I recently blogged about 2 seized Pitbulls in TN who were ordered released to their owner by a judge. The McKamey Animal Center killed both dogs before the owner got to the shelter to pick them up. The judge in the case has now issued a new order:
City Judge Sherry Paty has put down an order directing the McKamey Animal Care and Adoption Center not to euthanize animals [involved in court cases] without her approval.
Some new details emerge regarding the circumstances of the case as well:
Judge Paty said she heard a case on April 30 involving two dogs belonging to Raquelle Harrison of East Lake. She said the neighbor had complained about the dogs being chained to the fence, though she said the dogs had remained on Ms. Harrison’s side of the fence and the neighbor did not come to court to testify.
She said the McKamey Center had gone out on April 17 and had taken the dogs, though they were still in Ms. Harrison’s yard.
I’m not an attorney but I would think the owner has sufficient cause to pursue legal action against the McKamey Center. Since when is AC allowed to come into someone’s yard and seize chained dogs who are contained within the yard? There is no mention made that the dogs were emaciated, lacking sufficient care or anything of that nature. And obviously even the judge agrees that killing the dogs was improper.
AC officers are supposed to help animals – not abuse their authority to seize and destroy them. I wonder if this is an isolated incident at McKamey or if there is a culture of abuse of power there and a history of killing pets waiting to be redeemed by owners.