I was working with the KHS and Wichita Shelter Cats Needing Immediate Help to get a small black cat that was 4 months old. I am in Chicago and I needed their assistance in order to get the kitty. Unfortunately the employee and volunteer that worked and belonged to these organizations were not able to be responsible. The Kitty was euthanized one and one half hours before I was able to secure his life because the employee and volunteer did not take the few minutes they needed to take to secure his life. This kitty was a healthy 4 month old kitty waiting for adoption who lost his life because these two woman did not take their responsibility seriously.
I give what I can to the 'Lord's Diner', as it makes me very sad to see people who are homeless and don't know where their next meal is going to come from. I grew up poor, but never had to totally go hungry. It means a lot to me, to see the lines outside the Lord's Diner waiting to eat the food I helped to provide. I feel more willing to give to a local charity, where I can see my money going to support a needy cause, rather than sending money to national or international charities. I have all that I need to support my family, and find it uplifting to be able to help other families that are not as fortunate as I. I help to support the Kansas Humane society, by adopting my pets from them, rather than buying them from a breeder or pet store. I have adopted 5 wonderful dogs from the Humane Society over the years, that have been wonderful pets. I also was able to use the Humane Society to have one of my pets put down, and was so comforted by their kindness during the process.
Review from #MyGivingStory
The 'former board member and president' must have access to data the public doesn't have, or otherwise cannot perform basic math functions. According to data published on the Kansas Humane Society webpage, the actual number of 'animals' that the Kansas Humane Society took in, was (and this requires extrapolating dome data from the graph the Kansas Humane Society provides), the Murfin Animal Care Campus (The Kansas Humane Society plus the Wichita Animal Shelter comprise the Murfin Animal Care Campus), the 'campus' took in approximately 22,00 animals in 2011. But the Wichita Animal Shelter (statical data provided on the City of Wichita Animal Care data website) took in 10,245 of the total, leaving, if my calculator works correctly, 11,755 animals to be attributed to the Kansas Humane Society. Now in my grade school, I was taught that 17,000 (claimed by the 'former board member and president') is actually 5245 animals FEWER than this writer claims. Perhaps the public is unaware of different figures, but as the Kansas Humane Society claims to follow the ASILOMAR accords, the protocols of the accords are very straightforward, and simple, as to how the intake numbers are ascertained. These figures I presented had to be extrapolated from data published by the Kansas Humane Society since the Society seems to refuse data pertinent to the Society itself. Instead, it seems to bury their data in the generalized Murfin Animal Care Campus statistics (supported by the Wichita Animal Shelter 'hard' data) using innuendo to suggest greater success than the Society in reality, enjoys. Every fact mentioned here is verifiable online and in person.
As a past board member and president of the board, I have been able to see the Kansas Humane Society from the inside out. I've spoken with many people who were satisfied and many who were dissatisfied with the Humane Society and have found many, many more who liked the organization. The goal of the Humane Society is to find homes for all adoptable animals which is not as easy as some may think when they have 17,000 animals coming through the doors on a yearly basis. Working with animals in this forum is extremely difficult. But the Humane Society does their level best to make the lives of the animals in their shelter as comfortable as possible while showing as much compassion as possible. It's a great organization.
I wish that The Kansas Humane Society would be open with the public and give actual numbers of how many animals are brought in to their shelter, and the actual disposition of those animals. They talk about percentages of live release rates, but don't give any actual numbers. Just recently Jennifer Cambellr stated, October 2012, to the newsmedia that they took care of over 17,000 animals last year. Yet when you look at the total numbers taken in by both KHS and the Wichtia Animal Shelter it shows a much lesser number. They did cut the number of cat cages in half last year and routinely have empty dog runs when dogs are being euthanized at the neighboring facitly.
Review from CharityNavigator
Financial data for 2011 from the Kansas Humane Society is STILL not available in late August 2012. I would advise that no one make any contributions to this organization until this information is publicly available. I believe that every charitable organization is responsible to the public which both donates to them and essentially subsidizes their programs. This long delay in making any financial available leads one to question the integrity, and indeed financial viability, of any organization. A charitable 'humane' shelter is essential to a community the size of Wichita. The question is, 'are we getting good management of donated funds and publicly subsidized facilities, or does the public need to re-evaluate the current organization...and find an equation that works for the unwanted and unloved animals in this community'?
Review from CharityNavigator
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Actually, I am a former volunteer and was in fact dismissed from this organization because I was not in 'philosophical agreement' with the administration. And no, I wasn't. I do not condone subterfuge. It is my opinion, that the UN-AUDITED financial report (see Charity Navigator) makes a false statement when identifying this agencies assets (listed at approximately $10 million), because in fact the Kansas Humane Society does NOT OWN its shelter (which this agency paid to be constructed at a cost in excess of $10 million) but is instead a lessee of the building which is owned by the City of Wichita. It is my opinion that this is misrepresentation of agency assets made to deceive the public and donors as to the 'success' of this agency, which in turn generates confidence...and more donations. I would volunteer for this agency again, in a heartbeat if there were what I consider (my opinion) qualified, competent, and ethical administration and board.
Review from CharityNavigator