The following is a signed statement from Lindsay Schmitt, formerly Christensen, of Hebron, who worked at the Connecticut Humane Society as an animal behaviorist and wanted to give the public her first-hand account at how she, other employees, and animals were treated by President/Chairman Richard Johnston and his management team. She worked there for one year before resigning.
She has a BS in Animal Science from the University of Connecticut. She went through the Animal Behavior College practicum and interned as a dog trainer under Leslie Nelson at Tails-U-Win in Manchester, CT. “It was under her that I developed a deep appreciation for dog training through positive reinforcement and I acquired my first dogs since childhood, two Australian Shepherds from a breeder in Maine. I’ve since done numerous private behavior evaluations and developed training programs for individual dogs with minor to severe behavior issues and continue to further my education in animal behavior,” she wrote me.
Schmitt gave me permission to forward her letter to state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who is investigating Johnston as the result of other written statements from former employees I provided him. Several former employees have come forward after being fired by Johnston for being involved in a union drive.
A special committee of the Connecticut Humane Society is now looking into the allegations also. It is headed up by Chris White, a newspaper publisher, who like all the other board members was handpicked by Chairman Johnston to be on the board.
And like many of the board members White has a conflict of interest since his weekly newspapers and his Hartford Magazine received tens of thousands of dollars in advertising from the society. He has been on the board for 15 years and like most board members has had little contact with employees and his knowledge of what has been happening at the society’s Newington headquarters as well as its facilities in Westport and Waterford comes from whatever Johnston has provided him and other board members, former employees have told me.
Johnston’s activities are also being looked at by OSHA after I wrote a column describing how Johnston and his managers hid dangerous chemicals to throw off OSHA employees who were investigating the Newington facility after a worker was hurt inhaling bleach. The following is Schmitt’s accounts:
“I began working at the CT Humane Society (CHS) in April of 2006 after my full-time temporary position was filled at the Wethersfield Town Hall and I found myself out of work and with a degree I was not using. After seeing a posting on the CHS website, I applied and was called in for an interview and quickly hired although there was a slight stipulation – I was asked to reassure the current manager (Randy Behan) that I would remain working there for a period longer than one year. It was his feeling that due to the money and time to train new employees, it was not worth the expense if I was only there for a short time. I said yes to this only because I have never been one to bounce around from job to job, rather I prefer to stay in one place. Hired along with me was a young man my age who had a degree in Music and no animal experience – he was afraid to handle them.
The first week there, we were following Mr. Behan around the back hall when we passed by Mr. Johnson. It was very awkward as I extended my hand to introduce myself and Mr. Johnson looked me up and down, said a brief “welcome to the Humane Society†and walked away without even shaking my extended hand. Mr. Behan informed me that Mr. Johnson was somewhat of a germaphobic and we continued on. Even to a new employee, the issues were apparent early on. As a new hire, I was made to follow the two managers, Mr. Behan, and Kitty Baker. Through a few conversations it was easy to see what type of people they were. Mr. Behan was laid back (too much so) and Mrs. Baker was the drill sergeant. Both made it clear that it would be best that I not make contact with Mr. Johnson for any reason unless he initiated a conversation and to keep comments brief. It was a very unsettling feeling to think that the man in charge had such a hold over his managers that they didn’t respect him, they feared him.
As my training progressed and I was allowed to work more independently, I slowly distanced myself from the managers and focused on relationships with my co-workers whom I worked directly with. At the time I was hired, there were approximately 7 other adoption counselors and 8 incoming/kennel workers. Several of them were UConn graduates with the same degree as me, others had previously worked in vets, grooming shops and boarding kennels. What we all had in common was our love of the animals. One of my co-workers in particular shared many of my feelings for the animals and we worked very closely together in many of our adoptions.
Our closeness was seen by management and was deemed a threat, and for the first time in my adult life I was taken into a room with a manager and reprimanded for my behavior at work. I was told friendships were “discouraged†by Mr. Johnson because they may lead to conspiracies. I was stunned not only by the reasoning, but because most organizations and companies strive for peaceful relations among employees. I brushed it off initially, but in 11 months of employment and nearly a dozen verbal reprimands later, it certainly got old quick.
About 4 months into my working for CHS, I witnessed my first real outburst from Mr. Johnson. I’d heard stories of his temper through management and co-workers, but had yet to see it for myself. It was a typical weekday morning, I was assigned to clean the small animal room and the hallway cages out front. (As a side note these cages are no longer there today because Mr. Johnson felt they cluttered the hallway, but they were an important aspect of housing as we were able to safely and comfortably place cats who were aggressive around other felines out in this area where they were adopted into only pet households.) I was mid-hallway between the front desk and back kennel door, when I saw Mr. Johnson approaching from the front desk. He stopped and looked at the monkey cart (as they were called), seemed to analyze it, and in a split second he raised his hand to the blankets and cat trees place atop the cart, and with a single sweep everything came crashing to the floor. Without a word he walked away, presumably back up to his desk. My jaw dropped at this outburst, as did the secretary at the front desk. When management questioned me as to what happened, I had no explanation.
They assumed I said something or that he at least asked for the items to be removed, but it wasn’t the case. He simply threw a temper tantrum, the likes I’d have expected from a toddler, not a grown man without reason. Later that day, word filtered down from the upstairs offices that we were no longer to leave the cages stacked with “clutter†and management went into panic mode forcing all employees to drop everything and “hide†all supplies that might be out in the open.
Most of my time as an adoption counselor was not spent working with animals in any degree, rather cleaning. Not cages, but floors, windows, walls, shelves, you name it, we bleached it. It was the cleaning agent of choice. Customers would often comment on how fresh the building smelled despite the number of animals being held there. I thought it nice at first, but after my first real experience with bleaching I was convinced a proper ventilation system would have negated the need for so much wasted time spent scrubbing.
It was late summer, and if you’ve ever been in the Newington facility between June and August you know that the walls will actually drip water like a leaky faucet, especially the mid-section around the cat condo and the adoption area. There is no dehumidification system in place to remove moisture so it condenses on the walls, a virtual breeding ground for mold and mildew. By late summer/early fall when the air dries up, the building has become infested with a thick black residue around all the air shafts and over doorways.
Mrs. Baker came around one day with buckets of bleach water (much more bleach than water) and wash cloths. Each person was given a room or area and told to start bleaching, especially anywhere the mold was visible to public. This was a labor intensive task. Armed with nothing but latex gloves, we were given ladders to reach above doors and ceiling vents and were basically asked to remove the perception of it being unclean. We all questioned how much more mold was present in the duct work that wasn’t visible if this much existed on the outside, but that wasn’t of concern. It was a three day task, that put not only the employees but the animals in severe respiratory distress. I was asked to clean the small animal room along with another employee.
Knowing that it would be better to allow the bleach to sit a little longer, we did remove the small number of bunnies from the cages and places them into adoption rooms, or moved their cages to tables in the hallway. Other animals were not so fortunate. Cats remained in cages while freshly bleach soaked porthole vents were put back in place. Often times the cat rooms were heavily bleached in an attempt to reduce the spread of respiratory infections that are common in sheltered cats. Not once did anyone think about the consequences the bleach would have on their respiratory systems in making them MORE susceptible to future infections.
Then there were the many issues with the dogs regarding feeding. Originally all dogs in the care of the shelter, regardless of age or health, were fed a prescription diet: ID. This is made by Science Diet and is for use in dogs with stomach upset due to limited ingredients – it’s bland. It’s also nutritionally void and clearly states it is for intermittent feeding only. Dogs coming up from the south are quite often malnourished. Even feeding larger amounts of this food will not sufficiently fill them with what they require.
During this time we were told we’d be performing a new form of behavioral testing based on the SAFER protocol: Safety Assessment For Evaluating Rehoming. Developed by Dr. Emily Weiss in the mid 90’s, the SAFER protocol is supposed to be a way for shelters to evaluate dogs based on adoptability, with the premise that the more highly adoptable animals you take in, the quicker they will exit the shelter allowing for a higher turnover rate.
I’m sure this is what attracted Mr. Johnson to the program., but we all sat through a day-long seminar with a representative from Emily Weiss Consulting Inc. to learn why our other ways were wrong, She remained with the shelter for 2 days, and in her time there, she deemed 90% of our kennel unadoptable and a danger to the public. In two days time, we were forced to euthanize nearly 2 dozen dogs. Because the evaluation rates dogs on a graded scale of A-F, in an attempt to actually bring out any aggressive tendencies, it is the feeling of the SAFER evaluators that kennels should only keep dogs rating a B or higher. That would place any dog with the most minor of problems on death row (and would consequently affect nearly 8 in 10 shelter dogs – they aren’t given up because they are perfect) and oddly goes against a statement that Dr. Weiss makes on her website which says, and I quote:
“I believe that no animal is beyond help, rather, each is a work in progress. Through humane behavior modification, we can help animals adjust, teaching them new skills for life.”
There was not a dry eye in the building at the end of the day as we watched dogs we loved needlessly sentenced to an early death, one I had a particular attachment to, a Coonhound named CR. I don’t consider myself much of a hound person, but this dog was a sweetheart. A week earlier I’d spent 3 days consecutively spending all my free time teaching him to sit. It was his one downfall that because he was so tall and liked to jump, he knocked people down. I was so proud of him when it finally clicked and he got it. He even sat for his last cookie while being euthanized. He was deemed too aggressive around food, which it was later determined was a direct result of starvation because of the ID food being used.
Many animals were euthanized for what seemed nonsense reasoning. A 9 month old Cattle Dog mix was returned after 3 months in a home where they felt she was too overwhelmed and became defensive around the children. When an employee took her home to foster, her daughter tried to go into the crate to remove her and the dog snapped.
This was not a young child, nor one naive around animals, but she made a stupid choice and the dog reacted the only way she knew how. I requested to take her home and work with her until a foster home within Cattle Dog Rescue opened up. She was immediately taken in back and euthanized. I was unaware at the time, but learned soon after that the Behavior Evaluator (she is not an Applied Behaviorist as that would require a PhD.) has a certain dislike for herding dogs. She made it clear on several occasions in her harsh evaluations on these dogs in comparison to those she favored by not allowing me or other employees a chance to get in contact with breed specific rescue groups to take these dogs.
On another occasion, I was taken back to the euthanasia room by a co-worker to see something she stumbled across in the log book. There were around 6 very minuscule doses of serum used consecutively on one day. The amount given was not nearly enough to drop even a toy breed of dog. So when we started to ask around in medical, we learned that a pregnant dog had been dropped off the previous day. Surgery was scheduled to perform a spay and to abort the pregnancy, but upon removal from the mother, it seems the pups had been far enough along that they were alive, some began crying, and so they were immediately euthanized.
Pregnant animals pose a huge strain on any organization because they eat more, require more medical care and time from staff, and then those puppies or kittens must go into a foster home until they are old enough (legally in CT they must be 8 weeks) to be adopted. This attempt to avoid the holding of animals long term just to quickly adopt out one dog lead to the death of her puppies. Other pregnant dogs were left over night only to have complications that went unnoticed until morning when emergency cesarean was required and puppies or mothers were lost. This wasn’t uncommon because it had been a long standing policy that Mr. Johnson does not allow employees in the building without a supervisor present. I disregarded this rule one night after watching one such dog nearly die in labor, and I returned every few hours along with my husband to check on a birthing mother, feeding her to be sure she had enough energy, making sure the pups were eating and appeared healthy. I know of no shelter that doesn’t allow medical staff to remain overnight for such events.
Other animals were euthanized for mundane medical reasons. Especially with young animals who were not cleared medically, it was the feeling that it was better to euthanize them than to adopt them out only to die in their new home. We took that more seriously believing all animals deserved to be in a home, especially before they died.
One such 12 week old kitten was sitting in a cage in medical marked PTS, short for “put to sleepâ€. My co-worker read the reason and ran to get me. One look at this beautiful baby, and it was obvious I would be taking him home, and a counter-note was place on the cage reading: DO NOT pts, Lindsay will take. When I asked the vet how bad the heart murmur was, he told me the kitten was purring to much to say for sure. I took him for an ultrasound and he did have a hole in his heart, but I stopped feeding him the food from CHS, placed him on a natural food diet with vitamin supplements and saw an enormous change. He’s a white cat, and the tips of his ears and gums were blue when I took him home because of a lack of oxygen in his blood. The simple changes I made got instant results and within 3 days the blue was gone and his oxygenation was better than ever. I ended up adopting him December 14, 2006 and although he was given a prognosis to die by 5 months old, he has far exceeded that, is still happily alive today and will turn 4 years old in a few months. They now allow cats with heart murmurs to be adopted.
Other issues were with adoptions. There was a standing rule amongst managers that if a purebred puppy came into the shelter, Mr. Johnson was to be given first pick. Whether for himself, the entertainment of his daughter, or a “friendâ€, once he put his name on a cage, that animal could sit for days, missing the chance at a good home, until he decided yes or no. His daughter was allowed to bring home any animal in the shelter regardless of any potential age restrictions, and then return it at will. She was never taught to care for animals as living things, but as disposable play toys.
I on the other hand was always on the lookout for certain dogs for certain adopters whom I knew would require just the right dog. My neighbors were one of them. With four children under 12, one of whom had some physical handicaps, they knew they were unprepared to take on the challenges of a young puppy and therefore didn’t seek out any specific breed, just a dog that would mesh well with the kids. When a sweet little 6 month old Golden Retriever was dropped off due to allergies in the family, his personality immediately caught my attention and I asked to assist with his evaluation to see first hand. Hew was perfect; gentle, outgoing, lovable, very people oriented.
I got permission to put him on hold for the family to come in. My neighbor met him while the kids were at school and fell in love. She talked to her husband that night and the next day they were to return with the kids for a final interaction to adopt him. This was over a 48 hr period, while the normal hold for any animal is 24 hrs. I assumed having permission from one manager was sufficient, so when I was approached at the end of the first 24 hrs by Mrs. Baker she was shocked to learn I was not removing the hold. She insisted she had multiple people’s names she could call, all of whom were looking specifically for a golden puppy. My response to her initially was that she might recommend they go through golden rescue or a breeder if they were that set on a specific breed and age, and since she didn’t know any of these people personally, I felt there were extenuating circumstances surround my situation.
When she further threatened my reasoning, I simply pointed out the numerous times where Mr. Johnson or even she herself put dogs on hold for longer than 24 hrs without reason. She told me that as a supervisor, she and the other managers were entitled to do things that subordinate employees could not, and elaborated that the District Manager at the time, Kelly, was entitled to certain things that other managers were not because of her position, and lastly that Mr. Johnson was entitled to do anything he deemed just because he was the President. I believe that even young children would find this reasoning to be grossly unfair, and I did not back down, I did adopt the puppy out to my neighbor, and he’s happily living with them to this day, but that was toward the end of my time there. I was no longer afraid of being badgered and harassed by management.
I learned to take a stand for myself and listen to the voice of reason when I saw things going horribly wrong. My last reprimand occurred around January of 2007. A very hyper Australian Shepherd came into the shelter and would require a special home, someone experienced with the breed. He had a very high herding drive toward anything that moved, and unfortunately instead of focusing on the legs and feet, he was also a jumper and so directed his drive head on. His card was clearly marked no children under 16, because he would need firm, consistent training to get him calmed down, something younger kids can’t do safely.
I performed his evaluation because of my experience with the breed. A young, non-dog savvy family came in asking to see him, they had two little girls 8 and 6. Mrs. Baker placed them in a room with him and I tagged along to see why in the world she was doing this. She wanted to “see how he would react to them running†and asked the girls to run and scream around the room. It took all of 5 seconds for him to get a running start and begin to jump at them, another 5 seconds and his teeth grazed the older girls cheek just as I grabbed him by the collar mid-air. I leashed him, turned to the family and stated this was NOT the dog for them and stormed back to the kennel with him. I’m pretty sure my face was a shade of red only seen in cartoons. I placed him in his kennel, and was confronted by Mrs. Baker as I exited.
I can’t be sure of my exact words, at that point because I was livid, but it went something along the lines of how dare you ignore my warnings about this dog and go behind my back to put him danger where he was almost allowed to bite someone and would have needed to be euthanized. A few minutes later I was cornered in an adoption room (something I’d become used to at this point for previous reprimands over being friendly with co-workers) by Mrs. Baker along with the District Manager. I was verbally abused and threatened for several long minutes, and once given my chance to give my side, I lashed out in a fit of crying and yelling. The emotions finally hit me, the reality that one of my favorites was almost lost, and the fact that I was in essence exercising the same reaction that the dogs have when cornered, fight or flight. There was no running from this, I wasn’t wrong, I did the right thing and I was being punished, and I couldn’t take it.
That episode was the last straw. When I came home from work that day emotionally and physically drained and beaten, my husband couldn’t take it anymore. He hated seeing me this way every day, and he gently urged me to start looking for other work. In March of 2007, just shy of my one year, I left CHS. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I no longer dreaded waking up to go to work. No longer had to fear being pulled into a room to be told what a horrible employee I was. I remained on good terms because I wished to continue fostering. Many of the foster homes we used were great for dogs that were just a tad shy or needing a few extra training session, but I was always called upon for the severe cases because of my knowledge and experience. But I always vowed to return someday.
I felt that perhaps returning to school for an MBA in non-profit might be the answer to make the changes that needed to be done. I still feel a very deep connection to CHS even though I’ve been gone 3 years, and have remained friends with many of the people there, even some of the new employees that came after me. I want to see things changed for the better and it is in my professional opinion as a dog trainer, as a shelter worker and an animal enthusiast that no change will ever be possible at the Connecticut Humane Society until the entire Board of Directors, President Richard Johnson, and the offending members of management have been removed allowing the organization to start with a clean slate. It only takes one bad apple to spoil the bunch, and leaving anyone around would be detrimental to any progress made toward the greater good of the animals and the workers.
All that I have written in this statement is true and I stand behind it 100%, and hereby give George Gombossy my permission to print any and all information contained within and to forward this statement to anyone he sees fit, including the Attorney General, for finding justice in this situation.
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This is heartbreaking. I’ve adopted pets from CT Humane Society (Newington) and found the adoption counselors & clinic personnel there to be first-rate. I’m saddened by the mismanagement at senior levels outlined here — heartbreaking that great staff and homeless pets have been subjected to such ignorance.
Thank you for taking the time to write on our web site Karen. If you are interested, please check out our forum, which will be largely devoted to pet issues, and you can also sign up for our free weekly email updates on our home page. George
Does anyone know why the AG office is dragging it’s feet on this. One more day of this type of torture for the staff and animals is too much. I am also a volunteer and my heart has been ripped out reading all of these comments. I used to be so proud to say I was a volunteer at CHS. I do agree that all the management needs to go. All the remaining few that work hands on with the animals need to stay with a pay increase. They are the real workers.
Richard said that there will be NO pay increases until all this is settled, even though the 1-3% raise given to animal care staff yearly is far from a pay increase. However he did give one “manager” a 12% pay increase for a job well done. This is one of the highest pay incrases I’ve witnessed in my time there, funniest thing is a month later she was demoted but still kept her new pay rate! Job Well Done!
And good and caring employees were fired. Sad.
What about the Team Leader that was promoted & received a bonus???? She’s responsible for some of the firings…Oh, yea, that’s probably why….
Great article. ANOTHER person with a first hand account of the extreme mismanagement of CHS.
One point I don’t agree with, though, is the contention that animals are in the shelter because they are “not perfect.” Many of the animals in the CHS shelter are awesome pets, but the families have allergies, are moving, are foreclosed upon, or don’t have time for the pets anymore. In general, it is not usually the pet’s behavior that causes its surrender to CHS, but circumstances that are no reflection on the quality of the pet itself.
I think the not perfect behaviors don’t always appear to those who understand dogs because we project ourselves differently. For example I fostered a pit/lab pup (4mos old) while working there who was adopted and returned for being “territorial aggressive” in the home and not allowing the homeowner to sit on her couch. Not once did he exhibit aggression in any form in my home, but then again he wasn’t allowed the free roam I’m sure he had in the previous home which allowed him to feel a little too superior for his own britchers
But yes, many are brought in due to other circumstances.
I have been thinking about volunteering at the Humane Society here in Meriden. Does this problem extend to the other locations? Or, is it just in Newington?
The Meriden Humane Society is a stand alone entity and in no way associated with the Connecticut Humane Society.
The Meriden Humane Society is not affiliated with the Connecticut Humane Society in any way.
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This post was mentioned on Twitter by ctwatchdog: Connecticut Humane Society Complaint: The Inside View From A Former Animal Behaviorist http://bit.ly/aXfLAL via @AddToAny…
As sad as I am from reading this I must say that I am not shocked at all, especially from everything I have heard so far. This is a clear indication that a CHANGE needs to happend and soon. I would hate to think that more animals will suffer because of the incompetent President and his manangers. Thank you Lindsay for coming forward and telling your story.
Lindsay you deserve a gold medal for sharing your story. In your detailed and accurate account of employment at CHS you highlighted and exposed the core evils that reside in the humane society to this day.
The environment you detailed in your story is the way CHS is. Every paragraph exposes the true nature of management, the behavior program, euthanasia, and the mismanagement and mistreatment of the staff. The harassment the bullying, the cruelty to animals, Richard’s lack of regard for the mission of CHS…Your story speaks out, the public needs to hear this message and demand change.
Thank you for your words; as an ex-employee I can also vouch for Lindsay’s statements. Everything she explained here is true and accurate; however, at this point it is much worse! The shelter is a mess. There are tons of managers micromanaging a small amount of staff. Animals are being senselessly euthanized, more than ever before, dogs aren’t being walked, and some animals lie suffering for days before dying.
And, I know the medical department at CHS they are a fantastic bunch…the Vet the techs…simply fantastic. But their hands are tied…they are not allowed to treat animals because Richard is afraid they will spend too much $$$. Richard has a cap on what they can do to treat animals. And, they do not have the ultimate choice on which animals should/shouldn’t be euthanized. Makes no sense! These are the people with the formal training and experience to make those decisions not the “behavior team†and team leaders whom have no formal training!
That’s how it is at CHS; the more knowledgeable, decent, and outspoken you are the more you are bullied and stripped of any say or rights. They promote the weak and uninformed; this way they are easily controlled and do exactly what they are told without regard for what is right, humane, and safe.
This needs to stop now, I agree with Lindsay, “no change will ever be possible at the Connecticut Humane Society until the entire Board of Directors, President Richard Johnson, and the offending members of management have been removed allowing the organization to start with a clean slate. It only takes one bad apple to spoil the bunch, and leaving anyone around would be detrimental to any progress made toward the greater good of the animals and the workers.â€
Please call for change! Demand that CHS is brought back to its original state and core values; this is not the Richard Johnston Society it is the Connecticut Humane Society.
the more stories and comments i read, the more appalled i become. it is so hard for me to accept that an organization with a mission so altruistic can be allowed to become so coldhearted. my prayers go out to all of the animals in CHS’ care … and to all the workers who are so committed to their well-being.
one question that keeps coming into my mind: how many managers are employed at the newington location. and are these “team leaders” that some have referred to part of the management team, or are they considered “staff?”
There are two Assistant District Managers, a District Manager, two Team Leaders, and they are planning to hire two more Team Leaders, plus the Behaviorist. When the hiring is complete that will make eight managers total, and yes the Team Leaders are part of the management team.
Lindsay’s story is worse than anything I could have imagined. How could this have gone on for so long? Let’s hope that the AG will act sooner rather than later on this and that this place can get back to “doing the right thing” for all the animals who are there now and in the future.
It went on because people feared for their jobs. It’s now at the point where animals need us to speak up for them. We are listening to their cries. The ones who cried in the Euthansia Room….the ones we cried over after finding out of their demise. The staff that worked incoming who would hold the dogs crying so they would not be alone…..WONDERFUL people, being led by a tyrant and his Minions….we need to breathe clean air into the CHS system and NOW!
I’m puzzled by the blanket feeding of i/d to all animals; it certainly has its uses, but is not appropriate for all cases. If Mr. Johnson has ordered a prescription diet fed to all animals, he is in effect practicing veterinary medicine without a license. Furthermore, if any animal comes to harm as a result, he could be charged with criminal neglect under CGS 53-247 (specifically, failing to provide wholesome food). The same section also allows for charges if animals are knowingly exposed to noxious substances or deprived of wholesome air; heavy bleach fumes and inadequate ventilation would certainly fit that description.
Cat Doctor … if you are for real, then please please contact the Coalition. They are doing everything they can to find things they can take action on. It’s one thing to share story after story, even hundreds of stories, about awful experiences, but stories alone will not make the change happen. Veterinarians, lawyers, tax specialists, all those people are needed! Expertise in those areas will FORCE the CHS to improve.
They have a website at coalitionforchange dot info. Please contact them!
Animals actually lose weight while at CHS. Not only do they not feed a proper diet but they measure out the smallest portion possible for all animals. This was also one of Richard’s ways of cutting back, feed the animals less. Also if the dogs would not eat the dry food they were given they were never offered anything else, like another dry food or canned food. Some dogs would go days at a time without eating, then it would come time to food bowl test them. It was only then they would be offered a big bowl of the tastiest food they could find, and what do you think would happen then? You guessed it, the dog would fail it’s foodbowl test and then be euthanized. The staff had to beg to get a small kibble dry food for the small breed dogs, it took months to convince the management that the dry food we were using was way too big for the small dogs to eat. I watched a 70lb male pitbull go from a beautiful well filled out healthy dog, to a condition so bad you could count all his ribs, his hip bones stuck out and even his head got boney. This was another animal that the staff has to step in and sneek him more food and treats because the manager refused to do anything about it. These are just more reasons why we need a change @ CHS. The animals need us!
There is no blanket feeding of ID to all animals. I volunteer in the cat condo and there are very few cats who get I/D, at the moment.
Please everyone, let’s verify information before we post it. We don’t need to discredit ourselves by posting inaccurate information.
Thanks
Focus, with all due respect, OMG never mentioned ID; and Lindsay said “Originally all dogs in the care of the shelter, regardless of age or health, were fed a prescription diet: ID.â€
Now all dogs are fed Science Diet non-prescription.
But OMG is absolutely correct when speaking about reduced portions, weight loss, and lack of concern from management.
My posting was in reference to “Cat Doctor,” not OMG. “Cat Doctor” said “I’m puzzled by the blanket feeding of i/d to all animals.”
There are no longer blanket feedings of i/d, but Lindsay was not speaking about the present in her letter. There WERE feedings such as this at the time she was employed, but now they happen rarely.
Ok, so we have the proof that this is going on in the CHS, and since we know that the BOD won’t do anything then how can WE get these people out? I think we need to set a date for a legal picket in front the the CHS, let the media know we are doing this so we can get the coverage we need to get this in the public eye. We need the media to help us. Let’s get donations going and put a full page ad in the Hartford Court. Maybe then we will get the help we need.
I just read Lindsay write up and you just can’t make this stuff up. As a volunteer I am sicken by all that is going on at the CHS and I am torn about staying but as I have said previously it is about the animals but also no associate needs to be subjected this to type of work enviroment. I use to feel proud and now I feel embarressed. People who know I vounteer question what is going on at the CHS. I think Richard and his Board of Directors need to go and the sooner the better. I am feeling I should leave as well and everytime I read another write up I cry. Everytime a cat was removed from the web site I used to think that it was because there were adapted or back in medical but now I feel they may have been put to sleep. I am extremly sadden by all of this.
not only can you not make this stuff up…but why would you. Lindsay has nothing to lose or gain in speaking up so it’s MORE believable. Kudos Lindsay, the animals miss you….
Thank you, Lindsay, for your courage and commitment. There are so many of us, former employees with first hand knowledge about what is really going on behind the scenes at CHS, it is truly amazing. So far Maureen, Bridget, Cheryl, Jeff, Lindsay and myself have come forward publicly on George’s website and elsewhere. The Coalition for Change was formed to bring about positive change at CHS. I feel that will happen, in fact is beginning to happen, as we all continue to support each other on this journey. I applaud Lindsay and all members of the Coalition for standing up for what is right and true. CHS has endured 20 years of these types of incidents that Lindsay writes about in this article. It is time for CHANGE.
Cathy I couldn’t agree more…
I’m just waiting for more and more people to come out of the woodwork with information…because I personally know that there is so much more that hasn’t been exposed yet. And the truth will come out.
I applaud you Cathy, Lindsay, and all the members of the coalition. Keep up the good work! These animals can’t speak for themselves but we can finally give them a voice.
George thanks to you for bringing attention to this long overdue subject. You stepped up to the plate when these courageous people needed you the most.
Wow, I can’t believe the constraints the medical professionals at CHS must work under. How awful it must be to be trained to save animals lives, to be forced to make the decisions Mr. Johnson’s “numbers” game require. Thank you all for hanging in there and doing the wonderful job you do
A suggested strategy:
1) Post the names, affiliations, and hometowns of all CHS board members (on this blog)
2) List the hometown newspapers of the board members and the newspapers’ email addresses
3) Encourage readers to write letters-to-the-editors to the hometown newspapers of the board members. Each letter would identify the board member, explain the situation at CHS, and urge the board member to join the protest by publicly quitting the board
Check out the other articles, I had listed the BOD on one of them with all the info I could dig up on each. I think it’s like 2 articles back…
It’s in the comments of the January 29th article “Support For Group Seeking To Oust Connecticut Humane Society Chairman Grows”. You can find the link in the “similar posts” section right above these comments.
Ethan,
This is the best suggestion yet.
Thanks Lindsay! This is very detailed and well written and I’m hoping that it will raise the eyebrows of some people that have been skeptical so far.
I would like to know where the Humane Society of the US stands on this…is CHS not affiliated with that org?
CHS is not affiliated with HSUS in any way.
I did actually contact them to see if there is anything they could do to intervene….I have not heard a word back as of yet.
Is this guy still in charge at least remove him until all this is settled, seriously just because he says he’s going to sue everyone, The AG better get it’s act together!
Yes he’s still in charge – the only ones that can ask him to step down is the Board of Directors, which he is in charge of, which is comprised of all his friends.
Why would somebody under this kind of scrutiny not step aside while things where investigated. Especially if they cared about the company or organization they worked for, and it’s public image. It boogles the mind…
Well unfortunately he doesn’t care about the organization. He only cares about the money, the recognition, the status, and the power. Saddest story I ever heard working there was the he once adopted a puppy, and something happened where it jumped out the car window and died. Well to make himself look good, he approached an employee who had adopted one of the littermates and offered to BUY the dog off him so no one would know he no longer had his. Would love some validation on this story because that would just blow the roof off of all the issues stemming from this man.
Lindsay I just want to say thanks for coming forward, and I hope the AG persues this.
Thank you for writing this, I am distraught after reading this, How dare they do this to innocent animals, I hope they are fired, fined and given jail time for their behavior.
I am horrified and in tears after reading Lindsay’s account. Obviously, many changes need to be made immediately at CHS before any more innocent lives are needlessly lost!
Call another news conference, Blumenthal loves cameras…………He’s drawn to them like moths to a flame :} :]
As reported, this matter is assigned to an assistant AG. I called and left a voice mail hoping for a personal meeting and no one returned my call. It was suggested to me by another state agency that concerned parties either:
A. show up in person to address their concerns and/or
B. try the dept. of consumer protection. They may have broader power to help.
Remember, the AG can only address certain illegalities. We have a lot of documented wrong doing but not all of it is definitely illegal. Corporations and non profits and their boards have broad sweeping rights the court does not involve itself with.
I think the article about the condo issue is worth reading, Please read the comments too. It seems that Chs is having the same problems. The difference is the condo issue can be helped by the state. I believe something should be put into law for non-profit organizations to be watched over and make sure all the affairs for Chs is handled correctly. I think all information and decisions for any organization should be supplied to all involved from any board meeting, people have the right to know what’s going on. Not all of the information from board meetings are disclose to staff members. The issue on the safety and understaffed employees is a no brainer. If anyone who knows how to run a company should also knows that these issues are very important for a business to continue operating. Chs needs to get the right people for the job, upstairs and downstairs. It’s not right to be tossing away dedicated, caring and hard working people and animals. Chs was founded by a woman (Gretude O. Lewis) who put her heart and soul into creating this wonderful organization. The children, animals and public have rights and we need to continue the mission to help them. It looks like when power comes into play in any situation, something always goes wrong. Alot of people in charge take it for granted and misuse their power. These people should come down from their high horse and put theirselves in the shoes of the common worker.
Please Chs get your s@#! together and make this organiztion what it once was again!
That is what the coalition for change is all about. We are trying to make headway but the board, MR J and the manager’s are a tough bunch to crack. The good news is, we’re not going away. We are going to fight til we win for the sake of the animals, those that have lost their lives and those that will be coming in….
I use to work at the CHS and I worked with Lindsay, I’ve seen what she is talking about and experanced the same crap! The “SAFER” program was a joke. Those evaluations where awful, especially the “TAG” lets just freak out the dog and fail him/her for being scared. Or over excite the dog in a lets play mode to fail the dog again. For the food bowl aggression failures that “SAFER” graded failure again, most of our dogs came from the South. Southern dogs are strays, the South is known for “freeing” their dogs when hunting season is over. It really sucks but it’s an old fashion thing. So these strays are starving when they get to CHS. So what if that dog has food bowl aggression right away when it gets off the shipment trailer. The so called behaviorist would test those stressed out starving dogs they day they came into the CHS shelter! OOOoooo that made me so mad. I too adopted a few animals just to save them from being euthanized. I will not forget when the behaviorist and a few mangers said to me “Why don’t you just take the dog home?!!!” OMG that made me so mad!!! Maybe because I’m a responable animal owner and I know I can’t afford to take home every animal I see or want to help! That dogs time was “up” and they gave me a hard time about extending the time to find a rescue. Even though I was speaking with a few rescues and waiting on their responses. So much for no time limit for euthanizing.
I just wanted to clear this up….”Surgery was scheduled to perform a spay and to abort the pregnancy, but upon removal from the mother, it seems the pups had been far enough along that they were alive, some began crying, and so they were immediately euthanized.” Those pups where euthanized for humane reasons, they were not properly formed. The staff of the Medical department is very caring and fight for animals just like most coworkers! The Doctor and Vet Techs of the CTHS have my respect and there is NO WAY one of them could euthanize a normal well adoptable puppy!
I, as well, have a very pit-bull who is the most tender animal I have ever owned. Quickly, a new dog breed will can come together for that media to blast, because they have accomplished rotties and dobies in earlier years. Unfortunate that media sensationalism breeds much inaccurate data.