Vermilion Parish Rabies Control in LA does not adopt animals to the public. It functions primarily as a pet killing facility while allowing rescue groups to save some animals – unless the director decides she feels like killing those animals too. After a recent story about the killing of dogs tagged for rescue went viral, the parish placed a temporary halt on pet killing while the police jury came up with some new guidelines. This week, those new guidelines were announced:
- Re-start killing cats deemed feral immediately.
- Hold dogs for 30 days in order to allow rescue groups to network them.
- Once the pound exceeds capacity (20 dogs), arbitrarily kill the dogs whose intake dates are the oldest to make space.
It seems to me that numbers 2 and 3 are going to conflict with each other unless rescue groups can consistently do the Vermilion pound staff’s jobs for them and keep getting dogs into homes before the 20 dog limit is reached. Also, number 1 totally sucks.
And there’s more bad news:
KATC reviewed hundreds of parish euthanasia records and uncovered that last year, more than 21 percent of all dogs and cats were killed before [the mandatory holding period of] four days, some even dying the day they arrived at the facility.
The only sort-of-explanation for why the pound appears to have been violating parish law in such an egregious manner comes from an ex-staffer:
“Every Thursday was euthanasia day, and sometimes we would pick up the dog on Monday and by Thursday they were gone,” said Thad Savoy, a former animal warden of the Vermilion Parish Rabies Animal Control Center.
Right. It’s Thursday. And Thursday is kill day. If the lost pet’s owner is looking for him or if an adopter might like to save him, that’s just not happening. It’s Thursday.
“Most of the dogs that were picked up were able to be rescued. But they were not rescued or put online because of the color or the breed. … It’s kind of hard to say; it’s kind of hard to describe why,” Savoy said.
Wait, wut? Prolly no owner would want their black dog back so no point posting her online. Because black. Plus it’s Thursday.
The current director of the pet killing facility – the one who threatened to call the police last time a reporter tried to ask her a question – is once again being shielded by the asshats who came up with the brilliant killing guidelines:
For now, the parish is not commenting on KATC’s investigation. On Wednesday night, the Vermilion Parish Police Jury unanimously denied KATC’s request for an interview with Animal Control Facility Director Pam Monceaux and Public Works Director Bill Nogel.
Instead of providing cover for monsters, maybe the Vermilion Parish police jury could hire some people willing to do the jobs taxpayers pay them to do and actually shelter animals in need. Any vote on that?
(Thanks Clarice for the links.)
The news is so disgusting! I don’t understand why they hire low life scum to manage a shelter! They are definitely in violation of why we support shelters and the fact that politicians uphold their decision to kill is totally unacceptable! Why can’t these jerks become real shelters instead of killing facilities!
I am forever astounded by how, when wrongs are pointed out to those in charge, instead of say, “Oh you’re right, let’s fix that”, it becomes “we’ve reviewed it and everything’s ok, really”.
Is it because they don’t want to be responsible for crimes/cruelty committed under their management? Is it purely an ego thing?
I’m starting to see weak leadership as an epidemic in our country.
If you’re a cat in Vermillion Parish who happens to be outside and then trapped or caught and taken to rabies control, you’re dead. Because if you behave like any cat would in that situation, you will freak, and you will be deemed feral.
And there’s more:
http://www.katc.com/news/katc-investigation-some-injured-animals-possibly-go-without-vet-care-at-vermilion-parish-animal-control/
Warning: descriptions of severe animal suffering, and I didn’t even watch the video…
It’s Louisiana. So many people in that state are an embarrassment to our country. It’s like Memphis except on a statewide scale. I love them both and a lot of good people there but the clanish roots run deep in some places.
I AGREE! IF THESE PEOPLE CARED ABOUT THE ANIMALS, THEY’D GET TOGETHER & DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT…….USE THEIR BRAIN GOD GAVE THEM WHEN VOTING & DEMAND THESE HATEFUL DIRECTORS OF THEIR SHELTERS BE FIRED & COMPETENT PEOPLE HIRED TO RUN THEM…..PEOPLE WHO LOVE ANIMALS INSTEAD OF HATING THEM!
I’m pretty sure the same could be said of any state in the nation, Chris. I’m tired of people dumping on the southern states when most of us do care deeply about animals, even if the people in charge of this, that, or the other town, don’t.
THE ACTIONS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES! THE APPEARANCE IS THAT THEY’RE THERE TO KILL INNOCENT DOGS AND CATS! THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE AND LEADERS SHOULD CARE ENOUGH TO MONITOR THE ACTIONS OF DIRECTORS AND ACT ACCORDINGLY! tHE SYSTEM ISN’T WORKING AND SHETER DIRECTORS DON’T GIVE A DAMN! AS A RESULT, ANIMALS ARE PAYING WITH THEIR LIVES! NOBODY IN AUTHORITY SEEMS TO CARE!