Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, July 22, 1990 TAG: 9007200314
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: PETER MATHEWS NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Society members say too many dogs are dying of two often-fatal viral infections, canine parvo and distemper. And too many others are being sold to the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine or to dealers who resell them to other universities or private companies.
At the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors' most recent meeting, the society asked the board to create a committee to review legal and ethical issues at the pound. The committee would include representatives of the pound, Humane Society and county administrator's office plus a supervisor, a veterinarian and a citizen member not affiliated with the other groups.
Alice Loftin, the society's vice president, said getting the public involved is an important part of that request.
"I don't think anyone at the Humane Society views us as in competition with the pound or as wanting to take it over," she said.
But society members have strong feelings about changes they would like to see at the pound. Those changes include:
\ The end of sales of dogs: Many of them are sold to Noel Leach, a Chase City dog seller.
In 1987 the Board of Supervisors rejected a request that the pound stop selling dogs. The vote was 4-3, and all four supporters of sales are still on the board - Todd Solberg, Joe Stewart, Ira Long and Henry Jablonski. Stewart himself often buys dogs from the pound and resells them.
\ Vaccinations: Society members vaccinate all dogs that come to their shelter in McCoy. Muriel Graham, the chief dog warden, said he would like to have the money and extra personnel so he could vaccinate dogs, too. Cleanliness: Bleach is used daily to disinfect the runs at the society's shelter. Graham uses disinfectant soap once a day and bleach every three days; society officials say the pound isn't clean enough.
"Parvo runs wild," said Carol Hoge, president of the Humane Society.
Graham said he doesn't think parvo is a major problem. "We do everything we can."
But a Virginia Tech veterinarian, David Moore, agreed with Hoge that the disease is a problem in dogs Tech buys for research.
Another complaint of animal rights advocates is the common practice of putting dogs to death.
Officials at Montgomery County's pound, which is near the landfill, do euthanize dogs. At the McCoy shelter, only animals that are ill or vicious are destroyed, society members said. But Loftin acknowledged that eliminating euthanasia in today's "throwaway society" may not be realistic.
In the 12 months preceding June 30, the pound took in 1,722 dogs, according to a report given to the county administrator. It gave away 324 puppies; 330 dogs were killed; 361 were returned to their owners; 176 were sold to Leach; 214 were sold to Tech; and 412 were sold to other owners.
The society's request to the supervisors comes as the county is considering a change of its own. Under the proposal, the supervisors could change dog pound regulations through resolutions instead of by changing ordinances. The effect would be a faster and easier process.
One change the supervisors are considering is the implementation of inoculations for parvo and distemper.
But Moore, director of Tech's office of animal resources, said there is no easy solution to the problem. If a dog isn't vaccinated until it gets to the pound and contracts parvo there, the disease can kill it before the dog builds up immunity.
Moreover, it is difficult to guarantee that disinfectant will wipe out the disease, which is transmitted by fecal matter, Moore said.
Moore and two colleagues have been evaluating the problems at the pound and are willing to help offer some solutions, he said.
Tech has reduced its annual dog purchases from about 400 to 250 in the last six years, Moore said. Tech gets most of its dogs from Montgomery but also buys from Giles and Wythe counties; 12 pounds in the state sell dogs, he said.
Hoge, citing conversations with veterinary students, said she believes Tech uses more dogs than necessary in its experiments.
Moore disagreed. "The art of surgery involves manipulative skills," he said. "You can read a book about suturing a bowel, but you need to do it firsthand to see the effects" of procedures.
Despite their disagreements on other issues, those interviewed for this article were in accord on one thing: Pound officials are not to blame for the problem.
People are.
In a perfect world, Loftin said, people would vaccinate and spay their dogs. They don't in this one.
"The Humane Society preaches," Moore said, "but the public doesn't listen."
by CNB