Redemption: The Myth of Pet Overpopulation and the No Kill Revolution in America

by Nathan J. Winograd

Book Overview

Dieses historische Buch kann zahlreiche Tippfehler und fehlende Textpassagen aufweisen. Kaufer konnen in der Regel eine kostenlose eingescannte Kopie des originalen Buches vom Verleger herunterladen... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0979074304
• ISBN13: 9780979074301
• Release Date: September 2007
• Publisher: Almaden Books
• Length: 229 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.3" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Eye-opening

I did not realize until I read this book how much of my perception about shelters and shelter animals was shaped by hearsay and oft repeated opinions that were stated as facts. Though I did reject the pet overpopulation explanation prior to reading this book and question some temperament tests condemning some dogs as unadoptable, I'm ashamed to say that I had bought into the blame game on the public (ie. 'irresponsible owners', 'pet retention problem'), and did believe that feral cats should be euthanized - no, correction - killed instead of going through TNR. I was previously confused about what the No Kill philosophy really was because I have seen private shelters who claim to be no-kill (SPCA, HS) pick the 'best' animals from public shelters or relabel some intakes as unadoptable and kill them. What those shelters do is not the No Kill that Winogard champions.

If you wish for a more compassionate society, this book is for you.

Redemption tells the compelling true story of a social movement born of kindness and love that went astray, and provides a beacon to lead it back home to its roots, to a true lifesaving ethic. The book will surprise you, revealing the deeply held beliefs and inner workings of animal sheltering today. But it's more than a lively story about a social movement; it provides a roadmap for creating truly compassionate communities and a rallying cry to the finest sentiments within each of us to fully reconnect animal sheltering in our own communities to our own values. Winograd reminds us that compassion knows no limits and that when we, as a community, decide that we want change, we can truly achieve it. The innocence of animals and the trust they put in us is part of what endears us to our own pets. Redemption is a story of hope and promise that we can live up to that trust. Don't miss this book! It's a must read for anyone who cares about animals or about creating a more compassionate society.

Read this book

Nathan Winograd's Redemption is one of the most important books about animal welfare to appear in the last decade. In 2001, Winograd became Director of the SPCA in Ithaca, New York, and transformed the county animal shelter that functioned as a death camp into a state of the art shelter that saved 93% of the animals entering the facility. Through ingenuity, leadership and unflagging dedication he was able to marshal the good will, love and compassion of the community in Tompkins County to participate in this new adventure to save lives. Redemption tells the story of this transformation and documents the intractable resistance of the municipal shelter industry to implementing simple programs to save lives. In the past couple decades there have been major changes in the public's feelings and understanding of companion animals. As Winograd points out they have moved from the backyard into our homes, onto our beds. Untold numbers of people perished in the wake of hurricane Katrina because guardians refused to abandon their companion animals. This change in attitude had not gone unnoticed. In 1997, the London Times Literary Supplement noted a major paradigm shift among scientists and intellectuals in attitudes about dogs, from the behaviorist perspective which saw them as simply instinctive animals, to the modern view which realizes they are highly complicated, conscious, caring animals. A list of books documenting this change in perspective would run for pages. Some of the best known include the following: Thomas's The Hidden Life of Dogs & The Social Lives of Dogs; Derr's Dog's Best Friend Annals of the Dog-Human Relationship; Vicki Hearne's Adam's Task, Animal Happiness, & Bandit; Garber's Dog Love; Knapp's Pack of Two; Schwartz's A History of Dogs in the Early Americas; Thurston's The Lost History of the Canine Race; Coren's The Pawprints of History Dogs & The Course of Human Events; Katz's The New Work of Dogs; Myers' Children & Animals; Nelson's Why The Wild Things Are; Sanders' Understanding Dogs Living and Working with Canine Companions & Regarding Animals. This paradigm shift is not limited to dogs. Other breakthroughs are occurring like Pepperberg's The Alex Studies Cognitive and Communicative Abilities of Grey Parrots or Grandin's Animals in Translation. What has not happened until more recently was a change in the way society dealt with these companion animals incarcerated in animal shelters in almost every county in America. In the early 1990's Richard Avanzino, Director of the San Francisco SPCA began a campaign to transform conditions in animal shelters by publicizing simple programs he had initiated to help save lives. Essentially the program is very simple, open up the shelters to the public and involve them in the adventure to save lives. Develop a comprehensive volunteer/foster program to help socialize and exercise dogs in the shelter and to provide temporary homes to deal with overcrowding or special

The only guide ever needed for Shelter Management!!!!

What a well-informed read REDEMPTION was, and what a kick in the pants for those who sorely deserve it. This industry needs a good shake-down and Winograd is not afraid to do just that in this book. More people need to stand up and call it like it is but sadly most `Leaders' in animal welfare are in it for the personal spotlight....Not Winograd. His priorities are in line with Henry Berg's vision on protecting animals `from' people. Something the leaders in this industry clearly have forgotten along the way. I plan to read REDEMPTION at least 3 times a year to keep my mind fresh, motivated and crystal clear as to why I chose animal welfare as my career - to save lives...PERIOD!! Just as the Bible is available in a pocket sized edition, so should REDEMPTION. Every Director's job description should include verbiage speaking to "carrying REDEMPTION in his or her back pocket at all times; reviewing to its principles as needed". Within REDEMPTION is a roadmap of proven success; but I have little doubt this book will have its fair share of cynics. Yes, the same cynics who claim that the only way to manage an animal shelter is to kill, kill and kill some more while blaming the deaths on the general public. Not here. REDEMPTION tells it like it is, as Winograd calls out the organizations (and people) who hide behind multi-million dollar budgets, 6 figure salaries, and excuse after excuse as to why they can't get it done in their city. REDEMPTION is the industry's best read and Winograd will one day go down as the savior to animal-welfare.

All Hail Nathan Winograd!!!

Winograd is unequivocally the #1 animal advocate in the United States. Adding to his track record as the only individual to ever successfully lead a No-Kill shelter in both rural and urban locales, the publication of Redemption: The Myth of Pet Overpopulation and the No Kill Revolution in America is a natural progression for a fiercely steadfast champion of animals. Equal parts history, emphatic call for change and divining rod for success, Redemption is an inspiring book of how things should be now, and most certainly will be in the future. Redemption is not afraid to assign blame, it unflinchingly details where our shelters went wrong and perhaps more importantly why, and concisely pinpoints the uncomplicated programs, services, and stimulus needed to reverse our country's failures to the animals. It is the Declaration of Independence, Pentagon Papers and Silent Spring of the companion animal movement all rolled into one. Cynics beware, Redemption is the real deal. And Winograd is the maverick messenger that we (and our animal brethren) have been longing for. Congratulations reader, your life is about to change.