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PrintBARNHART — The Jefferson County Animal Control center has been ordered by the state to stop euthanizing animals, following a St. Louis Post-Dispatch story revealing that the center used controlled substances to euthanize dogs without a veterinarian present.
The Post-Dispatch reported Thursday that in response to the order from the state agriculture department, animal control workers are no longer accepting animals surrendered by owners. The county is responding to calls for strays and will seize dangerous animals.
The state agency has given the county 30 days to prove that a vet would supervise euthanasia procedures involving controlled substances, as required by law.
An official with the center said he believed its practices were in compliance with state law.
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Comments
It is dumb of the Shelter to stop taking surrendered animals but continue taking strays. It's kind of just creating a middle-man for pets getting there. Now they will just be abandoned. Feral dogs are no good. Even if they aren't vicious they can cause accidents, become annoying to neighbors, spread disease, or starve to death. I don't have a fix for this problem, but Jeff City needs to figure it out.
I was reading the comment by Mariah Henry, while I agree that this may cause already irresponsible pet owners to abandon pets rather than transporting them to animal control (where the chances of euthanasia are approximately 50%),people need to recognize the fact that animal control shelters are designed to handle stray and dangerous dogs, but they must accept any unwanted animal that is presented. The reason so many have to be euthanized is because people use animal control centers to dispose of pets that no longer "appeal" to them. Owners who do not wish to continue caring for their loyal companions should at least have the decency to spend a little time searching for a rescue group who will only take animals that they have room for. This way animals are not simply euthanized because there isn't a cage for them to stay in until a new owner is found. I wish that animal control centers had the right to refuse animals when the shelter became full and refer people to rescue groups rather than be forced to destroy an animal just to make room for the next one doomed to die in ten days. What a system. How tragic.