Saturday, February 21, 2015

Director fired after improperly-euthanized cat found alive in cooler

NORTH CAROLINA -- The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services suspended the license of the Martin County Director of Animal Control, Henley "Pete" Brock, for allegedly improperly euthanizing two cats. The Martin County Manager says Brock's job was terminated February 19.

According to the Notice of Violation served to him from the state, Brock "failed to adequately and humanely euthanize and verify the death of a cat" on February 9. The notice says the cat was placed in a freezer where it was found alive the next morning.

Because of this incident, and a second one on February 12 where the notice says he left the work palce without verifying another cat he had attempted to euthanize was dead. In that instance, documents say another animal control officer took the cat to a licensed vet to complete the euthanasia.

According to Dr. Patricia Norris, with the Veterinary Division of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, as far as she knows, the cat from the first incident is alive and doing well.

The Dismissal Statement from the county states that his termination was based on those incidents, as well as allegedly failing "to properly store under lock and key the controlled substances used in euthanasia of animals" and failing to "properly document and account for the use of controlled substances expended in the euthanasia of animals.

The county documents say Brock had been with Martin County Animal Control for about three years and one month.

In the termination letter to Brock, County Manager David Bone stated, "Your mismanagement of the Martin County Euthanasia Program has sullied the reputation of Martin County and will cost Martin County limited, valuable resources.

No word on whether Brock will face any criminal charges.

(WCTI12.com - ‎Feb 20, 2015‎)

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