Tag Archives: drugs

Confusing humane care and euthanasia —Susan Leavens

Received 28 June 2011. -jsq
Back in 09 a horse was found down and could not get up, the sheriffs office helped, lake park fire rescue and Dr. Ali Thornihill was also on the scene, the horse was euthenised, and the owner Clinton Miller also a registered sex offender was written citations it was later
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shelter cat Miss Kitty —Susan Leavens

Received 28 June 2011. -jsq
Miss Kitty was Lowndes County’s “shelter cat” she free roamed our shelter for more then 7 years, around the beginning of 2010 she started loosing her hair and chewing holes in herself.. and hiding from everyone. She was loosing more hair and bleeding all over paper work and counter where people came to ask about adoptions, she then was stuffed in a dog create with towels
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Joe Pritchard notified of euthanasia violation March 2011

Joe Pritchard told us in May:
“We were not able to substantiate … accusations other than that … castration of pig.”
Yet he was notified in March of a euthanasia violation and missing drugs.

This PDF contains an inspection report dated “03-18-11” from the Ga. Dept. of Ag. Animal Protection Section. The images contain excerpts related to a euthanasia violation. -jsq

Recordkeeping – Page 186 on 01-26-11 was
missing on the Euthanasia paperwork. Total of 36cc
unaccounted for. Violation 40-13-13.08 [11] issued.
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There are problems at the animal shelter. They have not been resolved.

I think it’s time to ask: what did they know, and when did they know it?

Let’s construct a timeline:

  • 2011-05-20 euthanasia violation
  • 2011-05-20 statement from Heather Terry
  • 2011-05-23 County Manager Joe Pritchard tells the Commission and the public:
    “We were not able to substantiate … accusations other than that … castration of pig.”
    That was even though WCTV already reported there had been several euthanasia violations last year.

    Pritchard also said they (the county in its previous investigation, presumably the one of 2010) examined the character of those testifying for the complaints and he said they found biases.

  • 2011-05-24 County Commission Chairman Ashley Paulk tells the Commission and the public:
    “Whatever problems there are, they’re going to be resolved.”
  • 2011-05-24 The VDT quotes County Manager Joe Pritchard as saying:
    “It’s no longer a case of an individual making a claim, as it will be evident by the physical evidence provided by the security cameras.”
    and:
    “You take that policy, coupled with the updated standard operating procedures, added to the technical verification and I think that addresses the issues. My purpose is to eliminate any problem or potential problem.”
  • 2011-05-31 statement by Director Linda Patelski saying two people fired for euthanasia violation of 20 May 2011

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drug testing —Susan Leavens

Received 28 June 2011. -jsq
the attached is the drug test every employee had after the GDA turned the statements over to the county manager… he “Joe Prichard” stated some employees were interviewed EVERYONE even Linda was Drug tested… she was the only one that showed concern for the drug test, she stated because she mixed the pentasol she may test positive to the drug. But all employees were certified to euthenis and we get it all over our fingers and some of us have even had the syringes explode from the needles and get in our eyes and mouth and we were not scared of testing positive. And “all” employees were interviewed not “some”! And I might add we all passed! Notice it is also under reasonable suspicion not random…

-Susan Leavens

Graphic horse case —Susan Leavens

Received 28 June 2011. -jsq
On 05-07-2010 horse was euthenised

This 18 month old Tenn. Walking Horse was refused vet care or euthensia not only by its owner but by my Director as well. I was alerted through 911 dispatch on a Saturday while working. I spoke to my director (Linda) about the colts situation and she advised me she was not going to WASTE COUNTY FUNDS picking him up, euthenising him or disposing of him. Five days later with a Lowndes County deputy and Officer Ronnie Ganas and Dr. Mary Rogers, he was darted (colt was not halter broken) and euthenised; Tifton Diagnostic Lab found a high utensil wire embedded in the left hind leg (pastern) which had severed his deep flexor tendon. PLEASE REMEMBER vet care or euthenising was REFUSED

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Ohio selling off prisons

The governor of Ohio created a budget shortfall, and wants to solve it by selling off private prisons in “a yard sale” in a recession, like “a junkie” for “his next fix.”

According to testimony by a nonpartisan research institute:

“The biggest source of Ohio’s budget problem is not overspending or compenstation for public employees. It is a reduction in revenue.
…
The tax changes also were weighted to high-income Ohioans. More than 40 percent of the income-tax cuts are going to the five percent of families with income of $135,000 or more a year. Meanwhile, the bottom three-fifths of Ohio families will receive just 13 percent of the total tax cut.
According to a recent poll, the people of Ohio think this is unfair and don’t believe the governor can fix the budget without raising taxes.

There are other reasons selling off prisons to private prison companies such as CCA is a bad idea.

Mark Niquette wrote for Bloomberg 29 June 2011, Kasich Tries to Avoid Arizona’s Mistakes in Ohio Prison Selloff:

Still, Democratic lawmakers, including Representative Matt Lundy of Elyria, question whether Ohio is making a wise move.

“The buyer wins and the taxpayers lose when we sell in the middle of a recession,” Lundy said during press conference last month, calling the move “a yard sale.”

Selling assets for “one-time” money is a mistake, Louisiana Treasurer John Kennedy said. He opposed a plan by Republican Governor Bobby Jindal to sell three prisons to raise $90 million, a proposal the Legislature didn’t approve.

“A junkie can sell his TV or his stereo or his iPod and generate money for his next fix,” Kennedy, also a Republican, said in a telephone interview from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. “But if he’s going to ever get well, he needs to face his addiction.”

An even better quote in that story comes from CCA’s own Steve Owen: Continue reading →

Too many people are making literally billions from the illicit drug trade —Major Neill Franklin

The only way to stop drug lords from reaping billions from the drug trade is to end drug prohibition, says a former leader of the drug war. The same applies to private prison companies reaping millions.

Tony O’Neill wrote 14 June 2011 in The Fix, Why Growing Numbers of Police Are Slamming Drug Prohibition:

For decades, police were convinced that total prohibition was the only way to end America’s deadly drug wars. Now thousands of cops are not only having second thoughts but actually taking to the streets in protest.

“I was pro-prohibition: that’s what my training was about!” says Major Neill Franklin, Executive Director of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), who previously served for 33 years with the Maryland State Police and the Baltimore police forces on the front line of America’s longest running war. “Even though I grew up in Baltimore and saw what was going on, we were taught and trained to believe that if we push hard enough, if we lock up the people involved, then this will eventually dissipate, or at least be reduced to a manageable level.” He gives a long, world-weary sigh. “Of course back then I had no clue…You just can’t tell somebody not to use and they’re gonna stop using! As long as there are people willing to buy, and as long as people don’t have employment, then you’re going to have an illicit drug trade. I saw that we made these arrests—we locked up dealers and users alike—and it might get quiet for a few days, or even a couple of weeks, but give it time and it all starts up again.”

The War on Drugs has failed. Like alcohol prohibition before it, it breeds more violence. Law enforcement against it just makes it worse: Continue reading →

Somebody has gotten fired at the animal shelter

Improper use of drugs for euthanizing animals is apparently enough to get someone fired from the animal shelter, at least if there is a parade of witnesses and paperwork, but only after someone files a complaint with GA Dept. of Ag.

On 16 June 2011 Susan Leavens got a letter from Shirley King, with attached PDF, containing:

  • complaint from Susan Leavens (unknown date):
    “Employee working with Lowndes County Animal Services euthanizing animals wihtout certification.”
  • 2011-06-03 PDF notice of violation from Ga. Dept. Ag. to Lowndes Co. Animal Services
  • a long handwritten statement by Pat Smith, also annotated:
    “Copy of report received by [signed] Joe Pritchard 6-3-11”
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hold for safe keeping mother and puppy’s born at the shelter —Susan Leavens

Received 28 June 2011. -jsq
This puppy was born at the shelter, the mother and litter mate was on hold for “SAFE KEEPING” the owner was in jail and the Director (Linda) removed the dew claws by forcyps and spinning them off, the litter mate to this puppy died at a later date.

-Susan Leavens