Pedro's and SPAH raided by Immigration/Police/Customs

[Sunshine]

The beach dog was brought in treated by Laurie for free then she called SAGA and they came and picked up the dog-they did not offer to pay anything just looked around and said this place is nice and left-

I think that could be considered a good start on both sides of the fence.  Bravo Laurie for treating the poor beach dog - and bravo to the Saga person that made a pleasant comment.

[peterbj7]

That's a very good start.  I'm with JZB on this - let's all remember what this is all about.  But equally remember that unlike SAGA, SPAH needs earned income to survive - other than occasionally, they can't give services for free.  There need to be proper ToR developed with SAGA, and prices agreed.

[bethieb]

It's a start.  If it is true no payment was made, I do think SAGA should have paid the reduced rate with it's funds we all contributed to.  I will politely make that suggestion to the Board, it is the proper course of action in developing a working relationship between the two groups.  Surely SAGA will render a payment upon receipt of an invoice on any other medical cases that need vet attention.  I'm in both groups' corners, routing for the animals! 

[pedro]

Personally I think it would be a very good idea if SAGA had a membership and elected a board every year-

I would like to know if drug testing would become mandatory for all serving board members

[BettyJ]

Maybe I missed something here, but whatever does drugs have to do with this issue? 

[pedro]

nothing at all I was just bored so I thought I would write something uncontroversial

[Nancy1340]

I thought I would write something uncontroversial

No you just want to be the center of attention.  

As my dear ol' granny would have said "You could have talked all day and not said that".  
 

[Lilith]

Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools talk because they have to say something.

[deadserious]

Maybe I missed something here, but whatever does drugs have to do with this issue? 

I was wondering the same thing.  I remember consuming much of the alcohol drug last time I stayed at Pedros.

[deadserious]

The beach dog was brought in treated by Laurie for free then she called SAGA and they came and picked up the dog-they did not offer to pay anything just looked around and said this place is nice and left-

Laurie...  what is the reduced rate for that visit that SAGA should have paid?  If it's something I can afford, I will pay for it.

[Nancy1340]

Ya know DS you have hit on a good idea. While I may not like Pedro I do trust him and TheVet. pssssst I like her.  Would Pedro, TheVet or whoever they choose to be the watch dog be willing to start a .......hum not exactly a nonprofit charity but one that would pay Laura at least part of her fee? One that we that want/can help fund. Or maybe just a bank account that they could draw on for funding.

I have no ideas how something like that would work but like I said I trust Pedro to make sure 100% of what should go to helping the pets on Island does.

[peterbj7]

That's roughly what I was hinting at a few posts back.  All they need is a fine upstanding pillar of the local community who can be trusted to receive, hold and distribute donated funds and commodities (drugs etc) and to render and publish regular accounting.  There should also be someone appointed to audit said accounts on a random basis and publish those audits.  I've heard few allegations of dishonesty against SAGA but I've heard too many that they don't appear to hold themselves accountable.  That's easily remedied, given the will.  And as I also said, there's no need to go through the considerable rigmarole of trying to get charitable status in the US (it wouldn't mean anything in Belize anyway).  Accountability is the key.

Thinking about it it probably merits two people, one in the US to gather funds & commodities and one in Belize to receive them.  With assistance from others in providing transportation.

[deadserious]

And as I also said, there's no need to go through the considerable rigmarole of trying to get charitable status in the US (it wouldn't mean anything in Belize anyway).  Accountability is the key.

It would mean something to those of us contributing.  Charitable contributions are a big tax savings.

[Sunshine]

Saga just about has that system in place - it has the tax credit id number and it has a system in place to buy and receive the necessary items - ideally the organization should be set up in a manner whereby the books are open and the person holding the purse strings should be fully accountable for the funds.  I believe furthermore that the "members" of Saga - who I understand are all of us folks that donate money and goods - should be allowed to have a meeting, elect the board and be invited to monthly meetings where the business of the organization is revealed.  I'm not saying every member should necessarily have a say in how money is spent - but rather that the membership elect the folks that they will entrust to manage the organization in a responsible and accountable manner.  The elected board would be expected to have a plan in place and goals outlined and steps would be taken to improve the care of animals on the island.  

It would be super if the 2 groups could get along to the point that they assist one another in their endeavors - there have to be times when the Saga medication and medical equipment might be utilized by the vet to care for the animals - a little bit of mix and match.

[thevet]

I find it interesting that so many people disagree with the "Saga bashing".  After how I have been treated by them, both professionally and personally, and their complete incompetence in ruining what was the best Saga that Saga has ever been, what is the proper response?  The dishonesty and incompetence of this board truly sickens me.  After a certain point I cannot be polite any more.  It seems it takes some extreme voices before people will sit up and take notice.  I think the things that people have said on this board, including Pedro, is nothing compared to what the board of directors have done to me personally and to all the animals in this community.  You will all never know the details of how amazing the progress of Saga was before they removed me from the board.  Our bank account had an amount in it that had not been there in years.  I was told by the treasurer that this was expected, it is normal for a charity to grow.  The treasurer also told me that fundraising amounts had been constant in all the years of Saga's existence.  Both lies.  I have the email to prove she said it.  We had received a grant for $10,000 U.S. to be used for our spay neuter program - to buy an anesthesia machine and an anesthesia monitor - equipment Saga has NEVER had.  Fort Dog was half empty.  Donations of money, vet supplies and medications were pouring in, (and still are actually, to me, and I don't know what to do with them).  This was because I spent the last year networking with vets and friends within the vet field and everyone who walked in the clinic and offered to help.  Peterbj, the seminar in March of 2009 was the first and only year that those vets brought us supplies and that was because I knew the owner of IVS seminars and I ASKED HIM TO HELP.  Visitors were telling me what a difference they were seeing in the stray dog population over the last year.  And what was the board's response to all this success?  They kicked me off the board.  For a week I pleaded with them not to make this power play and ruin all our success.  I sent email after email over the weekend, saying if they continued in this way I would have to leave.  NOT ONE SINGLE BOARD MEMBER PICKED UP THE PHONE OR SENT ME AN EMAIL AND ASKED ME TO STAY.  So I quit, started my own business, and their tactics just keep getting more extreme.  And by the way...they knew I was going into private practice when they recommended that people take their pets to Belize City or Corozal.  They said both in the newspaper in different paragraphs:  Laurie is leaving Saga and going into private practice -- Take your pets to Belize City or Corozal.  No thank you for the year of service, no nothing.

I am sorry but I am reaching my limit here.  What is the proper response to all of this?