Friday, July 22, 2011

Animal News – St. Louis, MO Has Hit New Lows

This is a brief departure from my normal post about the wonderful love of greyhounds and my 4-legged children.  No pictures of my kids.  But after watching a news segment here, well, me being me, I can’t let this pass.

Alderman Charles Troupe has, hands down, been deemed the winner of the Unmitigated Idiot of the Year award, awarded by me.

When I moved to STL over 20 years ago, it was thriving.  There was so much growth and economic success.  Then with the “recession”, or whatever this mess is, we now hit the top percentiles in all the wrong categories.

Now, I think we might win the top number 1 position for elected officials gone wild.  Not a video I’d really like to see.  Stripping donated funds from residents to Stray Rescue of St. Louis from this worthy non-profit? 

This has the making of a great Shakespearian tragedy.  Good, humane and honest hero smacked down bureaucratic ineptitude.

Stray Rescue of St. Louis is a marvelous non-profit organization.  It was started by Randy Grim on his own to rescue street dogs, his group works to rescue, rehabilitate and adopt strays from off the street.  It has grown and prospered.  And he has done remarkable work.

This year, the city’s water utility offered residents the option to add extra to their bill to donate to Stray Rescue.  $250,000 was raised through this effort.  Funds this rescue desperately needs and deserves.

And enter city officials.  A vote was taken.  And the city will deny the funds to Stray Rescue.  From KSDK:
“City leaders are trying to come up with a compromise over what to do with a quarter of a million dollars donated for an animal shelter. This comes after a committee Thursday voted down a proposal to give the money to the non-profit Stray Rescue. “
Personally, I do not believe they should be in a position to “come up with a compromise” for any funds donated on behalf of a charity.  I think that oversteps all that is reasonable for elected officials.  The vote was 4 – 4, and therefore failed.  I would dearly love to meet the 4 dissenting “officials”.

Then, if it isn’t sad enough that a deserving charity be denied funds raised by the community of voting residents, one alderman spoke in an interview with KTVI St. Louis on what he believes should be done.  Essentially, the city will take over the stray population, control by what ever means necessary, up to and including shooting and catching to sell to research labs.

When asked about his comment about the research, Troupe says “Well they've been doing that 100 years.”  To clarify, he states “They've been donating dogs to science and experimenting on them through science for many years.  I used to work in the hospital.” 

Rarely am I at a loss for words.  The illogical blanket statement that it’s been done and the underlying that makes it ok?  Or the chill I felt at the thought that this callous, unfeeling biped was an employee of a hospital?

Any official, who sides with extreme measures to deal with strays, should be judged incompetent and removed from office.  The alderpersons who voted down the donation were concerned about overcrowding.  Yes, Stray Rescue may have its hands full.  But would $250,000 have helped them?  Absolutely it would have. 

This just outrages me on many levels.

First, this outrages me to the point my hair may be on fire.  Shooting strays?  Catching and selling to research?  My blood boils at his words.  It defies logic.

Second, if I were a resident who donated, innocently through my utility, to help Stray Rescue, my tail-end would be parked in an official’s office demanding my contributions (plus interest) back so I could donate directly.

I donate to various rescues, cancer institutes, etc.  Unless I completely trust an organization, I will donate directly. To donate something elected officials can hold in their hands?  No.  Not me personally.

Shame on you, Troupe, for your callous ignorance! 

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