Jon Katz and Raleigh/Wake County SPCA

[ccnnc]

I REALLY don't believe that the Wake County, NC SPCA has invited Jon Katz to be their featured celebrity at an event on June 28.

 

I encourage EVERYONE in this part of North Carolina to call the SPCA -- 919-772-2326 -- and let them know the truth about Katz.

 

Colin

[Guest pax]

I have a different perspective. Whatever your feelings are about the man, for better or worse he has some celebrity (or, if one prefers, notoriety), and if he's using it to help shelter animals in a way that IS actually helpful, I'm ok with that.

[Journey]

I have a different perspective. Whatever your feelings are about the man, for better or worse he has some celebrity (or, if one prefers, notoriety), and if he's using it to help shelter animals in a way that IS actually helpful, I'm ok with that.

 

 

Yes, but at what cost has his "notoriety" come at? If he continues to get engagements and speaking requests what else will he do to/with the animals he has now? Didn't his fame come ultimately at the cost of Orson?

 

Karen

[Guest pax]

Yes, but at what cost has his "notoriety" come at? If he continues to get engagements and speaking requests what else will he do to/with the animals he has now? Didn't his fame come ultimately at the cost of Orson?

 

Karen

 

 

I am not going to turn this into another Katz debate. He will do what he will do, rightly or wrongly, regardless of how many animals might or might not get gassed in North Carolina.

If even one can be saved by his appearance, it's worth it. A tool is a tool is a tool.

[ccnnc]

I have a different perspective. Whatever your feelings are about the man, for better or worse he has some celebrity (or, if one prefers, notoriety), and if he's using it to help shelter animals in a way that IS actually helpful, I'm ok with that.

 

I am not OK with that....

 

There were several options that the Wake SPCA could have taken.... one that immediately comes to mind is Don McCaig, also a widely published author, a contributor to this board and REAL shepherd and champion of the Working Border Collie.

 

And, yes, Katz is "helping" shelter animals, but he is also getting paid for the "help".

 

Colin

[Rebecca, Irena Farm]

The Wake program is not a little shelter in desperate need of money or dogs will die, etc, etc. It's a marvelous facility and organization with lots of backing already from the public. It's even a bit of a prestige thing to be a Wake SPCA sponsor. They aren't looking to educate people, they are simply continuing an excellent PR program with offering "celebrity" speakers.

 

I'm assuming this is part of Katz's movie promotional tour, or book tour, or something. It would certainly behoove them to know that bringing him here might not be a way to win friends and influence people.

 

There's a lot of Border Collie breeders in this area. There's a lot that are less than responsible. I'd really hate for any attention to be brought to that new movie on a local level. And before you point out that the book it's based on shows Border Collies in a less than attractive light, remember that there's no such thing as bad publicity.

 

Sorry Celia, it's already about Jon Katz and it's way too close to home. And I thank Colin for bringing this to our attention. I've got a few friends that are "Friends of Wake" or whatever and I'll be bringing this to their attention immediately. I'm sure it's too late to cancel the appearance, but they can make it very clear what a waste of money this guy is, for the future.

 

Speaking of posers . . . .

[AK dog doc]

A tool is a tool is a tool.

 

He's a tool, all right.

 

I guess they didn't see the irony in having as their guest someone who has publicly boraodcast his views that rescue dogs should be avoided becasue they all have problems. Aren't the dogs in shelters ALL rescues? Didn't he say something once suggesting that mixed-breed dogs were somehow inferior or to be avoided becuase they were unpredictable? Maybe I'm mis-remembering that, but I KNOW I'm not mis-remembering him saying that rescues always have behavior issues because of the unknown history. I think that might have been on Diane Rhem. Maybe someone should point that out to the shelter.

 

Maybe someone should tape it and bring it TO the shelter while he's there and ask him about it. And that thing where dogs only live eight years. And the whole Orson thing.

 

Grr.

[ccnnc]

Just talked to a gentleman at Wake SPCA about the upcoming event. He said he had done extensive research on Katz and was aware of his comments about rescues and his decision to put a dog down to avoid the cost of behavioral modification.

 

He also said that this is in no way an endorsement of Katz, but simply a fund raising opportunity for the SPCA.

 

I said that this event can only be seen as an endorsement and that it might create more problems - and lack of donations - than it will solve.

 

He also told me that Katz will be on the Dianne Rehm show again...

 

Colin

[MrSnappy]

He's a tool, all right.

 

hahahahahaha.

 

Colour me amused!

 

RDM

[Guest pax]

Well, I choose the tool reference for a reason.

 

Eh. I'm sorry I can't work up the righteous indignation factor on this, but by all means, play through, y'all.

 

I still think every dollar in is better than no dollars in, when it comes to taking care of the animals.

[Sue R]

I'm not convinced the end justifies the means, particularly when Katz will profit and gain publicity himself from the event. That's kind of like inviting what's-his-name (the football player whose relative has recently been implicated in dog-fighting) to be the featured celebrity for a Pit Bull rescue event.

 

There must be many better alternatives to Jon Katz, in my opinion.

[Eileen Stein]

I said that this event can only be seen as an endorsement

 

Very true. And that's the point.

 

and that it might create more problems - and lack of donations - than it will solve.

 

Another point worth making. If you look at the reviews of A Good Dog on Amazon, you'll see that Katz has infuriated a lot of readers. Not so much people like some of us who never thought much of him, but also people who were taken in by liked his early books and were greatly disillusioned by that one. Many very heated reviews, many who say they will never read a word he writes again, etc. I'm surprised an SPCA would think he was a savvy choice to elicit funds.

[Bill Fosher]

It's a side issue but a major thorn in my side. The football player was not implicated in dog fighting. A relative to whom he rented a house was.

 

AK Dog Doc beat me to the tool joke. What we have to realize is that Katz's profile is raised by all the people who denounce him. He actually feeds off our indignation with him. I'm not sure exactly how to handle people like him. I'd say he should be ignored, but then you are also ignoring the affirmative harm he has done to dogs. I have to admit that he has me flummoxed.

 

In this case, if I were a donor to this shelter, I would tell the board (not the staff) in a letter than because of the staff's decision to help Katz promote his book/movie/twisted world view, that I would be withholding all or part of my donation for this year, and a little bit about why -- and particularly how Katz's outlook is at odds with the shelter's mission (assuming that it is). I might even be inclined to go to the event and stand up and walk out as soon as he was introduced, or stand and turn my back on him and remain through his talk -- both of which Katz would use as proof of how childish his detractors are.

[Sue R]

Bill - Thanks for clarifying that about the dog fighting issue. I did understand initially that it was a relative but I thought I understood from subsequent news articles that the football player might well have been involved. I edited my post, hopefully reasonably. My mistake in using that as an example as the facts are not clear.