Walking down the street, along the sidewalk or through the blacktop alleys, you are likely to meet other people. People a lot like you, who are out walking. You have seen these people at least once before, sometimes more. And even if you have never seen them before, it will be o.k. Why then are people so rude?

When you pass someone, who enters your personal zone, it is proper to acknowledged them? A simple nod of the head will suffice. You are not invisible to me. I saw you a long time ago. You, the other human creature, who happens to be sharing the same area. I can not explain to you how looking down did not make you suddenly disappear. I have no words to discuss how your phone did not make you suddenly incorporeal. I assume you can not hear with music in your ears, but open your eyes. You are being rude.

This is not a big city. You are likely the only other person currently in the vicinity. This is the south. We have a friendly reputation to uphold. Beside, I know you are there, and I am not going to hurt you.

You can not ignore me. I know you saw me. I know you saw me look you in the eye. I know you saw my dog. I know you heard me talk to my dog about you. I am giving you an opportunity. Say, "hello", nod your head, say, "good morning". If you don't, I will. Then you'll look like an a$$ and have to read about it in my blog when you don't respond.

Corruption. Lies. Extortion. It is expected and tolerated in most aspect of my life; I am prepared. I never thought I would apply these words to the non-for-profit organization, the Humane Society of Southern Illinois.

As a non-for-profit organization, they are required to disclose their financial records and tax return in an easily accessible manner. To me, easily accessible would be online. As a matter of fact, a review of 12 other Humane Societies chosen at random from a search statement yielded either a ledger or a scanned copy of their latest return, not so for Southern Illinois. This same unscientific and totally random search has uncovered a practice that can only be described as bordering on extortion.

The Humane Society of Southern Illinois charges $100 to adopt a dog. What do you get for that fee: a lot of worry that you just made a mistake and will not be able to pay some bill. You see, after you pay them, they take the dog to vet and force you to have the dog spayed and have a series of shots. This amounts to an additional $150.  $250!?!  There are no specials, no low cost assistance, no support for the new parents. I should have just bought a dog instead of rescued one.

By the time you have figured all this out, you have already played with dog. I don't know about you, but I fall in love easy. This is my third animal adopted from the Humane Society. It is also my last.

No other other animal shelter in my survey had this practice. All of them offer assistant for the first month or more. All of them offer assistance in paying for the first vet visit, including shots and spaying. All of them are better than the Humane Society of Southern Illinois. I could have driven 33 miles, saved money, and still obtained what I wanted.

This practice must change. There is NO reason to ever adopt a dog from Southern Illinois. There is NO reason to ever support the Humane Society. Simply by association, the Humane Society of American has tarnished its image.

Say NO to puppy mills? (you need to even though I am pissed) The hell with that! Say No to the Humane Society!

I want my money back! I want a full disclosure of their financial practice! I want a public apology offered to the Humane Society of America for embarrassing them!

I got a puppy. We went to the Humane Shelter yesterday and filled out the papers. It was a lot of jumping through hoops. My husband had gone there during his lunch hour because he had been scanning their website and fell in love. It was a huge disappointment. There were so many rules and criteria: They had to call our landlords, even though we will be moving to a house we own in thirty days. I personally would have taken the risk of the landlord finding out I had her. After all, they are considered the biggest slumlords in town. I had to go and check her out. Unfortunately, I work the hours they are open. The look on his face when he stopped by work and told me broke my heart.

Luckily, I got cut early yesterday. So, after three trip back and forth, including stealing my husband from work, we officially adopted her. I do not physically have her yet. The Humane Society insists on neutering. I insist on neutering. They will take her to the vet later and I will be allowed to pick her there on Tues. She is a four month old cocker mutt. She has a big round black spot on her hindquarters, and curly hair on her ears. Currently she is called Riley, but we will call her MeiMei. (It means little sister in Chinese and is used as a term of endearment for girls or women younger than you who are special.)

Soon this site will be filled with pictures and stories of a squirrelly mutt. I need to remember not to go overboard.

P.S. Please support the Humane Society by having your pet spayed or neutered.
edit: F*ck the Humane Society, but have your pet spayed or neutered anyway.