Is this libel?

[PinkPenguin]

What is the name of your state? Georgia

Hi, I was wondering if someone could read this e-mail that I accidentally mass-emailed to my college and tell me whether or not this is libel! I can only see where I asserted one fact, about the cat not being sick when he entered the shelter. I said this because I visited this particular cat 2 weeks prior to putting in my adoption forms -- and he was not sick. When I visited the shelter a number of times, I saw infected cats still left in the cages that were sneezing all over the place, runny eyes, etc. People were also letting the cats out of the cages to run loose... Basically, I truly believe in my heart that everything I said was the truth, and I am genuinely concerned for these animals. Anyway, please read my letter, and tell me if you think it's libel or not. (I removed the name of the animal shelter on this post for my protection)

No offense, because I feel that what you're trying to do is very
>> noble, but I have a lot of beef with the **********.
>> Let's just say that I'm not so sure the generous donations they
>> receive are going towards the animals, and I really think that it's
>> run by a bunch of ignorant, uncaring people. I tried to adopt (and was
>> approved to adopt) a cat with an URI from them a few months ago, and
>> was horrified to find that even though they couldn't afford to get the
>> animal tested to find the underlying cause his infection (very
>> important), they wouldn't release him, much less allow me to get him
>> to the vet for proper care on my own dime. Not to mention the fact
>> that the antibiotics they were giving him weren't strong enough to
>> begin with. The cat just continued to stay ill, and honestly, I don't
>> even know if he made it out of there alive. And I will tell you this -
>> I know for a fact that the cat didn't enter the humane society with an
>> infection, it got the infection from being around other infected cats
>> who weren't quarantined at the first sign of a URI.
>>
>> Sorry to chew on you like this, but I'm angry still, something isn't
>> right..and I just want people to know what's going on with *************. Don't give a cent to them, or any charity for
>> that matter, without knowing for sure where your money is going.

 

[quincy]

I don't think you have to be worried about your email. The email you mass-mailed by mistake is opinion, and opinion is free speech. Although what you wrote shows an obvious dissatisfaction with the Humane shelter you visited, it is not libelous - just a strongly-worded complaint based on a bad experience.

I know in Michigan, pet stores and animal shelters are not being inspected by the state on a regular basis (some are not being inspected at all), as money earmarked for these inspections has been diverted to cover the costs of inspecting farms and farm animals. This leaves many pet stores and shelters (pet stores, primarily) to self-police, and they are doing a poor job. The conditions at some of the pet stores are horrific - one pet store was recently closed down after several complaints were lodged against it. Kittens were stacked in bird cages, and puppies were lying in filth.

Your advice on charity donations was wise, by the way - you should always know what your donated money is used for, as some charities will spend more on administrative costs than others, making a smaller percentage of every dollar donated available to help those in need. This isn't always a bad thing - but it is something you should be aware of certainly when making a donation.

I just adopted a dog from a shelter in my area three days ago and, at the time of my visit, the "puppy room" at the shelter was closed off because of a parvovirus outbreak. The puppies had been placed in quarantine to contain the outbreak, but viruses spread rapidly in shelters. Often by the time the first animal starts to show his illness, others have become infected. And I know it is a policy of the shelter here not to intentionally adopt out ill animals.

I am sorry about the cat you wanted to adopt, but I hope you don't give up on adopting a cat, kitten, dog or puppy because of the conditions at this one shelter. Most shelters must operate on very little money, and they manage to stay open only through the help of volunteers, and volunteer donations of food and supplies. And the bottom line is, these animals really really need homes.

 

[PinkPenguin]

whew

Thanks, that lifted a lot of weight off my shoulders. Someone from the college had actually fwd the executive director of this shelter my email, and boy did I get a nasty surprise in my box the next day! This is when she accused me of slander (she really meant libel) and tried to send her email out to my entire college to make me look stupid (unsuccessfully.) A lot of people are experiencing problems with this shelter, and a huge part of the problem has to do with the way potential adopters are treated. It's like these people get so wrapped up in their disgust for those who mistreat animals that everyone else (like me) just gets lumped into the same catagory. If they're running off people like you and I, who else is left to adopt these animals?

The lady told me I could have had the cat if I'd just waited for him to get well, but there was so much more to it than just that. I wasn't very happy either when a woman approached me on the job (I work in a pharmacy) asking for some cold medicine for a cat she just adopted from the same people. She stated the animal was very sick, and the shelter obviously was aware of this because she had an order in her hand from them telling her just what medicine to get. Needless to say, I made sure that the executive director of the shelter knew I saw this, because it puts her butt on the line with the Georgia Department of Agriculture.

Anyway, thanks again!

 

[quincy]

You're welcome.

If this shelter has been experiencing multiple problems, and you believe the animals are being mistreated, you may want to think about contacting the media in your area. They will often investigate claims such as yours, and stories written can sometimes put enough pressure on a poorly run organization to force changes. In addition, if it found to be merely a lack of money and medical supplies that are causing the problems with animal care, generous benefactors may come forward to assist. You never know.