Final part of our 4-part interview with the former humane
society director
As a role model for how to do animal welfare right, former
Central Missouri Humane Society (CMHS) director Patty Forister
says look no farther than Columbia Second Chance, the humane
society's low-profile, privately-funded pet-rescuing cousin. With no contracts
from under-paying government agencies to worry about, and a decentralized
administrative structure that has "every board member actually doing the
day-to-day work," Columbia Second Chance "deserves kudos for going forward with
a unified, workable vision," Forister told the Heart Beat.
With hindsight and reflection since she left the post last
November, Forister has spoken candidly with the Columbia Heart Beat about the
humane society's past, present, and future. We first interviewed Forister in
August 2008, for a story called Dog Days: Humane Society Faces
Closure. This installment concludes four parts.
Columbia Heart Beat (CHB): What is it about Columbia Second Chance that makes their business model work so well?
Forister: Passion is certainly part of
it. You won't find people more dedicated to animal rescue and welfare.
Everyone works. They have working board members, for instance, actively engaged
in daily activities. They've also put together an impressive group of shelters,
like their Dog Ranch and Catty Shack. Just as importantly, though, they don't
have that quasi-public function, like CMHS does. They can control which
animals they take and the quality and quantity of those animals. That's a lot
harder for CMHS because it has contracts with local government. Columbia Second
Chance functions more like a private humane society, while CMHS functions more
like a public animal control facility.
Columbia Heart Beat (CHB): But CMHS also has plenty of passionate, committed people.
Forister: Absolutely! And several
working board members. Maria Furey was the president and worked with animals a
lot. Tiffany McBee, another board member, was very active in animal care. CMHS
had board members work as animal receivers and animal rescuers in the shelter,
patting us on the back when we needed it. But they also weren't there all the
time because they do play a management role. There's a fine line between
engaging and micro-managing, and I think our board was always conscious of that.
Columbia Heart Beat (CHB): We have local elections coming up in Columbia and Boone County. What would you advise candidates who want to win the support of Columbia's many animal lovers and pet owners?
Forister: First, add meaningful
engagement with CMHS and other animal care groups to your platform.
That's been one of the biggest issues with trying to get local elected officials
to understand what CMHS is all about. When I was there, we offered two
board seats to both the county and city, but I never once saw any
representatives attend. And those seats were never filled.
[Boone County Commissioner] Skip Elkin seemed very
interested and engaged at first, then -- nothing. We never heard from him
again. [Columbia City Councilman] Jason Thornhill also seemed interested. He
wanted an audit of CMHS. But he didn't join the board to my knowledge and I
don't recall that he had any interaction with CMHS, but I don't know if that's
changed since I left.
Second, candidates should suggest adding a "cat
ordinance" to city law.
Columbia Heart Beat (CHB): What's a "cat
ordinance?"
Forister: A cat ordinance guides what
the city does with its largest population of stray animals: cats. Remember all
the cat controversy, about people feeding feral cats and taking care of strays?
That kind of problem will continue until Columbia gets serious about a cat
ordinance. Most cities have them. The city I live in right now, which is
smaller than Columbia, has a cat ordinance. Right now, no one is serving
Columbia's cat population.
CAT ORDINANCES AROUND THE NATION
Columbia Heart Beat (CHB): Why are cats
such a big problem? Why not dogs?
Forister: There's a big misconception
that cats are independent, that they don't need vet care, food, and shelter.
But that's simply not true. If you think about what
"independent" means for an animal, it really means "wild." So cats end up being
treated like squirrels, raccoons or other wild animals. Cities don't consider
them in the same light as dogs. I mean, think about a big feral dog population
roaming the city. There would definitely be action.
Columbia Heart Beat (CHB): Wow! I
never thought about it that way before. But if other cities have these cat
ordinances, why not progressive Columbia?
Forister: I think it all comes back to
the funding issue. The not wanting to recognize a problem.
Underfunding breeds dysfunctional relationships and hampers education. If
animal control in Columbia were properly funded, things would move ahead. The
lack of a cat ordinance is merely a symptom of a larger problem.
Columbia Heart Beat (CHB): Given all
this, do you have any final thoughts for this election year?
Forister: Yes -- I have a message for
all the candidates. Animal care in Columbia and Boone County needs and
deserves a full, fair, and equitable partnership with the
government agencies that use animal care services. For too long, that simply
hasn't been the case.
Columbia Heart Beat (CHB): Thank you so
much for spending time with our readers.
Forister: It's been my pleasure.
Columbia and Boone County are filled with loving, caring people. I've tried to
articulate what I think they want and need.
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