Pitt Co Pound Oops-Kills Mama Dog Being Held for Cruelty Case

The Pitt Co pound functions primarily as a pet killing facility.  In 2013, Pitt Co killed 57% of the animals in its care:

The carefully developed system of checks and balances employed at the Pitt Co pound to determine which pets are to be killed on any given day is this:

Each kennel has a paper on the front of it stating the name and circumstances of the dog. Then, when it’s time for certain animals to be put down, that paper is turned around so that the plain side is facing out.

Gosh, I hope there isn’t any breeze in Pitt Co or any other circumstance which might result in paperwork being placed the wrong way around on a kennel.  Because obviously the staff doesn’t question the killing of healthy/treatable animals.  Nor do they have supervisors signing off on killings.  OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.  Just if one person, any person I guess, says they saw a backwards paper:  kill.  Brilliant.

Last month, a Greenville pet owner was charged with animal cruelty after authorities found a dead puppy in a crate on her porch and 4 more puppies, aged 12 – 16 weeks, near death inside the home.  The puppies and mama dog were seized and all 4 pups died later that day.  The mama dog, called Venus, was sent to the Pitt Co pound to be held as evidence:

“We specifically asked for a hold, a special hold… because of the case. We wanted to make sure she remained healthy and well-taken care of pending the case outcome,” said [Greenville Police Chief Hassan] Aden.

Aden says his Animal Protective Services Officers regularly checked in on Venus.

The last time an officer went to the pound to see Venus, the “Pitt County Animal Staff, sort of, reacted a little oddly” and later admitted they had killed Venus that morning because the paper on her kennel was facing backwards.  Oops.  But no worries, there was an e-mailed apology:

In an email to police, the Director of the County Shelter, Michele Whaley, admits that Venus was accidentally put down, stating: “I am truly sorry for the unfortunate situation where the pit-bull we were supposed to be holding for Officer Nichols’ court case was euthanized. I take full responsibility for this mistake.”

So has anyone lost their job over this needless killing?  Anyone disciplined?  Anyone anything?  I suppose it’s back to business as usual at the Pitt Co pound.  And that business is killing.

This is a tragedy.  Mother dogs love their puppies and grieve for them when they die.  Venus would have been suffering deep emotional pain after the loss of her pups and I’m sure it’s no picnic living in a cage in a pet killing facility either.  Her last days in this life were dark indeed and then her life was needlessly snuffed out by pet killers.  This is another case where, as dreadful as it sounds, the dog was actually better off with the person charged with cruelty over her care.  At least then she and her pups were alive.  Now all is lost.

Tip:  Don’t send a dog you want “to make sure she remained healthy and well-taken care of” to a pet killing facility.

Other Tip:  Get some people in there willing to do their jobs to actually shelter animals.  Then the worst Pitt Co would have to worry about is a pet being oops-sheltered.

I hope Pitt Co taxpayers demand better of their public servants at the pound.  Until they do, killing will remain the default, oops-killings will continue, and e-mailed apologies will be the cherry on top of this awful pie.

(Thank you Anne for the link.)