UPDATE* Shelter Dumps Live Puppy With Dead Pets

A rural North Carolina animal shelter with a history of animal neglect charges is once again in the hot seat after a puppy that was supposed to be euthanized was found walking over dead animals in a county dump.

Bill Smith, Health Director for Robeson County said it was a mistake when a puppy wasn't properly euthanized, but was tossed into a landfill with other dead cats and dogs.

He doesn't understand why local animal rights groups are upset with the shelter.

Bill Smith said in an interview with the Fayetteville Observer, We had one animal, a puppy that the veterinarian did not euthanize.

It was one incident. It was a mistake. I wish it wouldn't have happened. We ended up coming back and euthanizing the animal a few hours later anyway, continued Smith.

Apparently veterinarian Curt Locklear, who oversees euthanasia at the Robeson County Animal Shelter sedated the puppy, but forgot to comeback and inject the fatal drugs to kill it.

Past Problems

Animal welfare advocate Susan Barrett disagrees with Smith about this being a one-time incident. She said there have been several cases of live animals found among the dead as they were delivered to the landfill.

Barrett keeps watch on the shelter and brought charges against them earlier this year for inadequate care of the animals.

The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services found about a dozen code violations including inadequate veterinary care, improperly stored food, untreated rodent infestations and crowded cat cages.

Barrett dropped the lawsuit after the Board of Health promised to make the necessary improvements. The agency also pledged to hire new management and work more closely with rescue groups that could provide homes for the animals.

After this latest incident Barrett may re-open the lawsuit.

She said, The point is being missed by the county here. They say, Well, anyone can make a mistake with one animal. Well, no they cant. One is too many. And its not just the one, not just the two, not just the three. This is happening way too often.

And what about the puppy found at the dump and subjected to euthanasia a second time? Shouldnt it have been given a reprieve for cruel and unusual punishment?


UPDATE




The new manager of Robeson County Animal Shelter stepped forward to confirm that the live puppy tossed into a landfill along with euthanized animals was not an isolated incident.

Lori Baxter confirmed that on at least two occassions last month, live animals had been improperly euthanized by an outsourced veterinarian and shipped to the dump in trucks containing the bodies of dead pets.

The county had been paying Curt Locklear DVM to euthanize cats and dogs at the shelter.  On both occassions last month, Locklear had sedated the puppies, but forgot to inject them with the euthanizing drugs.

Baxter said the shelter will take over euthanasia responsibilites in-house and she will personally oversee the process.

Baxter said she is trying hard to fix the problems at Robeson shelter and asks for the public's patience.