Man The Barricades For Dogs And Cats

By Craig Malisow Tue., Jan. 27 2009 at 9:25 AM

Categories: Political Animals

Have some free time at noon today? If so, and you feel the city is ignoring problems at the Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care, you might want to scoot down to a demonstration at City Hall.

No Kill Houston wants the city to approve a contract to bring a supposed "no-kill" animal shelter consultant to assess the troubled animal shelter.

According to the press release, "Houstonians have a message for Mayor Bill White: Stop the stall tactics and sign the contract! For nearly three months, the city's contract with Nathan Winograd, a leading animal shelter consultant, has been in legal limbo while dogs and cats continue to die."

Animal advocates raised $8,000 last year to pay for Winograd's assessment, but the contract seemingly died after the city demanded Winograd waive all city liability, as well as agree to not release any findings without first clearing it through the city.

Some of the advocates will address City Council following the demonstration, which will be held at the reflecting pool outside the building.

For more information on what exactly's going on at BARC, as well as Winograd's real credentials, be sure to check out the Houston Press Wednesday for an in-depth report.

-- Craig Malisow

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Lydia, you still don't know anyone who does these things. Have you not checked up on this guy? Don't you know about Philly? Don't you know about San Fran SPCA or Tompkins County? Don't you know how those "numbers" were achieved? On the backs of dead animals in the kennels is how they were achieved. Dogs being torn to death by a kennel mate. Cats dying of diseases, lingering in their cages, suffering. Overcrowding, no transparency to the public, lies, lies, lies.What planet do you live on Lydia that you have not heard of all of this? Overachiever, I think not, ignorant is a much better description.
Winograd is a professional consultant, like your CPA, your family attorney, your financial advisor, etc. All professionals charge a fee, if that is how they make their living. Personally, I can't fault a man or woman for wanting to make a living saving lives. All the health gurus agree we should work with passion and meaning, if possible. Seems that's what Winograd is doing. Winograd charges different fees for different services. His fee for Houston is actually only 5K (Yes, I raised 8K; I'm an overachiever.) This 5K covers what he calls a "snap-shot" assessment, a report of his findings as well as his short and long-term recommendations AND a brief presentation to anyone who wishes to attend, to discuss what is needed to build a no-kill community. If you ask me, that's a hell of a bargain, especially, knowing that his information and inspiration DO bring down kill rates everywhere he opens his mouth. I do not think he walks on water, but I don't know anyone else who has lowered kill rates and raised adoption rates as he has. Do you? If so, I want their name and number yesterday! Lydia
I hope the people of Houston do stand up and demand change - less killing, more prevention programs for their city animal control. And demand is the what I need to do because the city leaders seem to want to continue to keep things the way they have always been, no matter what the public wants. I am hoping that enough people with love for animals in their hearts make a stand that the city cannot ignore.
I heard about Winograd years ago. He sounded too good to be true especially his claim of "nokill overnight!" I immediately offered to pay for his travel and consulting fees just like poster one until I found out that he wanted an amount much, much higher than $8,000. I asked Winograd why he wouldn't just share his life saving plan for free and let others carry out the plan. I care for animals for free. That was almost the last I heard from him. After that I became suspect so I tried to find out what happened in the shelters where he consulted. They weren't forthcoming with their results so I became more suspect. Then I saw the news video about the failure in Philadelphia. It was my worst suspicions come true. Giving animals away for free, overcrowding shelters is not the answer. I can't wait to see the news article.
Hi, Craig! Actually, I am the sole animal advocate who raised $8,000.00, plus donated airline miles, to bring Nathan Winograd to Houston to do an assessment of BARC and provide short and long-term recommendations on how to significantly raise the adoption rate of BARC's dogs and cats, while dramatically lowering the kill rate of healthy and treatable dogs and cats. Nathan J. Winograd has been able to achieve this for the shelters he has worked with in the past and that is all we are wanting from him... his experience-focused guidance in critically lowering the kill rate at BARC, which no one else (in-house, on BARC's payroll) has yet been able to do and sustain. I am NOT with No Kill Houston or any other group. I am simply an individual who is committed to seeing animal control reform take place at BARC, once and for all, so Houston's Fido's and Fluffy's can leave BARC on all 4 legs, instead of in body bags to the tune of 30,000 Fido's and Fluffy's EVERY SINGLE YEAR, year after year. Nathan Winograd can help BARC achieve this. Consider him a tool to achieve what no one else has been able to achieve for BARC/Houston, yet. I'm willing to put my money on it and so are the individuals who contributed to the 8K and donated airline miles. I hear you are not a Nathan Winograd fan. Last I checked, he's human, so there's likely to be something or other about him that isn't perfect, but what have we got to lose, Craig? Who else do you know who can achieve the results that he can? As I've said from Day 1, if you've got a better solution than Winograd, bring it! We need it! But, a solution we MUST bring to the table - ethically, it's beyond overdue! Lydia Caldwell

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