Tag Archives: animal shelter

Waycross animal shelter problems

A simpler kind of animal shelter problem, before and after.

Mike Morrison wrote for Jacksonville.com 4 August 2011, 14 dogs die from heatstroke at Waycross kennel; cooling fans pledged

The heat has killed dogs at the Waycross animal shelter because the kennel isn’t wired to power fans, but a city official said Wednesday that help is on the way.

Okefenokee Humane Society shelter manager Ben Hood said 14 dogs have died of heatstroke in the past three months, including a 7-month-old black Lab that died Wednesday.

“We’ve had record high temperatures this year,” Hood said, “but we don’t have any fans in the kennel because we don’t have any electricity out there.”

And on 10 August he wrote, Continue reading →

Animal issues on facebook

For those who miss their regular daily diet of animal shelter issues, Susan Leavens has started a facebook group called Georgia’s Regulatory Animal Protection Division the truth behind them.

And who knows? Maybe soon we’ll hear results of that investigation down at the sheriff’s office. Or maybe Gary Black will live up to his campaign promises. Or maybe Lowndes County will let the Humane Society train animal control officers. The more people ask for these things to happen, the more likely they will happen.

-jsq

No inhumane treatment issues other than the pot belly pig?

Received Sunday a PDF of a letter from Joe Pritchard, County Manager, to Mary Greene, GA Dep. of Ag. together with the appended cover letter from Susan Leavens. -jsq

Mr. Prichard has made many comments in reference to several of his employees; in recent news paper articles and on the evening news indirectly of course that “they” had bios opinions and even questioned my character in one article.

Mr. Prichard also informed everyone there were no inhumane treatment issues other than the pot belly pig. Well I believe in this document from County Manager Joe Prichard to Ms. Mary Green with Department of Agriculture animal protection says otherwise. I believe Mr. Prichard’s recent statement to the media was though our investigation we found no wrong doing… lets list them here.

Continue reading →

All authority to law enforcement and/or an Animal Services Officer?

More interesting discussion in the comments on Let the Humane Society train animal control officers including this one this morning. -jsq
In reading over the Lowndes Co. Animal Ordinance, it appears to give all authority to law enforcement and/or an Animal Services Officer – for enforcing the provisions of the Animal article. The only thing I can see that the Animal Services Officer isn’t legally authorized to do is to arrest an individual. – IF I’m reading/interpreting correctly.

-An Outsider Looking In

This is one of the few ordinances actually linked from the Lowndes County web pages, so you can read it for yourself.

-jsq

Let the Humane Society train animal control officers —John Gates @ LCC 26 July 2011

John Gates, director at the Humane Society of Lowndes County, noted that county law enforcement doesn’t seem to know much about animal laws and regulations, in addition to the problems at the shelter.

This part caused Joe Pritchard’s head to jerk back:

I think our animals in the community deserves the same rights as my children, myself, or your animals. If your animal is in the shelter, it should receive the same courtesy that you would give it at home.
Chairman Paulk clarified:
If you did certify the ACOs, they’d still have to be attached to an agency, which means they’d have to be attached to the Sheriff’s office.
I think it’s interesting that he’s listening to the idea.

Here’s the video: Continue reading →

In accordance with the law —Susan Leavens

Received today on When officials act like they are hiding something, they usually are. -jsq
“You won’t receive an open-records request if you answer questions honestly and in accordance with the law.” What an honest statement; perhaps some of this too.
GEORGIA CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE IX. COUNTIES AND MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS
SECTION II. HOME RULE FOR COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES
(c) The power granted to counties in subparagraphs (a) and (b) above shall not be construed to extend to the following matters or any other matters which the General Assembly by general law has preempted or may hereafter preempt, but such matters shall be the subject of general law or the subject of local acts of the General Assembly to the extent that the enactment of such local acts is otherwise permitted under this Constitution:

(1) Action affecting any elective county office, the salaries thereof, or the personnel thereof, except the personnel subject to the jurisdiction of the county governing authority.

(2) Action affecting the composition, form, procedure for election or appointment, compensation, and expenses and allowances in the nature of compensation of the county governing authority.

(3) Action defining any criminal offense or providing for criminal punishment.

These are crimes —Susan Leavens

Received 28 June 2011. -jsq
John,

I am so sorry you had to see these offenses, it should have been investigated/viewed by the Sheriffs Dept. or GBI, these are crimes not violations like the GDA says!

I will not give up on this; crimes should be punished as such. I have written many citiznes of lowndes county citations and they have been charged with these crimes by a court of law. No one is above the law including Linda Patelski, but the GDA recognizes these crimes as violations, not crimes or they would have been handled as such. No person should be covered under the umbrella of GDA. After statements have been lost by them (GDA) and then resubmitted it just seems like these crimes are no more important then losing a receipt for gas.

I find that Joe Prichard involving my character in this matter irrelevant and my convictions in court cases involving animal cruelty inhumane treatment and other ordinance violations and state laws speak of my character, over 400 cases brought before magistrate court, municipal court and state court out weigh his personal opinion(s) and one case lose in five years of employment as animal control officer for Lowndes County and I was told to write that citation by my director Linda Patelski for nuisance dog. I have not discredited any employee who works for Lowndes County in these matters… I have told the truth and have documentation to back what I say.

Because I said I have no respect for Joe Prichard in my statement

Continue reading →

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
Continue reading →

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
Continue reading →

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.
Continue reading →