The NC Department of Agriculture, which oversees animal shelters, investigated the brutal microchipping (wait – WTF did I just write?) of a cat by a Rowan Co pound employee which resulted in the cat’s jaw being broken in two places. The severely injured cat, Cooper, was reportedly uncooperative during the bloody torture. Cooper is currently undergoing lengthy veterinary treatment and is being fed a liquid diet. The state has completed its investigation and determined that the ACO did not violate the NC Animal Welfare Act:
According to the investigation report from the Department of Agriculture, “The statements of the shelter staff, rescue personnel and veterinarians, the veterinary medical records and the shelter records have been reviewed. This review concludes that as Cooper was provided with access to veterinary care within 30 minutes of injury. Therefore veterinary care was provided as required by 02 N. C. Administration Code .0210 (c). Consequently, the findings of this investigation do not substantiate a violation of the N. C. Animal Welfare Act. The investigation findings have been turned over to the Rowan County Manager’s Office and the Rowan County Sheriff’s Department.”
Sooooo brutal microchipping is a thing and it’s condoned by the state so long as the victim is given to someone who takes him to a vet within 30 minutes of the torture. If that truly falls within the Animal Welfare Act, I’m thinking the Animal Welfare Act sucks and needs to be changed to be a little more welfare-y and a little less legal-cover-for-animal-shelter-torture-y.
Rowan County Manager Aaron Church won’t say whether the unnamed ACO is still on paid administrative leave or back at uh, work.
Clai Martin, longtime pound director at Rowan Co, is being shifted to a related position in a county consolidation move:
As part of the consolidation, current Rowan County Animal Control Director Clai Martin will be moved into another position — manager of the animal enforcement division.
[…]
The consolidation would create a new department called Rowan County Animal Services. Church said Bob Pendergrass, the current director of the Nature Center at Dan Nicholas Park, would be promoted to oversee the new, consolidated department.
They’ve set a pretty low bar for you, Nature Center Guy. I hope you will raise it. Anything above “We don’t break cat faces for hissing during microchipping here” would be a good start.
(Thanks Lisa and Clarice for the links.)