That's not to say that asking "what went wrong here" in a reasonable manner isn't appropriate or isn't the place to start - but it's to say that this suggestion is kind of like an EMT saying, "I didn't need to show up because, hey, he got hurt because of his own mistake."

 

[Henning]

That reminds me of a south park episode w paris hilton. Heh.

Whore Off!!! Mr Slave rules.....

 

[Henning]

The saga is officially over, and I'm now more displeased with Albuquerque than I ever have been before.

Today I found the following:


He had been in the shelter since yesterday afternoon. He had been picked up almost immediately after he got away from piecing the day together. They had his chip number and my information on file, but never called me or AVID to tell us about Piper's discovery.

Moreover, when I went in, they had no timer on holding him, and he was available for adoption from the public.

I'm so angry right now, I don't even know how to speak properly. Apparently, if you live in Albuquerque, the microchip is useless. I need to find some sort of GPS implant so I can do Animal Control's job for them.

Why do I live here again? Why do I pay taxes for some lazy fat moron to sit in a chair and tell me they don't have my dog when they clearly do?

edit: I forgot the most important part: My dog is home, and I'm finally happy again.

Jesus F-ing Christ, you've got to be kidding... time to bring out the guns, there's a pathetic bunch that need killing....

 

[Henning]

Nick, I strongly suggest you email the facility director a note thanking them for getting Piper off the streets (and out of danger), then asking them to look into why a chipped pet was put up for adoption. Right now your emotions are strong, but tossing accusations around won't help anyone, getting to the bottom of the mistake and fixing things so it won't happen again would be more productive than a vent.

They don't need accusations, they need bullets...

 

[wabower]

Read the comment in context. Are you familiar with the defensive behavior called "circling the wagons"?

Ummm...being as assisting the public with their own "mistakes," if they can be deemed such (if you're claiming that you've never made a mistake with a pet, you're full of something stinky), asserting a pet owner's negligence as an excuse/justification/defense for not doing your job isn't really allowed.

That's not to say that asking "what went wrong here" in a reasonable manner isn't appropriate or isn't the place to start - but it's to say that this suggestion is kind of like an EMT saying, "I didn't need to show up because, hey, he got hurt because of his own mistake."

 

[etsisk]

this wonderful thread about a safe homecoming just took an ugly turn, didn't it. Great.

 

[wabower]

Still ****ed about the dead squirrel?

this wonderful thread about a safe homecoming just took an ugly turn, didn't it. Great.

 

[etsisk]

Nope (had to try and remember what it is you were talking about - you keep that in your head, do you??? ) - but this thread's gone from "I lost Piper" to "Piper's home! Yay!" to "brain dead people that need to be shot"... of course, if you're ok with that sort of a turn, good for ya. But I thought it needed remarking.

 

[SkyHog]

Nope (had to try and remember what it is you were talking about - you keep that in your head, do you??? ) - but this thread's gone from "I lost Piper" to "Piper's home! Yay!" to "brain dead people that need to be shot"... of course, if you're ok with that sort of a turn, good for ya. But I thought it needed remarking.

Yeah, I'm not gonna shoot anyone. In fact, I'd rather they not even lose their jobs, and instead, just be a little more compassionate and a bit more efficient.

I honestly believe that it would have eventually worked out ok, but I can't help but wonder what would have happened had someone adopted him.

 

[Henning]

Yeah, I'm not gonna shoot anyone. In fact, I'd rather they not even lose their jobs, and instead, just be a little more compassionate and a bit more efficient.

I honestly believe that it would have eventually worked out ok, but I can't help but wonder what would have happened had someone adopted him.

Problem is, you can't fix stupid, and lazy is a multiplier.

 

[wabower]

My comments were directed toward the mentality of the public sector, which I have had ample opportunity to observe (in their native habitat and largely undetected) for many years. They have developed advanced defense mechanisms over the years, which probably accounts for their ability to survive in spite of a pronounced shortage of other attributes. They have also demonstrated the ability to mulitply faster than you can eradicate them, and will be with us always. Went in a MX office Friday, told the help they were all lined up like snapping turtles sunning on a log. Two of them were clueless so rather than trying to explain it I told them to just take it as a compliment.

Nope (had to try and remember what it is you were talking about - you keep that in your head, do you??? ) - but this thread's gone from "I lost Piper" to "Piper's home! Yay!" to "brain dead people that need to be shot"... of course, if you're ok with that sort of a turn, good for ya. But I thought it needed remarking.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

ps ref the microchips
I got this today.....you can see the problem.
AND I learn there is no completely Universal Scanner".
The system is really messed up right now.

 

[ScottM]

ps ref the microchips
I got this today.....you can see the problem.
AND I learn there is no completely Universal Scanner".
The system is really messed up right now.

This is hearsay, but I heard that even if you pet is chipped unless you pay the fee for recovery they will not call you if the pet is found. Seems that it should be a one time activation to me. One of my cats is chipped but I am not sure if they have our name. Since both cats are indoor only I never thought that it was something that was needed.

 

[Cap'n Jack]

ps ref the microchips
I got this today.....you can see the problem.
AND I learn there is no completely Universal Scanner".
The system is really messed up right now.

I can't speak about the recovery fees Scott mentioned- but there are scanners that read both chip sets- here's an example:
http://www.rfidsolutionsonline.com/...12-134-KHz-Low-Power-Multi-0002?VNETCOOKIE=NO

These are low frequency RFID tags. I'm pretty sure the 125 khz tags were the first ones, 134 khz came later. The low frequency lets them work in a wet environment such as inside a dog or cat.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

sometimes it really works!