GEORGIA -- A Cedartown resident spoke before the county board of commissioners last week, airing concerns over what she feels is a breakdown in policies and procedures at Polk County Animal Control.
Regina Welchel expressed to commissioners that her main concern centers around the euthanization of a dog that she and her husband had planned to adopt.
Four days after Welchel addressed the county board, new extended hours as well as three new procedural guidelines were put into place at the county’s animal control department.
According to Polk County Assistant Manager David McElwee, an animal control officer will now be on duty until 8:30 p.m., Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.
On Sundays and after hours, an officer will be “on call” to respond to emergencies.
Previously, officers were only on duty until 5 p.m. on weekdays and until 4 p.m. on Saturdays.
As another change, McElwee said that 24 hours before euthanization takes place, a list of animals scheduled to be put down will be posted on the door of the animal control facility.
The list will feature descriptions of the animals and will posted at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday afternoons. McElwee said that animals are typically euthanized on Thursdays.
Additionally, before scheduled euthanasia, animal control staff will now meet as a group and review the list to make sure no one has expressed an interest in adopting one of the animals.
Lastly, McElwee said the list will be given a second review by the licensed vet that performs euthanasia.
“The director of the shelter, by Georgia law, can make the decision to euthanize any animal that needs to be put down. State law also does not require a waiting period. But our policy will now include having the vet look over the list, to make sure he doesn’t recognize any of the animals as a reported missing pet or to make sure he doesn’t see any reason to hold off on euthanizing a certain animal,” McElwee said.
In late August, Welchel said she placed several calls the Polk County Animal Control asking them to check on the welfare of a number of dogs located at a Cave Spring Road address.
Welchel stated she was later told that an officer went to the residence and found the dogs to be healthy.
Welchel said she did not agree with the officer’s evaluation and contacted McElwee to share her concerns.
McElwee instructed an animal control officer to visit the residence again and report back. Officers stated that the dogs appeared to be fine.
Welchel said she returned to the county office with photographs of the dogs and McElwee instructed animal control to pick up the dogs and transport them to the county shelter.
“I felt the situation needed to be looked at again.,” McElwee stated in a later interview. “I was convinced enough to send the animal control director out again to take another look and he brought one of the dogs that appeared to be malnourished, back to the shelter.”
Welchel said that she and her husband, Scott, went to the shelter the next day to inform animal control that they wanted to adopt the dog.
The Polk County Animal Control has a five-day waiting period for any animal that is adopted out.
The Welchels were told to come back after the five day period was over.
The Welchels returned to the facility on Sept. 4 to move forward with the adoption. After walking through the facility, the Welchels could not locate the dog and later learned that it had been put down.
Welchel told commissioners she was upset over the fact she had made the shelter aware of her intention to adopt the dog, but was not informed when the dog was scheduled to be killed.
According to McElwee, the animal was put down because the animal control director said the dog was aggressive.
(Cedartown Standard - Sep 19, 2013)
No comments:
Post a Comment