14/01: Calling All Volunteeers
I have below a letter from Debbie Brice, the Hermitage Shelter Manager wrote to the Hermitage volunteers. Once again, the Hermitage staff does not know the difference between CC and BCC, so I now have all the emails of all the people on the Hermitage volunteer list. This list is that it does not contain a single name that was on the Hermitage volunteer list of even a year ago. My commentary follows.
Happy New Year!
Welcome to 2010, I wanted to make sure I have all the correct information on our wonderful volunteers. Please let me know if you have changed your address, phone numbers, or any additional information. I am now the volunteer coordinator for the shelter, if there are any questions, please feel free to ask.
The best way to contact me is via email at hermitagecatcare@gmail.com as well as (520)571-7839 ask for Debbie. I am also checking to see who will be rejoining us for the New Year as well as the best times for you to volunteer. We operate every day from 8AM TO 4PM. Let me know what schedule you are able to commit to, and I will place you on our schedule. We are also planning some major projects that will require a solid day or two of work, and we need some extra helpers. A few projects include: converting our FFPP shed into a TNR holding space. Which requires moving and heavy lifting, but also some management to ensure it is done fluently. We also need to sort through linen shed while the weather is cool. We will be donating any items we can no longer use to the Ironwood Pig Sanctuary. We are looking for volunteers to commit to the first Saturday of every month as well as the following weekends for Petsmart adoption events at the corner of grant and swan from 11am -4pm. The more support, the more cats we can place into loving homes and the more cats we can rescue.
__ Feb 12-15 __ april 30- may 2 __ sept 10-12__ nov 12-14
This year we will focus on rescuing from PACC more. In doing so, we need foster families for kittens and their mothers. If you have a spare room and can offer a short term home, please let me know. Let the rescues continue! Foster information is available, let me know and I will forward the information. If you are able to commit to any of these projects let me know and I will start the assignments. Have a wonderful, safe, and bountiful year. Let’s rescue, save, and
protect the cats and kittens in Tucson, and create an impact beyond our city limits.
Thank you for all you do!
Sincerely,
Debbie Brice
PS:
# OF CATS RESCUED IN 2009- 426
# OF CATS ADOPTED IN 2009- 348
Sounds cheerful and positive, right? And if you were new to the area or the Hermitage, and didn't know about what's gone on there, you would not know that you should be asking the following questions:
Why is Debbie the fifth volunteer coordinator in less than 3 years?
What happened to all the other volunteers the Hermitage used to have?
In an organization over 40 years old, why have all the volunteers been there less than a year?
Why aren't there any group volunteer meetings or events?
If the Food for People's Pets Program space is being converted, what is happening to that program?
What, exactly, is a holding space for TNR (trap-neuter-release)? The Hermitage does not provide veterinary services, and contracts with the Humane Society for its own needs. Why is it not coordinating its TNR events with other groups which already have programs.
The Hermitage's Executive Director was quoted in the press as saying the feral cats at the Hermitage "took up space". If the Hermitage is starting a TNR program, exactly does it plan to do with the feral cats it traps that are found to non-releasable? Their buddies at the Humane Society do not accept ferals and kill them.
Why did no one bother to bring the cats to the last PetsMart adoption event?
What does Debbie mean by "rescuing from PACC more?" Other than the publicity litter that Mary Jo Spring accepted to look good for the public access TV show, how many cats from PACC did the Hermitage actually take in?
Why is taking in a cat from PACC a rescue, but turning away a cat in need at the door isn't?
Why is there no mention of needing volunteers to actually help care for permanent cats at the shelter? What has happened to that part of the mission?
If there were 120 cats at the start of 2009, and 426 were taken in, and 348 were adopted, then shouldn't there be almost 200 cats at the shelter? Why are there only 88? WHERE ARE ALL THE MISSING CATS?
Happy New Year!
Welcome to 2010, I wanted to make sure I have all the correct information on our wonderful volunteers. Please let me know if you have changed your address, phone numbers, or any additional information. I am now the volunteer coordinator for the shelter, if there are any questions, please feel free to ask.
The best way to contact me is via email at hermitagecatcare@gmail.com as well as (520)571-7839 ask for Debbie. I am also checking to see who will be rejoining us for the New Year as well as the best times for you to volunteer. We operate every day from 8AM TO 4PM. Let me know what schedule you are able to commit to, and I will place you on our schedule. We are also planning some major projects that will require a solid day or two of work, and we need some extra helpers. A few projects include: converting our FFPP shed into a TNR holding space. Which requires moving and heavy lifting, but also some management to ensure it is done fluently. We also need to sort through linen shed while the weather is cool. We will be donating any items we can no longer use to the Ironwood Pig Sanctuary. We are looking for volunteers to commit to the first Saturday of every month as well as the following weekends for Petsmart adoption events at the corner of grant and swan from 11am -4pm. The more support, the more cats we can place into loving homes and the more cats we can rescue.
__ Feb 12-15 __ april 30- may 2 __ sept 10-12__ nov 12-14
This year we will focus on rescuing from PACC more. In doing so, we need foster families for kittens and their mothers. If you have a spare room and can offer a short term home, please let me know. Let the rescues continue! Foster information is available, let me know and I will forward the information. If you are able to commit to any of these projects let me know and I will start the assignments. Have a wonderful, safe, and bountiful year. Let’s rescue, save, and
protect the cats and kittens in Tucson, and create an impact beyond our city limits.
Thank you for all you do!
Sincerely,
Debbie Brice
PS:
# OF CATS RESCUED IN 2009- 426
# OF CATS ADOPTED IN 2009- 348
Sounds cheerful and positive, right? And if you were new to the area or the Hermitage, and didn't know about what's gone on there, you would not know that you should be asking the following questions:
Why is Debbie the fifth volunteer coordinator in less than 3 years?
What happened to all the other volunteers the Hermitage used to have?
In an organization over 40 years old, why have all the volunteers been there less than a year?
Why aren't there any group volunteer meetings or events?
If the Food for People's Pets Program space is being converted, what is happening to that program?
What, exactly, is a holding space for TNR (trap-neuter-release)? The Hermitage does not provide veterinary services, and contracts with the Humane Society for its own needs. Why is it not coordinating its TNR events with other groups which already have programs.
The Hermitage's Executive Director was quoted in the press as saying the feral cats at the Hermitage "took up space". If the Hermitage is starting a TNR program, exactly does it plan to do with the feral cats it traps that are found to non-releasable? Their buddies at the Humane Society do not accept ferals and kill them.
Why did no one bother to bring the cats to the last PetsMart adoption event?
What does Debbie mean by "rescuing from PACC more?" Other than the publicity litter that Mary Jo Spring accepted to look good for the public access TV show, how many cats from PACC did the Hermitage actually take in?
Why is taking in a cat from PACC a rescue, but turning away a cat in need at the door isn't?
Why is there no mention of needing volunteers to actually help care for permanent cats at the shelter? What has happened to that part of the mission?
If there were 120 cats at the start of 2009, and 426 were taken in, and 348 were adopted, then shouldn't there be almost 200 cats at the shelter? Why are there only 88? WHERE ARE ALL THE MISSING CATS?
