The long troubled Companion Animal Alliance in Baton Rouge, LA has killed owned pets before under suspicious circumstances. But even for this disturbing group, the killing of an owned pet named Bow Wow represents a new low.
Eighteen year old Bow Wow escaped his yard on May 11, 2013. His owners, Patrick and Kimberly Morris, searched for him, put up fliers around the neighborhood and visited the local pound several times. Pound workers refused to allow Mr. Morris to walk the kennels to look for Bow Wow himself, instead telling him on 3 separate visits that his pet wasn’t in the facility. In fact, AC had picked up Bow Wow the day he got lost and chokepoled the elderly dog into the pet killing facility on May 11. He was there every day the owner was turned away after inquiring about him.
Finally after one week of runaround, Mr. Morris convinced CAA to allow him to walk the kennels to look for his dog. He found him immediately and Bow Wow began going crazy with excitement. CAA refused to give the dog back without the ransom fee, even though they had held the dog for a week unnecessarily while turning the owner away multiple times. CAA forced Mr. Morris to go to an ATM for the cash to bail Bow Wow out. While the owner was getting the money, CAA oops-killed the dog.
Mr. Morris was devastated:
“I can tell you it was like losing a child.”
Patrick’s wife Kimberly says she would like to see a system overhaul at the shelter.
“There is nothing that can replace him,” said Kim Morris.
“No monetary gain. I don’t want this to happen again.”
Sadly, Bow Wow was “again”. CAA has killed people’s pets before and will undoubtedly kill more in future. CAA is in the pet killing business and they don’t discriminate between those whose owners are looking for them and those in need of new owners. And the local government backs them 100%.
Shame on Companion Animal Alliance again, and the local politicians and killing apologists who enable them to continue their reckless actions which hurt pets and people. Pets are family. CAA has no right being in the family services business. I hope local advocates will organize and demand the government kick CAA to the curb, replacing them with a group committed to no kill. It’s long overdue. And the pets in Baton Rouge can’t afford to wait.
(Thank you Joni for the link.)