Arlington TX SPCA bust - General Discussions

[lauralynne]

March update from Nola:
NOLA Chinchilla Rescue: March Updatewww.nolachinchillarescue.orgSee us on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/pages/NOLA-CHINCHILLARESCUE/179184836923?v=wallIf you would rather not receive these newsletters, just let me know. A lot of happenings this last month. We had several adoptions: #41 Chileywent home to Jackson, MS with Kari Anne. Yoshi and Gus, the brothers bred by Nicole and returned to her were givento us for rehoming and a great one turned up. Ron G. had wanted chins foryears and he was picked by the two boys as a companion and are with him inNew Orleans. Zach and Cody (ex Thomas) have a new home in Texas with Daniela and family.These two were fostered by Tamara who did a great job with them. Thanks alsoto Countryside Veterinary Clinic in Red Oak for providing free pre-adoptioncheck-ups for the boys and treating their ear mites at no charge.

The above is another example of why vet check-ups are so important. A goodone knows more than most of us do. Before you adopt, get a check-up. Once ayear, get a check-up for two good reasons: to check the wellness of yourchin and to establish a relationship with your vet.

An Arlington chin gave birth this morning to a single kit (so far). She musthave been bred in early December. I wonder how old she was. Hopefully,everything will go ok. If anyone has an Arlington chin in foster who has not been adopted, pleaselet me know. Just curious. I have 2 on pregnancy watch, Peggy has the 3fostered for us in Houston and I know Crysta has 1 on pregnancy watch(surprise! L), and another, too. Another Arlington happening: while a few chins did indeed have a fungus,none that I know of were confirmed as ringworm. So while bad, it wasn't asbad as it could have been.

Trial adoptions The problem isn't too many surrenders, it's not enough adoptions. To addressthis, we have started a trial adoption program. Worried about spending a lotof money setting up and then finding out it is not what you expected? Adopta chin from us with a set-up (cage, wheel, most everything you need($150/200+) and you can return everything within 30 days for a full refund.There are several chins available with set-ups. Does anyone know of thisbeing tried by other rescues? The above is partly possible due to the generosity of several people givingus cages; most lately, Gloria in Pensacola. A belated thank-you needs to go to Kara (mistywaterwoman) who loaned us herQC travel cages for use by the Arlington chins when they were here. She hasalso come up with a nifty solution to securing the doors on Ferret Nations.See it on our Facebook site. Cages: Yoshi and Gus came in a Feisty Ferret cage. When a chin spin wasinstalled it broke the bar attachments where they joined the frame. A pieceof wood was put over the frame to strengthen it but the fix didn't last andmore bars broke. New surrenders: Houdini, a young, small (450g) beige male is available witha starter cage and wheel: $150. He is quite hand tame and is ready for a newhome. Mango and Spock are bonded standard brothers. They were adopted from us 2years ago as babies and have been returned due to their owner's healthissues. Cage, wheel and everything needed: $200 including the adoption fee. Pictures and more information are available on Petfinder. The 3 fostered Arlington males in Houston are now ready for a forever home.The black velvet and 2 standards are a bonded trio and must stay together.Their FN 142 cage and chinspin are also available with everything you needfor a great home.http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/15798222?recno=4

If you are getting ready to spring clean your cages, remember that vinegardoes not do much to kill germs and too hot water negates what bleach can do.I use a Oxyclean product. It suds, cleans, kills germs and rinses clean. Anyscent free type will do. The one we are using now is meant to be added tolaundry. Add a tablespoon of bleach to it in warm water, scrub away anyaccumulated stuff on the wire, rinse good and sun dry. Removing shelves fromwire cages like the QC mansion and cleaning the parts that were underwashers will add years to the life of your cage. PS: Don't get Chin Spinbearings wet. Do vacuum them often to remove the dust your chin brings backafter a bath.

 

[Essentia]

And another too? I'm confused as to what he is referring to when it comes to my pregnancy watch chin. I only have the one on watch. The rest were male and have been adopted in the last 2 weeks.

 

[lauralynne]

I don't think he was referring to another one w/ you. Just another female that is w/ someone else.

 

[vickvela1414]

Probably meaning another chin that someone else has.

 

[Essentia]

I wasn't too terribly worried about it. I just didn't want people to think I was hiding another chin.

 

[Ash]

I like how Rick seems to be treating it as "no big deal" that these chins were mis-sexed and possibly pregnant.

 

[Rickman]

I don't know if Rick was taking others sex determination or not, but I don't think many could/would take on the responsibility he did to save these chins, and get them distributed across the country, in the short amount of time he did, with NO CASUALITIES!!
Mis-sexing and a little fungus is nothing compared to what could have happened!
Although I tried to help, today's economy just wouldn't let it happen!
Thanks Rick, for your time and efforts handleing those rescues!

 

[tunes]

Rick - Once again, you speak about something you have no clue about. NOLA touts himself as a rescue. Part of being a responsible rescue, and even you must realize this, is checking for sex when placing chins together. It's not like it takes 4 hours to flip a chin, gander their private areas, and then place them in a carrier. We're talking seconds here.

In addition to that, are you aware of the ages of these chins? It's my understanding that they are just babies. So YES, it is a big deal, especially to the new owners who have no clue what to do with a pregnant chin, may not have wanted a litter of kits or be prepared to deal with it, and especially don't want a dead mom on their hands because she was too small to conceive and birth kits. Maybe that's how you run your herd, but the rest of us are a little more careful than that.

I make it half way across the country constantly with no chin deaths. So do a lot of other breeders. What does that have to do with anything?

 

[Ash]

Also, with chins showing signs of fungus, they should NOT have been adopted out. These animals weren't properly quarantined and watched before being rehomed. It's a shame that so many animals were improperly sexed, and I hope that "ours" on this forum ends up being the only "oops" baby. Including the female who gave birth, there are 8 females that were mis-sexed and put with males. That is way too many.

Also, going to the vet once a year for a "wellness" check up? What are they going to do? Charge me $80 to say "Yup, he's pooping!"? And a good vet knowing more than "most of us"? I'm sorry, most vets don't know diddly squat when it comes to chins. Their "expert vet" from the bust was an idiot, imo. If that's the type of person he's touting as an expert, Heaven help us all...

 

[AZChins]

There's really no excuse for any of these chins being placed into breeding regardless of who allowed it to happen. When the people went in to save them the chins should have immediately been separated out into boy cages and girl cages and kept as such permanently.

As for the vet check... I can do a more thorough health check in about 30 seconds than 95% of the vets out there. Anyone, who does rescue, should know the basics...nothing runny coming from the eyes, the ears, the nose or the mouth...clear eyes with no redness....check the sex, droppings are normal....check the alignment of the front teeth....paw pads look good...fur and skin looks good...belly feels normal, no bloatiness....and VOILA, health check.

 

[Spoof]

and even you must realize this, is checking for sex when placing chins together. It's not like it takes 4 hours to flip a chin, gander their private areas, and then place them in a carrier. We're talking seconds here.

If they're having babies now they bred long before Rick got them.

 

[tunes]

I realize that Tara. But the people receiving them should have been warned. I know Crysta received cagemates - a male and a female. They should have at least had the option to decide if that was something they wanted to risk.

 

[Ash]

If the animals are on "pregnancy watch" now, then that means they were most likely mis-sexed during the rescue and were separated after they were in their new homes/rescues. If they were known to be with males before the rescue, they should never have been adopted out and should have been kept at the rescue until pregnancy watch was over.

 

[Essentia]

I know Crysta received cagemates - a male and a female. They should have at least had the option to decide if that was something they wanted to risk.

It was known from the beginning that I wanted to take in only males since the rest of my rescues happened to be male at the time and they were going to end up sharing the rescue room. I was so against the possibility of an oops breeding due to the age of these chins which is why I requested males in the beginning. While I am dealing with it appropriately, I definitely wasn't asked if this was something I wanted to take on. When I sent Rick an email about it the exact response I got back was "****, we worked real hard to be sure- extending the penis even. I am really sorry. Do you want me to take them? I can neuter the male and leave them together. Rick". I'm not sure what that would have fixed due to them having to be separated for 6 weeks anyway after he was neutered. I had already adopted out the male at that time anyway, and I was more than capable in taking care of the situation. I appreciate him being willing to take them, but I'll be honest and say I was a little offended, though I'm sure he didn't mean it as me being not able to handle the situation.

My two were actually paired up by Rick on his way down from NC to FL. They were singles before that according to Rick. When I called him to ask how everything was going, I was told "A bit of humping, but other than that they are getting along fine". Now, I understand males hump each other to show dominance, so I am not saying that should have been a red flag. My issue is, is that I don't think mine were ever even sexed, at all, when they were put together as a pain. I think it was just assumed that they were both male.

 

[RDZCRanch]

If they're having babies now they bred long before Rick got them.

Even with this Tara...NOLA put people under the assumption that these chinchillas were cared for and sexed properly BEFORE he got them. Because an "expert" veterinarian who says fresh vegetables should be a part of a chinchilla's diet as a treat was supposedly in charge. I've looked back through the dates I could find on the thread and according to NOLA's posts...the one chin that's had babies so far got pregnant VERY close to the seizure date IF she carried for a full 111 days.

Also, Rick...the SPCA was contacted by other rescue organizations willing to help those chinchillas and they were turned away because NOLA assured the SPCA that he would take any and all chinchillas. I know that he received at least two offers from members willing to take and quarantine all 70 chinchillas before shipping them out to individual homes. HE chose not to take up the offer and HE chose to be a glory hound and ignore basic rescue procedure. Thank you for endangering the lives of chinchillas, Rick! You're a GREAT rescue!:vomit:

 

[Megan]

Here's the thing. If you are a rescue, it is your responsibility to insure that the animals are going to good, proper homes and your ADOPTERS are getting animals that are free of disease, health problems, and pregnancy.

Any females that were in with a male should have been held to see if they'd deliver or PLACED with a person who knew what to look for, and were ready to take on that type of situation.

The animals should have went to a central location, quarantined for their 30 days, treated for problems(fungus) properly sexed, and then separated into groups "males", "females" "pregnancy watchers".

I'm glad the chins made it out. I'm glad they are alive. However, maybe next time before someone takes on such a large rescue they'll have things in place before doing it to insure the well being of the animals, and that the fosters/adopters were getting healthy animals.

Rescues and people take in large amounts of dogs and cats from busts each year, but they have a structured method in doing so. This should have been in place for the chinchillas involved. Instead of insuring this, it was more about the 'lime light" and being praised and patted on the back, IMO. So now fosters and adoptive people ave animals birthing with no idea, no experience, and worst of all with young, inexperienced animals.

 

[saphire]

My God, how I am discussed with all of this.

I can only wonder how well I would have done in this situation in rescuing them. Just curious on how well many would have done. Guess we will never know.

Glory my eye, it's hard work and long hours with not much sleep I am sure.

Who the heck would I be to judge.

 

[RDZCRanch]

My God, how I am discussed with all of this.

I can only wonder how well I would have done in this situation in rescuing them. Just curious on how well many would have done. Guess we will never know.

Glory my eye, it's hard work and long hours with not much sleep I am sure.

Who the heck would I be to judge.

Rick and the SPCA were offered by two people to take in all 70 chinchillas in one facility. Actually keeping the chinchillas in one place for 30 days, properly treating for fungus and properly sexing the chinchillas is hard work. Fortunately for these chins the "rescue" deemed this unnecessary and instead passed off chinchillas the day they were handed over from the SPCA. I have taken in large amounts of rescues...mainly breeding herds that have been run into the ground and take months to recover fully...as have many people voicing their opinions in this thread.

As I've pointed out before...a true rescue would have responded to this situation and handled it as a similar situation was handled in Northern California a few years back. Over 180 chinchillas with fungus, bumblefoot, malo and a number of other problems were rescued. ALL 180 chinchillas were kept at ONE rescue facility, treated properly, and held onto for additional months to ensure their health before adopting them out to homes. This was a couple of years ago...the facility still has 70 of those animals looking for homes as of last November. They aren't complaining, asking for donations, or insisting on railroading and moving all 70 chinchillas at one time.

 

[saphire]

I will always tilt my hat to someone who I believe has tried his/her best at any given time.

I tilt my hat to you NOLA!

I do believe eveything has already been said over and over.
For myself I am putting this thread to rest, as I see it as getting old and stale.