Need some advice related to dog pounds

[amalthia]

My brother's dog Pepper was picked up by the dog pound after someone tried to break into my brother's home. Apparently the person opened the backyard gate where Pepper was hanging out and well I think Pepper chased the person away but while he was out of the yard he got picked up by the pound.

Now my brother went to go get Pepper (because they called and let my brother know they had his dog.) When he got there they said he'd have to pay 500 dollars to get Pepper back because they were charging 200 dollars for Pepper to get neutered, on top of the 300 dollar fee they were charging to catch Pepper. My brother didn't have the money so they said they'd waive the fee if he brought in a police report. So my brother went ahead and got the police report except by the time he got back he now had to pay 1000 dollars and they would not waive the fee. Each week at the pound they are charging 500 dollars.

My brother is naturally rather upset because 1000 dollars is a lot for anyone, and most especially for him and his wife since they have a young child and he's in nursing school and my sister-in-law is finishing her education degree. Money is kind of tight. It looks like Pepper is going to die because he can't come up with the money. I'm also concerned at how much they were charging to neuter a dog. I know it does not cost 200 dollars in Texas for a male dog to get neutered.

Now what I want to know is what they are doing legal? Is there anyone who could help him in this situation? My brother lives in San Angelo, Texas.

I just found out about this situation last night and I have no clue how to help my brother.

It seems unethical to withhold someone's pet until they pay way more than it would cost to pick up a dog at an animal shelter. Plus someone tried to break into my brother's home! it was not neglect that caused Pepper to leave the yard. Pepper had never been picked up by the pound before.

EDIT: After some investigation I got the impression my brother was exaggerating the 1000 dollar fee but still at 500 dollars it's pretty much impossible for my brother to get Pepper out of the pound. I think his solution is to let Pepper go up for adoption and adopt him at 46 dollars. (Personally, I'm worried something will go wrong and they'll just kill Pepper) but I'll consider it a win if my brother is able to adopt Pepper or another family adopts him. At this point alive is good.

Thanks everyone who responded. The ideas offered gave me a great place to begin researching and finding out what is going on.

Comments

[zillah975]

Holy crap. That's a hell of a scam they're running! For those rates, they're probably going in and grabbing dogs out of their yards! Who's to say otherwise?

Did the police who took the report have anything to say about it? Maybe they could help? Because surely this isn't legal!

Could the Humane Society help?

http://www.humanesocietytgc.com/
http://www.humanesocietytgc.com/contact.htm
910 W. 14th St., San Angelo, TX 76903
Phone Number
HSTGC: (325) 653-8056
Hours of Operation
11am - 5pm: Monday through Friday

[amalthia]

Thanks for this advice! I know very little about what programs are out there to help animals or dogs. I also feel like there is something fishy going on because 500 dollars? I think in other cities it's maybe 75 dollars or 100...but 500 is easily one month's rent in San Angelo.

[zillah975]

It's crazy! It can't be legal. Do you have the name of the place that stole has the dog? Maybe there's already complaints about it or something?

But definitely call the Humane Society. And if that doesn't help, maybe take up a collection online? I'll contribute, and my coworker who sits next to me said she would too -- I'm sure lots of other people would. It'd be galling to pay these dognappers off, but better than the chance of not getting Pepper back.

FUCKERS. I'm so angry.

[amalthia]

I was angry when I heard about this too. Honestly, I don't want to give those people that kind of money because it'll just encourage them to keep the practice alive and well. They know people love their pets and would do just about anything to rescue them. I think it's like paying off kidnappers. I'd like to see if my brother can try the other options first. but seriously 1000 dollars...I was willing to help pay to help my brother out and this was when I thought it was maybe a couple hundred dollars. When I heard about this I was rather furious and heartsick last night. Still am when I think about it.

[amalthia]

p.s. I passed this on to my brother.

[zillah975]

*hugs* *and hugs him* *and hugs Pepper*

[amalthia]

I called the Humane Society, the lady on the phone was very defensive which was weird. She kept saying there was nothing they could do and we'd pretty much need a lawyer.

Which I'm thinking if my brother couldn't afford a 500 dollar fee he certainly cannot afford a lawyer fee.

[zillah975]

I think they're affiliated with the Humane Society of Tom Green County. When I did a Google search for the Tom Green County Animal Shelter, what comes up is the Humane Society of Tom Green County.

http://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1GGLS_enUS291US304&aq=f&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=Tom+Green+County+Animal+Shelter

[amalthia]

see that's the weird thing I just called them and they said they were not in any way related to the city shelter.

[zillah975]

I don't know, maybe not, but they have offices there:

http://www.sanangelotexas.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={66C0DF53-05BB-4F24-9673-7C4CC329B55A}

"The Animal Services Division operates the animal shelter, investigates animal bites, investigates allegations of animal cruelty, picks ups stray and dead animals and accepts owned animals. The Humane Society of Tom Green County has offices in the Animal Shelter."

Also,

"Adoption fees include only the cost of the spay or neuter and the shots. Current fees are:
• Dog $46
• Cat $36"

So if you're adopting, it's $46 to get a dog neutered.

When I called the number on the site, the woman who answered confirmed that this is the Tom Green County Animal Shelter.

I didn't ask any further questions for fear of possibly twigging her to which dog I was calling about and possibly getting poor Pepper in more trouble, just said I was trying to locate it and this is what came up when I Googled for it, but I really think something fishy is going on.

[amalthia]

I've also been calling and getting information. I think last night my brother was exaggerating the 1000 dollar fee. But I do get the impression that 100 or 1000 he could not pay it. The real fee is 500 so I think my brother is going to put Pepper up for adoption and then try and adopt him back.

But still the situation is rather frustrating. at 100 dollars I could have helped. but 500 is out of my reach as well.

I'm just glad my cats are indoor cats.

Thanks for the hugs. I feel slightly better having talked this out and investigated to see what I could do to help.

It's just Pepper is wanted and loved and they are holding him hostage.

[txvoodoo]

be VERY careful about the "put him up for adoption" thing - many shelters won't allow someone who surrenders an animal to readopt it.

[amalthia]

This is my concern as well. But at this point I'll be happy if anyone adopts him.

[amalthia]

Okay I called and they pretty much said they can't do anything since they are not a legal organization.

[zillah975]

Do you mind if I signal-boost and link to this post? You never know who might have an answer.

*hugs more*

[amalthia]

Go for it. I'll try to get more detailed information from my brother and see what kind of research I can find for him. But I'm hoping someone will have run into a similar situation and to find out what they did to rescue their pet.

I just talked to my brother and he said it's not actually the pound but the Tom Green County Animal Shelter that has him. I'm going to google that and see what I can find out and call the Humane Society for him since he's currently at work right now.

[cyprinella]

Wow, what a racket! I just got a dog from a no-kill shelter, spayed, all shots, a walking harness and food for $200 in the DC metro area which has high living expenses.

Definitely have him check up with his county seat or whoever it is that makes the animal control laws in his area. There may be language about the fees that the shelter can charge if its state-run. If it's a private shelter, then they're basically holding a stolen animal for ransom, IMO. I kinda understand not giving back the animal unneutered, especially if they're in a high-kill area, but that's really bordering on extortion.

[amalthia]

Well I wrote to the Austin Are ASPCA asking for advice on what to do and explaining the situation. I mean don't get me wrong I'd understand if they had a 100 dollar fee but really 500...that's beyond just about anyone's means especially in a town with low wages. As for the neutering they should give owners the chance to shop around for a cheaper place to neuter their dog.

I can kind of kick my brother for not having a lock on his gate and for not having Pepper neutered much sooner. But if you're living pay check to paycheck on student salaries I can see why he kept putting it off.

I'm afraid by the time this is all over Pepper will be dead because he just didn't have the 500 dollars they asked for.

[cyprinella]

I really hope not. Especially since I went to their website after you mentioned it above and they adopt out dogs for under $100 and sell low-price neutering for even less! I didn't find any mention on their site about these ridiculous fees for reclaiming lost dogs.

[amalthia]

which website did you go to?

because I got the impression that the low cost humane adopt a pet site isn't the same one where my brother's dog is being held. The Human society is using Tom Green in their title too.

[cyprinella]

Oh, you're right, I hit the HS page, not the county shelter. Even still, if the Animal Services division of San Angelo has Pepper, it's still only $46 to adopt according to this page. http://www.sanangelotexas.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={66C0DF53-05BB-4F24-9673-7C4CC329B55A}

However, they also have this on their page:

"Stray animals that are properly licensed, spayed or neutered and which have a current rabies vaccination will be released to their owners without charge the first time they are picked up. After one “free ride” owners are responsible for impounding and board fees as well as citations for dogs running at large."

So they're charging board while holding the animal hostage. Awesome.

[amalthia]

Well the problem with the free ride thing it only counts if the dog is already spayed or neutered. My brother's dog wasn't and he could not afford the fee to neuter the dog. I think my brother may go the adoption route. It only costs 46 to adopt. which to me is whacked out.

But they do give owners the option to kill the dog or adopt the dog out to a new family but when I called the shelter the lady said it was a "day to day" decision on how long to keep the dog up for adoption. Pepper is a black lab and very friendly.

But yeah this is all sorts of wrong. I feel heartsick for my brother.

[cyprinella]

It's a really crappy situation. I understand that after a while working at shelters, people tend to take a really hardline approach to people who Aren't Doing Things Right (in their minds) but there's a point where you have to ask if its saving lives at all and I don't think it is in this case. And extortion to keep the revenue streams flowing (which is probably a major part of the fee) is BS of the highest order. Best of luck to your brother.

[amalthia]

Yeah it kind of is. My brother has had pepper 6 years. He's a good dog and yeah I HATE this situation.

[stewardess]

Has he contacted anyone in local government? Is there a city council? Most shelters get funds from local government, so pressure in that area could be effective.

What a horrible situation.

[amalthia]

I'm not actually sure. I did just find out about this yesterday late evening. I think he's just going to try that one solution. Plus it seems like they do this with all dogs and cats. but yeah it does sound horrible.

[garryowen]

What a load of crap! OMG! Totally weird for Texas, too, which seems like the kind of place that wouldn't care if you neutered your dog. I don't really have any advice, just outrage. I really hope things work out and your brother can get his dog back. :(

[amalthia]

Yeah that's what I was thinking too. I have my fingers crossed for my brother.

[sholio]

I don't have any useful information to add, but I'm very sorry your brother is going through this, and I hope he can get it straightened out and get his dog back! I was completely floored when I went through the adoption process at the Fairbanks animal shelter and then discovered AFTER all the paperwork and the spaying that I was going to have to pay over $400 for the spaying and adoption fee (and it turned out that the dog was already spayed; they just didn't know it and went ahead with the operation anyway). I like the dog and she's been a good companion for the last six years, but I would not have done it if I'd known it would cost that much; I could've bought a purebred puppy in the breed of my choice for what it cost me to adopt a several-years-old mixed-breed. I know that shelters have to cover their costs, but it's ridiculous for them to make adoption so pricey that it's impossible for most people to afford it. And refusing to release a pet to its owners is flat-out extortion.

[amalthia]

Yikes, 400 dollars. You're right for that price anyone could get a pure breed dog.

And yes, it is extortion. it wouldn't be so bad if the had charged a 25 dollar catch and hold fee or even 50 dollars...but anything past that is probably beyond many people's ability to pay.