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60 °F Forecast | Road Cams Saturday, May 0, 2005 Today's News | Shop Our Valley | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery | Contact Us SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Health Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley SHOP OUR VALLEY AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Classified Place an ad TOP JOBS EXTRA Ashland News NIE Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Moving here? eSouthernOregon CUSTOMER SERVICE FAQ's Advertise with us Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend October 17, 2003 Humane Society adoption denials come under scrutiny By JONEL ALECCIA Mail Tribune A Central Point family denied the dog it wanted from the Southern Oregon Humane Society now has more potential pets than it can shake a stick at. As of Thursday morning, Robin Van Horn had offers of at least 30 dogs of all breeds and sizes. They came mostly from Rogue Valley community members upset because Van Horn was not allowed to adopt Java, a 2-year-old black Lab mix. "Eventually, we’re going to get a good dog," said Van Horn, 40, who added she planned to review some of the prospective pooches soon. Van Horn and her family protested what they believed were unfair adoption policies when they weren’t allowed to adopt Java, primarily because staffers said full-time work schedules would keep the dog from getting enough attention. Advertisement Meanwhile, the Van Horns’ story has sparked complaints from at least a half-dozen local residents who said they, too, were unfairly turned down by the Humane Society. But the agency’s director said Thursday that it’s his job to consider the welfare of the animals first. "We stand firm by our policies," said Executive Director Bill Templeman. "Sometimes people take it as if we’re making judgments on them, but we’re making judgments on the animal." Templeman said he couldn’t comment on individual complaints about rejected adoptions. The agency carefully considers the circumstances of the humans and the dog before placing an animal. Templeman emphasized that it’s an individualized process. "Often people aren’t able to get the animal they want, but they may be able to get another animal," Templeman said. "The types of adoptions we do are very consistent with other adoption agencies." Bill Ford, 62, of Sams Valley, is among a handful of people upset with the Humane Society’s policies. Ford, who lives on 20 acres of rural land, went to the agency a year ago to find a dog to be a companion for his 4-year-old English mastiff. When he said the dog would live mostly outdoors, a staff member denied the adoption. "She basically said, ‘We want the dogs to be companions for the humans,’ " Ford said. "The bottom line was she told me, ‘They’re our dogs.’" Ford said he was appalled. "They’re not children, for heaven sake," he said. Ford’s experience was echoed by the Henrichs of Medford, who wrote a letter to Templeman on Aug. 6, 2002, protesting their treatment at the agency. Catherine and Allan Henrichs wrote that they were told they couldn’t have Rowdy, an 8-month-old Labrador mix, because their yard has only a 3-foot fence. "We have 3½ acres, a lovely place for a large dog," the couple wrote. "We absolutely LOVE our pets." The Henrichs complained that the staff member they spoke to, whose name they didn’t know, "no doubt enjoyed her ‘power trip.’ " However, the people who relinquished Java, the dog at the center of the controversy, applauded the Humane Society’s decision. The owners, who declined to be named, said they were very specific about Java’s high level of activity and need for attention. "The Humane Society did what we hope they would do for every dog by taking the time to place Java in the best possible home for her needs," they wrote. Templeman urged community members to understand the agency’s commitment to pets. "We do not treat them as a shirt or an item of clothing," he said. "People may see them as just dogs, but to us they are not." Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Free Music Downloads Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers home equity loans helzberg Distance Education Diamonds Online Poker Slippers Student Loans Tatoo tcg student loan consolidation teleconferencing Website Design & Marketing Memory Foam Mattress w2 forms Tatoos Advertisement s