The pound in Corpus Christi, TX is run by the police department. On February 9, Corpus Christi Animal Care Services impounded a dog named Bandit for quarantine after he reportedly bit a person. The owner, Mary Trevino, was given a 10 day quarantine form by the impounding ACO, which she signed and kept her copy. Ms. Trevino says she maintained constant contact with an ACO named Rhodes throughout the quarantine period as she intended to pick Bandit up as soon as the city would release him. The day before the quarantine expired, the city killed Bandit, because they say they thought his owner had surrendered him. Oops.
But when a devastated Ms. Trevino went to the local news and a reporter began asking questions, the city decided to hold a presser to explain its side of the story. Which basically amounts to: Owner? What owner?
Commander Todd Green:
Animal Care Services admits that this entire incident could have been handled better and offer our apologies to whoever actually owns the dog.
Right. We apologize to Miss Mystery Owner, whom we don’t know and have never heard of in our lives. The one we had sign the impound form and talked to about reclaiming her dog. The one whom we later said we thought, incorrectly, had surrendered the dog allowing us to kill him. That unknown person, wherever she may be, long may she run.
The city will investigate itself to determine whether any policies were violated.
(Thanks Clarice for the link.)