In case you haven’t been following the soap opera of the Robeson Co Animal Shelter in NC, the latest is a lawsuit filed against the shelter to get them to stop killing pets that have had a hold placed on them by a rescue group. In conjunction with the filing of the lawsuit, the plaintiff was granted a temporary restraining order prohibiting the shelter from killing “hold” pets.
The first hearing took place yesterday and the plaintiff requested the restraining order be extended until the case plays out (scheduled for trial May 24). The county’s attorney advocated for swift death for the community’s pets, even those with homes waiting:
County Attorney Hal Kinlaw argued against the restraining order. Kinlaw said there is no law or policy requiring the shelter to keep an animal alive after a state-mandated 120-hour hold period.
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As enforced, the animal shelter’s policy doesn’t require a window for pet adoptions. After giving owners 120 hours to claim a lost pet, the animals can be put down without ever being up for adoption.
The judge extended the restraining order which means shelter staff at Robeson are going to have to get their jollies some other way besides killing pets who are slated for adoption – at least for the next few weeks.