# Suicide and Rescues



## Zeeva (Aug 10, 2010)

I saw this on another dog forum...

Animal rights executive, 62, found dead in her garage alongside the bodies of 31 dogs she had helped to rescue

http://www.dailymail...ped-rescue.html

What do you think of this article?

I know many of us have thought about our pets once we die; have made arrangements for them if death were to suddenly occur. But what do you do with your pets if you're in such a state of mind and have so many? What do you do if you can't find suitable homes for them?


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

Couldn't get your link to work. Try this one maybe.

Animal rights activist, 31 of her dogs found dead in garage - NY Daily News

Sad story all the way around. I got blasted last time I gave an opinion on suicide. Since the death of 31 dogs was involved, it's best I keep my mouth shut.


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## blehmannwa (Jan 11, 2011)

Sad for all involved and not something that I wish to dwell on. Sometimes there is a very thin line between hoarding and rescue.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Downer topic. 

Not what I come here for.


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## redandgold (Jul 2, 2013)

I can't empathize. I wouldn't harm my Molly just because I was depressed.


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## KatsMuse (Jun 5, 2012)

Sunflowers said:


> Downer topic.
> 
> Not what I come here for.


Sorry. I'm not getting involved in it either.

Kat


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Zeeva, I hope you'll try to find more positive articles that will brighten your day. Call it denial but articles like these I don't read as there is nothing I can do about it or learn from it. Most likely this person was mentally ill; how else would you have 31 dogs? I am always suspicious of "rescues" (too militant and distrusting of potential adopters) and prefer referring people to the local Humane Societies. Many "rescuers" need rescuing themselves.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

all I can say is , this is so very very sad


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## redandgold (Jul 2, 2013)

wolfy dog said:


> Zeeva, I hope you'll try to find more positive articles that will brighten your day. Call it denial but articles like these I don't read as there is nothing I can do about it or learn from it. Most likely this person was mentally ill; how else would you have 31 dogs? I am always suspicious of "rescues" (too militant and distrusting of potential adopters) and prefer referring people to the local Humane Societies. Many "rescuers" need rescuing themselves.


I know that type. When I got my white cat, Natasha, they actually asked questions about how big the garden was.

I live in a rural area with plenty of woodlands but noooooo can't have that moggy because I don't own an acre long field.


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## Nikitta (Nov 10, 2011)

Sad Zeeva Very sad


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## Syaoransbear (Sep 25, 2008)

What an idiot. Find homes for your animals and any dependents first before you exit out of life. It's the least you can do considering the grief you are about to cause them. They would have been better off in a high kill shelter. At least the juice there is painless. Being very slowly suffocated by the exhaust from a running vehicle is a horribly unpleasant way to die, and these dogs were probably freaking out trying to escape while she was comfortably conked out with pills and didn't have to experience the hours of slow suffocation. I feel sick imagining the panic and pain these animals went through from slowly suffocating.

I have all the compassion and understanding in the world for suicidal people because I'm one of them, but you have obligations when you take on animals. Then your life is no longer only yours and you don't get to take it. If you have any animals you have an obligation to secure homes for them first before you get to kill yourself. Until then you have a responsibility to keep enduring life for the sake of your animals. If you can't find homes, you have to keep enduring life until they die from old age. Even if you don't want to, even if you don't think you can, even if it's unbearable, you *have* to. You just have to. It's the responsibility you agreed to by taking on a dependent.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

friends of mine had 25 dogs. they had the land, big house and 2 vehicles that could hold the dogs and they could afford them. they didn't appear
to have mental issues but then again they had 25 well taken care of dogs,
lol.



wolfy dog said:


> Zeeva, I hope you'll try to find more positive articles that will brighten your day. Call it denial but articles like these I don't read as there is nothing I can do about it or learn from it.
> 
> >>>>> Most likely this person was mentally ill; how else would you have 31 dogs? <<<<<
> 
> I am always suspicious of "rescues" (too militant and distrusting of potential adopters) and prefer referring people to the local Humane Societies. Many "rescuers" need rescuing themselves.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

doggiedad said:


> friends of mine had 25 dogs. they had the land, big house and 2 vehicles that could hold the dogs and they could afford them. they didn't appear
> to have mental issues but then again they had 25 well taken care of dogs,
> lol.


...but where did they find the time for the dogs?


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## Tiffseagles (May 12, 2010)

wolfy dog said:


> ...but where did they find the time for the dogs?


Some people have set ups that allow this sort of thing (someone is retired, kids involved, etc.). I know two households with more than 20 dogs in each. Not only do they have the time, space and resources to keep them comfortably as pets, they also are competitive with a good number of them in sports (some at a high level) which obviously requires time investment, exercise and one-on-one opportunities on a regular basis.


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## Msmaria (Mar 2, 2013)

I can't judge her or call her an idiot because I have no idea what she was thinking in those last few hours and what mental issues consumed her. I can only hope others can learn from this and we as people can learn to treat others and animals with more love and compassion. Such a sad story.


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

The dogs were seniors, blind and special need animals that were unadoptable. The youngest was 8yo. He son Tommy was killed in a car accident at the age of 20.

Animal Rights Foundation


"Animal Rights Foundation.com
SANDY LERTZMAN May 24, 1951- November 4, 2013
We sadly mourn the passing of our founder, Sandy Lertzman.
Sandy Lertzman, for over 45 years was a pioneer in animal rescue. She woke every day to help all of god's beautiful creatures. She fed the deer, squirrels, birds, raccoons, geese and what she called "Sandy's Safe Haven For All Animals" at her home. She has a sanctuary of beautiful cats that were to be murdered by Solon's animal warden. She fought for animal rights, protection of the slaughter of deer (when birth control is available), and laws to protect the animals. She was happy to see the "Goddard's Law" bill- which is a start to protect dogs in Ohio.
The dogs that Sandy had were NOT puppies (the youngest was 8 years old). Sandy's dogs were all formerly abused dogs that no one wanted or could not be adopted. Blind dogs, dogs with severe disabilities, dogs who could not be socialized- all the dogs found her love and compassion. She obviously feared that upon her death, these abused dogs would be placed in harm's way. Sandy spent countless hours every day taking care of each dog and their specialized problems with her love that she offered.In a seperate shelter, she cared for the 10 cats- which will continue.
None of us never ever know how we will react to adversity, pain, and stress. But we do know, that Sandra Marlene Lertzman was an angel on earth. She was a remarkable woman. Hundreds, maybe thousands of animals led a more dignified, loving, and beautiful life to our Sandy. We love her and will miss her everyday. We are sure she is in heaven, reunited with her animals and her son, Tommy. 
Animal Rights Foundation will continue, as strong as ever, in Sandy's memory. We will go on caring, supporting, and helping all animals in distress and supporting laws to protect our animals in her honor.
Thank You for your kind support in this tragedy and time of sadness, we greatly appreciate it. "


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

from the obituary:

"The dogs that Sandy had were NOT puppies (the youngest was 8 years old). Sandy's dogs were all formerly abused dogs that no one wanted or could not be adopted. Blind dogs, dogs with severe disabilities, dogs who could not be socialized- all the dogs found her love and compassion. She obviously feared that upon her death, these abused dogs would be placed in harm's way. Sandy spent countless hours every day taking care of each dog and their specialized problems with her love that she offered.In a seperate shelter, she cared for the 10 cats- which will continue."


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Suicide is irrational in most cases. 

It is crazy to expect an irrational person to make rational decisions. 

It is sad. 

I have a dog that I would put down if I knew I was dying. The others could be rehomed with my help or without it. But she should not be taken to a shelter and handled by people she doesn't know only to be deemed unadoptable and gassed or euthanized. I would euthanize her first. But that is a rational thought. 

Maybe all these dogs were in the same situation. Maybe someone would want a blind 13 year old dog. But frankly, there are a lot of 2 and 3 year old dogs being euthanized for space every day. So, the person/people that might have adopted her seniors w/disabilities or behavior issues, can go and adopt a younger dog with no issues who will be put down because his 3-5 days in a kill shelter are up. 

I don't condone what she did, or how she did it, but I see no point in being angry with someone who was so out of reality that she killed herself. Sad. And just because you (general) may have considered suicide or tried suicide in the past does not mean that you have walked in this lady's shoes. 

Some things are just all around tragic. This happened in my neighborhood sort of. The questions for me is, what can dog-friends, the rescue community, dog clubs do to help someone who is clearly beyond their ability to manage critters. This lady had 31 dogs and 20 cats. That's a lot of critters. Could she just not say no to one more terrible case? 

People who want to dump a dog, are often not too picky about who takes the dog. If the person is willing, they are the right person for their dog. But organizations, shelters and rescues, should be more careful, just like breeders should be more careful who they sell too. And at some point, we need to steer dogs away from people who are over-burdened even if it means that this one doesn't get saved.


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## Syaoransbear (Sep 25, 2008)

RebelGSD said:


> from the obituary:
> 
> "The dogs that Sandy had were NOT puppies (the youngest was 8 years old). Sandy's dogs were all formerly abused dogs that no one wanted or could not be adopted. Blind dogs, dogs with severe disabilities, dogs who could not be socialized- all the dogs found her love and compassion. She obviously feared that upon her death, these abused dogs would be placed in harm's way. Sandy spent countless hours every day taking care of each dog and their specialized problems with her love that she offered.In a seperate shelter, she cared for the 10 cats- which will continue."


I still condemn her for her method. She clearly did not do enough research into just how horrible it is to die from carbon monoxide poisoning in a car when you are fully conscious(and UNWILLING to die) because the purple juice would have been so much kinder. She could have brought them all to a vet and had each one euthanized while she said goodbye to all of them.

Instead she let them panic for maybe hours before they slowly suffocated. Cars do not produce nearly as much carbon monoxide as they used to, it would have taken forever for them to suffocate and it would have been excruciating. I'd hate to know what that vehicle/garage looked like after they were discovered. I bet it was a mess of panic and stress with chew and claw marks everywhere. It would have been so terrifying for the dogs. I wouldn't be surprised if the dogs started attacking each other trying to save their lives.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

So hang her. 

She's dead. Probably was out of her mind. How can you expect someone who is out of their mind to make a rational decision. 

How do you get 31 dogs to the vet to get the purple juice? How do you pay for it? How do you get a vet to euth them all if they are not dying? How do you go throught that over and over and over again? 

She was over her head, and should have called Animal Control to come and take them. Maybe she did. Maybe animal control told her they had no room, or they can't accept owner surrenders at this point. We will never know. 

The lady is dead. She spent forty some years helping dogs. In the end, she burned out. Who signed over the 29th, the 30th, the 31st dog? How long has she been suffering from some type of mental illness? How long has the situation been out of hand? Who contributed to that? We can find a lot of things to blame. Or we can see it as a terrible tragedy. 

What we can't do is hurt her or those dogs. We can condemn her, and thank God, it really won't matter to her. Everyone is quick to point the finger and say, she should have, but few people are willing to lift a finger or say, I should have. If there were people like this around, maybe it would have never come to this.


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## harmony (May 30, 2002)

I read about this. Did you see the part how one dog lived and her husband kept it? She had someone around and ended up like this? Not that anyone in their right mind would have 30 dogs, and 20 cats


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## OriginalWacky (Dec 21, 2011)

harmony said:


> I read about this. Did you see the part how one dog lived and her husband kept it? She had someone around and ended up like this? Not that anyone in their right mind would have 30 dogs, and 20 cats


I dunno, we had 14 cats, 5 dogs, and a ferret at one point. However, if it hadn't been for both of us being home all the time, I don't think I'd have kept that many. Alone, I think my max runs around 12 total animals, not including the type that require little to no personal interaction and not as much maintenance (fish, etc). However, if I had a lot more money (or any, really haha), I could see the possibility of being able to handle more than that.


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