Lawsuit filed against “shocking” and “callous” pound
In other news: A somber and tragic anniversary quietly came and went without so much as a word. Do you have what it takes to save lives? Communities are looking for someone to run or help run their animal shelters. A driverless vehicle killed a cat, despite the technology to prevent it. How people feed dogs is changing. Romanticizing the life of street dogs.
These are some of the stories making headlines in animal protection:
Lawsuit filed against “shocking” and “callous” pound
A lawsuit has been filed against the Town of Apple Valley in California, accusing it of severe mismanagement and systemic cruelty toward animals at the Apple Valley Animal Shelter (AVAS), the local pound. Specifically, the lawsuit alleges “a shocking, callous, and ongoing failure by Respondent Town and AVAS to follow California law,” which requires shelters to provide veterinary care, food, shelter, and humane treatment.
According to the Petition, AVAS is “plagued with mismanagement, poor budgeting, a disdain for the health and safety of animals in its custody, and a disinterest in working with the community and rescue organizations. AVAS has an inexcusable focus on killing, rather than saving, dogs and cats. This must change.”
“As a society, Californians have decided that all animals should be treated kindly and humanely. This value is reflected in California’s legal requirements imposed on its animal shelters.
In violation of the law, the Petition alleges:
Routine killing of healthy, adoptable cats and dogs to save costs.
Overcrowding, disease outbreaks, and filthy kennels.
Failure to provide veterinary care or vaccinations.
Retaliation against rescuers and adopters trying to save animals.
“Behavioral” or “medical” pretexts used to justify killing.
The Petition includes numerous and compelling examples of such conduct, including:
Bailey – A cat killed despite active adopters offering immediate vet care.
Mrs. Puff Puff and kittens – Entire feline family killed after AVAS refused foster and adoption offers, claiming the cats been there “too long.”
Abby – Described as “not aggressive, just frozen,” but killed days later, with “adoptability” listed as the reason despite an adoption request.
Ramona – A kitten left dehydrated and covered in feces; killed for “health” without any treatment or cleaning.
Dogs hosed with freezing water – Witnesses saw staff spraying occupied kennels, leaving animals drenched and shivering.
Making matters worse, Petitioners allege that the town,
[H]as imposed severe budget cuts to AVAS’s operational budget, dropping the overall operational budget by 15% from the prior fiscal year. Respondent Town and AVAS cut their operational costs by carrying out a policy to kill healthy, adoptable animals, instead of spending resources feeding, caring for and housing them, and hiring sufficient personnel to perform those duties and veterinary services, and ensuring that the animals are adopted in the community or through animal rescue organizations.
Overall, the Petition portrays a pattern of neglect and cruelty, citing unsanitary conditions, lack of vaccination, inadequate staffing, and a culture of killing rather than rehabilitating or rehoming animals. It seeks judicial intervention to compel the adoption of lawful and humane shelter practices.
The case is Grandma Betty’s Animal Rescue, et al., vs. Town of Apple Valley. For a copy of the Petition, click here.
Petitioners in the case are three rescue organizations and four individuals. They are represented by attorneys Walter T. Clark and Dan C. Bolton of the Walter Clark Legal Group. Walter Clark Legal Group brought a similar action against another notoriously abusive pound, Riverside County Animal Services.
To learn more about that case, click here.
A somber and tragic anniversary quietly came and went