Sunday, August 22, 2010

Coweta County Kicks JoJo Advocates

None of us Funny Farmers want to stand alone to introduce today's sad post.  So we stand united.

On Wednesday, August 11, we posted a story about JoJo, originally called "Old Yeller by the Coweta County Animal Control in Georgia, USA. The story is a sad one and it makes us angry to be reminded of it. But as this is a distressing update to that story, we need to suggest that if you missed it or have forgotten the details, you take a moment to read the original post so you can understand what is happening in Coweta County in retaliation for the publicity and responses generated by articles such as the one we linked to, which you can read here.

This is just the first paragraph of today's article -

"Last night, the Coweta County Commission approved amendments to their animal control ordinances, including one which requires rescue groups to obtain business licenses, and to submit to inspections from Coweta County Animal Control. This new rule comes just over a week after the uproar over the way Coweta County Animal Control treated a dog known first as Old Yeller, then renamed JoJo by his rescuers, the Georgia Humane Society. Many find the timing of this new rule highly suspect and openly wonder what business they think they have inspecting groups who save animals from the shelter when they can't maintain acceptable standards of care in the shelter itself. Rescues are already licensed and inspected by the state, but Coweta County Animal Control wants a piece of the regulatory action too and the Coweta County Commission gave it to them. Will they use it in a retaliatory fashion against rescuers who speak out about the killing and inhumane conditions at CCAC? We're going to find out."

You can read the rest of the story by clicking on this title of the article - Coweta County Commission adds insult to injury as animal advocates seek "Justice for Old Yeller by Valerie Hayes.

The really insane part of all this is that humans who are supposedly incapable of taking care of their own shelter animals have now been given the legal right to oversee (we figure that means harass) rescue shelters already licensed and periodically inspected by the Georgia Dept of Agriculture. This can potentiallycause any number of problems for the rescue shelters.  But in the end it will be the animals that really suffer because of what appears to be retaliation for publicity over a poor no-longer-suffering dog named JoJo.

RIP, JoJo. You deserved much better than what you received.

UPDATE: If interested you can check out Georgia Humane Society info on JoJo and cbsAtlanta.com.

12 comments:

  1. Oh this is one sucky move it really is and it doesn't bode well for independent rescues/sanctuaries. It's always a mistake to give such power to one party who is so involved in the business. Inspection should be independent, always. It's too easy for abuses to happen and be covered up. I wonder who paid who to get this licence put in place?

    We see retaliatory action taken by the RSPCA on individual rescues and sanctuaries who speak out against their methods over here. It's the most difficult thing to fight when they are operating with official blessings.

    Jo-Jo fella, you won't be forgotten sweetheart.

    Whicky Wuudler


    Poor Jo-Jo

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  2. Poor JoJo! :-(

    Me and Charlie hope you are happier now over the bridge. We hope your death will not be forgotten and will be the start of radical changes.

    Thanks for the info and updates, Jan.

    Take care
    x

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  3. It shows they really do not give a hoot about the critters at all.

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  4. We didn't know about JoJo but it is terrible what he went through. The animal control should be closed down and replaced by an organisation that cares about animals, not given extra powers.

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  5. Oh, this makes our blood boil. We are so upset we can't say more at this time, cause it wouldn't be nice.

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  6. We are just glad for the internet so that stories like this are told and people like this can be seen for what they really are.

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  7. Sounds to us like a case of the fox minding the chicken coop!

    We don't live in that part of the country, so are unable to do any real-life activism, but that new law surely needs to be challenged!

    Hopefully, you can find an animal-friendly attorney willing to take the case on a pro-bono basis.

    Best advice--obtain attorney from outside the county, so they will not be subject to control or pressure from these idiots!

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  8. Too sad to make much sense with our khomment so just fill in the blanks fur us please -

    Hugz&Khysses,
    Khyra and Khousin Merdie

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  9. That's such a sad story! I'm hoping the county council is forced to rescind that amendment somehow (perhaps by GA Dept of Ag?). It sounds, as you said, like retaliation. Sometimes county politics can be such a huge mess!

    P.S. Thanks very much for your purrs and kind thoughts for Blackie.

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  10. That is so sad. There are some beans in this world that are so totawwy not nice!

    Boy

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  11. I iz Katie Kitty Too and I approve dis hear message... and all da commints

    bye bye JoJo. We knohz u waz goods.
    =^..^=

    Mommmm! I iz in slappy mood. kin I slap bads peeples?

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  12. Hell is that troubling Jan. Sounds like it's time for some good old public outcry.

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