In his County Manager’s report at the work session this morning,
Joe Pritchard reported on:
Issues that I think you’ve heard about… animal shelter.
Presumably the issues reported by David Rodock in the 15 May 2011
Valdosta Daily Times
Animal shelter probed
Use of drugs investigated; employees speak out
and
by Gabrielle Sarann for WCTV on 19 May 2011
Lowndes County Animal Shelter Probed:
The Georgia Department of Agriculture is keeping an eye on an area animal shelter and has cited it for several violations
“I’ve seen a lot of the animals come in the shelter and not got vet care
and sometimes that comes in the form of euthanasia,” says Susan Leavens,
an animal control officer for Lowndes County.
This led several Lowndes County Animal Shelter employees to file a
complaint with the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
It launched an investigation citing the facility for not providing
humane care.
Joe Pritchard continued in his report:
August of 2010 the Department of Agriculture called me and asked
for a meeting about issues of concern.
They expressed those issues centered around
maintenance of records …
what was classified as humane treatment.
Mr. Pritchard referred to “specific castration of a pot-bellied pig”.
He didn’t say whether he considered that inhumane treatment;
he merely discussed it after referring to things “classified as humane treatment”.
He continued:
Continue reading →
This comment from Jane Osborn came in last night on
County Animal Shelter Issues. A good place to ask such questions of
public officials might be at
this evening’s County Commission meeting,
5:30 PM, 327 N. Ashley Street.
Sheriff Chris Prine is often in attendance.
-jsq
is a regulatory agency able only to issue fines, not pursue criminal investigations. Why are these reports not on the desk of the sheriff of Lowndes County for criminal investigation? Dismissing the allegations because the people whose testimony was taken might be biased does no service to the current or future animals that will pass through the shelter.