Hero Dog, Target, Killed By Animal Control
A dog, named Target, credited with saving the lives of 50 US soldiers in Iraq has been killed by a Pinal County, AZ employee. The employee has been put on administrative leave.
I am no fan of animal control. I have seen plenty of abuses over the years. Animal Control is the rump end of the police force of a city, with all the police powers of a cop but without the training, skills, aptitude or organization in place to ensure the Constitutional rights of dog owner. I've seen animal control fight for inhumane dog laws, such as in Seattle, causing the deaths of untold dogs for frivilous reasons, just to raise more funds for the city in terms of fees and increasing the power base of petty city managers and increasing the number of employees who are now beholden to the city for their jobs. I've seen animal control fight in the courts to put a dog to death, even after the dog's owner was deemed innocent of any legal violation, just to prove a point that animal control should have the right to do whatever they damn well please with the dogs they seize. I've seen dogs seized off owner's property without a warrant, to be put down for doing nothing that would cause any harm to anyone. I've seen dogs in animal control left to lay in their own feces, and covered in flies. And you can bet this isn't the only dog that has been "accidentally" put to death like this at an animal control facility.
There are some accidents that are the result of the randomness of nature. Those are forgiveable. Then there are accidents that are the result of people doing things they know, or should know, they shouldn't be doing. Those second kind are what I feel happened here, by all accounts I've read over the past day. In my opinion, in private industry, that kind of foolishness should be a firing offense, both for the employees who did it, and for the head of animal control. But, this isn't private industry. There should be an investigation. Procedures should be rewritten. A board of outside supervisors should be established to prevent this kind of thing from happening. Employees re-evaluated for competence and training. And heads should roll. I'm pissed.
A dog, named Target, credited with saving the lives of 50 US soldiers in Iraq has been killed by a Pinal County, AZ employee. The employee has been put on administrative leave.
I am no fan of animal control. I have seen plenty of abuses over the years. Animal Control is the rump end of the police force of a city, with all the police powers of a cop but without the training, skills, aptitude or organization in place to ensure the Constitutional rights of dog owner. I've seen animal control fight for inhumane dog laws, such as in Seattle, causing the deaths of untold dogs for frivilous reasons, just to raise more funds for the city in terms of fees and increasing the power base of petty city managers and increasing the number of employees who are now beholden to the city for their jobs. I've seen animal control fight in the courts to put a dog to death, even after the dog's owner was deemed innocent of any legal violation, just to prove a point that animal control should have the right to do whatever they damn well please with the dogs they seize. I've seen dogs seized off owner's property without a warrant, to be put down for doing nothing that would cause any harm to anyone. I've seen dogs in animal control left to lay in their own feces, and covered in flies. And you can bet this isn't the only dog that has been "accidentally" put to death like this at an animal control facility.
There are some accidents that are the result of the randomness of nature. Those are forgiveable. Then there are accidents that are the result of people doing things they know, or should know, they shouldn't be doing. Those second kind are what I feel happened here, by all accounts I've read over the past day. In my opinion, in private industry, that kind of foolishness should be a firing offense, both for the employees who did it, and for the head of animal control. But, this isn't private industry. There should be an investigation. Procedures should be rewritten. A board of outside supervisors should be established to prevent this kind of thing from happening. Employees re-evaluated for competence and training. And heads should roll. I'm pissed.
2 comments:
I am too! I question what the hurry was to do euthanasia's first thing on a Monday morning?
There is no excuse for this, period, I am pissed that the employee is on paid leave while it is investigated!
The following form letter is being sent to those that have written to Lisa Garcia, Assistant County Manager:
Dear Ms. Mathews,
Thank you for taking time to email us. I, as well as the Animal Care and Control employees are heartsick that Target was euthanized yesterday morning. We have pledged our full cooperation to the County and its residents as the investigation into the staff member's actions takes place. The employee in question is on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. In order for a full, unbiased investigation to take place, I have no other comment to offer until the investigation is complete.
Respectfully,
Lisa Garcia, MSW
Assistant County Manager
Pinal County Health & Human Services
P.O. Box 868
971 N. Jason Lopez Circle, Bldg. E
Florence, AZ 85132
Phone: (520) 866-4440
Fax: (520) 866-6751
lisa.garcia@pinalcountyaz.gov
appalling period
Very well Spoken if we could just turn your ideals into a mission....Operation Target toward all Animal Care and Control facilities. Let's make them CARE and less Control.
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