There was a 3 hour public hearing on Thursday regarding alleged abuse at the Robeson County Animal Shelter in NC:
The board heard testimony and affidavits from more than a half dozen witnesses who accused staff at the county animal shelter of mistreating dogs and cats and making it difficult for rescue groups to adopt animals.
A few witnesses said they had seen shelter staff dangle puppies by their necks. One rescue worker told the board shelter workers threatened her physically.
[…]
[Attorney Calley] Gerber showed the board photos taken by shelter volunteers of filthy kennels, a dead kitten, empty water and food bowls and emaciated dogs and cats.
Other witnesses said they were often turned away by staff workers who didn’t feel like filling out adoption paperwork.
Response from the man in charge:
Health Director Bill Smith defended his employees against some of the charges, but acknowledged mistakes had been made.
Shorter:
Puppies dangled by the neck, rescue worker threatened by staff, starving pets, filthy kennels, pets killed because staff too lazy to do the adoption paperwork…
Mistakes.
The meeting came less than a month after the health board voted to adopt a policy giving rescue groups an additional 48 hours to claim stray dogs or cats. The shelter has seen its kill-rate drop from more than 90 percent this time last year to below 25 percent since the policy was implemented, Smith said.
Well I can certainly understand why they waited so long to implement these changes. Think of all the extra years of puppy dangling they got in under that 90% kill rate.
At any rate, the lawsuit has now been dropped:
Gerber said she believes the lawsuit was responsible for at least some of the changes at the shelter. She also acknowledged the work of local animal rights advocates who have complained of abuses at the shelter for the better part of the past decade.
But Smith said the majority of the changes had nothing to do with the lawsuit.
“If they want to take credit, that’s fine,” Smith said Friday after learning that the litigation would be dropped. “Most of these changes were already in the works before the lawsuit was filed. I think most of their concerns have been addressed.”
Shorter, via Pee Wee Herman:
I meant to do that.
Oh please, Mr. Smith, you know damn well why these changes were made.
I thank God every day for the advocates of these animals.
May Mr. Smith, Mr. Bass (and I use the term “Mister” very lightly), receive punishment for their actions, every day for the rest of their lives. You and many others are despicable.