Senseless slaughter in a Louisiana Shelter

An incredible tragedy has highlighted how the lack of compassionate leadership can result in senseless deaths and even outright animal slaughter as the Tangipahoa Parish Animal Shelter killed more than 170 cats and dogs - essentially all of the animals in the shelter - in one night.

NEW ORLEANS (WWL) - More than 170 dogs and cats were put to sleep practically overnight at a Louisiana animal shelter. Former shelter employees say it should not have happened.

“I just wanted to make sure things were taken care of,” said Rachael Sance, former shelter employee. Sance is an animal lover by hobby and by trade. She’s a former employee of the Tangipahoa Parish Animal Shelter, and recently went back as a volunteer when they were short staffed.

But, her chance visit to the shelter on Monday, proved to be the last time she’d ever see the more than 170 cats and dogs she had cared for. “The next thing I knew, they were going to euthanize everything,” said Sance.

According to Tangipahoa Parish President Gordon Burgess, there was an outbreak of a dangerous viral airborne infection inside the kennel, causing an unknown number of animals to get sick. Burgess said there were “… bloody stools and they had diarrhea and vomiting.” … Read More Here

Read the Best Friends Network news post about the story here.  You will also find contact information for Parish leaders to voice your displeasure and to urge them to remove the current shelter administrator.

Press Release from the Humane Society of Louisiana:

Tangipahoa - Members of the Tangipahoa Chapter of the Humane Society of Louisiana have launched an investigation into the recent mass euthanasia that took place recently at the Tangipahoa parish animal control center, which claimed the lives of more than 160 cats and dogs. “We have been working closely with our local government and with this animal control facility for the past year and a half,” says Randy Stegall, President of the Tangipahoa Chapter of the Humane Society of Louisiana, “and we are disappointed that neither our representatives nor any of the animal caring citizens of this parish were advised, notified, or informed of this action, until after these procedures took place. We have fielded scores of phone calls from concerned citizens and several veterinarians, who feel that a different course of action was available. Several veterinarians informed us that corona viruses are highly treatable, especially in adult dogs, with very inexpensive anti-diarrhea drugs and antibiotics,” adds Mr. Stegall. “Everyone who has contacted us, and we have had communications from around the state and country, believes that our local government could have taken an alternative, non-lethal approach to this problem. We happen to agree with those sentiments.”

The Tangiphoa chapter, which operates with a partnership with the Humane Society of Louisiana, based out of New Orleans, plans to file a public records request that will allow them to review the documentation that led up to this action. The group also intends to create a Shelter Oversight Committee, comprised of parish residents, who will help create and implement shelter protocol. Representatives also plan to address their concerns and plans with the parish council on Monday, August 11.

Officials from the New Orleans based Humane Society of Louisiana also plan to attend and speak at the Thursday press conference to address the need for state oversight over private and public animal sheltering facilities. Jeff Dorson, who has toured many of the state’s 120 shelters over the past 20 years as the Executive Director of the Humane Society of Louisiana, has found ample evidence of problems and abuse at different shelters, many of which are located in rural, out-of-the-way places, far from the glare of the public. “We fully intend to use this opportunity to educate our state legislators on the need to create and/or appoint a shelter regulatory agency, which is in place in other states, such as Texas,” adds Dorson.

Officials from HSL plan to speak of these issues at a press conference on Thursday, August 7th, 10: 30 am.

More News Links:

http://www.wwltv.com/video/news-index.html?nvid=270582
http://www.wwltv.com/local/stories/wwl080608mlshelther.204f0111.html
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/26380169.html

KNTV-TV San Francisco http://www.nbc11.com/news/17104326/detail.html
KPTV-TV Portlandhttp: http://www.kptv.com/news/17104326/detail.html
WHIO-TV Dayton http://www.whiotv.com/news/17104326/detail.html
MSNBC (Internet & Cable News)http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26044223/
KTAL-TV Shreveport http://arklatexhomepage.com/content/fulltext/?cid=28021
WXIA-TV Atlantahttp: http://www.11alive.com/life/pets/story.aspx?storyid=119509
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