MSPCA Closing

Some news and updates about the new animal shelter.

Nantucket Safe Harbor for Animals, the new animal shelter, will remain in the building on 11 Crooked Lane, in two of the previous seven rooms we used to use, for now. That means that stray dogs have a place to go and we can take in surrenders, but we will need foster homes for many of our other animals until we have the ability to expand.

We will operate as a volunteer-only organization at first. We have some people ready and willing, but will always be looking for

volunteers. NSHA will cover the hours of 7am to 7pm every day of the year to walk dogs, clean cages, feed, medicate and socialize the animals. A hefty task, but not impossible and worth the effort as our passion are the cats, dogs, bunnies, and others who will be in our care.

Our first fundraiser, Pet Photos with Santa, was a success. NSHA raised over $1500, which will help us reach our financial goals, but is far from the $75,000 it will take to run the shelter the first year. Since we plan to be volunteer-only, our expenses include: rent, utilities, medical supplies, food, litter, cleaning supplies, and any veterinary care required. We are in desperate need of your financial support.

Please consider volunteering, being a foster home for an animal, or making an end-of-the-year donation to NSHA. To volunteer or to become a foster home, send us an email at Nantucketsha@gmail.com.

You can donate by making checks payable to Community Foundation of Nantucket (CFNan) with “NSHA” in the memo or you can donate securely online at Community Foundation for Nantucket. Your gift is tax deductible. We appreciate your support!

You can now also visit our website: Nantucketsafeharborforanimals.org

Wouldn't it be nice if Angell were to take a small portion (say 25%) of the enormous profits they will reap from this sale, and put it back in to building a smaller, more efficient animal hospital? Maybe some of those who own a lot of property on the island, and also benefit form the services provided, would be willing to donate (or at least sell at a reasonable cost) some land?

I know, I know....dreaming again.......

Thanks, Beav! We are now able to take in funds via Community Foundation for Nantucket! People can go to their website and note that a donation is for Nantucket Safe Harbor for Animals. Our 501 c 3 is coming along, and we are finalizing the "how it's all going to work" plan, too. It's a lot of effort by a lot of dedicated islanders, but Nantucket's homeless animals can rest assured that they will have a place to rest their weary heads come 1/1/2012.

Oh, and if you want a little more bang for your buck, be sure to come in December 4, 11-2, for Photos with Santa. Professional Photographer Jeff Allen will once again be volunteering his awesome talents, and long-suffering "Stanta" Harvey will play the jolly Saint Nick. It is being held AT the MSPCA, but the donations WILL NOT GO TO THEM. Donations will go entirely to Nantucket Safe Harbor for Animals or Cat Trap Nantucket--your choice. It's always a fun, festive, furry time! Thanks everyone for your support!

this is excellent work Ike et al.

does anyone else see that what is being done is to build an island specific mini-MSPCA 'on the fly 'because those mainland clowns walked away from their self appointed  purpose?

what next?  they'll keep closing facilities around the state and only support the ones that are outright profitable?

gad.

what part of 'non-profit' don't they understand?

Ike.  thank your working group for me, at least.  you are the 'good guys'.  MSPCA is not the good guys.  what a crappy bunch of posers.

For all of you wondering what is happening, here is the latest. This just deals with what we are working on for the homeless animals. The veterinary side is making progress, too, but I'm not in on that right now.

Summary of Events:

Shortly after the MSPCA announced they were closing the facility, a group of people, who were concerned about the fate of the hospital and particularly the shelter and its current inhabitants, met to discuss the situation. It was decided that the doctors would determine how they wanted to handle the hospital side of things and we would support them in any way we could. Our mission was to create a safety net for animals currently in the shelter or abandoned, surrendered and stray after the 12/31 cut off.

Nantucket Safe Harbor for Animals sprang from this initial concern. We have begun the paperwork process for 501(c)(3) non-profit status in order to raise the funds needed to accomplish this task and much more. In order to do this, we have created a Board of Directors, written a mission statement, and are in the process of finalizing our short term, medium term and long term goals and writing policies and by-laws.

At this point we have been in regular contact with the veterinarians interested in continuing the hospital as well as their attorney, Rhoda Weinman. Dr. Howard, Dr. Minior, Dr. Fraker and Dr. St. Pierre have submitted a proposal to the MSPCA. In a nutshell, they seem pleased at this point with the progress of their negotiations to acquire the real estate and continue a veterinary practice at 11 Crooked Lane. There are always glitches to be reckoned with and they remain “cautiously optimistic” that things will work out.

With that in mind, we hope to lease the shelter portion of the building from them and continue to care for whatever animals come our way. This will be accomplished initially through a group of volunteers, with core individuals handling medical needs, records and adoptions. Ultimately we would probably want a Shelter Manager in place to run the operation and be a consistent contact for the community.

In the worst case scenario, the building is closed or sold to another concern and the shelter portion is not available to us. We are assembling a network of foster households and developing procedures for processing and placing animals as needed into these homes if this should be the case. Eventually we would need to find another physical location.

We have met with the Police Department and discussed the impact of the closing on their duties as Animal Control. They stand 100% behind our endeavors and have an annual budget they would turn over to us as they did with the MSPCA in exchange for a kennel available 24/7 and the care and feeding of any stray animals they retrieve. After a ten day period, these animals would then become the wards of NSHA. Without us, NPD would have to install a kennel, take care of the animals themselves for 10 days and ultimately euthanize any unclaimed strays – a situation no one would want.

We are working closely with advertising, fundraising, marketing, web design and media professionals who are eager to help our cause. Natalie Ciminaro is one of them and is on our board.

We are in discussions with Joe Silva at the MSPCA as to how they will cooperate in the transition and support us with supplies, cages, carriers, beds, food, etc. and how to access our Lucky Whiskers and Wags Fund for medicine and procedures for shelter animals.

We have consulted with other shelters to learn how they function best, their 501(c)(3) filing process, their foster networks, and how they might have transitioned from MSPCA facilities to independent plants. Several of our Board members also have shelter experience here and in other states.

Goals:

Short term we want to provide for any and all abandoned, surrendered or stray animals in a facility or through a network of foster homes and work to find them permanent, loving homes. We would provide all services for the Animal Control Officer.

Medium term we would hire an Executive Director to run the organization or Shelter Manager to facilitate taking in all needy animals and maximize opportunities for finding them new homes. If necessary we would find a new physical plant to call home as well. We will bring unwanted and abandoned animals from other shelters to help their overpopulation situations, reduce the number of euthanizations of adoptable companion animals and provide a place for islanders to find new pets. We hope to engage in educational opportunities for children and adults, build awareness of the plight of companion animals and guide people to the joys of adopting homeless animals as an alternative to breeders or pet stores.

Long Term we would like to offer our facility for training opportunities for individuals and their pets, and offer training rehabilitation for difficult-to-place animals, sponsor special programs for spay-neuter, microchipping, elder care assistance and much more.

Who are we:

Our Board consists of the following individuals, listed here with their particular strengths.

Pam Murphy, President (business woman, owner of Johnstons Cashmere, former President of the island non-profit, Theatre Workshop of Nantucket, and a Nantucket MSPCA shelter volunteer)

Jessica Sosebee, Vice President (Adoption Center Manager for Nantucket MSPCA for 10 years, Manager at Equine Center, SC; Veterinary Technician at Animal Hospital East, NC; Director of Okitibbeha County Humane Society, MS; holds as MA in Community Advocacy (focus on animal welfare) from GWU; experience in lobbying, campaigning, fundraising and PR.)

Stephanie Henke, Secretary (Shelter Project Coordinator for Nantucket MSPCA for 7 years, experienced in animal care and adoption, fundraising, volunteer coordination, grant writing and media communcations)

Joyce Rogliano, Treasurer (Former Legal Assistant, Self-employed bookkeeper, Veterinary Technician experience, previous Board Member - Inky Santa/Toys for Tot, Volunteer for Nantucket Shelter fundraisers , MSPCA Shelter Volunteer, Foster Home caregiver)

Natalie Ciminaro (fundraising, marketing and event planning professional, volunteer for Nantucket Shelter fundraisers, animal welfare advocate)

Ema Hudson (professional fundraiser, volunteer coordinator, event planner, hosted Nantucket's first annual Strut Your Mutt pet parade to raise money for the national organization Best Friends Animal Society, Nantucket Shelter volunteer)

Jan Jaeger (business woman, owner of Geronimos and Cold Noses, former Nantucket liaison with MSPCA Boston, former President of the Greeley-Weld County Humane Society Board of Directors and committee member and volunteer for Nantucket Shelter fundraisers)

Betsey Johnson Brooks (several years experience at Monadnock Humane Society and Fast Friends Greyhound Rescue, animal welfare advocate)

Sharon Sterk (years of experience rescuing abandoned and abused animals and finding homes, shelter experience here and in Colorado)

Clay Twombly (Animal welfare advocate, entrepreneur, shelter volunteer)

Conclusion:

We are currently in the process of creating a logo and marketing strategy, planning fundraising events, finalizing the by-laws, applying for non-profit status, assembling an Advisory Council, growing our committees and creating systems and policies for a smooth transition to an all- volunteer shelter and network of foster homes if it becomes necessary.

We welcome your input and want you to be a part of our endeavors if you would like, through committees, fundraising, donations, Advisory Council, volunteering for the animals or simply spreading the word about our mission. Please contact us at NantucketSHA@gmail.com to let us know how you would like to be involved or to share ideas and comments. You can follow our progress here on FB. Spread the word about us by suggesting your friends “like” us as well.

Thank you for your continued concern for animals.

Shannon, "Hang in there."

There are folks working on a solution.

Catherine

I've waited so long to move up the wait list for a service dog and finally I'm slated to go for team training this winter. But now I'm concerned the organization may not place a service dog with me for my disability because I no longer have the ability to quickly get a service dog all the emergency care it might need in a crisis if the weather is bad. If you don't know all the right people, there's just no sneaking your pet into cottage hospital for xrays and MRIs and I don't know all the right people. I don't even know the secret handshake or whatever that cool people in the know use to grab a spots on a full boats or booked solid flights. What if my dog swallowed a fish hook or something like that and the weather was dreadful like it is right now as I type this? No home visiting vet would be able to do life saving surgery on my kitchen table. Would the hospital let a doctor save my dog's life if I brought it there and just sat crying on the floor with it in my arms and refused to leave till someone helped me? I sincerely doubt it. If I can't assure my service dog can get the best care needed regardless of the weather, then I just can't live on Nantucket because I need my service dog.

I understand the MSPCA of course cannot and should not be forced to stay in business if it cannot afford to do so, but to give us all so little heads up and for them to tell us after high season has past, it was just so wrong. If I had known 6 months ago the MSPCA was closing, I probably would have moved. I don't know if anyone on Earth could possibly love Nantucket as much as I do. Living here was my life long dream and I was so proud to finally have moved here several years ago. I sacrificed dependable employment, access to advanced medical care, affordable shopping and housing, flat sidewalks, and the ability to easily visit family members and friends who live elsewhere,,,, all that and more so I could live on the island I treasure so much. But I don't think I can't sacrifice having a service dog in order to live here. I didn't expect to become disabled and ever need a service dog but that's what's happened and nothing will change that. I love Nantucket and Nantucket feels like part of who I am, but for me Nantucket has turned into the countries' least accessible community just got that much more inaccessible with the loss of the only animal hospital. I just don't know what I'm going to do and the whole thing is just terribly sad. I keep checking the newspapers and web for news that someone's found a solution, but it doesn't seem like an answer will get here in time for me.

Catherine, just reading your posts it is very clear you are always always thinking of ways to better our community. I don't know were you find the time to give in so many ways to us.  We are truely lucky to have you!!! (not really off topic)

Take Care and enjoy (your) day....

Shannon Bennett

It is indeed unfortunate that I am not "rich" enough to purchase this property outright, then put the whole mess into a perpetual, self-funded trust benefitting the residents of Nantucket.

Then I would seek a Home Rule Petition begging for exemptions from Mass General Laws so that we could:

1.  Convert it into a funeral home (with plenty of parking.) 

2.  Establing a new Town cemetery in the outlying acreage which would be under the control of our new Cemetery Commission.

3.  Have two crematory/retorts (for animals and humans.)

4.  Maintain a separate-access clinic with all the equipment available on a 24-hour basis to local vets.

5.  Have meeting rooms available for community groups in order to put the "FUN" back in funeral! 

I'm sure I will think of more ways I could turn this into a plus-plus for our community.  I am going to purchase a lottery ticket today!

Catherine Stover

Good Morning

the underlying theme,  that once we lose local control to a corporation it never seems to end well for us.  We seem to have a good selection of vets..and I cut my literary teeth on "all creatures great and small" so I have faith that anyone of them would get out of bed to treat an animal. I love that my vet runs her practice  out of her home office..that tells me she is invested in the community and not going to up and leave.   I don't really think mspca hopes or believes that someone will be able to take over the building...I would think that the properties are much more valuable without a kennel next door. With all of the local donations solicited and that it is a risky time for a corporation to appear greedy I would think that a threat of a  class action lawsuit might be in order (I wonder if that is feasable)...and on the practical front we should work to keep the medical equiptment and make it available to all of the private vets where they can access it whenever necessary.  We are an isolated community out at sea and some facts of life go with that. ..and I see too many neighbors unwilling  to address  simple  medical problems because they fear the bills will crush their families.. and right now I see my nonverbal 9 year old has awoken with a nasty cough..so I will be on eggshells for the next two weeks listening to him breath.  we need to priorities and make sure the peeps have access to  lifesaving resources .  I don't think we as a community need to be in the kenneling business..maybe a private person can take this on?

Yes, we're very sorry, too.  She was such a vibrant little puppy...and now, 2 1/2 months later, we sit here with an urn with her ashes. 

That is precisely why, with the turn of events with the MSPCA deserting us, we should try to get someone like VCA, and their 24 hour care, to sustain us on the island.    This may be a good opportunity for the island...to have our pets covered 24 hours a day.   I'm just not knowledgeable enough to know how to go about initiating it. 

Yes, we're very sorry, too.  She was such a vibrant little puppy...and now, 2 1/2 months later, we sit here with an urn with her ashes. 

That is precisely why, with the turn of events with the MSPCA deserting us, we should try to get someone like VCA, and their 24 hour care, to sustain us on the island.    This may be a good opportunity for the island...to have our pets covered 24 hours a day.   I'm just not knowledgeable enough to know how to go about initiating it. 

Oh, my dear, I am so very sorry about your dear Miss Daisy. 

The situation you experienced is not unlike it would be at NCH for a non-verbal child.  NCH has a vent (respirator) I believe, but no Pulmonary/Respiratory department to maintain treatment.  Patients must be transported off-island.

A delay in urgent care costs lives.  That is something most folks here never give a thought to.  Until they are faced with it, that is. 

Additionally, if the weather situation prevents medivac'ing, or transport by jet, or if the USCG can't assist us, we lose one of our own.  No matter what anyone may tell you, and no matter how many feel-good "mutual aid" agreements we make, we are 25+ miles out in the Atlantic.

Catherine Stover

QC,

Sound like what's happened to animal care nationwide...VCA Animal Hospitals have bought many independent veterinary practices...26 practices alone here in MA.  They do offer 24 hour care...something sorely needed here on Nantucket...and not provided by the MSPCA.  As we sadly experienced recently. 

It's a matter near and dear to my heart...in August, we lost our very dear 8-month-old Norwich Terrier puppy, Daisy.  Inn guests from MD drove her to us in June from the breeder, also in MD, so we named her "Driving Miss Daisy"...a little pistol she was!   Before we made the transporting arrangements, our granddaughter had named her Daisy as we also have an older Norwich, Minnie! 

We'd put her out one morning, and she started going into respiratory distress within 15 minutes...rushed her to the MSPCA where she was treated for heat...it's August...the two go hand in hand I suppose...but on further check, it was found that her airway was closing and it was determined she'd gone into anaphalaxis shock, probably due to jumping at and swallowing a bee...that is all we can think happened.  They kept her alive for two days, we paid for vet techs to stay with her overnight...on the third morning, she died, just before we were able to transport her to the Cape to the CCVA...because a pilot/guest of ours had volunteered his services that day to fly her whereever she needed to go...and I'd made arrangements through Nantucket Pharmacy for a portable oxygen tank as the MSPCA does not have one. 

We've owned our inn since '94, and have had dogs all of that time.  I had no idea that our island couldn't provide 24 hour care for our pet family.  Each and every day, I feel guilty that we let down our beloved little Norrie because where we live couldn't provide adequate care. 

A word of advice:  If you have a pet who goes into respiratory distress, please make sure his/her airways are checked so that it can be determined if it's an allergic reaction or from the heat.  Valuable time can be saved if your pet is given an injection of epinephrine...Thankfully, one of our wonderful independent vets on island has prescribed an EpiPen.Jr for reassurance, I keep it with me at all times because we also have an 8-year-old Norwich Terrier.     I've researched it on line...it's not that uncommon...Daisy's breeder carries an EpiPen.Jr as one of her show dogs, a 3 year old Norwich, was stung in May and had an adverse reaction...thankfully survived...but seems Daisy was still a baby and her organs couldn't manage it.

Ike, how big is the retort? 

Catherine

The same sort of thing happened in the Funeral Service.

SCI (Service Corporation International) and other firms of their ilk, bought up as many of the Mom & Pop funeral homes as they could.  Now, a bare-bones funeral (you should excuse the expression) costs over $5000.  If you go off to be cremated after, add $1700.  That does not include purchase of a "license for burial" in a cemetery, nor opening and closing of the grave, or a marker so the children can find you in order to visit at Christmas.

QC, FD

Ike, I would like to help. I'm sending you a private message. Please respond. 

The MSPCA is really leaving. Many people keep asking whether they can really do that, what do we need to do to get them to stay, etc. They are leaving. They are not changing their minds. They met with the four island independent vets to tell them that in no uncertain terms. The four independents and the three vets currently working for the MSPCA are talking about ways they might work together, lease the building, lease another building, work separately but cover emergency, etc. It's all being discussed. Whether there will be something ready to go on 12/31 seems unlikely, but they may have emergency medicine covered by then. That's hard to say.

People are also working to take over the shelter portion of the MSPCA. A group is forming and getting their 501 c 3 filing together so that on 12/31 they can care for the animals that will be left in the building. Right now, it will probably consist of a network of foster homes. Eventually, maybe we will be able to lease/buy building space. Talks with Animal Control are happening with this group, so we can figure out where the strays are going to go (currently the town leases space for stray dogs from the MSPCA).

Nothing that I know I know of is happening as far as getting a boarding facility up and going. If someone has a piece of land or a big building and some extra cash lying around, now might be the time to start that business! It will be needed and it will be utilized, especially in the summer. 

The other dangling question is the crematory. . . I guess that depends on if a group of vets buys/leases the current building.

I received my MSPCA letter toady after 12 years of depending on that hospital for my dogs.  I have always been happy and felt secure with their presence and the wonderful vets over the years--especially now.  I found the letter to be cavalier in its tone--we do have vets here who are independent--but with the closing of the MSPCA there will be no emergency/surgical facilities which I have used more than once. Is there some way the local vets could lease the space and somehow have their own practices there and share the equipment?   I cannot believe that something could not be worked out with the help of the community. I certainly have donated mucho $$$$$ to them over the years in memory of pets and to help with animals who need surgery etc.  I am insulted that they could just tell us that we no longer count in the scheme of the dollars involved to run this facility. The space could be broken up into individual offices, etc.  Come on folks and fellow animals lovers--let's use our imaginations and brain power to fix this.

"Cat lovers, something exciting is happening at our shelters in November! Stay tuned- you're going to fall in love when you find out what we've got planned for our feline friends!"

-posted 5 min. ago on Facebook.

I have a feeling they are not talking about giving animals the boot and taking away their access to serious urgent medical care. LOL

"Cat lovers, something exciting is happening at our shelters in November! Stay tuned- you're going to fall in love when you find out what we've got planned for our feline friends!"

-posted 5 min. ago on Facebook.

I have a feeling they are not talking about giving animals the boot and taking away their access to serious urgent medical care. LOL

Is there any way we can keep the critical equipment on Nantucket such as the Xray machine, the high quality ultrasound, monitoring equipment, etc.? We have some wonderful vets on island who if we could just give them access to the equipment and a surgical room, even if rebuilt in someone's closet, at least that's something and well, maybe Nantucket would be able to give their critical animal patients at least a fighting chance.

Enlightening indeed.

I wonder how many other small (read "unimportant") communities will be sacrificed in Angell's quest for national domination of the pet care industry. Once again, profit trumps social responsibitlity. Its becoming quite tiresome.....

In today's snail mail, we received a letter from MSPCA Angell to advise us that the Nantucket facility is closing (the same news they announced to the media, etc. six days ago on Oct. 5.) Breaking news!

I would venture to guess that the MSPCA has e-mail addresses on file for virtually all of its Nantucket pet owner clients.  Yet they chose not to use those e-mail addresses to relay the important information about the facility closure in a timely way via the Internet but rather chose snail mail letters with nonprofit rate postage, ensuring that the letters would reach us in the slowest way possible.

Contrast that with the fact that we received a "begging" e-mail from MSPCA's Carter Luke on Oct. 4, one day before they made their closure announcement.  Funny how they were able to get an e-mail out to us for fundraising but couldn't manage to do the same for the important news of the impending closure.

I sent an e-mail this weekend to MSPCA PR person Rob Halpin to express my displeasure with the way this announcement was handled with our community.  To his credit, he sent me a response immediately with his cell phone number for me to use to call him.  Unfortunately, it was too little, too late.  Just like the letter in the mailbox today.

Linda Sonnonstine Spery

Thanks, Gus.  Informative indeed.

A business based on seeking growth opportunites and seeking high-yield donors.

As the economist EF Schumacher so eloquently put it, 'Small is beautiful.'  We, as individuals and as a community out in the middle of the ocean, are much better off doing as much as we can ourselves for ourselves.  Self-reliance is a necessity.  

We need to be insular or risk ruin by off-island profiteers, non-profit or otherwise whose interests diverge from ours.

Lots of animals will die needlessly as a result of this scurrillous action.  Lots of familes will suffer.

This is a huge hit to our quality of life out here, to state the obvious.  I would be real weary of getting a pet in a place where emergent care is not readily available.

Dan Ross

I found this enlightening, to say the least.

http://people.brandeis.edu/~rafelsow/MSPCAreport.pdf

I at one time used the MSPCA and boy did i have animals...Now I have lets just say fewer and I use Sherry Holt. One thing that did drive me crazy about the MSPCA is all the money spent on bringing dogs, cats, ect from other shelters to be adopted out here. Employees have told me the care and aspense that goes into the pets is CRAZY. The food, shots, shelter, people who walk them on weekends, heck the staff that walks them during the week. Im sure you must recall the missippi muts that came every year, why did we do that. Well bashing them now isnt going to help, is anyone looking into a solution or is this a done deal?  Any idea what is owed on the property and or building? Also not a good time for the dedicated employees to be losing their jobs. Stinx all around!

Have A Great Day   Shannon Bennett

i wonder if any of those bequests came with restrictions?

$200k shortfall?  so you close the place?

I don't think your missing anything. They own the land and buildings...same as hospital. I have known quite a few elderly people whose only social contact is their pets and mspca...who have left fortunes and local properties to them. It always seemed like a scam. I havnt used mspca for years because of some controlling adoption policies and pressures to spend hundreds to save your kids gerbil... Pan to sad puppy face.. Cue Sarah macglochlan song. No wonder the youngsters are trying to stage a corporate intervention

Just curious, did we give them or sell them (mspca) the land? So they own everything? Why would we do that, could we not have agreed to pay back and money THEY invested? Does Mass General own the land and building the hopital sits on? I once years ago took care of a women (in town) that left the MSPCA everything she had, including her beautiful home. So now they can just sell everything and profit off of our well intentioned people here and all the money they have donated? Something seems so wrong with that. Sounds like some CEO did a zillo search and found out what  the property is worth here and thought wow lets sell and build better meeting offices downtown at (some nice town over there).. Do we have any idea what the numbers are on a mortage there? This really doesnt seem right, I must be missing something?

Have A Great Day  Shannon Bennett

http://www.poopsenders.com

dog poop is relevant, but i think there may be more special options available......

When I get my solicitation, I'm going to send them a dog turd......

As per 2009 IRS 990 (obtained thru guidestar.org), Luke's total compensation for that year was $475,911  (page 7). /

Makes you weary of 'non-profits.'  

-Dan Ross

Good thing NCH isn't in such a desireable location.

Almost nineteen acres out there according to the town GIS. Should fetch a pretty penny from developers or a private owner that would like a secluded house setting.

I worked for the MSPCA in Springfield more than 10 years ago. It was a huge state of the art vet office/hospital/shelter in the heart of an area where people would dump up to 200 kittens a day in April. After building a huge dream facility I was sad to see it shut down about 4 or 5 years ago, but what did they expect... When you build more then you need, over charge, and over staff, what other result can you have besides closure! This seems particularly sad because they seemed to have a good core team working in there finally.

I worked for the MSPCA in Springfield more than 10 years ago. It was a huge state of the art vet office/hospital/shelter in the heart of an area where people would dump up to 200 kittens a day in April. After building a huge dream facility I was sad to see it shut down about 4 or 5 years ago, but what did they expect... When you build more then you need, over charge, and over staff, what other result can you have besides closure! This seems particularly sad because they seemed to have a good core team working in there finally.

And to Dr. Mentes, to whom I shall be forever grateful for providing us with Max.

Same here, Grant. Max once ate rat poison. Without their care, he wouldn't be here and would have died a horrible death.

I've taken my dog to the MSPCA twice for emergency situations. Once where he pulled up lame because of Lyme, and a second time when he ate a pan of brownies. Both times, the staff acted quickly, professionally and compassionately. I'm not sure what I would do without the MSPCA there.

G.

Dr. Schmidt, please report to the lobby. 

A lot and do not even think that will happen Matt.

How much did residents donate to renovate and build this new facility?  

Perhaps, upon the sale, this amount should be funneled back to Nantucket via the Community Foundation, Sustainable Nantucket, ReMain or some other organization committed to Nantucket.  

Matt 

To all, I have sponsored one of those bricks in the walk way. I intend on taking it back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am sure an new or future owner of the property will not want it. Still unbelievable.

 "We have examined the P/L statement  and concluded that in the best interest of the community we will leave and sell the property to the highest bidder."

one look at crooked lane on zillow says it all.  That is an enormous piece land in a high end neighborhood..no vet will be able to take that on.  MSPCA will make a fortune off of our good intentions...something very familiar here

This kind of says it all.....

"The MSPCA-Angell today announced it will close its MSPCA-Nantucket facility effective December 31, 2011.  The development follows a thorough examination of the cost of operating and staffing the facility versus the needs of the island community it serves."

http://www.mspca.org/about-us/press-room/2011/mspca-angell-to-close-its....

I don't know what to say.  Speechless is the word.  I've relied on the MSPCA for our 7-yr old bullmastiff since she was a pup.  Where does that leave her?

Yes, I'm out here in MN and there seems to be a surplus of vets.  A number of vet schools.  If anybody has some contact info, I'll see what I can do to spead the word (if an opportunity exists.)     

Joe