Z---Good thought provoking comments and questions. I've been watching these for about five years (Steevo got me started on Animal Plant). I have seen one occasion of what I considered an animal hero. Shawn Hariston on Detroit Animal cops. One episode they showed a dog that was nearly dead from the cold and malnutriton, it appeared to be dying right on the spot in his hands. Usually they just turn them over to the vet or in some instances (Miami Police) euthanize them right on the spot. But Shawn for some reason took an attraction to the dog and pleaded with the vet to try and keep it alive and he stayed with it until they in fact did bring it back to health. I thought it was a gonner for sure. If you ever get a chance, try and watch that episode. It is discussed on the Detroit threads. Thanks again for the thoughts.
"catprotector" - thanks for the clarification. Here is me not getting that....
"zoltanz" - Of course these program bring out emotions - but it's REAL. How many sappy movies have we cried over that are brought on by "actors".
"No useful content"....I know several people - yes, several that have become so outraged by the cruelty they see on these shows that they get off their couch and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! They make a cash donation to a shelter, or drop off blankets or toys for the animals, or even donate their time a couple of afternoons a week. One of my friends has opened her home and gone through foster training and takes in animals that need socialization before they are adopted.
As for them "moving so slowly" - I didn't see it that way. They did everything they could and one of the puppies survived a couple of days, but because he was too little and sick, did not make it. It was incredibly sad, but just because the animals did not survive does not mean that the EAMT's are not heroes. You obviously have written this post just to anger people. I cannot believe someone would be this cold and ignorant towards people that give their lives, with little pay, to save animals. It's not as if the animals can thank them and send them a fruit basket after they get out of the hospital. Give me a break.
Also - I live in Washington DC. Don't EVEN go there with 9/11. That is completely inappropriate. Those of us who were directly effected by that tragedy consider EVERY person who lent a hand that day a hero, not only those in uniform.
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Z, I agree that what you said is interesting food for thought. It does explain some things. Thanks for that.
I do think of heroes as ones who go way beyond their job to relieve the suffering and/or save a life. This episode was missing this factor. The Fire Dept. was who had actually gone in and removed these puppies from the bees. That might have been pretty damn heroic but we didn’t get to see that part of the rescue. The rest that they chose to share with the viewers was not hero worthy in my opinion. This opinion I am allowed to have and even voice. It doesn’t make me ignorant.
This was NOT a criticism of all EAMTs, which would be too ridiculous. Most EAMTs are beyond reproach. I’m sure that most do a great job and we know that they are an extremely important presence in the world of animal rescue.
Lillianna says to me “I think if I were one (EAMT) and read your post I would not only be angry, but feel very defeated.” Please, angry and very defeated? I got to believe that they’re smarter and tougher than that and could realize that I was just criticizing that episode.
I am just so glad that Animal Planet gives us this place to voice our opinion and I don’t believe that it is only for those who agree with everything they see.
And Lil,
"Also - I live in Washington DC. Don't EVEN go there with 9/11. That is completely inappropriate. Those of us who were directly effected by that tragedy consider EVERY person who lent a hand that day a hero, not only those in uniform."
What the hell was that comment about? You again completely missed the point.
Here we go again. Like I said earlier, it is easy to criticize when you aren't out there with the EAMTs seeing what they have to deal with day after day.
I think if you read the stories that Cat Galaxy has been writing about the EAMT unit, you critics might be silenced and instead be more inclined to support what these men and women have do. And yes, the stories are real and points out just how many cases the EAMTs deal with every day. One moment they could be climbing up a tree to rescue a cat, the next they could be investigating a horrific case of animal cruelty. These people can't shut it off when they go home either. In fact many of the EAMTs have either fostered or adopted the animals they have rescued. Now that is dedication.
The EAMTs deserve both our support and our respect. Also, applause should also go to the vets and techs of the Second Chance hospital as well because after the EAMTs have done their job, they take over and try to help as many animals as they can. Believe it or not, the hospital like the EAMTs also rely on donations to keep themselves in operation. I think it is pretty sad when people who aren't out there with the techs can point fingers on what they are doing wrong. They do the best job they can under some very difficult circumstances. I, for one salute them.
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CAT, I really do admire your unrelenting support of these people. Please understand that I also support the EAMTs and would most definately not want a world without them.
I really do know that their job is tough and most of us animal lovers and caregivers could never do it. It takes an extremely special person to face what they have to face every day.
For my part I have never adopted or purchased a baby animal(ie. puppy or kitten), every one of my animals have come out the rescue world as adults. I donate monthly to the ASPCA and two to three times a year to many of my local rescue organizations. I LOVE ALL ANIMALS and will always fight for their wellbeing!!!
So please see once and for all that I do Support and respect all of the people involved in animal wellfare, be they EAMTs, Vets, Techs and all the many people who have chosen to devote their lives to animal rescue and their care.
I even have tried to understand Lilianna's anger towards me, my feelings and my opinions. I know hers also comes from a great love of animals. We just can't seem to behave.
Originally posted by jettapony: CAT, I really do admire your unrelenting support of these people. Please understand that I also support the EAMTs and would most definately not want a world without them.
I really do know that their job is tough and most of us animal lovers and caregivers could never do it. It takes an extremely special person to face what they have to face every day.
For my part I have never adopted or purchased a baby animal(ie. puppy or kitten), every one of my animals have come out the rescue world as adults. I donate monthly to the ASPCA and two to three times a year to many of my local rescue organizations. I LOVE ALL ANIMALS and will always fight for their wellbeing!!!
So please see once and for all that I do Support and respect all of the people involved in animal wellfare, be they EAMTs, Vets, Techs and all the many people who have chosen to devote their lives to animal rescue and their care.
I even have tried to understand Lilianna's anger towards me, my feelings and my opinions. I know hers also comes from a great love of animals. We just can't seem to behave.
So thank-you again for trying to be helpful.
Good day and happy holidays to you.
NP. I think on this topic, everyone let their emotions get the better of them whether you are a critic or not. Yes, these people are very special for what they do and as I stated before, I have a great respect for them.
Here in the Phoenix area, the EAMTs are pretty well known even without the show, but you still get a segment of the population that didn't even know the unit let alone the show even existed.
You don't see too many stories about them in the local media here which is a real shame since the work they do is vital but on the same token, the smaller rescues need publicity too. We have a very active animal rescue community in Arizona. The AHS seems to work with quite a lot of them. I think Animal Planet even had an episode of Animal Heroes Phoenix reflecting the AHS' working relationship with the smaller groups. I haven't seen the episode so it must have been a long while back. Perhaps Animal Planet should put the full episodes online as well. That could be a big boost to their viewership.
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"jetta" - "what that hell that comment was about" was exactly that: don't bring such a volatile topic such as 9/11 to the mix. That was in poor taste and some of us are feeling its effects in our everyday life still today. It is just a huge point of contention in my life and I hate for it to be pointed out in any way. I realize now that is probably hard to understand for anyone who didn't directly go through it. It's a very difficult and hurtful topic and I apologize if what I was feeling I did not make clear. It's hard for me to think straight and not get emotional when that subject comes up.
I did not miss the point of the email - I got it loud and clear. Like I said, I think it was just posted to anger people. I haven't seen "z" answer back. He/she is probably laughing at as all right now. Let's bury this thing and agree to disagree.
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I realize now that is probably hard to understand for anyone who didn't directly go through it. It's a very difficult and hurtful topic and I apologize if what I was feeling I did not make clear. It's hard for me to think straight and not get emotional when that subject comes up.
lil,
I would never ever say I understand what you have been through, I'm clear across the country on the West Coast. I'm so saddened that anyone had to go through that. Yes, let's agree to disagree and get on with making life better for all of the animals we encounter.
Quote~ Zoltanz~Is wearing a uniform 'heroic'? That would make the UPS driver a hero. The guy who puts tires on my car wears coveralls with his name embroidered on the front, so he's a hero, too.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lilianna123~ I'm so glad the information you got helped we all do what we can and even if it is one animal at a time. That is how all of the big agencies come to be!
rdsatkaycee~ I wanted to thank you for that nice compliment about Andy. He is a handsome man and he has the personality to match, don't get me wrong we all have our days!!
Zoltanz~ I really thought about what you said about the word (Hero) being thrown around? And because they are in uniform! Maybe it is~ BUT it takes a very special person to do what they do on a daily basis! One case last year, a husband wanted to show his wife and kids that he was in charge and got the family dog, put a rope around his neck threw him over a tree branch and if that wasn't enough he began to stab there dog - all of this in front of his wife and children! and the EAMT's were called and not only were they able to save the dog from certain death!! But also took the time to deal with this entire family! Who may or may not grown up to do the same thing! I have to think that maybe, just maybe, what those kids saw the EAMTS do and save their dog then take the time to help each one individually may have an impact on each child. Now maybe your definition of a hero is different but I have no problem at all giving it to each one of them because this kind of thing happens more often than not! And I can assure you that they are not in it for the money$$ LOL!! They all love what they do! In my book that is exactly what a hero is and to say that the uniform has anything to do with anything is silly(just so you know) They did not choose the name of the show! but I can't think of anything Anything more appropriate!
Well, the word hero has become a pretty widely used word. Yes, many would think that the EAMTs are heroes but after working with many of the rescues on issues, they are all heroes. One example is AzCATs. By doing their work in TNR they are tackling an issue that is a tough one. Day in and day out, this organization is out in the field trapping feral cats and then getting them to the clinics to have them spayed and neutered. Then after this process they are releasing this cats back to their respective colonies. In a way they are saving lives everyday because less of these special cats are having to be euthanized at your local animal shelters.
This organization is also doing what they are doing on less than half the budget the AHS has. The EAMTs are also glad to be working with AzCATs because now they are able to educate the public about the benefits of TNR. I know quite a few of the top members of AzCATs and have even met their volunteers which is the backbone of the organization. Like any non-profit, they couldn't function without the volunteers. Yes, even the volunteers could be considered heroes.
Another part of the rescue community which also could be considered heroes is the no-kill shelters like Arizona Animal Welfare League (AAWL), Foothills Animal Rescue, Benji's Buddies, Sun Cities 4 PAWS rescue, and Sun Valley Animal Shelter. Without these organizations, many animals would not get a second chance at life or adoption. They too are heroes in my book. It is a shame that all of these rescues don't get the same kind of publicity that the AHS is getting right now with Animal Planet. There are so many dynamics to these rescues that the public never sees. These no-kill non-profits also have come to the aid of the EAMTs when they were asked and vice versa. Also, many in the community for example don't even know that groups like 4 PAWS or Foothills even exist. In the Phoenix area when there are animals in need, the media thinks AHS or AC&C not AAWL, Foothills or any of the others I mentioned. As known as AzCATs is, the media only lightly covers them and they are a blip on the radar screen. There are so many stories that can be done on that organization but aren't.
Cat Galaxy has worked with quite a few of the ones mentioned. Though this station for felines is considered small time by many standards, you can better believe you will be reading and hearing about the smaller rescues on the station. In fact, back in July Cat Galaxy had a live broadcast called Code Red Cats which brought in reps from AHS, 4 PAWS, AzCATs, and even AC&C to talk about issues like spay/neuter, TNR and even cats for adoption.
Now you might be wondering how a station for cats might fit into this hero discussion. It is simple. If you have a station willing to go the distance to produce shows that promote cats for adoption, TNR, Spay/Neuter and doing the stories that could help save a cats life (like back in August with the "Free To Good Home" Ads Puts Cats AT Risk") or possibly get a cat adopted or move people to contribute to a cat cause, to some that might be considered heroism.
What I am trying to illustrate is the fact that the word hero is different for all of us. Growing up we think our parent's, sibling or even some sports figure is a hero because we learned something valuable from them.
In my world, I am fortunate to live with 3 heroes named Isis, Jade and Icarus. They have taught me that compassion is a much better path than anger and bitterness. They have taught me that I matter in this world and encourage me that by being a part of their world, I can better teach other humans about cats and maybe save some cat from being taken to the shelter or dumped on the streets because the person is having a problem with the animal.
I have learned also from my cats the value of laughter. When I have a tough day, I watch them and learn that it is ok to have a bit of fun. They let me know that despite anything that might be bothering me that I am still loved and valued. I am fortunate to have these little heroes in my life. When I am sick the cats will often stay close to me and when I simply feel disconnected from the world after a tough day, they will jump in my lap and let me know everything will be ok. Now, that is heroism.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: catprotector,
Originally posted by jettapony: CAT, I really do admire your unrelenting support of these people. Please understand that I also support the EAMTs and would most definately not want a world without them.
I really do know that their job is tough and most of us animal lovers and caregivers could never do it. It takes an extremely special person to face what they have to face every day.
For my part I have never adopted or purchased a baby animal(ie. puppy or kitten), every one of my animals have come out the rescue world as adults. I donate monthly to the ASPCA and two to three times a year to many of my local rescue organizations. I LOVE ALL ANIMALS and will always fight for their wellbeing!!!
So please see once and for all that I do Support and respect all of the people involved in animal wellfare, be they EAMTs, Vets, Techs and all the many people who have chosen to devote their lives to animal rescue and their care.
I even have tried to understand Lilianna's anger towards me, my feelings and my opinions. I know hers also comes from a great love of animals. We just can't seem to behave.
So thank-you again for trying to be helpful.
Good day and happy holidays to you.
They get angry when people point out that the SPCA can make mistakes. Sorry you had to put up with that.
Well the EAMTs are not the only ones with a tough job. All of the animal rescues can be included in that category. Of course these heroes deserve praise.
Yesterday, I met a met some members of our local fire department at one of their stations. Believe it or not, their job is a lot tougher than the EAMTs. Often times they work 24 hour shifts with 1 out of every 3 days spent away from their families. So when the EAMTs can go home after their shift is over, firefighters are often still on the job and lucky to get even an ounce of sleep at the station.
Unlike the EAMT unit which operates from 6am - 2am with two 10 hour shifts, the fire department has 3 shifts that work 24/7. When a fire or accident happens, the nearest engine or latter company takes the call. For example if a Mesa fire crew was passing through Scottsdale and they were the nearest crew to the call, they will take it and the same goes for Scottsdale, Phoenix and all the other departments.
Another thing about the fire department is that they will also assist with animal rescue and when a catastrophe happens, will often be the first responders before the EAMTs or any other animal rescue agency even reaches the scene. In fact, the Scottsdale Fire Department for example has been known to rescue cats from trees, house fires and any other emergency situations you can possibly think of. Their training is also more intensive than what the EAMTs go through.
Where I live, I think we have the best fire department in the nation as well as the best equipped. These men and women are well trained and it is amazing how well they deal with the public even after the call has ended.
I think the EAMTs are impressive but I think our fire department is even more so and a lot of times don't get half the thanks the EAMTs now do which is a real shame. Many local Fire Departments don't get a reality show and any story done on them is brief, like if their is an accident or a reminder of fire safety.
As I stated before I have a lot of respect for the EAMTs but what firefighters go through every day makes me glad they are out there saving lives whether it be human or animal. I am willing to bet that even the EAMTs end up getting help from the fire department from time to time.
Whenever I've seen fire fighters, whether it be at a safety fair or when they are shopping for groceries at the local supermarket, I always make it a point to thank them for their service to our community. You don't know how much they appreciate hearing that from the community. It means a lot to them and makes them feel appreciated. For them there is no ticker tape parade and no fan mail from reality show fans like the EAMTs get on a daily basis. Remember that the next time you see a group of firefighters out amongst the public. They are a valuable asset and deserve our support.
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I think we can all agree that firefighters are heroes. They have an extremely difficult job, risking their lives to save ours (and our pets').
But I think your post is WAY off point, and I'm not sure what you are even trying to say.
Are you really trying to figure out who the "biggest" heroes are?
What about the police, what about our soldiers (both overseas and here at home), what about the elementary school kids who donate their allowance each week to the Arizona Humane Society to help the animals? Aren't they all heroes? How do they rank in your list? People are heroes because of their own actions, not because of a job title or show name.
I applaud you for seeking out firefighters to thank them for their service. They are not the only heroes in our community or most other communities. There are thousands of organizations and individuals; city, county, state and federal employees, non profit organizations, corporations, volunteers and paid employees, in all walks of life, that deserve to be called HEROES.
For you to say that any one deserves it more than any other is a disservice to them all.
What I am trying to say is that we seem to have this argument about heroes and I am adding another shining example of other heroes in our community. Many of them don't get a reality show or that needed pat on the back. The Scottsdale Firefighters and even the Scottsdale PD (no, I didn't forget the police officers) for that matter certainly don't get one a lot of the time.
Since so many here are using the word hero like it was some loose word from the dictionary, I just wanted to illustrate just how many were out there. BTW, I did not seek out the firefighters Starr. Out of all the most notable heroes (the ones that are in uniforn)in our community I tend to see them the most at the local grocery store.
The reason I mentioned the firefighters also is because I have had a chance to meet them and the ones in Scottsdale certainly deserve praise. Not too many do that or have had a chance to see them in action first hand.
I think it is wrong to think that I would forget police officers as well. Unlike a lot of people, I actually took the Citizens Academy for the Scottsdale PD. I am amazed just how thankless their job is. If your local police department has a citizens academy I encourage you to go through it.
I think it is wrong to attack someone for bringing this hero discussion to a much more managable level here and using certain examples. This whole topic has become one big fight of who is right and who is wrong, especially about the word hero. To those that are called it, most will say they were just doing their job. Perhaps we should leave it at that and go on to a new topic because I doubt everyone is going agree with each other on what the word hero means. It is different for everyone. Let's not jump all over someone else because their idea of hero is different from yours.
Starr you asked the question "Aren't they all heroes? How do they rank in your list? People are heroes because of their own actions, not because of a job title or show name." If you really felt this way then maybe you should campaign for Animal Planet to change the title of the show. Yes, a technicality by the title name alone one could claim that Animal Planet is singling out the EAMTs as being the only heroes in our community.
Starr you stated the following which probably adds to the point I am trying to make.
"There are thousands of organizations and individuals; city, county, state and federal employees, non profit organizations, corporations, volunteers and paid employees, in all walks of life, that deserve to be called HEROES."
By this assessment alone I am surprised nobody here has written to Animal Planet telling them to take the word hero out of the title Animal Planet Heroes Phoenix. As stated one could argue that by having the word hero in the title it could be stating that only one group of people are the only heroes in our community.
I never said that anyone deserves to be called a hero more than anyone else. In fact I don't see that said by me in any of my posts. All I have done is use examples so we can bring this thing to a possible close. I think this whole topic has been beaten into the ground so I guess it is time to lock up this topic and move onto a different one.
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If the mod will induldge me on this one. I figured some of you might want to know about this.
Cat Galaxy is presenting a live holiday broadcast called Holiday Cats, Purrs & Meows this Saturday, December 9th beginning at 9am (8am Pacific, 10am Central, 11am Eastern time). There will be lots of great music and representatives from the animal rescue community joining the broadcast including:
Alexis Boyle- Arizona Humane Society
Nancy Fultz- Sun Cities 4 PAWS
Denise Stravia- AzCATs
Sam Kabbel- AAWL
Besides all the holiday fun, you will hear about all the wonderful the cats awaiting adoption this holiday season at your local animal shelter, the benefits of spaying and neutering, and some great holiday tips to keep your cats safe.
The following above guests are representing 4 well known animal rescue groups in Arizona. The broadcast will last 8 hours and will be as fun as it will be educational. So, sit back, relax and curl up next to your feline, and enjoy the show.
I now send you back to your reguraly scheduled show already in progress.
It was ok. Thanks for asking. For a DJ it can be an exhausting piece of work to put a show like that together especially broadcasting it for 8 hours. It is fun to do it and all the guests said they want to come back again. You can check out some pictures of the event on the 4PAWS web site.
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