Called “Rocco’s Voice” after the blue-nosed pit euthanized in December, the group claims ACO Jeff Collins has a “personal bias” against the breed and is unqualified for the position.
“This man doesn’t deserve this job, nor to be judge jury and executioner in behavior based euthanasia when he self admittedly doesn’t understand nor is aptly educated in canine behavior,” it says on its online petition
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| Rocco |
The effort was launched after pit bull Carmella was euthanized in August and shortly before Oscar was put down this month. The petition has gathered more than 1,100 names.
The town is standing firmly behind Collins. Town Manager William Ross calls the claims “grossly exaggerated.”
Ross said only 22 shelter animals and only six pit bulls had been euthanized at the shelter since 2006.
This gives the Mansfield shelter a 5 percent dog euthanasia rate compared to 40 percent nationwide. All the euthanized animals had been terminally ill, had bitten or had been deemed a public threat because of their extreme aggressiveness.
“Collins is well respected by his peers and takes his job very seriously. I’ve watched him agonize over his decisions,” Ross said Wednesday.
In a public statement posted on the town’s website, Police Chief Ronald Sellon also supported Collins’ actions, saying, “The decision to euthanize these animals was not an easy one.
“Collins has 20 years experience in animal control and carefully considered all options, including hiring and consulting with other evaluators, before making these very difficult decisions,” Sellon said.
The shelter, which operates with the help of more than 100 volunteers, also defended its actions with a lengthy posting on its Facebook page.
It says high proportions of dogs at the shelter are pit bulls and are adopted into loving homes.
Rocco’s adoptive family returned him to the shelter last year after he attacked and tried to bite one of his new owners. The shelter spent $1,000 evaluating him before deciding to put him down.
Carmella was surrendered to the shelter after biting her owner. She received a negative evaluation from an outside professional.
Oscar was euthanized last week due to aggression issues.
“There is absolutely no breed discrimination at the Mansfield Animal Shelter,” a recent posting says.
“Mansfield Animal Shelter is not a private rescue, and has never claimed to be a no-kill shelter. As an employee of the town, the animal control officer must consider public safety and town liability as well as animal welfare.”
But Rocco’s Voice says the shelter is predominantly cat based, skewing the statistics.
The group says Kaylee may be the next pit bull put down at the shelter for barking and growling when she was captured in a local cemetery.
“If we persecuted dogs based on their barks or growls - especially when scared - there would be no dogs left in this world,” its Facebook page notes.
The group has zero tolerance for euthanasia and says Collins has blood on his hands.
“Euthanizing animals is not necessary. One life lost is too many.”
(Wicked Local - Oct 17, 2013)
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