South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley held a town hall meeting Monday night in York County (which is near Chesterfield Co). Several animal advocates were in attendance and the governor was asked about getting a fair investigation into the alleged shooting of shelter dogs. She seems content to wait for the results of the investigation:
“When we see something that is wrong, we’ll acknowledge it and then move forward and do something about it,” Governor Haley told the audience. That seems to ease the minds of some, while raising concerns with others in attendance.
Put me in that latter group. Remember, no one at the shelter has denied that dogs were shot or that cats were beaten with pipes. I think it’s safe to say something is wrong NOW.
In a more troubling development, rescuers who work with the shelter report that Sheriff Parker has instituted a new pull fee. It will now cost $20 for rescuers to save a dog from being shot in the head by ACOs or a cat from having its head bashed with a pipe. The money will be earmarked for a “shelter maintenance” fund. Maybe they’re running low on lead pipes. I hope the Sheriff reconsiders this new policy which will undoubtedly result in fewer rescued pets and more bodies at the landfill.
Hmm.
I’m not feeling any better about this situation . . . just sayin’
Did any of the rescuers receive all the animal shelter records? Hope so.
“fewer rescued pets and more bodies at the landfill” equals LESS WORK….Ah-Ha!
this is very disturbing! what kind of people could be so cruel to an innocent animal??
Where’s all the outrage about government workers not doing their jobs properly? Evidently that’s reserved for teachers and union members only. Concern for animal welfare is so far down on the totem pole that it may never be seen again. Supposedly Gov. Haley ran on the small government conservative ticket. Haven’t seen much concern over these government workers not living up to expectations. Pitiful.
Yeah those teachers out spending their own money on supplies for the classrooms for America’s children are taking the focus away from these folks. Not only are these government employees NOT DENYING the beatings/shootings, they are continuing to be paid on “leave” while the investigation drags on. If they’re found to have committed crimes, I hope the county govt will demand they pay back the paid leave they received. Maybe the county could put that wad of cash in the shelter maintenance fund and quit charging rescues to save pets.
Well, we all know that government workers are totally responsible for the financial meltdown. Gee, wanting healthcare benefits and pensions! What in the world are we coming to?
I’d like to be more hopeful about this situation but don’t see much reform emanating from this. I doubt if anyone will lose their job or be made to reimburse anyone. The only chance is to keep the pressure on the people in charge so they have to back down. I’m sure the rescue fee is actually a revenge fee.
Shelter workers on “Paid Leave” is like getting a paid vacation. Disgusting. They get paid for admittedly wrong doing. What is wrong with this system. Bet they will be found not guilty as they are all sticking up for each other. Small town southern politics in action. “Scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours.” They have their own rules.
Absolutely.
It is not just rural “small town southern politics in action”.. Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department’s Animal Care and Control (Charlotte NC) investigated their own employees and surprise, surprise all but one is still on the payroll. AND that one is being considered for rehire. Nepotism, cronyism, and a landfill or really big rug works well to hide the dead bodies. The rules are friends and family rule while innocent animals are tortured and killed.
What’s really disturbing is that they have now imposed a $20.00 no kill charge to the rescuers wanting to find homes for these animals. Makes one think … if this was happening to humans, would the governor take the same amount of time to ponder the situation?
We need to get as many people as possible to sign the petition for justice … perhaps when they realize how many people are horrified by these actions, the governor may do SOMETHING!
I don’t have a problem with a modest pull fee, we pay pull fees all the time. It usually covers the cost of the license and whatever vaccines they may receive
If this shelter provided vax and/or licenses, that might be a different story. They don’t even provide FOOD. Rescuers/donors supply that.
I agree that modest pull fees shouldn’t be a problem….but when you’re talking about the rescue that actually does a good chunk of the work and provides the food – not to mention these animals have no vet care prior to being pulled…I have to say that the ‘modest’ pull fee is more of a retaliation feel to it. The sheriff is making the rescue that is doing all the work give them money on top of it all now is just a friggin joke. He’s making them pay so his men won’t shoot the dogs and club the kitties. I hope he’s removed from his office soon…or at the very least not re-elected!
A $20 pull fee and this is a Sheriff who has a military tank as one of the many toys purchased using his budget – none of which has been allocated to save lives and only covers the salary of the monsters resposnible for this cowardly act.
Truly he has a tank? Why hasn’t the county gotten their budget under control? Highly doubtful a tank was a necessary purchase.
Oh I don’t know. If the War of Northern Aggression reignites, Chesterfield Co will be ready!
Someone should tell the Sheriff that the new pull fee makes him look bad. Possibly even complicit…
http://thecherawchronicle.com/view/full_story/12376169/article-Sheriff-considers-opting-out-of-shelter?instance=secondary_news_left_column Unreal the lies this many will spread and the threats to the shelter and the people trying to save lives. I personally got Nutrish to donate a pallet of food to this shelter and he is claiming NO ONE donates. I am begining to think that this town is happy to go back to business as usual all too quickly.
WTF is wrong with these people??
I mean really.
OMG -they would find a way to profit! $20 or bullet/pipe. I cannot say what I am truely thinking here……I hope someone can step up and stop this (that has the ability/power to do so) horror.
http://firebrianburch.blogspot.com/2011/03/just-when-you-think-youve-heard-it-all.html
Lots of maintenance costs for this “Shelter”
http://www.foxcharlotte.com/news/top-stories/Where-are-the-Drugs-at-the-Chesterfield-County-Animal-Shelter-118138369.html
That’s just ‘lovely’…purchasing a drug that has a high street value along with a ‘director’ with TWO DRUG FELONY CONVICTION? Now we know why they dogs were being shot….Brian Burch is still selling drugs – only now he has no money invested, of his own that is, and they obviously don’t have the drugs to put the animals down because he’s either selling or using them himself!
This just gets worse and worse . . .
I have a feeling that this is still only the tip of the iceberg and we’ll be hearing more and more as the investigation continues. At least the news channels are keeping up with this story and not allowing them to hide the evidence. Let’s just hope that the Sheriff hands the place over to Paws N Claws to run and they ‘release’ the ACO’s from the job they failed to do in the first place. I still can’t get over how much money they were paid & that they had 4 ACO’s when they handled so few animals…..
what kind of demented people we are allowing to care for our sentinel beings.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE keep covering and investigating this story – the Sheriff and his team do a great job of instilling fear and I am afraid people will step away from the investigation for fear of retribution.
It is 2013 they may not be shooting the dogs but they ate making a killing off small bred money dogs !!!!!