Will All The Kings Horses Harrass Portland Homeless?

To: Michael Oswald

     Kim Peoples, Director of Community Services
To: Multnomah County  Commission

 

 

See below: so often addressed. Any one with any current knowledge and common sense knows that fines punishment and extorted surrender accomplish nothing in animal enforcement ( the most insignificant of crimes) although sometimes they have an effect by frightening  citizens, especially the vulnerable and poverty stricken into surrendering their animals when humane alternatives exist.

 

At MCAS, however failure and bad policy are no reason to reconsider. The lack of government performance standards at the county commission and this agency is astonishing for an urban community; a complete squandering of tax payer resources without accountability,  best suited to a private club not public office. 

 

Additional ticket examples in part one:

 

NOI 90107 a $300 fine issued for a first offense minor bite  to  Mary Mackrill, homeless, an accident, with the requirement that  her dog must wear a muzzle at all times except when eating or drinking or in extreme heat. What is extreme heat, Mr. Oswald ( What most of us feel when impossible conditions are issued) ?. Or her dog will be  surrendered.

 .These are my questions:

 

How is a $300 fine a deterrent to someone who  is homeless and has no money? Of course you will send this to collections so you can ruin a poverty stricken homeless person's "credit". Exactly what have you accomplished?

 

We can't offer legal help because only you have a way to contact  Ms.Mackrill.

 

The imposed conditions of constant muzzling except for extreme heat ( What is that: 85 degrees; 95? What is the measure?. Should the homeless person carry a thermometer? ) amount to animal cruelty and is an impossible compliance requirement, just as impossible as the oft cited requirement of homeless persons that they build a secure concrete based enclosure on property they don't have because they don't have a home.

 

Why don't you permit  an owner education diversion class that teaches new skills instead of futilely punishing those with challenges who have no skills? Other places have "Street Smarts for the Street Dog". This  intervention, so successful  elsewhere, falls on deaf ears because you have fixed ideas and failed polcies and refuse to budge.

 

NOI 89562 to Joseph Razzouk, a UPS driver, who realy loves his dog. His dog gets out. Help him instead of issuing a $500 fine making any solution impossible.

 

There are other tickets just like this one, equally thoughtless, and I will just begin posting them every week so the public can know where its taxes go.

 

If you will not honor this community's values and direction, please resign. A community government agency  on auto pilot needs a new leader. All the King's horses and All the King's men can't fix this when no effort is made and leadership just doesn't care.

 

Gail O'Connell-Babcock

503.625.4563,