THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 2, 1995 TAG: 9506020539
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY ANNE SAITA
DATELINE: MAPLE LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
Currituck County officials and Humane Society members are at odds again over the treatment of animals temporarily housed at the Maple Animal Control Shelter.
Twenty-nine dogs and cats were euthanized by animal control officers on Wednesday. County officials said Thursday the deaths were necessary to relieve overcrowding. Humane Society members believe conditions have been exaggerated to justify the mass euthanizations.
``As long as we've got the space, we're supposed to be allowed to keep them,'' said W.D. ``Bill'' Neff, president of the local Humane Society chapter.
Neff and his daughter, Sharon Cooper, said 44 animals were there Tuesday and that space remained for more at the facility.
But Public Works Director Frank Bray, who oversees the animal shelter and authorized the euthanizations, said the dogs and cats numbered 63.
``I needed the space badly, and I'll fill them up by the weekend,'' he said.
The shelter, which is expected to be taken over by the Humane Society on July 1, has a policy of allowing animals to remain up to 14 days before they can be euthanized. Some of the 29 dogs and cats killed Wednesday had been there for three weeks, Bray said.
Both sides agreed to one thing: Business is picking up at the shelter as more county residents abandon their pets or fail to restrain vicious dogs.
More people also are calling about loose, potentially dangerous animals since a rabid raccoon bit a dog in Moyock about two months ago, said County Manager Bill Richardson.
Dogs that bite must be impounded for 10 days and quarantined, leaving even less space for other cats and canines housed at the shelter.
The shelter has space for about 20 dogs and 60 cats at capacity. The 63 animals at the shelter - and the number put to sleep - earlier this week were typical, county officials said.
``In the summertime like this, that's not an usual number. But it is a little high,'' Bray said.
Cooper and Neff said they were upset when they found out Wednesday about the euthanizations, which included kittens.
Two of the 10 dogs apparently were ready to be adopted. ``We had to get in touch with them and tell the people they weren't down there no more,'' Neff said.
``To me you could have given them an extra couple of days, and we might have been able to find foster homes,'' Cooper added.
Neff said the animal rights group is still working through a contract to assume responsibility for the operation of the shelter.
Animal control officers will continue to patrol the county and answer calls, but they will then turn strays and other impounded animals over to the Humane Society. by CNB