As part of our ongoing effort to find oversight for and accountability from the KCSPCA and other shelters and animal control officers, we follow the social media and internet sites, including the KCSPCA FaceBook page. We realize that most or almost all of you, dont do that. But this can be an interesting source of information. As long as you keep a firm grasp on reality while you read. Last week (10/??/2012) a KCSPCA employee, Sharon Ritter Geyer, posted on the KCSPCA page. The post was a photograph and description of 2 dogs at Safe Haven Animal Sanctuary. The description noted that one of the dogs was pregnant. Ms. Geyer stated that these 2 dogs had been transferred to SH and that SH had allowed the dogs to breed. KCSPCA supporters and employees jumped on this including the KCSPCA executive director, who shared it on HIS FaceBook page, to reach a wider audience. A SH volunteer responded to this post, stating that the pregnant dog was transferred that way to SH, and that the actual dates prove that. Because this post was months old; the dog had, in fact, had her puppies 10 weeks ago and they were all adopted out. The SH volunteers rebuttal was lost in an avalanche of trash talk from KCSPA supporters and SH opponents. And next: On October 20th, Safe Haven held an adoption event in Kent County. Crystal Shear, a former KCSPCA employee and vocal opponent of SH (newszap, FaceBook and in person), showed up at the location and physically confronted SHs director. Additionally, she attempted to enter the private residence of the owner of the property. The police were called. Both victims graciously declined to press charges- which would have included offensive touching and instead a no contact warning was issued to Ms. Shear. Ms. Shear then posted HER version of the events on the KCSPCA page. She denied any physical contact and said she was going to get the SH director for shelter violations concerning spay/neuter. We posted a brief notice of the incident after speaking with SHs director and noted that all complaints of shelter violations should be documented in writing and sent to the appropriate agencies. We were immediately challenged by Ms. Geyer, who was not a witness to the incident. Her post read:

Be careful, this could be viewed as slander. There was no physical altercation. Get facts, not rumors. Crystal went there to see if the dogs were S/N that were up for adoption. There are many people complaining about SH not S/N before placing animals up for adoption, which is against the law, and subject to a $500 fine. I'm pretty sure that the proper authorities have already been notified about this.

Further posts (which are all attached here) referenced the police report which Ms. Geyer felt that WE should obtain for HER to prove we were wrong. We told her that we were satisfied we were being told the truth, and that she should obtain the police report if she wanted it. When we refused to do so, or to change the post to reflect Ms. Shears version of events, Ms. Geyer reverted to the usual KCSPCA default:

This page is almost as bad as those magazines at the grocery store check out counters. lol No, I take that back, it's AS bad. I think I'll make a page of stories too. Anything that my friend's tell me, even if they're drunk, will become a fact to be thrown around the internet. No proof needed, MY friend's always tell the truth too. ;)

This is not the first time Ms. Geyer has posted, taking sides concerning complaints she admitted she knew nothing about (available on request). Other KCSPCA employees have also joined in, including an animal control officer, Ken Vaughn, who refuted information we relayed from the Milford Town Clerk, berating us for listening to some clerk rather than him. And its not the first time KCSPCA leadership has joined in to pass on untrue information. The executive director also uses FaceBook and newszap to threaten or harrass individuals that do not agree with him. The KCSPCA consistently posts links to anti-CAPA blogs by Jake someone whose identity cannot be confirmed based on the limited information he gives on his blog site. Which makes one wonder why does he even bother to attend the Animal Welfare Task Force meetings? The other shelters have already refuted his claim that CAPA requirements cost too much money. KCSPCA leadership has consistently blamed our group and Commissioner Jody Sweeney for their problems even though the KC Levy Court vote on the dog control was unanimous. KCSPCA leadership as well as Secretary Kee and most of the General Assembly have all consistently refused to consider or act on complaints brought before them. We know for a fact that Safe Haven, Faithful Friends, DELSPCA and DE Humane do not resort to these tactics against each other. We are aware that there are complaints out there concerning all 4 shelters..and that many of those complaints can be traced back to KCSPCA supporters, the Watchdogs of Sussex County and No Kill Delaware. But we ARE NOT any of those 3 groups. So we ask why is it acceptable for the KCSPCA to wage these campaigns against private citizens, elected officials and the other shelters? In the words of Commissioner Eric Buckson: Because these tactics go beyond a difference of policy they are aimed at creating a groundswell of public opinion geared to loss of revenue in contracts and donations, and to influence the KC Levy Court elections. And that last would seem to be a violation of the IRS rules for a 501(c)3.