HAWS Chinchilla Rescue - Waukesha, Wisconsin

[Sue]

Tunes, you have to remember that cost includes the cost of people to come in and care for them and vet's care (which we know is expensive). Not every shelter has an exotics vet. So the cost is not just food, litter and water & dust. It's the cost of the salaries for people to care for them. We work for free . . .

 

[tunes]

I understand that Sue, but I still don't believe for one second that it is $2000.00 a day, even with vet care. For it to cost that much, you would have to have a vet sleeping on a cot next to the cages charging an hourly fee. If they had all of the chins checked when they came in, that would be a legitimate pricey charge, but I don't believe they are checking them every five minutes. You can't even say it's the people coming in to care for them. How many could they possibly need for 331 chins? Two? Three? Any more than that and they are just padding the bill. In addition, they are trying to say it has cost $10,000.00 for the SHELTER so far in just five days. That is complete and utter BS, especially considering all the donations of goods and monies they have gotten.

 

[lightningturtle]

Never thought of that! How messed up for a rescue to do a money grab like that!

 

[Sue]

Yeah, but their space costs too. I charge now for keeping chins "on vacation" because it's not just food, water, but my space that can't be used for other purposes, and it's a whopping $1.50 per chin per day. For 300 chins, that's $450, and that's just for housing. I don't think it's unreasonable at all.

 

[Sue]

Also, some animals may have needed serious medical treatment, adding to the cost and upping the averages for the whole, if you know what I mean. Hopefully the owners will relinquish and do the right thing, but I don't see it yet . . .

 

[ticklechin]

I guess they do not have a non-profit status.

 

[Mt. Zion Chins]

I agree with Tunes - NO WAY does it cost that much to care for those chins even with vet bill

 

[Vyxxin]

Haven't been on here in a bit, tired of chinchilla drama to be honest. But as several on here mentioned...and people all over the internet are agreeing...the fee is exorbitant. Period. Even if they had to specifically rent a separate area for these animals...which is not the case I do not believe...the fee would be too much. I think less than a money gray, it's more of a "let's force her to sign over the animals because she won't be able to afford our fees" bit. Honestly, not how I think things should be done. I smell San Diego all over again. Furthermore, everyone's saying vet fees...vet fees...yet nobody is coming forward with PROOF of injury or illness. LIKEWISE, they received SOOO many care essentials donations that they sent out a statement that they didn't need any more at this time...but oh, "if you wish to donate send money to"...I'm going to say, if you want to donate either offer up your time (if you live local) or send chinchilla specific goods. Until they provide proof of where the money is going I wouldn't be sending my hard earned cash.

 

[Sue]

Well, if it goes to court, the shelter has to provide records to establish those costs. Everything has to be documented. So we'll see . . .

 

[Vyxxin]

Here's the supposed breakdown ya'll

 

[lightningturtle]

So it's almost entirely their own boarding fees.

And GAH! Why do they feel the need to spay and neuter them?! I would love to know how many they kill with this ignorance.

Thank goodness they at least know what to feed them.

 

[ticklechin]

Must have been great luck those 8 dead ones died within 24 hours or so of them arriving to be able to be necropsied, because other than seeing if they died from trauma that is a waste of time, you can't tell jack after that amount of time, even when they are chin-cilces.

 

[tunes]

Dawn, I thought the same thing. Necropsies would have been useless. Just a way to run up charges. As far as spaying and castration? I read that last night, started to post, then just walked away because I was irritated. WHY do all these do gooder societies think the answer to everything is neutering. Rats don't get neutered before adoption, nor do hamsters, gerbils, reptiles, birds, etc. So why do they all jump on the bandwagon with chins, possibly the worst animal to administer anesthesia to? I just don't understand it. It made me wonder if they were going to do necropsies on the animals they kill that way too.

Again, I don't disagree with them confiscating these animals. They obviously were in distress. I just think it doesn't speak well of them that they are being dishonest about these charges just so they can keep the chins. I think that's wrong.

 

[Stackie]

I cringed at the spay and neuter too. I posted something about it on their post recent update.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[lightningturtle]

Would it be at all helpful if HAWS was contacted en masse about why chinchillas should NOT be fixed? I know (at least most of us) aren't vets, but I guarantee there's more combined experience here than they have at the shelter.

 

[Shenanigans]

I wonder if they were told to do/ thought they were supposed to have like a commercial boarding fee instead of 100% their costs? (Im hoping thats it)
The contact I've had with them (asking about address and stuff) they were polite and willing to listen to stuff/talk. Maybe if enough of us speak up to them they can change their mind? Also, some places may have a spay neuter policy before rehomeing and they havent had enough info to not do that yet?
Im hoping the people are misinformed more than willingly not doing the best thing.

 

[Vyxxin]

I know both organizations have reached out as well as many breeders. I've seen some of their responses and have NOT been impressed. While they are polite to some, others they are not AND basically their response to any given topic (for example, if you say something shouldn't be done to chins) is that they've got conflicting information which "will happen when parties disagree on the proper way to care for an animal"...basically chalking it up to lets agree to disagree.

 

[lightningturtle]

Because potentially lethal procedures should always be taken this lightly! I can't believe these people!

 

[Riven]

I came here for info. Some may remember me, I raised and showed chins for about a decade and had to sell for health reasons, I have an autoimmune disease that causes my spine to fuse. I was one of the first to have recessive whites in the US and the first to import blue diamonds with a deal in which I traded Niels recessive whites. I sold my base herd, everything but a select few, the diamonds and the rw ' s to Tammy Rupert in Wisconsin. I began to regret it immediately, even as they were being loaded. I know there were lies about pedigrees and such later but that's another story. .. I know she dealt with this girl and it breaks my heart to know that some if my animals are surely in there if they were not already dead. The photos I've seen the caging itself looks like normal breeder caging, but the care. ... The HUS is ridiculous, they may have to pay employees but I'm sure there's tons of volunteers, and I'm sure that any pedigree info connected to the animals was not maintained. .. there's a pic of a std with a white face, that chins grandmother came from my ranch. Praying for the best for these chins. ..

 

[becky12883]

Here's the latest update. Charges have finally been filed.

Riven, I believe that Wan (Moonlight Chins) and Bobbie both got chins from Tammy when she shut down her operation. I'm sure they would know more about which, if any of your chins made it to Tricia.