Their Voice

27/07/2023

LET PURSUIT LIVE - IN PURSUIT OF CHANGE

"𝙎𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝘿𝙤𝙜𝙨"

THERE IS NO AIR CONDITIONING IN THE DOG KENNELS AT THE Humane Society of Harrisburg Area!

𝙳𝚒𝚜𝚌𝚕𝚊𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚛: 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚟𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚘 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚗 𝚘𝚗 𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚗𝚘𝚘𝚗 𝚒𝚗 𝙹𝚞𝚕𝚢 2022.

And in case you’re wondering, there hasn’t been air conditioning for years, all thanks to executive director Amy Kaunas. What kind of person would let dogs live day after day and year after year in these conditions? But why should she care? Her capital campaign raised millions for her plush, air conditioned executive offices but apparently there was no money left to help the dogs. Isn’t that what a humane society is supposed to do? Help animals?

It’s overdue for Kaunas to be ousted. It’s overdue for the Board, who apparently condones this, to be ousted, too.

Please spread the word to effectuate much-needed change at that so-called humane society!

PLEASE SHARE!!

24/07/2023

Humane Society of Harrisburg Area

𝘼𝙢𝙮 𝙆𝙖𝙪𝙣𝙖𝙨 𝙎𝙡𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙋𝙞𝙜 𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙃𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙚 𝙀𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙖

I am writing to express my outrage over the recent news that Amy Kaunas, Executive Director of Humane Society of Harrisburg Area, had a pot belly pig named "Lilly" slaughtered without humane euthanasia.

According to sources Kaunas had the pig killed with a blow to the head which sounded like a gun shot and then they slit pigs throat all because she did not want to pay the $800 to have it humanely euthanized.

This is an absolutely horrific act of animal cruelty. Pigs are sentient beings who feel pain and fear just like we do. To kill a pig in such a brutal and inhumane way is simply unacceptable.

This is a horrific act of animal cruelty, and Kaunas should be held accountable for her actions.

I have also seen pictures and videos of the other animals in Kaunas's care. These animals are living in terrible conditions. They are filthy, and malnourished. Some of the animals are even injured or sick. This is clear evidence that Kaunas is not capable of caring for animals properly.

I urge the authorities to investigate these allegations and to take action against Kaunas. She is a danger to animals and should not be allowed to continue her cruel and inhumane practices.

In addition to the allegations of animal cruelty, I am also concerned about the safety of the animals on the farm. The farm is located in a remote area, and there is no one there to monitor the animals' well-being. This means that the animals are at risk of being injured or killed.

I am calling on Kaunas to immediately surrender the animals on the HSHA farm to a reputable animal rescue organization. These animals deserve to be in a safe and loving home, not in the hands of someone who is incapable of caring for them.

If you are concerned about the animals on HSHA's farm, please contact the authorities. You can also contact me via FB Messenger

30/06/2023

For my birthday this year, I'm asking for donations to The Ponce Animal Foundation Inc I've chosen this nonprofit because their mission means a lot to me, and I hope you'll consider contributing as a way to celebrate with me. Every little bit will help me reach my goal.

28/06/2023

𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐄𝐋 𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐒 𝐇𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐉𝐑

Owner of [Alpha Basic Training for Dogs and Humans, LLC](https://www.facebook.com/AlphaBasicTrainingforDogsandHumans)

𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙮 𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙭 𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙗𝙚 𝙖 𝙙𝙤𝙜 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙧.

• 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠.
Dog training often involves working closely with children and animals, both of whom are vulnerable populations. A registered s*x offender has a history of abusing or exploiting others, and there is a risk that they could do the same to a child or animal in their care.

• 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙢𝙗𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚.
Dog trainers have a position of power over their clients, both children and adults. This power imbalance could be used to exploit or manipulate clients, especially those who are vulnerable.

• 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙤𝙛 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩.
There is currently no federal law that prohibits registered s*x offenders from working as dog trainers. This means that there is no system in place to track or monitor these individuals, and there is no way to know for sure if they are safe to be around children or animals.

In addition to these reasons, there is also the ethical issue of a registered s*x offender working in a field that involves helping and caring for others. It is simply not appropriate for someone who has a history of harming others to be in a position of trust and responsibility.

For all of these reasons, it is important to have strict regulations in place that prohibit registered s*x offenders from working as dog trainers. This will help to protect children and animals from potential abuse or exploitation.

Here are some additional points to consider:

• A registered s*x offender may have difficulty building trust with clients, which is essential for effective dog training.

• A registered s*x offender may be tempted to use their position of power to exploit clients.

• The presence of a registered s*x offender in a dog training class could make other clients feel uncomfortable or unsafe.

Ultimately, the risks of allowing registered s*x offenders to work as dog trainers are too great. It is important to protect children and animals from potential abuse, and there are other professions that do not pose the same risks.

19/04/2023

Happy National Cat Lady Day! Celebrate your inner Cat Lady on April 19th with the hashtag and be sure to give a shout out to the shelter/rescue you got your cat BFF from!

12/03/2023

Amy Kaunas, Director of..

Humane Society of Harrisburg Area

Federated Humane Societies of Pennsylvania

Friends of Spring Township

Nice resume you've got there.

I wonder how many Estates has your organizations collected? 🤔

12/03/2023

09/03/2023

LET PURSUIT LIVE
Let Pursuit LIVE

Many of you have seen news stories about Pursuit, but even though the dog is temporarily safe because of volunteers and the community, the time has come to make real changes at the Humane Society of Harrisburg Area (HSHA).

[**Protesters gather to oppose HSHA scheduled euthanasia of dog, Pursuit**](https://theburgnews.com/news/protestors-gather-to-oppose-humane-society-of-the-harrisburg-areas-scheduled-euthanasia-of-dog)

# # # We urge the HSHA Board of Directors to replace Ms. Amy Kaunas with new and effective leadership.

The swell of anger and dissatisfaction from volunteers and staff – both current and former - toward Ms. Kaunas cannot be ignored. While Ms. Kaunas is predictably trying to explain this away as being from ‘disgruntled’ employees and volunteers, these individuals have dedicated significant time to animal welfare and have firsthand experience and knowledge of HSHA operations.

The average tenure for a non-profit Executive Director is six years. Ms. Kaunas has been in her role for 17 years. Over the years, we have seen that she has lost the confidence and respect of the Harrisburg community at large and many donors. We believe her leadership style no longer has a place at HSHA. We made every effort to try to ensure everything in this petition is factual. Here are just a few areas of great concern:

# # # ANIMAL WELFARE – With poor policies, severe understaffing, and firing of long-term volunteers, the animals suffer

▪︎ Dog kennels are often left with p**p for many hours without any cleanup.

▪︎ For many, many months, dogs were only getting walked once every few days, and the walks were often for less than 20 minutes. Dogs have been visibly stressed and are no longer given the enrichment opportunities to go offsite with volunteers to decompress.

▪︎ Ignoring varying caloric needs, most cats, regardless of size, are directed to be fed only one-half cup of dry food once per day plus a little canned food sporadically. In addition, per management, “Any volunteers feeding the cats wet food in any area (except for kittens) will be dismissed on the spot.”

▪︎ Assistance from outside rescue organizations and behavioral specialists has been rejected.

# # # QUESTIONABLE USE OF ASSETS - Ms. Kaunas resides on a 5-acre farm in Perry County which is owned by HSHA. However, it appears that Ms. Kaunas receives most of the benefits.

▪︎ House on the farm was renovated based on Ms. Kaunas’ specifications.

▪︎ Swimming pool was installed presumably for the benefit of all HSHA staff. However, most have rarely seen it.

▪︎ The farm appears to be underutilized over the years other than providing Ms. Kaunas’ comfortable residence.

# # # LACK OF TRANSPARENCY – Ms. Kaunas seems to believe that the less information shared with the community, including the staff, the better.

▪︎ In addition to horses housed at the Perry County farm, other horses have been stabled at other facilities at a great expense. The associated farm and external stable costs have never been and continue not to be shared. This lack of transparency is a great disservice to donors.

▪︎ IRS Form 990 is inaccessible through the HSHA website, and no annual report is provided.

▪︎ Unlike York and Lehigh shelters, no data is readily available on save-rate statistics.

▪︎ Policies are inconsistently followed with no explanation.

# # # TOXIC CULTURE - The HSHA workplace has been considered toxic and punitive for many years, with the attitude that ‘everyone is expendable’ communicated by Ms. Kaunas herself.

▪︎ Many of HSHA’s long-tenured volunteers as well as staff have quit or been fired.

▪︎ Volunteers are fired for speaking up for the animals.

▪︎ Staff and volunteers have been ignored or reprimanded after making even simple suggestions on how to improve the operation. In fact, a volunteer offered to pay for a full engineering plan to install air conditioning in the dog kennels with the understanding that significant monies would be forthcoming. Ms. Kaunas rejected the offer. More than one offer has been made to upgrade the dishwasher/sterilizer at no cost to HSHA, but those offers were also rejected by Ms. Kaunas.

The HSHA Board of Directors has a reputation in some circles for being personally approved by Ms. Kaunas and unwilling to act independently. However, we can see that the Board has a wealth of experience, and many have been actively involved in the betterment of the Greater Harrisburg Community.

# # # We need new executive leadership NOW before the reputation of HSHA is irreparably harmed. THE BOARD MUST ACT ON WHAT IS BEST FOR THE ANIMALS, NOT WHAT IS BEST FOR MS. KAUNAS.

Even the City of Harrisburg’s local newspaper editorial is demanding change

[**Patriot-News Editorial: The Harrisburg Humane Society needs to restore community trust after the crisis over Pursuit**](https://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2023/02/the-harrisburg-humane-society-needs-to-restore-community-trust-after-the-crisis-over-pursuit-pennlive-editorial.html)

# # # JOIN THE OUTCRY: Tell the HSHA Board of Directors that we need new and effective executive leadership for the sake of the animals.

For additional information (may need to sign in for the free article), see:

[**Pennlive News article: Furor over plan to euthanize dog unleashes complaints about humane society of Harrisburg"**](https://www.pennlive.com/news/2023/02/furor-over-plan-to-euthanize-dog-unleashes-complaints-about-humane-society-of-harrisburg.html)

https://www.change.org/p/for-the-sake-of-the-animals-demand-new-executive-leadership-at-humane-society-harrisburg

07/03/2023

Do you want to bring home a feline friend? Check out the dozen beautiful black cats (some with a pinch of white!) that we have available for adoption and more coming soon! Each of these cats has their own unique personality and charm. Don't let superstition stop you from giving one of these sweethearts a loving home.

For more information about all of our adoptable pets, please visit our website at: https://humanesocietyhbg.org/adopt/adopt-a-pet/.

05/03/2023

Board members of Humane Society of Harrisburg Area

Nonprofits play an essential role in our society and transparency is key to creating trust and confidence in their operations. That's why it's important for nonprofits to be open and honest about the ways they use their resources and how they are helping their communities. Transparency encourages donors to be more willing to support the organization, and helps to ensure that the funds are being used to fulfill the organization's mission. By being transparent and accountable, nonprofits can build trust, inspire confidence, and create a lasting impact in our communities.

https://www.change.org/p/for-the-sake-of-the-animals-demand-new-executive-leadership-at-humane-society-harrisburg

For the Sake of the Animals: Demand New Executive Leadership at Humane Society Harrisburg

05/03/2023

For the Sake of the Animals: Demand New Executive Leadership at Humane Society Harrisburg

05/03/2023

Director of Humane Society of Harrisburg Area what else haven't you inform the public of?

If you would agree a change of director is needed please sign petition below:

https://www.change.org/p/for-the-sake-of-the-animals-demand-new-executive-leadership-at-humane-society-harrisburg

LET PURSUIT LIVE

27/02/2023

Meet (Bonded with Bombus) 🐱💙

Hi! My name is Carpenter. I'm a tiny, tiger kitten who is bonded with my sister, Bombus. We bring comfort and joy to each other, so we must be adopted together. Like most kittens, I have an abundance of energy and love to play! Interactive play is my favorite, I really have more fun when a human shares playtime with me! I love wand toys, but will play with any kind of cat toy I can bat around and chase. Running through cat tunnels is another activity I enjoy. I like hiding inside, then jumping out to surprise you! I can be a whirlwind of activity, but I delight in being held, cuddled, and petted. I just might want down quickly! Inquisitive and brave, I like climbing and exploring. I heard a lady call me "The Brave Little Toaster"! I didn't know toasters could be brave, but I guess anything is possible in cartoons! I can't forget to tell you that I love my sister, Bombus, and cuddling with her is the best thing in my world. With us, you get the complete kitten package deal! Sweet, friendly, affectionate, happy, playful, curious, and SO cute, we will keep you entertained and will keep your heart full of love! Come in to meet us soon, dynamic duo, Carpenter and Bombus!

Meet (Bonded with Carpenter) 🐱💖

Hi! My name is Bombus. It's another word for "bee" and I would love to "bee" your special girl! I'm bonded with my brother, Carpenter. We bring comfort and joy to each other, so we must be adopted together. We are similar in temperament, although I can be a little shy initially. I'm a sweet, gentle lady who loves to give and receive affection. You can hold me like a baby, and I'll happily snuggle and cuddle with you! I also enjoy a fun play session, especially interactive play with wand toys. I might look timid and demure, but wow, can I pack a punch with the feather wand! When I'm not playing or soaking up attention, I love napping with Carpenter. We are happy together, but are eager to find a home where we can run, play, and be loved beyond measure. Come in to visit with us soon! You won't be able to stop smiling!

• up to date on vaccinations, spayed/neutered
• cat friendly
• affectionate/friendly
• playful/curious

About Carpenter:
https://buff.ly/3KFi5kM

About Bombus:
https://buff.ly/3IBiMJu

Apply here:
https://buff.ly/3mbp36S