Palm Valley Animal Society - Laurie P. Andrews Center — Attraction in Edinburg

So I don't have much experience with this place other then the recent acquaintance made with their "Catch, Neuter/Spay, Release" policy and a another time where I learned that they don't take in animals that you want to donate for adoption. I travel to and from the RGV because of family and took in a kitten last year from a family that was giving the litter away. I had mentioned to a friend that I was specifically looking for a orange cat, she showed me pics of the litter and made the introduction to the family. When I saw him in person I just knew I had to have him, I've had Conway since he was 3 WEEKS OLD and raised him as a indoor/outdoor cat. I used to take him for walks and trained him on recognizing his nickname and certain commands. My intention was to breed him when the time allowed but because I travel back and forth to the area I left him with my mother but she's older and doesn't take to cats so easily. She's a dog person, we've had a few dogs and cats growing up but due to moves, have had to give them up. When I left last year for about 8 months, Conway got out and was "lost" the entire time I was gone but when I came back this year I managed to find him on one of my drives through the neighborhood because he STILL remembered his nickname and came on call. It was a incredible moment and I was so happy to find him. Now, I've recently left again but had someone, who actually works at Palm Valley assisting my mother with him while I'm gone so I don't lose him again. (Found them through the pet service "ROVER") I've been gone for a little over a month now and got a call from this place, this past week (beginning of October) stating they have my cat, I GOT HIM CHIPPED before I left this time around so if he did get out again I would get him back. They didn't leave a message when they called Wednesday but left a message on Thursday. I didn't check my messages til Saturday and usually don't check the same day because I rarely get calls and when I do get calls its from telemarketers that leave messages. When I heard the message from Sarah, I immediately called because it stated they were "PROBABLY" going to neuter him on Friday. WHY WOULD THEY EVEN CONSIDER THAT WITH A PET THAT CLEARLY HAD A OWNER??? I was already a day late and desperately hoping they hadn't neutered him. I called but got no answer but was instructed to leave a message, email, or reply by text message. Email and text message were the fastest response times, so I texted but didn't get a response til hours later. I was too late. They neutered him. My issues with this place is that if they had any GENUINE RESPECT or COURTESY for the pets and owners that have taken the proper measures to have their pets CHIPPED AND COLLARED, they should also make an effort to TEXT us as well if they are to perform a LIFE ALTERING, INVASIVE SURGICAL PROCEDURE. I TEXTED THEM to get a faster response, THEY COULD'VE DONE THE SAME TO REACH ME! Now all the hopes I had for him are ruined! PHCK this place and their LACK OF RESPECT and professionalism! And as mentioned earlier, this place DOES NOT TAKE IN PETS THAT YOU WANT TO DONATE FOR ADOPTION. I know this because when I first got Conway and was leaving the area I had stopped in to see if they offer that service. They don't! And the girl I had spoken to at the time was very condescending and dismissive about it even though I had offered to get Conway all his proper vaccinations. He's in the database of "Wellness on Wheelz" and "Pet Dr. 911" UPDATE 11/30/20: I've recently come back in town and the 1st day back, Conway was close by but now with one of his ears clipped too! Turned my beloved Conway into "everybody's" cat. SINCE 3 WEEKS OLD I HAD HIM, BOTTLE FED HIM AND ALSO BEGAN TRAINING HIM AT THE SAME TIME TOO! SERIOUSLY PHCK THIS PLACE! THEY HAD NO RESPECT OR COURTESY FOR...

There is a lack luster disdain for humble help for the actual animals. I am horrified at the passive action towards animals in general in the RGV. There is a seriously disheartening problem and I thought PVAS was the only true home of solutions-driven approach to these tiny (and not so tiny sometimes) voiceless souls we get the privilege of having as pets.

I am seriously annoyed that after 32hrs of constant calling to animal services/shelters I only hear voice boxes are full, “we have limited” space, and please fill out forms.

There are ample solutions to these problems and since I have the time and the knowledge, please reach out to me because I am tired of the efforts not being there. If it’s PR, community education and outreach, grassroots efforts, an actual crisis plan of action or any mediated needs I’m your gal. Obviously you have a team of dedicated professionals to copy and paste scripts denoting and de-escalating the calamities that are sometimes written on these boards but mind you, words only go so far with people honestly trying to help a living being.

You all are a non profit organization that houses thousands of helpless animals and makes families whole! HOW can you not be happy with the gifts you give this area?! How can your volunteers not showcase that happiness as they try and HELP the dogs. The human factor is lost when y’all answer phone calls with an angry tonality and frustration in your voice.

PLEASE I implore you to create a humanistic approach to your methodology and organizational delivery via telephone and through your phone tree systems. If you are scripting your responses vary it up! If there aren’t enough volunteers, make a campaign strategy with local school districts and their student bodies. Create new strategies surrounding NEW procedures to meet with current guidelines. UTILIZE the monetary resources and restructure to benefit the animals first. A big building with big billboard tells the wrong story...... (mismanagement of PUBLICLY AND PRIVATELY GIFTED FUNDS)

PRIORITIZE, your efforts so that the facades that you are telling through your online narratives actually showcase the NEED physically in your facilities.

Your website shows one story that is misleading and you loose trust and buy in from the community. Thus your overpopulation of animals continues because your resources are not held to an importance to the community.

Anyway, please know that I am going out of my way to help the animal I was hoping you all would help. My heart hurts for those animals that would be bypassed because of ill-experiences from community constituents that tried and were failed by your services. I am bless to give this dog a fair chance now but many don’t and look to your organization for the help in that process.

Train your staff, educate volunteers to educate the community, and do things for the good of the voiceless.

Have a blessed day and feel free to reach out to me on this VERY PUBLIC FORUM if...

Just had a nasty encounter with a gentlemen under the name of Jay Garza, Director, and we were just vloging and the guy approached us very hostile to begin with. Asking us how we could NOT record. And to begin with he said, I don’t consent to being recorded, when he was the one who approached me and got in my video view. After that he kept on asking what the vlog was for and I said it’s for YouTube, it’s just a vlog. And he kept asking “but what is it for” and again I answered, just a vlog. And he asked again “what is it for” and again I said “ vlog for YouTube, lifestyle vlog” and again he asked what for. Then I said it’s a lifestyle vlog , we’re trying to get my kiddo a puppy. “That’s what you should’ve told me”, responded Jay. I didn’t really have to give them the info but I did as a way to make him feel at ease, yet he still remained hostile. Then my partner jumped in and explained to him how embarrassing it was that Jay, being a director, was approaching us with hostility, when he should approach people with a positive attitude, Jay then proceeded by saying “ I’m not talking to you, I’m talking to him, referencing me. The whole encounter caught on video, but out of respect of PVAS , and because I gave my word to Jay, I will NOT and did NOT post it. I would appreciate it if Jay can approach people with ease and not hostility because I responded to him the same way he responded to me. You would think that with the whole situation with Palm Valley going through they’d reason but they did NOT. And just as an FYI, we recorded for 12 minutes straight until they told us something. And again, no sign outside, ladies in the reception saw us come in, and nothing said. At the end of the day, all jay had to do is say “Hey Guys, I know you guys are probably videotaping but we don’t allow it. We would appreciate it if you would just turn off for the remainder of the visit, just to ensure our environment stays private” and I would have EASILY turned it off. As a matter of fact, the minute Jay told me to turn off the video I did, because I was looking to respect the place and authority he had, but he started to tell me to put it away and he didn’t want to see it, and I was NOT going to just put it in my pocket. It’s a $800 camera lol. But do better Jay. Now I gotta look for a pup at another Animal...