Wolves: Separate Facts From Myths

Myth: Wolves decimating elk herds. Fact: IDFG data. Idaho’s elk numbers up or steady, all but two of 29 zones. Overall elk numbers increased in wolf states (Idaho,Wyoming, Montana). Wolves pushed elk off valley floors into mountains: harder to find.

Myth: Wolves decimating livestock. Fact: USDA/IDFG. Wolves responsible less than 2 percent livestock predation deaths. Ranchers privately compensated for verified wolf losses, by state for unverified/missing losses.

Myth: Wolves dangerous, attack people. Fact: Only one North American human death attributed wolves in last 110 years. Vast majority wolf-human encounters simple wolf curosity. IDFG Release 2006. Person in wolf country has greater chance being hit by lightning, dying of bee sting, killed in vehicle collision with deer, than injured by wolf.

Myth: Reintroduced Canadian wolves not native, larger, more aggressive. Fact: IDFG Release 2006. Biological, genetic research; only two interbreeding wolf subspecies historically inhabiting central, western US, Canada. Same wolves lived both western US, Canada.

Myth: Wolf kills have no purpose. Fact: Journal Wildlife Management. Wolves prey on most vulnerable elk, deer; old, weak, diseased, injured, very young (however elk calf survival remains steady). Contribute genetically to stronger elk, deer herds.

More Facts: IDFG assumes annual wolf increase 20-22 percent. Erroneous. USFW actual increase 2007, 8.8 percent,2008, 15.6 percent. IDFG Panhandle wolf estimate 2008-41. Never case wolf livestock predation. 2009 hunting quota 30 (70 percent). Idaho 53,484,800 acres. If half 26,742,400 wolf suitable habitat; state wolf goal 500. Then one wolf every 53,485 acres.

PHIL POUTRE
Cocollala

Senior Shelter Cat Gets a Second Chance

Lonnie came into the shelter when his owner had to go to a nursing home.  Living inside, in a cushy little house was all Lonnie had known for years and years.  When he came to the shelter, he quickly became depressed.  He wouldn't eat and his coat began to look unkempt and ragged.  Josy, the "cat lady" became concerned that it was more than depression that was affecting Lonnie so she sent him to the vet to get bloodwork.  When the bloodwork came back it revealed that Lonnie had diabetes.  Due to his age, the vet considered Lonnie to be "unadoptable".  This was told to Josy on a Friday and she stressed and mourned for Lonnie all weekend.  When she returned on Monday, she found out that one of the volunteers had taken Lonnie home.  She would take care of him, give him the care he needed and a loving home for as long as he needed.  Happy ending for Lonnie thanks to a loving volunteer who wouldn't settle for less for him.

The thing that saddens me is that since this shelter recently got new leadership, it seems to be too quick of an answer to just decide to put these kinds of animals down.  What ever happened to publicizing the situation for offers of homes, or even help with his medical while he waited for a home?   This is what we used to do way back when. This shelter is quickly becoming just a business now. Sad.

Shelter Manager Resigns with Sadness but Hope (cont.)

The rest of Kirsten's email.  We can all take encouragement in knowing that our efforts will produce results.

I've been blessed with the hardest working, dedicated, and tireless staff. These women are my heroes. They do a job I do not have the fortitude to do, day after day. They have NEVER let me down. Without them, I would have fallen flat on my face. Leaving them is the hardest part of this decision. They have made me a better person and I am proud to count them as friends.

To the volunteers who show up weekly and understand that we could never make it without their help; who know that to effect change of this magnitude requires help from everyone, not just those paid to be here; and who know how much they are valued, even when we forget to tell them- thank you from the bottom of my heart for working harder than you ever thought you would. You are appreciated, and you are needed to keep this good thing going.

To those of you who are neither staff nor volunteer, you have contributed to this mission in countless ways. Foster parent, rescuer, and adopter. You have influenced my time here and I want you to hear this news directly from me. You have made us better.

Thank you for believing in this vision. Thank you for dedicating so much of your time, hearts, and souls to this work. You made it possible; kicking in the door was the easy part. Leaving the shelter is the hardest thing I have ever done; but it is the right decision for me and I believe the right thing for the future of the shelter. I'm sure I'll be drawn back to this work and I will look for you down the road. I wish you the utmost success and will be here for you when and if you need me.

Shelter Manager Resigns with Sadness but Hope

A portion of an email forwarded to me from a friend.  This brings back so many memories in my tenure with my local shelter.  I love Kirsten's "can do" attitude.  This is what makes change happen.  I am submitting this email in two parts as it is pretty long for a blog post.  But I wanted to share it with everyone who is in animal shelter work.  It is inspiring.


It's with a mixture of, accomplishment, sadness and countless other emotions that I send you the following news. Effective November 19, 2009, exactly two years to the day, I will step down as director of the Flathead County Animal Shelter. These past two years have been the most rewarding, challenging, and fulfilling of my professional and personal life. When I accepted the job in 2007, I told myself and a few of you that I planned to stay for two years. And here we are, two years later. It’s time for me to tend my own herd: my animals who have made room for countless fosters, many of whom stayed on permanently; my husband, who is the kindest, most caring man on the face of this earth and who has personally saved many of the animals I brought home; and my extended family and friends who haven’t seen or heard from me much in recent years.
I have taken the shelter as far as I can. The mission has been established and the vision is clear. Now it is time for someone to take over daily operations to ensure sustainability of both the mission and the organization itself. This is not my forte; I leave the shelter knowing that I have accomplished what I came to do and as painful as it is to leave, it would be more difficult to stay. Saving homeless and unwanted animals is work that belongs to us collectively; in my case that means it’s time to let someone else lead the organization to the next stage.
We’ve accomplished in lightning speed what some shelters never attain: a shelter where it's safe to be a homeless pet, where love and care abound inside a homely building that had a history of fear, despair, and sorrow. Together, we set out to change the course of that history and prove that with a little love, a lot of hard work, and a simple refusal to euthanize animals without cause, we could establish FCAS as a leading shelter in the northwest. And prove that being an open-admission shelter does not mean euthanizing for convenience. To those who say it can't be done, you can look them in the eye and say "yes it can, I know, because I work at/volunteer for/support a shelter that does it every day."
I believe that to make real change, you don't timidly knock and ask permission to come in. You yell, "Hi, I'm here!" and then kick in the damn door. Sure, some thought we were crazy (some still do) and that first year was definitely tough. But we made it, hundreds of lives were saved and the good things just keep coming. We've made peace with a few non-believers, gained countless supporters, honored the community that demanded change by giving them a shelter they can be proud of, and built a network of rescuers that are the heart of our success.
In just two years, the shelter's Live Release Rate, or "save" rate has increased from a dismal 65% at best to close to 90%, on average. This is a phenomenal accomplishment. Without you, it would not have been possible. To continue on this remarkable journey, the shelter staff and administration will need the support of the community and volunteers more than ever. Improving the shelter is a journey, and there is still a ways to go.