Sad but worse now @ Pet Rescue

Nov 11, 2009 Wednesday 8:58 AM

I volunteered on two different occasions, once for 3 years and once for 4 years. They did let me adopt two Lhasa Apso, since that dog breed was considered mean, yet they liked me, but I got one @ 4 and he passed away @ 14 with Cancer in Dr Baker's vet office and the other who ended up being diabetic @ about 17 years old. Him I had for about 13 years. While @ Pet Rescue, the place was dirty and messy.
The first time I volunteered on Saturdays working with the public and showing the animals to them and often the people were turned down. On my way to Pet Rescue Dale had me pick up one of the Kennel cleaners from Dale's home who would be cleaning her home each Saturday. She justified it, because she claimed she rescued a bunch of animals. I understand she hide animals because she would take over the limit & then never took them to be adopted and they became her pets, but when I arrived to pick the polish lady up a number of them would be by the door wanting to be patted and the lady would sometimes bring a few out some I would pat them while she quickly finished cleaning something @ Dale's house. I never seen the inside because she said she did not want to get in trouble with Dale, so I never pressed her to let me in, since she was a nice polish lady who I could speak with since I spoke polish. She did say there were a number of cages the animals were in, so how can they be considered pets (dogs & cats). She also said Dale was not a clean person and had her personal stuff as dishes to wash, bed sheets,etc. We would then go to pet rescue where the cleaning lady continued cleaning there and I showed the animals to people on Saturdays, though many times the adoption was declined. The lady went home with the polish men working @ Pet Rescue. My understanding the lady & men went back to Poland. Anyway it was not a win situation, so I left and one of the volunteer managers asked me to come back since she claimed I was good with the public. I refused, but did come back on Wednesday night to work with the animals.
The two older ladies, there longer, preferred dogs and this other gal who came a couple weeks after me liked cats, while I liked both, so The gal and I did the cats.
They almost never had any canned food for the cats and the two of us would bring a supply with us and the animals always were excited to see us. We would clean the liter pans too. I remember a few times I would try to clean the dusty room & shelves and the next week it would be very messy.
I also remember Penny wanted me to help her with something and telling me the cats did not need food everyday or fresh water.
I also understand that the water broke after I left and people had to bring from home. Hopefully this was daily?
The time I went to the dirty basement where in my time it was dirty, damp, and dogs kept there, plus supplies once in a while I seen a mouse too. A couple times they got a huge pet food donation in cans and instead of making arrangements for the food they would let it rot in the yard.
I then left having a class on Wednesday on good terms, and the gal I worked with left after she seen a dead cat with bugs eating away at the flesh. Neither of us went back since we felt helpless, to really help this situation.
Bo
Volunteer in the late 80's

Siezure Decision

November 12, 2009

The Judge has allowed PRI animals to remain at the shelter as the defendants attorney agrees to let IDOA have continued access to the shelter.

NOVEMBER 12, 2009

Thursday 8:30am
Wheaton Courthouse
Meeting in Room 4007

Please join Operation Mia as the Assistant States Attorney petitions the court for the siezure of Pet Rescue Inc. animals.

License revoked from Bloomingdale animal shelter

By Marco Santana Daily Herald Staff
Published: 11/5/2009 12:46 PM Updated: 11/5/2009 5:10 PM

A long-embattled Bloomingdale animal shelter lost its license Wednesday, effectively shutting down the controversial site at least until it goes through an appeal process.
Pet Rescue Inc. now has 30 days to appeal the administrative law judge's ruling, which said the shelter failed to provide timely records to the Illinois Department of Agriculture.
In the past, former clients and volunteers have accused the shelter of hoarding animals and providing improper care.
A complaint filed by the state in April claimed that the shelter did not provide records covering a five-month period, from August 2008 to February.
"It's a good start," said Cherie Travis, an attorney who has represented a group trying to shut down the shelter. "But I think it's taken way too long."
In a report filed as evidence at an August hearing, the department of agriculture said the shelter denied or ignored several requests for records concerning four animals. The shelter took up to nine months to provide records for another 18 animals.
Illinois Department of Agriculture Spokesman Jeff Squibb said the department has worked with local authorities to push the case forward. The revocation means the shelter cannot operate in Bloomingdale based on a zoning ordinance that requires a license.
"Our position is that Pet Rescue is no longer a licensed facility and, therefore, cannot adopt out or transfer its animals," he said.
Squibb said the facility had been on the department's radar for many years as complaints mounted.
Pet Rescue Director Penny Horak has said any denial or failed compliance was done in error. A phone call to Pet Rescue Attorney Rick Schoenfield was not returned.
The ruling is the latest in an ongoing saga concerning the shelter.
The shelter lost its license for about a month in 2008 after state officials accused Horak and owner Dale Armon of animal cruelty.
In April, a state complaint challenging the shelter's compliance with inspection reports was filed, and in September, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan accused Armon of using donated money intended to help the shelter for personal use.

LISA MADIGAN SUES PET RESCUE

Chicagoland Tails

LISA MADIGAN SUES PET RESCUE

By Agnes Jasinski

Following continuous delays and protests from those frustrated by a lack of progress in court, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has sued the president of the Bloomingdale animal shelter Pet Rescue for mismanagement of funds and a slew of other tax and funding violations. The owners of Pet Rescue, a no-kill shelter, have been accused of 20 counts of animal cruelty, but the trial against them has been pushed back several times.Former volunteers and employees of the facility at 151 N. Bloomingdale Rd. claim they have seen the improper care of animals sheltered there firsthand, the situation only worsening in the 30 years since it has been operating. A recent protest outside the DuPage County courthouse was a response to the latest continuance awarded to the defense.In the allegations filed by Madigan, the attorney general claims Pet Rescue’s president, Dale Armon, spent at least $70,000 of the shelter’s funds for personal use in the last two years alone. Pet Rescue took in more than $1.2 million in public donations between 2006 and 2007, according to an article in the Daily Herald. The shelter’s president could face six months in jail and more than $50,000 in fines.
Visit TailsInc.com for the latest updates on the Pet Rescue trial