I was shocked to learn today that the Arizona Humane Society is useless and doesn't give a shit about helping animals.
I got to work this morning at 6:45am and was greeted by a super friendly, male, cattle dog. He wanted inside the building, but I wasn't allowed to let him in. So, instead, I brought him out some water and hung out with him.
I checked missing dog sites and attempted to call the city and shelters. No one was open. A couple girls in the building said that they may have found his owner. So, in the meantime, I had a coworker help me get him into my car where I could turn on the A/C; we are in Phoenix, after all.
I got the number of the "owner" and it turns out he's in California and has no one local who can come get the dog. Moreover, it seems that he might NOT be the owner. He is describing the dog is being 10 years-old and dog aggressive. This dog's teeth would put him at about 4 and he was around a couple other dogs when I was with him and he was totally fine.
We decided that I could take him to a shelter because they'll hold him for 48 hours before putting him up for adoption. And the "owner" could pick him up from there.
By this time, it's 8am and Maricopa Animal Control is open. So I call them, and they said they could send someone down to get him but we would be looking at about 2-6 hours. I'm already late for work and I have nowhere to hold him that is safe. Oscar, from Maricopa, suggests that I bring him to the Arizona Humane Society, which is located about 2 miles from me. He said they could hold him until they were able to come get him.
Great idea!
So I head over to AZ Humane and only the vet is open. So I explain the situation to the vet and request that they just hold him somewhere in the A/C until Maricopa can come get him. They told me that they wouldn't take him, but that I could ring a doorbell at admissions and ask someone there. So, I drive over and they're closed and I don't see a doorbell. So I go back to the vet and ask again. Another woman comes out this time and says that they can't take him.
By this point, I'm super upset and frustrated that these people who are supposed to be in the business of helping animals can't even help me with the most minor of requests. Simply HOLD the dog somewhere safe until Maricopa can pick him up.
She said I could try the "foster" doorbell and that's the only kind of help she could offer me. I asked her, "what happens if they wont take him?" She didn't respond. I said, "if they can't take him... I'm going to have to either let him go right here or tie him up outside until Maricopa can come get him."
She said, "That's abandonment, and we will report you to the police. It's 110 outside."
Are you fucking serious!? You refuse to help me at all and then threaten me!?
Well, I'm emotional now so I'm frustrated and crying. She gives me a lead. I walk away to go back to the car and the doggo. I see someone walking into admissions so I ask them for help and they told me the same thing.
"If you don't have an appointment and the dogs not sick or injured, we can't take him".
All in all, the dog is safe now.
I am just shocked at how utterly fucking useless AZ Humane is. I was always under the assumption that they were there to help people trying to do the right thing and to love and care for animals that desperately need it. Obviously, I was wrong.
But I can tell you right now, that I'm no longer going to be supporting AZ Humane. They aren't there to help. They're a business, just like anyone else. I'll save my donations for people that actually care.
TL:DR - Fuck AZ Humane.
