This is something that I recorded a few days ago… It is meant to note my experiences with this specific institution, and my opinions based around different decisions being made & actions being taken there… Feel free to share, as the sole purpose of recording these pieces is to start a conversation about the practices that are being implemented at this location… Dialogue is always healthy, and I embrace it all, agreeable or not. This specific video is centered around the topic of “temperament-testing.” This will not be the last video.
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I am glad you made this video & are bringing light to what goes on at this shelter particularly. I will now share my story of this shelter.
Back in 2001-2002 I worked in the Carson area. Every few weeks I would see a new stray dog roaming the streets. Never having been in rescue & not knowing anyone in that community, I took it upon myself to rescue every dog I saw. It ended up being about 7 in total. Anyway, some would take weeks to get close enough to to be able to get into my car. Realizing in most cases that this may be someone’s dog, I would take them to the shelter in hopes their owner would come claim them. In each case, they never did. I learned quickly on my own of the holding period & how it was imperative to get back to the shelter THE day the dog became available, otherwise there would be dire consequences.
I remember learning that whenever anyone would take a dog that they had found to the Carson shelter, they were asked where the dog was found. If they said anything other than “Carson”, they were told that they could not take the dog in. These dogs were then abandoned elsewhere in the city.
One day when I went to the shelter to check on one of the dogs I had brought in, there were rows & rows of pit bulls. I went back the next day to pick up the dog, and every single kennel was empty! I couldn’t believe it. It was completely disturbing, and still haunts me to this day. I remember hearing, “we do not adopt out pit bulls”. Whether that were true or not, to hear of their practices of “temperment testing” & how they say almost every dog “fails”, it does not surprise me after seeing what I saw.
This is unethical & inhumane. These dogs do not have a chance being in this shelter! I have never seen a more high-kill shelter than Carson. They would rather kill than adopt out. What is the purpose of a “shelter” anyway? Certainly not what Carson is portraying!
Please do not stop investigating them. There is definitely something wrong & it has been wrong for years.
I have to add my last story about Carson. The first 2 dogs I had found where running together on the street. They were clearly starved & one had been hit by a car or something because she was dragging her hind legs. Again, years ago I didn’t know any better & thought that calling the shelter was the first thing to do, that they would help them. I remember the guy coming to pick them up. All these years later I remember hearing the hurt dog cry as she was picked up. And I remember crying myself. He asked me if I wanted them. I told him yes…then I told him that the one dog would need to be checked out by a vet asap. If he deemed she was in too much pain, that it would have to be up to the vet as to what to do. I called first thing in the morning. She was put down that night. I still cry, I still have dreams of her. I still curse myself for not saving her. If I knew then what I know now, she would still be alive & be walking around with the aid of a walker. It was a horrible experience being that it was my first time ever trying to help dogs off the street. But because of her, I was able to save other dogs in her memory. She was & is my inspiration.
Sorry for turning this into some kind of novel but wanted to express my interactions with the Carson shelter. They are quick on the draw to put animals down rather than spend money on their care.
I see so much pain in your eyes. You are a great man! Keep spreading your experiences. I live in the Northeast. This is not just in the West. We all need to lobby for those poor babies lives!
When I hear you speak about the way Carson temperament tests, it’s amazing any dog would pass. Norman came from Carson. He was one of the lucky ones.
i am so outraged at this,i cant beleive all this goes on.i live in the uk and pits just like anywhere as bad reps but from my experience the 3 pits that i have known have never shown aggression in any way.buddy who is in my photo was brought up with my daughter when she was a toddler he was her best friend,they are the most loyal ,gentle and loving dogs.i just wished i could help with this.keep up the good work and i salute you all for this extremeley strong determination…nikki xxx
I’m currently waiting on a ‘call back’ from Carson Animal Shelter following a temperament testing for an 8 month Pit Bull who we’ve visited often and intended to adopt. We were told the policy is to not allow the dog out of the cage until the test is complete and no test was given even after the dog has been impounded over seven days. So, since we showed interest they will request a temperament test, if these results are favorable they will call us back. It’s been five days since, we’ve called each day and the test has not been completed, the dog is taking up space in the shelter and the shelter appears to be dragging their feet. Any other non “dominant breed’ as they called it would have been forever homed by now. Just one more obstacle and unnecessary policy against what appears to be a very pleasant dog.
@am_beezee That is great to hear that you are intending to adopt… Please continue with your efforts and let’s hope he passes. Carson’s temp-testing is absurd, as noted in this video, but let’s just hope for the best in this specific case. If for some reason he doesn’t pass, please let me know, as I may be able to point you in a direction that will assist you in still potentially getting him… I actually just photographed the entire shelter on Monday, is the dog in this album? https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.241302119261122.61040.135690629822272&type=3
Im trying to adopt a black-lab/pitbull mix at the Carson animal shelter
and the dog failed the temperament test. This dog was my neighbors dog, she dropped him off at this shelter, now I want him and cant adopt him because he fail this test. How can you help me? The dog knows me very well and wont bite me or my family. I really want to rescue him ASAP and love him very much! His ID #:A4529749 HIS NAME IS BEAR.
Juan, go to my SwayLove Facebook page (www.facebook.com/swaylove) and post there or send me a message there. That way I’ll have your profile and can forward it to a few people with pull rights that may be willing to help you. Basically you will need an “approved with the shelter” 501c3 rescue to pull Bear, then they could privately adopt him to you. Do you know what day he came in, and do you (or did you) have an IP on him? What was his “failing” temperament test score?
Q: what qualifications does the person administering the temperament testing for the so called dominant breed have? Veterinarian, Vet Tech, Animal Behaviaorist, Kennel worker, Administrative, Volunteer?