FRAZIER PARK, CALIF., RESIDENT FILES SUIT AGAINST KERN COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTERS, ASKING FOR IMMEDIATE END TO EUTHANASIA UNTIL THE COUNTY COMPLIES WITH THE LAW
For Immediate Release
BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA -- October 25, 2004: Today, two of California's most "infamous" animal shelters, described by critics as "death machines," were charged in Kern County Superior Court with flagrant violation of laws concerning the humane treatment of animals.
The charges, brought by a Kern County resident and longtime animal rescue worker, contend the personnel in the Mojave and Bakersfield animal shelters are killing animals instead of allowing them to be adopted.
Additionally, court records indicate, the killings were done using untrained personnel, in violation of existing laws. Therefore, what should be a "humane" euthanasia death may become a lengthy, excruciating torture before death. Small kittens and puppies along with older and ill animals, whose veins are small or frail, became prime victims.
According to Kate Neiswender (Ventura, CA), attorney for Petitioner Patricia Lock, the suit was filed only after repeated requests failed to convince Matt Constantine, head of Kern County's Animal Services Control Division, that the shelters be ordered to abide by existing laws.
"This is a case of on-going abuse and failure to follow state and federal laws at the Animal Shelters in Kern County," Neiswender said. "We don't want them killing animals at will...and that's what these shelters are doing."
"They are killing 50 to 75 animals every day. These figures are the direct result of the shelters refusing to work with rescue groups, keeping stray animals behind locked doors, and refusing to spay and neuter. It's as if they are deliberately making it difficult for people to adopt an animal, or to find their lost animals, or for rescue groups to do their jobs. Most of these animals are killed without even having had a chance at being adopted - or even seen."
The suit is based on two 1998 California laws. The Vincent bill (AB 1856) requires that all animals adopted from a public or private shelter be spayed or neutered prior to release from the shelter. The Hayden Law is a comprehensive strategy for reducing the number of animals euthanized every year. It requires longer holding periods, provision of medical care to sick or injured animals, working with rescue organizations, community outreach and other actions, all designed to increase the number of adoptions, and decrease the number of animals killed. Kern County shelters in Bakersfield and Mojave euthanize between 20,000 and 25,000 animals every year.
"People believe when they take an animal to the shelter, the animal has at least a fighting chance of finding a new home. What they don't know is that the animal comes through the front door with the owner, but is taken immediately out the back door to be killed." Neiswender said.
"And to add to the problem, a recent study showed that 25 percent of purported owners bringing dogs and cats to shelters were, in fact, not the owners, but ex-wives or neighbors out for revenge. That's why the law was changed to make sure there was proof of ownership. That isn't being done at the Mojave and Bakersfield shelters, Neiswender said.
At the same time, Neiswender claims, although "drop bins" have been eliminated at almost all shelters throughout of the state, they still exist in Kern County.
"The drop bins were originally designed for emergencies. But they have been turned into a blood sport. A cat is put into the bin and an aggressive dog thrown in with her. When the bin is opened the next morning there is often a dead cat, or pieces of a cat...yet the drop bin remains."
Additionally, according to the Complaint filed today, personnel at the two shelters are killing animals without regard to a legal waiting period of four days and have "routinely refused to allow public access to impounded animals...keeping cats and kittens...and a majority of the dogs in locked areas away from the public and rescue organizations."
While the law requires Kern County to work cooperatively with rescue organizations, they have refused to do so. "We feel these shelter people, for lack of leadership or lack of conscience, claim they are not allowed to call, for example, the Golden Retriever Rescue when a Golden Retriever puppy is impounded. And, many, many times they have refused to adopt to rescue groups," Neiswender says.
"In good conscience, I don't think we should let this go on."
A website has been set up to collect information from the public on their experiences with the Kern County shelters, it is located here: http://www.shelterwatch.com/
Permission to cross-post anywhere and everywhere.
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