A day or two after reporting in the Straight, via Eargoggles' Clayton Holmes, that the proceeds for DVD sales for The Rebel Spell would go to A Better Life dog rescue, I encountered troubling news stories online that the people who run this rescue operation were supposedly breaking into private residences to liberate dogs who were being "abused" (by the standards of A Better Life, anyhow), then re-selling the pets. This is something the RCMP allege that A Better Life are doing for profit - something the founder, one Jan Olson, and her partner deny. Without any evidence one way or the other, I'm willing to believe their denial, actually - this sort of action seems far more likely to stem from idealism (and maybe a bit of a vigilante streak) than the profit motive - but I'm still troubled, particularly in discovering that this is a controversy that has followed the group for some time; here's another story, from 2009. Personally, I don't really like the idea of any private group - people with no public oversight, accountable only to their own consciences - breaking into private property for any reason, let alone to take things and redistribute them (...and this applies whether we regard a pet as property or not). Unless they have a pretty damn good moral justification for taking such an action, this is stepping wayyy too far outside the rule of law for my tastes; between pets being left alone for a few hours and people breaking into homes and yards, I have a pretty clear moral sense of what the greater evil is. And the whole "report abuse" function on their website seems a little too Stalinist, a little too open to abuse in its own right... I actually have no pets of my own precisely BECAUSE I would consider it wrong to leave them alone for long periods, as I would be obliged to do; but that doesn't mean I think that everyone should be made to follow that rule, under the penalty of vigilante action.
So I guess I won't be buying this DVD by The Rebel Spell. Bummer, I would have liked to have seen it.
This past spring I had to go away for two months. At the time I left I owned a one year old female pit bull. Having no where to keep her and no money for a kennel, I found some people on a farm in Langley and they agreed to look after her till I came back.
ReplyDeleteA week after I left a woman fitting the description I saw in the paper with a mock uniform arrived at the farm and convinced the owner that she had a legal right to take the dog. The owner of the farm does not speak English very well and was intimidated by the uniform and the woman's manner. He gave her my dog.
When I came back he explained what had happened and I called every S.P.C.A., every Vet's office, every dog shelter I could trying to find my dog. I never found a trace of her till this story came out.
I am trying to put what I feel into words, but I am failing. I have been a pacifist most of my life, but I would very much like to punch this woman in the mouth. I would like to know where my dog went, is she safe? Do her new people love her? This makes me really upset.
I wrote to the email address listed on the website. I provided details regarding my dog and when they would have taken her, so we will see what the response is. I just wanted to say thank you for bringing them to my attention!So,thanks.
ReplyDeleteZed, please contact me (ammacinn at g m a i l etc, so we can talk about this. I'm working on a piece of writing about this and could use your input!
ReplyDeleteActually, it's not a question of " pets being left alone for a few hours" usually i'll just bet it's more a question of animals who are left to freeze to death covered in their own shit, dogs who's ears freeze off, dogs who's collars have grown into their necks, or dogs who have been chained to the same tree for 8 years. Please, do some real research before you write about this. These women are peoples sisters and grannies and wives, they are all over, they are your neighbors. They can't stand the misery anymore, and THAT is what compels them.
ReplyDeleteJust because someone has one picture ofa dog sitting under a Christmas tree, doesn't mean thats where an animal has spent it's life. Have a look at animal advocates of B.C. site, look at Judith. Would YOU be ok with her owners? They said they "loved" her too. They could care less about money, they pay out double the adoption fees in vet bills. And lets not forget that ANY rescue as well as the SPCA charges an adoption fee, both for the dogs sake and to cover bills. What is legal and what is property is beside the point. The lowest level of moral development involves believing that what is right and wrong is what the law says is right and wrong. The US law once said it was ok to keep humans as slaves.
Actually, I'm quite allowed to react off the cuff to what I've read in the media. It's, um, my blog - and as biased and faulty as the mainstream media are, *some* of the news that is breaking about A Better Life (which cannot ALL be fabrication and exagerration) is rather STARTLING to a layperson on first blush (including accounts of animals whose status as being abused seems at the very least open to interpretation; I have no doubt there are other cases that are much more clearcut). This is all the more startling for *me* personally, when I'd given the organization a de facto validation by promoting this DVD release in the Straight, not realizing exactly what I was promoting. I didn't really like finding myself having been *used* in this way, which is how it felt (tho' in fact I discover that no one was using me - Clayton Holmes, whom I interviewed, was merely passing on a fact, while apparently knowing little of the background of the organization himself. The guy who COULD have given me the lowdown is someone whom I didn't actually speak to until the gig itself...).
ReplyDelete...but we'll leave all that aside for the moment - because indeed, on some level you're completely right - I was writing a bit carelessly here, without knowing all the facts, and there are clearly more complex issues at hand (and perhaps, tho' I find myself in fairly morally complex waters for saying so, much possible good that can come from the activities of an organization like A Better Life, despite my own initial reaction...). You may or may not be glad to know that I'm considering doing more serious research (and more serious writing) about the organization. Maybe you'll like that piece better, if it happens. Now that I'm not quite so shocked and annoyed to have found myself inadvertently involved in all this, I find I'm actually rather interested in A Better Life's point of view.
Can I ask for a bit of patience? I have some other obligations I need to take care of before I get to this.
Zed, again, I need to speak with you.
@ Anonymous
ReplyDeleteMy mom knows Judy and I called her organization right away to see if there had been a mistake. My dog was not abused in any way. A woman in some kind of uniform conned the owner of the farm into giving away my dog.
Please read the story of Palooka who was taken by ABLDR in 2009. She was/is a much loved dog. Thankfully her owners got her back. Also, please read the story of Katie, the 17 year old dog that was taken in Tswassen. Without checking they just go and "rescue" dogs, time and time again. ABLDR are cowards. Cowards don phony uniforms and steal. To stand up, speak the truth, and use honest methods to change laws would help all dogs now and in the future. There are better methods than lying and stealing. Btw Jan Olson is also charged with fraud.
ReplyDeleteNot only read the story of Palooka, but Hunter, Katie, Chica, and way too many more too mention. When i went to their facebook page and asked them why they dress in fake welfare costumes (before all this came out) they told me i was delusional and needed to take my meds and were completely rude,and even threatening, and this was from Miss Olsons Partner Louise Reid
ReplyDeleteI personally know someone who had their dog stolen by these people, and I knew the dog very well too. I know for a fact that they took the dog to the vet on a regular basis (far more often than I even take my dog) and gave her more than anything she needed and that their dog was FAR from being abused in ANY way. The dog was not kept outside, the dog was not beaten, the dog was well-fed, etc.
ReplyDeleteWanting to comply with 'authority' and squash any belief that her dog was not taken care of, the owner turned her dog over to these people (which she admits was a stupid move on her part) and hasn't heard anything more about her dog since this happened many months ago.
Firstly, the dog was not being abused. Secondly, if this organization received some kind of 'tip', they probably could have seen just from looking at the dog themselves that she was healthy and safe. Thirdly, they did not tell the owner they were taking custody of the dog-they told her that the dog would be inspected-if the organization were doing things properly they would have provided their real information (not lied like they did) and then also contacted the owner and let them know that a professional had determined the dog to be in poor condition and could not return the dog-And then finally give the owner options to be able to regain custody of their pet (take some kind of class or something). None of this was the case.
I hope these women and anyone else involved is charged to the hilt and fined maximally for the horrible pain they have caused so many families.
Zed, have you looked on the ABLDR website for your dog? I worked with the agency for some time-completely unaware of their tacticts, so please don't pummel me with nasty comments-and there are some pits that have come into the system with various stories. If she is there, contact the Surrey RCMP as they may have information on some of the dogs.
ReplyDeleteI know the Owner of Sampson, the Bulldog Jan Olsen was recently caught stealing from the property in Coquitlam. This animal was cared for and loved and Jan Olsen asserted that he was in danger of "Freezing to death" when it was well above zero, she claimed his water dish was frozen (impossible based on outside temp) and that a "bulldog expert" had advised her he could freeze. This despite the well known fact that the opposite is actually true, Hyperthermia occurs frequently in bulldogs and they're 10 times more likely to overheat and have been known to do so in homes with forced air heating in winter...so apparently, her "expert"" wasn't much of one. She was caught red handed breaking and entering and stealing and the police testimony will see her convicted.
ReplyDeleteHm. Well, folks - dunno if that piece of writing is going to happen, at this point; it's homeless at present (and WAYYY too much work for the blog - I need to get reimbursed for the amount of time this would involve to do properly). I'll keep y'all posted, but nevermind my cries of "patience" - feel free to fire away at me, at each other, etc. I feel suddenly like I've unfairly asked only one side of an argument to bear with me... rest assured that supporters of A Better Life are also welcome to comment, I kinda feel like you're getting, um, dogpiled upon, here...
ReplyDeleteHere's my ABDLR story.
ReplyDeleteWe lived in our previous house for eleven years. A couple years after we moved there, we adopted a dog from the SPCA, and of course, became quite familiar with the neighbourhood as we walked him. The first year we had our dog, we would walk by a house that had a puppy chained to a dog house in the backyard. During that winter, we would hear the dog whimpering because of the cold... Next year, the dog a little older, but in cold weather whimpering. I phoned the SPCA and the city pound. They said they couldn't help, as the owners had provided the dog with a shelter, and that was all they were legally obliged to do. Nine more years passed. The dog was always in the yard when we passed, always on his ten-foot-chain, but he had stopped whimpering and just layed there. The dog we adopted from the SPCA passed that year, as he was elderly when we got him. I was looking to adopt another dog, and came across ABLDR. We adopted a dog from them (a truamatized one, but that's a whole other story). A few months later, something clicked in my brain, and I thought to tell ABLDR about the chained dog. They rescued him, thank you so much. He wasn't sellable, he was an old man by the time he was rescued... and if I have ever done anything good in my life, it was to find someone to help this poor dog.
I don't agree with dogs being taken from a yard just cuz they are left outside, some dogs just like being out... but this dog was in a horrible situation, and I am so glad he received help. Broke my heart to see him there... and I wish I had advocated for him more and sooner.
CRATED ALMOST 24/7
ReplyDeleteABLDR have waded into some tough waters here through their tactics. It is unfortunate that they didn't lobby government to try to change the laws, however I suspect that the burden of proof is quite difficult when the victims can't speak.
But let me tell you about neglect. I know people that keep their dog crated all day and all evening except for one pee break and in the evenings when the dog sleeps on the bed. They are out in the evening and on weekends and when they go away they leave it in the create and other people take it out for a pee break.
Noticed I haven't made mention of long walks or any kind of excercise at all....
When you see them with their dog they look young and attractive and coo and cuddle their dog and you would never imagine that they would treat such a sociable animal this way.
So while ABLDR approach is an unfortunate and illegal one perhaps it is time that this issue was cracked wide open!
I know one of the owners of a pet Jan Olsen was caught red handed by the police stealing, while wearing an outfit to impersonate an animal welfare officer. The dog was not abused, was loved and cared for. Olsen and her ilk, if found guilty of the allegations, seem to feel they can set a time limit they feel is appropriate for a owner's dog to be left outside. She claimed this dog was in danger of freezing to death and his water bowel was frozen, yet it was 7 degree Celsius outside. The alleged profit motive aside, they fact they broke and entered and stole family pets based solely on allegations by neighbors or "concerned citizens", without making efforts to speak with the owners, or undertake their own observation prior to the thefts, suggests something is amiss in their claim of being a benevolent rescue organization. Furthermore, taking animals. Without knowing their medical history, possible medication requirements etc. Endangers the animal's welfare. To say nothing of the emotional trauma. Inflicted on the animal. So far not one pet they have been accused of stealing has shown any signs indicative of the sort of abuse they claim. Their report abuse functiion on their page shows they believe they operate above the mandate of the SPCA, who are tasked with investigation of such offenses and is subject to abuse by neighbours with an axe to grind, particularly when the "rescue" group makes no effort to speak with the owner's of the animal before they steal it from private property after trespassing and breaking and entering.
ReplyDeleteABL is NOT a rescue organization. when given the choice of "rescuing" Dog (a normal healthy dog that is on their adoption page) or Keegan (a dog that was shot in the mouth with a broken jaw so it couldnt eat) guess which dog they paid $100 for and took?
ReplyDeleteIf you choose Dug.. you're like ABL.
Bunch of people with no morals pursuing a Stalinist agenda. They say they steal dogs because someone reported that the dog was being abused. No investigation, no correction nothing. Just steal the dog and sell them for a profit.
I even doubt the claims that they spend "thousands of dollars" to get a dog medical attention, and wonder if the medical attention is required due to them stealing a dog out of its home.
Think of Katie, a 17 year old dog they stole and put up for adoption. By the time the owner got her back she was so traumatised she died soon after. Wasn't ABL guilty of dog abuse in this instance?
Every time Jan Olson is interviewed she brings up one example of a dog that was slashed from ear to ear. I don't think any of the dogs they stole went through that sort of abuse. I seriously hope they lock her up. She is by no means judge, jury and executioner, although I could reconsider the last one considering what she did to Katie.
Hey Allan, more charges...http://www.theprovince.com/news/More+charges+against+Surrey+rescue+group+accused+selling+stolen+puppies/6086053/story.html
ReplyDeleteJust FYI
Looks like some of them are taking responsibility for their actions?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.news1130.com/news/local/article/388024--self-proclaimed-animal-rescuer-pleads-guilty-to-stealing-dogs
Would still be an interesting article to write I think ;)