On the Saving Shawnee Animals (SSA) rescue group Facebook page, for more than a year, an often reposted message labeled “URGENT CODE RED” is accusing the shelter of killing animals that are housed for only 48 hours, and is asking for pledges to save them.
“It seems we have a group who is using sensational false statements to promote the receiving of pledges for animals,” Wilson said. “Everything written on this page is false and should be considered a scam to the public.”
The post is giving area residents the wrong idea about the city's shelter, Wilson said.
Also, the group has not been following the contract they signed with the shelter, which — after these posts —gives Wilson great pause when considering whether to continue working with them.
“As with any adoption process, they are required to provide proof of shots and prepaid spay or neutering with a veterinarian or they forfeit the adoption — which they haven't been doing,” he said. “Rescues haven't been paying an adoption fee for awhile, either, so I'm not sure where all these pledges they ask for are going, because we aren't seeing any evidence of it being spent to help these animals.”
He said if they aren't going to follow the rules according to their contract, it will be revoked.
“We are concerned with the animals and our citizens, not with this group profiting from false statements,” he said.
“We have always done our best to inform the public of scams which take money under false pretenses,” he said. “We have to keep the public informed and protected.”
He said there is a need for animals to be rescued and there are many reputable rescues doing great work.
“We do not want to see the shelter's progress and improvements overshadowed by false statements,” Wilson said.
Below are statements directly taken from the group's post, along with Wilson's explanation of how they are misleading and/or fraudulent:
• SSA STATEMENT: “... Because there is only a 48-hour stray hold and because there are only 18 kennels in a 30,000 population town ALL ANIMALS THAT CROSS THE THRESHOLD INTO THIS FACILITY ARE IN IMMEDIATE URGENT DANGER OF BEING KILLED. Until more kennels are built and animals are given more than 48 hours you can consider every animal in the Shawnee “Shelter” as being in MORTAL DANGER.”
• REBUTTAL: The 48-hour rule SSA refers to can be found in Shawnee's Municipal Code. In Sec. 5-179: Disposal of unclaimed dogs, the code reads, “All dogs seized and impounded, … that are not identified with a city license tag, shall be kept in the city animal shelter for a period of two working days, or not less than 48 hours form the time they are so impounded. … If, at the expiration of such time, the dog is not called for … the animal control officer may dispose of such dog by euthanasia ...”
While this is currently the city's code, to get City ordinances in line with actual PD protocol, Wilson said his department has requested changes/amendments –– including this one –– which are under review by the City Attorney's office.
Wilson said the police department's policy and procedure manual has not used the 48-hour option for some time. The policy, last updated in January, states, “No domesticated animal will be euthanized without Support Services Commander or Chief of Police approval except in cases of emergency.”
Wilson said euthanasia is to be used only as an absolute last resort.
“We do not have a 48-hour rule,” he said. “We treat every situation individually and actively contact rescues if we are out of options.”
Confirming his statement, currently about half of the animals at the shelter have been there for weeks — three since mid-September.
“We hold the animals as long as possible to find a good home or return to their owner,” he said.
• SSA STATEMENT: “... The Police will only allow 10 dogs in the shelter … That means when the 11th dog comes in, the killing starts. ... So in a town of 30,000+ people, the Shawnee Animal Shelter now only has room for 10 dogs. Wow. Is this acceptable people of Shawnee?”
• REBUTTAL: The 10-kennel system is not a limit, per se; more animals can be housed.
Wilson said the shelter has reduced overcrowding by using a 10-kennel policy which keeps them mindful of space restraints — because lack of space is the biggest threat to the animals.
“We don't allow officers to actively pursue strays while 10 kennels are full,” he said. “Once those are full, we use the other kennels for emergency situations, such as vicious animals or animals endangering public safety.”
He explained when animal No. 11 shows up at the shelter it is just placed in one of the backup kennels.
“We do not euthanize the 11th animal or an animal that has been there the longest,” he said. “We use all our kennels until they are all full.”
Wilson said his 10-kennel system has been successful —actually keeping animals from being euthanized because, as long as they have space available, animals aren't under threat of not having a place to go.
Overcrowding is what causes the highest risk of euthanization because there's no other immediate option on hand to house them, he said.
“Since the 10-kennel system, it is very unusual for the kennels to be full,” he said. “And once they start edging up to close to full officers actively engage rescues for help.”
• SSA STATEMENT: “... The 8 additional kennels promised by the city (for a total of 26) in February 2016 NEVER happened. ...”
• REBUTTAL: Wilson said there was a two-month delay waiting for the contractor to finish another project, but construction has been underway since July for eight new kennels.
“Electrical, plumbing, heat and air are in place and we're doing some guttering,” he said. “The biggest piece left at this point is getting the dirt work done and ready for concrete.”
He said they have all the materials needed for the project, but weather will dictate how quickly it is completed.
“We have to have a large enough window without rain to get it done,” he said. “If our dirt work gets washed out before we can pour cement, we have to start it over.”
• SSA STATEMENT: “... The first to be killed are owner surrenders ...”
• REBUTTAL: Wilson said owners who wish to surrender an animal are referred to a list of rescues.
Wilson said currently the shelter has 48 agencies on the books for help to place animals from the site.
• SSA STATEMENT: “...We are in the shelter every day ...”
• REBUTTAL: Wilson said the last time a representative from SSA was in the shelter was Tuesday.
“They have come as often as two, maybe three times a week, but no rescue comes every day,” he said.
• SSA STATEMENT: “... Please do NOT EVER call Animal Control unless you are an owner looking for your pet, an adopter or a rescue … DO NOT CALL — PLEASE — calling will impede our efforts to rescue, help adopters and help owners. If you have a question, please send us a message.”
• REBUTTAL: Wilson said, “If someone urges you not to call and receive the facts, the reason is most likely self-serving.”
He said he encourages citizens and rescues to work with the shelter to make sure it is a better facility.
“We know we can always make improvements,” he said.
According to the SSA, its Facebook page was created and is maintained by the Friends of Shawnee Animals (FOSA).
To view animals up for adoption, visit the shelter site, at shawneeok.org, and choose Animal Shelter from the menu.
(Miami News Record - Oct 23, 2016)
