Beward of Karen Lavenia

[livingdustmops]

************PERMISSION TO CROSSPOST***********

This is a very difficult email to write. Karen Lavenia has been
a beloved member of our organization since September, 2002. She has
fostered, transported, advised and mentored, and for the last few
years carried the title of "Intake Coordinator." We knew that Karen
had "alot" of dogs, including eleven she was fostering for our
organization, and that she sometimes became overwhelmed, but when we
tried to move them, she only wanted to release them to adoption, and
was often too "busy" to talk to potential adopters, saying she was
fine. We arranged for annual home visits, with volunteers visiting,
to check on her and the pups. Something changed this year - first a
healthy dog, who spent 2 months in her home, was found to be unbathed,
and very thin when she transported to her new home, and according to
her new vet, was suffering from starvation, with liver involvement.
Karen told me that she puts out the food, but can not watch to be sure
that the dogs actually eat. Then Eli, a Shih Tzu Karen adopted from
us, died. Karen said he'd not been acting right for weeks, but was
attacked by 3 younger, smaller dogs, in her home. There were no
visible injuries, so she did not take him to the vet, but when she
came home from work, he was dead... And the latest, a little
Chihuahua named Paco, scheduled for adoption, was unable to make the
last transport. I was told he was in perfect health when he first
came into Karen's care, but the poor baby died of either distemper or
starvation. (We know it wasn't distemper, as he'd been out of the
shelter for months, and none of the other dogs in the house were
sick). There have been others, but we wil never know how many.
After learning that Karen does not give regular monthly
heartworm prevention to the dogs in her care, despite the fact that
our rescue provides it, and hearing her philosophy about the care (or
lack thereof) of senior rescue dogs, four of us made a trip to Gaston,
SC on Monday, January 19, 2009. We were saddened to realize how
seriously conditions had deteriorated in the year since our last
visit. One of our dogs was missing; we were told he had a habit of
jumping the fence and running the neighborhood. We removed sixteen
dogs from the house, all rescued under our name, some without anyone's
knowledge. We left 2 dogs in the yard, plus one "missing", and at
least 12 dogs in the house. We took a senior Labradoodle, who was high
HW+ when rescued a year ago, and never treated. We were very
concerned about the pack mentality and safety of other dogs in her
home, and planned to return the following week, to pick up several
more, including Domino, who is definitely ours, and others, who were
probably pulled as STFBR dogs. Karen now refuses to take our calls,
indicating she has decided to keep the dogs. Somehow this wonderful
woman has gone from a rescuer to a hoarder. I believe she will
continue to take in dogs, despite pretty horrific living conditions .
She prefers senior small dogs - poodles, pekes, shih tzus, chihuahuas,
pugs, etc, although she will take any small dog who "needs" her.
Without permission to use our 501c3, she will be looking for owner
surrenders - on Yahoo groups, Craig's List, Petfinder, etc. She also
has a Petfinder site, and a website under construction, where she
calls herself a Rescue and Sanctuary. I realize that this is a very
harsh email, but let me make myself clear - if Karen Lavenia was the
only rescue available, I would not put my personal dogs in her care.

You have my permission to share this email as needed. I am prepared
for any legalities that may follow.

Sincerely,
Meredith Coley
Director
Shih Tzus and Furbabies
www.shihtzusandfurb abies.org
912-673-0041



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[Wylie's Mom]

OMG this is HORRIBLE.

Please tell me you've both reported her to police as well as called your local Humane Association to report this and conviscate the dogs? Or the ASPCA?

Given what she did to these babies, there is no telling what her true mental state is - and what could happen or has happened already.

[qraven]

that is sad. I do hope they were able to help the dogs and this lady as it sounds like they all need help ASAP

[livingdustmops]

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

OMG this is HORRIBLE.

Please tell me you've both reported her to police as well as called your local Humane Association to report this and conviscate the dogs? Or the ASPCA?

Given what she did to these babies, there is no telling what her true mental state is - and what could happen or has happened already.

I am part of a national rescue organization and the group will post (permission to crosspost is given) when these situations come up so other rescue organizations can be made aware. In this case it was a hoarder but in many cases it is people looking for a rescue animal for all the wrong reasons and they will apply to many rescue organizations. I am very confident this organization worked with the police (to get their rescue dogs back from this lady) as well as the legal animal protection organization in the city.