Report explains killing of shelter animals

• By DEBRA LEMOINE
• Advocate Florida parishes bureau
• Published: Aug 19, 2008 - Page: 1A - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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HAMMOND — Multiple illnesses and a lack of quarantine space led to the Aug. 4 euthanasia of at least 172 cats and dogs at the Tangipahoa Parish Animal Control shelter, according to a report released Monday.

Along with the report, parish officials announced the reopening of the shelter on Wednesday and several planned changes in its operation, including seeking a new director.

To investigate the mass euthanasia, the parish hired Hammond attorney Glen Galbraith, who interviewed current and former shelter employees and the two local veterinarians called in to examine the animals. The following narrative is based on Galbraith’s report:

No major illnesses were noted by the two shelter workers who cared for the animals during the Aug. 2-3 weekend. Both workers called in sick on Monday, Aug. 4.

Because of a staff shortage, Amite veterinarian Dr. Thomas “Tiger” Hulsey was called to perform the routine euthanasia on Aug. 4. At the time, 80 animals were slated to be put down, for space issues.

There were more than 170 animals at the facility, but only 44 dog kennels and 16 cat cages. Animals are often kept in travel crates at the facility as well.

Weighing the options
As Hulsey examined the animals, he found many sick and dead dogs. At first, he recommended isolating the healthy animals and euthanizing those that were sick or slated to be put down for space reasons.

The isolation strategy was ruled out because 100 healthy animals exposed to the illnesses would need to be quarantined for two weeks. And any animals brought during that two-week period also would need to be quarantined.

Hulsey considered the quarantine option impractical because of the large number of animals brought to the shelter.

Instead, he recommended euthanizing all the animals, decontaminating the facility and reopening the shelter later that week.

Hammond veterinarian Dr. Randall Toney, called in for a second opinion, agreed that a quarantine of the healthy animals was not feasible based upon the number of animals brought to the shelter every day.

“It is apparent that the decision to euthanize the animals at TPAC was not made for the reason that no strategy existed which might save some or all of them,” Galbraith wrote.

“Instead, saving some of the animals then present was weighed against the likely suffering and death of other animals not taken in, which could reasonably be expected should the facility close for two weeks or more.”