So recently a group that we have tremendous respect for, and work with frequently, contacted us about the Chesterfield, SC shelter. This is the shelter that some time ago was attacked for being one of the cruelest in the nation, (allowing dogs to maul each other, killing dogs that had rescues or homes lined up, not feeding the animals, etc etc). There was also a huge outcry from the public to dismantle their barbaric gas chamber (that went un-inspected for years and basically TORTURED the dogs to death) and to stop the other horrors that went on. Their response to the naysayers and the whistle blowers? They sneered and killed ALL the dogs – EVEN THE ONES THAT HAD RESCUES WAITING FOR THEM.
Well. That sure taught all those naysayers a lesson, didn’t it?
The group we work with stopped helping there after that. They were so sick about this, so deeply sick and wounded that all these dogs died as “retaliation” that they couldn’t go back and help anymore. Did that mean anything to the shelter workers? No. They don’t CARE people. Do you think I’m kidding? Lying? Making this up? Exaggerating? I’m not.
These people are easily capable of taking puppies and young, happy, healthy dogs and murdering them – dogs that in some cases already had HOMES with loving people waiting for them – because they were ticked at some of the rescue groups for objecting to their inhumane treatment of the animals in their “care”. Speaks volumes, doesn’t it? And seriously…come on…what MONSTER KILLS PUPPIES???? WHO THE HELL KILLS PUPPIES?? Who the hell gets up in the morning, goes to work and murders freaking puppies? ESPECIALLY puppies that had rescues waiting to take them in!
OK, so let’s get back to the story, and readers, if you think this is the EXCEPTION to sheltering in this country and this is a RARE case, then I tell you WAKE UP.
PAY ATTENTION.
GET YOUR DAMN HEAD OUT OF THE DAMN SAND.
This is NOT the exception. Crap like this goes on EVERYWHERE and this is one of the MANY reasons we need Oreo’s Law passed – to stop this from happening by people that don’t care about our animals. People that will KILL animals to teach other’s a “lesson” and smirk while they do it. THESE are the people that are running your shelters and they absolutely MUST be stopped. Not tomorrow, not the next generation, NOW.
Passing Oreo’s Law is the single most important
thing you can do for animals in your life time.
Why? Because once NY gets this law – all the other states will follow. If you want to make an impact for animals NOW, in YOUR generation, then help get this passed. If this was in place then those rescue groups could go in there and say “NO, you aren’t murdering this puppy. We are a rescue group and we are taking this puppy to his new home now. Go away you tired little man who murders puppies, you have no power now. The people have spoken and they are stopping you.”
But…alas….that tired little man can do exactly what he wants. It is perfectly legal for him to murder animals while rescue groups stand there with their arms extended and homes waiting. That tired little man (or woman) has ultimate power over life and death to the animals that are down on their luck and have come to them for help. Have wound up in their shelter and have asked for help. They do not get it. They get killed instead.
THAT is what happens in these disgusting shelters and what murderous shelter directors across the nation do every day. You think it is only in the south? Oh no, my dear friends. This has also happened to Pets Alive, with dogs just miles away from us, when we have empty runs and homes waiting. How do we stop it? It will stop when we have a series of Oreo’s Law’s in place in every state and it starts here in New York.
So back to the wretched Chesterfield shelter. Here’s some information I have been gathering from various sources and we are pulling together proof for most of this, although right now it is mostly word of mouth from people I trust very much and have seen it and experienced it with their own eyes.
In Chesterfield:
- They are showing that 70-90 dogs are being killed each month, yet purchase orders for lethal injection show enough for just 10 dogs or less each month. What does that mean? Aren’t you paying attention? Or are you just having trouble really absorbing and believing this? Yes. Truly. I understand. What that means is that the rest are being slaughtered. They aren’t getting a humane lethal injection death.
So just HOW are they being killed?
Keep reading.
(Stop it! You aren’t leaving this page now because the truth is too much for you to stomach. YOU are needed on the front line of this war against our animals. You are needed to look, read, understand and step up to STOP this. Do not turn your back. Keep reading, I will NOT say anything graphic.)
- The sheriff’s department lets the dogs loose in the landfill and then uses them for target practice. That is how they are “euthanizing”.
- Prisoners are in charge of care of the animals and are brought in once a day to see to their care. Prisoners. Yes.
- Prisoners are routinely left ALONE with the dogs while the ACO’s go to do animal pick ups.
- There is no budget for the animal shelter. It is run solely on donations and if there is no food donated, the animals are not fed. Yet the budget allows for the animal control officers to all drive brand new SUV’s. There are four of them purchased within the last two years, all brand new…but no money to feed the dogs. Please read this one again. The ACO’s drive brand new, souped up SUV’s with all the bells and whistles, but there is no money to feed the dogs.
- There are local rescue groups working and getting the dogs out but multiple times in the past year if they spoke against the shelter, the shelter euthanized ALL the dogs – EVEN THOUGH ALL THE DOGS HAD RESCUE. They were killed as retaliation for the groups speaking out against the horrid conditions and inhumane treatment.
- The sheriff”s department are the ones slaughtering the dogs, yet the sheriff’s department is the group that is “investigating this”
Hmm.
Interesting.
So let me get this straight.
I’m a county sheriff.
I am killing dogs by using them for target practice and shooting them in the landfill.
Someone complains.
OK, I’m going to open up a case, assign it to myself and investigate it.
BRILLIANT.
I’m gonna go ahead and give this a couple of days until the “animal whackoos” calm down and then I’m gonna mark this “INVESTIGATED” and no charges pending. Yawn. Where’s my beer?
So what can we do? What can YOU do? Most of you have already gathered up your licensed firearms and licensed grenades and are in the car heading down to Chesterfield to shoot yourself some “dogs”. The HUMAN kind of dogs, of course, but stop! I say “nay-nay!”. Get thee back to thy chair.
We are “peaceable demonstrators”. Our power is not in violence (although I’ll ride shot gun with anyone that wants to go and spit in their driveway), but in the power of numbers. Thousands will read this blog. Thousands will pass it on. THAT is where your power is. We need you to bombard this sleepy little town, and this no-account sheriffs department, and this lazy mayor, with your words.
Call them. EVERY day. A few times a day. Tell them that the world is watching and this is unacceptable. Send them emails. Flood their email with your protests. Tell them that this is not the “old boys club” and that this will not be tolerated in OUR nation. That OUR nation loves our animals and OUR nation will see an end to these murders and that while we support no kill, that if they will not go no kill then they must be accountable for humane euthanasia. Not 10% of the time. But 100% of the time. That the murdering of animals that come to them desperate and in need of help, will not be allowed in OUR nation. That their old boys club is closed, and a new regime of caring animal lovers is in place. That any animal that has a place to go, should be given that opportunity at life.
So use those talking points and email the mayor and the council.
1. Demand the mayor have a separate group investigate the allegations.
2. Demand the mayor provide a budget for the shelter.
3. Demand the mayor investigate the prisoners left unattended with the animals.
4. Demand routine inspections and reports by an unbiased individual or group, each week, going forward.
5. Demand an accounting of how every animal is euthanized and WHY every animal is euthanized if there is another option.
6. Demand rescue access – allowing rescues to whisk those animals away to safety.
You can contact them here:
The town is run by the town council though, so be SURE to cc them as well: cftmclerk@shtc.net and ccgov@shtc.net.
Council members: http://www.chesterfieldcountysc.com/secondary.aspx?pageID=129
Also contact the governor:
Governor Nicky Haley
grassroots@nikkihaley.com
Then contact the Attorney General’s office and demand that the sheriff’s own office not be able to investigate themselves and that a higher authority do so.
The Honorable Alan Wilson
P.O. Box 11549
Columbia, S.C. 29211
803-734-3970
http://www.scattorneygeneral.org/ag/contact.html
The Sheriff? Here ya go!
Phone: 843-623-2101
Fax: 843-623-3534
Email: admin@chesterfieldsheriff.org
Animal Control
Brian Burch – Supervisor
Joe Campbell – Animal Control Officer
467 Goodale Road
Chesterfield SC 29709
Phone: 843-623-3585
Fax: 843-623-9223
Senator Lindsey Grahm
http://lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.LandingPage
Senator Jim DeMint
Phone: 843-727-4525
Fax: 843-793-6839
Rep. Mick Mulvaney
803-327-1114
FAX: 803-327-4330
Email Address: https://mulvaney.house.gov/Contact/default.aspx
WWW Homepage: http://mulvaney.house.gov/
Twitter: @RepMickMulvaney
You can also read these news articles about the mass massacre of these dogs, used for target practice. Warning, the second one has GRAPHIC images of some of the dead dogs. I suggest you avoid that one. I wish I had.
- http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41920049
- http://www.friendburst.com/blog/20803/chesterfield-sc-animal-shelter-killed-dogs-shelter-target-practice22-dogs-puppies/
- http://www.examiner.com/dogs-in-national/allegations-of-dogs-slaughtered-by-shelter-employees-south-carolina
- http://yesbiscuit.wordpress.com/2011/03/04/breaking-allegation-of-mass-shooting-of-shelter-dogs-in-sc/
- http://www.wsoctv.com/news/27093350/detail.html
- http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/Many-angered-over-allegation-of-dogs-killed-at-shelter-117472104.html
- GRAPHIC picture of four dogs in landfill – DO NOT LOOK AT THIS unless you are one of the non-believers
Please be the voice for those that have none, and have been so unfairly abused.
To have done nothing wrong in their short, sweet lives but be born, and wind up in the wrong territory.
Don’t look away.
Don’t move on.
Take two seconds of your time and make a difference.
BE the difference that you want to see in the world.
THEY are counting on you.
YOU ARE ALL THEY HAVE.
Great post. Hard to read, for obvious reasons, but a great post…I’m going to share.
Kerry — thanks so much for blogging so passionately about this. I’m just absolutely sick over this senseless slaughter and have sent emails and letters to SC elected officials today demanding justice and major changes at that facility (it definitely is NOT a shelter). This insanity just has to stop. Sharing your blog. Thanks so much Pets Alive for being beacon of light in this sometimes dark and cruel world.
I have emailed the A.G., the mayor, & the town council.
Has PETA been alerted? HSUS? I’m glad to see that MSNBC is aware! Great article. Thank you for sharing it and the contact information!!
I lived very close to Cheraw County in Chester County for 6 months in 1979. I worked at a radio station as a news director (WGCD-AM). I received death threats at the station from the KKK because I had the nerve to interview Golden Frinks, the Field Director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference who was down there investigating a racially motivated murder. I had to leave or I would have been killed. THESE are the kinds of people we are dealing with. I was told the SHERIFF was in the KKK. Be careful dealing with these people as they are not rational and think whatever they are doing to the animals is their god given right to do. They have no compassion – after all the used the bible to justify slavery. I will be calling and emailing, politely of course, but they need the big guns like the HSUS, PETA and IFAW to go down there and investigate. The Attorney General will do nothing. As NYer I support Oreo’s law, but was told by one of the Assemblywoman who voted for Oreo’s law last year when it was defeated, that the ASPCA says they are against it because it enables “animal hoarders”…so don’t go to them for help, they have their own agenda.
I recommend that you have a prewritten letter posted that people could send. I feel you will have a better response.
Thanks.
They became Sheriff and Mayor because they were voted into office. Time to vote them out. Power is in number if we want to affect a change. People with the power to vote need to do so and ask one question of ANY candidate, “WHERE DO YOU STAND ON ANIMALS RIGHTS?”. Don’t like they answer, don’t vote for them. As far as this mayor and sheriff go, they need to be removed from office!!!!!
A couple years ago I was asked to rescue 5 kittens from this shelter. When I arrived to pick them up, 3 of the kittens were dead and a fourth was so weak it could not stand.
The kittens were not weaned, but food had just been put in a bowl on the floor and they were left to starve to death because they couldn’t eat it.
I drove straight from the shelter to an emergency vet (it was Father’s day Sunday) and managed to save the 2 kittens.
But little would surprise me about this shelter!
OH HELL TO THE YES!!!!!!! I am so happy you put this post out cuz I am sharing it far and wide and writing all the parties whose contact info you posted!!! Thank you NKN we have been OUTRAGED and sickened by this atrocity and something HAS to be done!!!!
Sent letter to mayor and council re: chesterfield, and both addresses returned.
Diane – returned with what error? Mailbox full?
That would be great.
It worked yesterday.
I got this response: Thank you for your message concerning the Chesterfield County Animal Shelter. Please understand that the shelter is a COUNTY facility not owned or operated by the Town of Chesterfield. I am Mayor of the Town of Chesterfield and have NO jurisdiction over the operation of the shelter or the current investigation. Contact information for the appropriate county officials can be found at http://www.chesterfieldcountysc.com.
I replied asking if it wasn’t his sheriff’s department doing the shooting. They’ll all just pass it off to others, blame others.. idiots.
Yes, I updated the blog to have more contacts – but all want to say “it isn’t ME!” This man is the MAYOR of this crappy place. He has the power to reach out, call people, demand an accounting or anything else – IF HE WANTED to. Passing the buck is not going to work.
Just got another reply from the Mayor:
I asked if it was not his sheriff’s office doing the shooting: His reply:
No, it is not. It is Chesterfield County’s Sheriff Office that is being investigated in this matter. I’m Mayor of just one of the eight towns in Chesterfield County.
________________________________________
THIS BARBARIC ACT HAS TO STOP!!!
Thanks for sharing this. I just thank God there are people like you guys that speak for these poor creatures that cannot speak for themselves. This is such an atrocity!I can’t believe that this kind of madness goes on in this day and age. Have people lost all sense of compassion? I will definitely be emailing them and anyone else that will listen!
Thanks for writing this Kerry. I will cross post but I wanted to point out that the Prisoners are the ones who alerted the volunteers.
I volunteer with a kill shelter here in SC and the prisoners have been very compassionate toward the animals.
The sheriffs dept are the real criminals here.
I hope there is no retaliation toward the prisoners for whistle blowing.
I emailed the following…(hope that they get TONS of messages and calls)
Mayor John Douglas
805 West Main Street. Chesterfield, SC 29709
Dear Mayor John Douglas and Town Council Members,
Please start over with your animal control. All new people need to run this place. Please that actually like and care about homeless pets. It is NOT right to have people run your animal control that do NOT respect the animals or the laws of your town and nation.
The majority of people love pets and want to see them re-homed not killed and specially not killed in the ways that this animal control has been doing it in the past — gassing and shooting.
Ever animal entering your animal control needs to be given an opportunity to leave the place ALIVE. Put in the program that lead to NO-KILL.
You must have a separate group investigate the allegations of the dog shootings. You must provide a budget for the shelter that is large enough to run it right and humanly. Prisoners should be checked out first before allowing them to work in the shelter and not left unattended with the animals. Weekly routine inspections and reports by an unbiased individual or group should be done.
A record accounting of how every animal is euthanized and the reason for that euthanization should be keep and made public. No animal should be killed it their is a rescue group willing to take it.
Please learn more about the no kill movement online.
I received an email back from: From: Douglas John email: jdouglashcc at hotmail. com
Date: Sun, Mar 6, 2011 at 10:48 AM
Subject: RE: Changes needed in your animal control
Thank you for your message concerning the Chesterfield County Animal Shelter. Please understand that the shelter is a COUNTY facility not owned or operated by the Town of Chesterfield. I am Mayor of the Town of Chesterfield and have NO jurisdiction over the operation of the shelter or the current investigation. Contact information for the appropriate county officials can be found at http://www.chesterfieldcountysc.com.
Sincerely,
John Douglas
Mayor, Town of Chesterfield, SC
I couldn’t even finish reading all of this it makes me so sick. Why was Michael Vick sent to jail (should have been there longer) and these people are walking around continuing to torture and kill animals. Where is PETA and the press
Is there a petition set up on change.org or another petition site? That would make it easier to spread the word. Getting people to take a few seconds to sign something is a lot easier than convincing people to write letters from scratch (IMO). I would certainly sign and pass along anything I could for this cause.
Thanks Kathy! I don’t think I was maligning the prisoners…am thrilled that they care. But a shelter should have a dedicated staff, and really, no prisoners of the county should ever be left completely unattended anywhere!
I know the mayor is saying he has nothing to do with this, but he can order a special investigation instead of allowing the sheriff’s dept to investigate themselves and he IS in charge of “animal waste” which also makes him involved and he DOES set budgets. So while he may not be able to rule over this shelter he CAN implement and enforce change and he CAN call his contacts and put pressure on them to fix this….
I found this on another site:
“Since the Chesterfield Co AC unit is part of the sheriff’s office, I’m not sure exactly how the investigation will be handled. Can the sheriff’s office investigate themselves? It sounds like the person to contact might the state AG. Here is that info:
The Honorable Alan Wilson
P.O. Box 11549
Columbia, S.C. 29211
803-734-3970”
Contact info…
Sheriff Sam Parker
200 West Main Street
ChesterfieldSC 29709-1527
(843) 623-2101
Animal Control
Brian Burch – Supervisor
Joe Campbell – Animal Control Officer
467 Goodale Road
Chesterfield SC 29709
Phone: 843-623-3585
Fax: 843-623-9223
Senator Lindsey Grahm
http://lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.LandingPage
Senator Jim DeMint
Office Locations
Charleston
39 Broad Street
Suite 300
CharlestonSC 29401
Phone: 843-727-4525
Fax: 843-793-6839
Office Hours:
8:30am – 5:30pm (M-F)
Columbia
1901 Main St
Suite 1475
ColumbiaSC 29201
Phone: 803-771-6112
Fax: 803-771-6455
Office Hours:
8:30am – 5:30pm (M-F)
Greenville
105 North Spring St
Suite 109
GreenvilleSC 29601
Phone: 864-233-5366
Fax: 864-271-8901
Office Hours:
8:30am – 5:30pm (M-F)
Washington D.C.
167 Russell
United States Senate
WashingtonDC 20510
Phone: 202-224-6121
Fax: 202-228-5143
Office Hours:
9am – 6pm (M-F)
Rep. Mick Mulvaney
District Office:
1456 Ebenezer Road
Rock Hill, SC 29732
Voice: 803-327-1114
FAX: 803-327-4330
DC Address:
The Honorable Mick Mulvaney
United States House of Representatives
1004 Longworth House Office Building
WashingtonD.C. 20515-4005
DC Phone: 202-225-5501
DC Fax: 202-225-0464
Email Address: https://mulvaney.house.gov/Contact/default.aspx
WWW Homepage: http://mulvaney.house.gov/
Twitter: @RepMickMulvaney
Governor Nicky Haley
grassroots@nikkihaley.com
I, too, got this response:
Thank you for your message concerning the Chesterfield County Animal Shelter. Please understand that the shelter is a COUNTY facility not owned or operated by the Town of Chesterfield. I am Mayor of the Town of Chesterfield and have NO jurisdiction over the operation of the shelter or the current investigation. Contact information for the appropriate county officials can be found at http://www.chesterfieldcountysc.com.
No they shouldn’t be left alone. I do believe that would also be against the law.
I know this shelter and the volunteers that work there. I couldn’t deal with it and not burn out. Too much heartache. I work with Darlington because we have a strong volunteer base and caring staff and it’s still not easy.
Chesterfield was only a hold em and kill em kind of shelter before Karen and the other volunteers formed claws and paws and started doing adoptions on weekends.
When I moved here from PA 4 years ago I was sickened and shocked, even though I have been in rescue for many years. I knew what it was like to rescue southern dogs but actually being here was harder to stomach then I thought. But what helps keep me and so many others going is all the very caring, local animal advocates that spend so much of their lives trying to save so many and change the laws and conditions we have to live with here. Of course the northern rescue groups are a big part of saving so many. We have to keep this in the light, to stop this back alley kind of crap.
Letters to these officials is not enough…they likely won’t read them after a dozen or so. We need people in that location to gather and protest and create a scene to get this on the national news! Stand at the doors of all the shelters that are doing these inhumane things and protest! I would if I lived there!!
Maybe we need to go over the head of local jurisdiction & to the SC Governor? Heck! Call & email everyone! Sooner or later the right party will be contacted.
I just forwarded my email to the governor: grassroots@nikkihale?y.com…
Unward and upward, I guess…
I mean onward… woops… I’m really so upset by this! I don’t why her email came through oddly above. Here’s the governor’s email again: grassroots@nikkihaley.com.
THis is so disturbing that I can’t even find the right words to express how I feel. However, I will take a moment and then begin to find them and send them many, many times to all the addresses and emails listed above…and then some!
This is from the Chesterfield County Website. I’m still trying to find an e-mail address for some of these people.
Brian Burch – Supervisor
Joe Campbell – Animal Control Officer
467 Goodale Road
Chesterfield , SC 29709
Phone: 843-623-3585
Fax: 843-623-9223
Email:
Office Hours: Monday – Friday 7:30AM – 4:00PM
All of what is described is abhorrent, except one: prisoners being used to come & care for the animals. There are programs in some prisons where convicted felons are charged with the rehabilitation of dogs & have done wonders for both the dogs & the prisoners. So unless the prisoners being used are in jail for harming animals they might just be doing as they are supposed to. It’s a bit…prejudicial to assume the prisoners are doing the animals harm; unless there is documentation that they are instigating the cruelty.
Choose Your Charity Wisely
http://oisforonward.com
Take a look at this website and then decide if HSUS, ASPCA, or PETA will really give a rat’s a$$ about this.
While I agree this treatment is horrible, I take issue with the shock that prisoners are caring for animals. Just because a guy holds up a convenience store doesn’t mean he’s subhuman – caring for animals has been demonstrated to help prisoners rehabilitate, and there’s no evidence that they’re cruel to animals (that’s the cops). Indeed, for many, it’s the highlight of their week or month.
Up here in Canada we had a prison farm program where prisoner would work, care for the livestock, participate in births and combing and all that stuff, and it made a huge difference to many of them – some said that it was the first time they’d ever cared for something and had it depending on them, and that it made them realize what was missing in their lives.
So don’t go dissing on the prisoners’ program. It’s not proof of neglect – it’s actually something progressive and potentially very useful for both the animals AND society.
The rest? Yeah, that’s disgusting.
I appreciate everyone’s concern about the Chesterfield County Animal Shelter. I do think it is important for those concerned to contact those who have the power to make changes. That is why I’m directing folks to the contacts at http://www.chesterfieldcountysc.com. I’m not passing the buck – I’m trying to help. This is a COUNTY facility and I’m just the Mayor of one of the 8 towns in Chesterfield County. It is unfortunate that misinformation is being spread as to who folks need to contact. The COUNTY is governed by a COUNTY council and that is who folks need to contact.
my email is below – feel free to edit slightly before you use it. it helps to make the text slightly different so that it doesn’t get marked as spam.
sent to (some of these were taken from an SC webpage – SC officials that might not have any idea what is going on or any real way of changing things … except to forward it on to others in their local govt that can – worth a shot in my opinion): JDouglasHCC@Hotmail.com, cftmclerk@shtc.net, ccgov@shtc.net, grassroots@nikkihaley.com, ltgov@scsenate.org, treasurer@sto.state.sc.us, info@scattorneygeneral.com, cgoffice@cg.sc.gov
it can also help to make the subject line something that isn’t completely obvious … at this point, if you write “animal shelter” or something like that, the email will probably never be read. 🙁
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am writing in reference to the Chesterfield County animal shelter. The allegations that animals are not properly cared for, that kittens are not weaned properly and starve to death, that the animals are not fed regularly because there is no budget for food, and that dogs are being used as target practice at the landfill are nauseating.
Several actions need to take place, immediately:
1. A separate group needs to investigate the allegations. It does not make sense that the entity investigating the allegations is the same entity that governs the facility.
2. The mayor needs to provide a budget for the shelter. It is pure animal cruelty to deprive a cat or dog of food and water.
3. Routine inspections and reports by an unbiased individual or group need to be performed, each week, going forward.
4. A record needs to be kept of how and why each animal is euthanized. If death is the only option for these animals, they deserve that death to be handled swiftly and expertly.
5. Rescue groups should be given the option to save animals so that they are not euthanized. Really, who wants to kill puppies???
The world is watching and the world loves its cats and dogs. Please step up for these animals and create change. There are many people in your County that want to help and many that will go out of their way to do so. Retaliation against those that speak out is ridiculous.
“This is not my jurisdiction” is not a valid answer!!
Thank you for your consideration,
The word SHELTER by definition means; A position or state of being covered and protected. How is this considered a SHELTER? This is so far from the definition I can’t even imagine how they can call themselves a shelter. What is going on with people in this world today, no compassion no respect for life. Sickens me to see this type of behavior taking place in the US today.
I wrote: It has come to my attention that in Chesterfield you basically allow ACO’s to run wild. I have heard that your SHERIFF”S department has been shooting dogs for target practice. Since I’ve heard this in North Carolina you must have also been aware of this. What you may not be aware of is that Jesus said not a sparrow would fall from the sky that Father God does not care for. How much more responsible then are we , for the animals we have DOMESTICATED ?
Now that I have made you aware of this you have two choices, to either let it go on, and be as guilty in the Father’s eyes as they, or to stand up like a man and do the right thing. I intend to write a lengthy letter to my elected representatives to make them aware of how PETS are treated in your town. More to the point how the sheriff’s dept and the animal control agency is run.
Your ACO’s have brand new SUV’s while claiming there is no money for FOOD for the animals they are SUPPOSED TO BE CARING FOR. One way or another the world will know of this and the part you have played . I’m praying you have a conscience to appeal to.
Sincerely Mrs. Kerri Blanchard
PLEASE USE THIS AS A TEMPLATE TO SEND YOUR LETTERS/EMAILS. IT WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOU.
Dear Mayor John Douglas and Town Council Members,
Please start over with your animal control. All new people need to run this place. Please that actually like and care about homeless pets. It is NOT right to have people run your animal control that do NOT respect the animals or the laws of your town and nation.
The majority of people love pets and want to see them re-homed not killed and specially not killed in the ways that this animal control has been doing it in the past — gassing and shooting.
Ever animal entering your animal control needs to be given an opportunity to leave the place ALIVE. Put in the program that lead to NO-KILL.
You must have a separate group investigate the allegations of the dog shootings. You must provide a budget for the shelter that is large enough to run it right and humanly. Prisoners should be checked out first before allowing them to work in the shelter and not left unattended with the animals. Weekly routine inspections and reports by an unbiased individual or group should be done.
A record accounting of how every animal is euthanized and the reason for that euthanization should be keep and made public. No animal should be killed it their is a rescue group willing to take it.
Please learn more about the no kill movement online.
And please do not respond to this letter with a “cookie cut out” response such as “Thank you for your message concerning the Chesterfield County Animal Shelter. Please understand that the shelter is a COUNTY facility not owned or operated by the Town of Chesterfield. I am Mayor of the Town of Chesterfield and have NO jurisdiction over the operation of the shelter or the current investigation. Contact information for the appropriate county officials can be found at http://www.chesterfieldcountysc.com.”
This is NOT ACCEPTABLE! EVERY SINGLE MEMBER OF YOUR COMMUNITY CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS!!!! ENOUGH POINTING FINGERS!!!! AND IF I HAVE TO GET ON A PLANE MYSELF AND FLY TO SOUTH CAROLINA TO PUT PRESSURE ON EVERY ONE OF YOU I WILL, AND SO WILL MANY OTHERS WHO FEEL THE SAME WAY!!!!
Sincerely,
Well, my experience has been it’s not ‘tired little men (or women)’ who commit this type of act. It’s mentally ill, OC control freaks with serious self image issues. These peeps should be IN the insane asylum (or gas chamber), not running them. The mayor of this town is probably not much different…and it’s probably his brother or brother-in-law who runs the shelter. This always reminds me of classic examples of ‘Deliverance’and the WORST of Southern injustice. May the banjoes wail.
So this is the E-mail I received in response to my letter from one of the SC SENATORS!! Please be sure to send on your thoughts – I certainly am:
From: MikeFair@scsenate.gov
To: Date: Sun, 6 Mar 2011 13:58:09 -0500
Subject: RE: Chesterfield, SC slaughter ~ Website email from Heather ALL Senate Members
Thanks for the note. I suspect that the activity was already a violation of SC Cruelty to animals statutes. Maybe not. I’ll check.
I must confess that I struggle getting overworught about animal cruelty when abortion on demand of humans is legal. I will investigate the animal cruelty even though cruelty to people is ok if they are in utero.
It is a wicked world.
I agree with what someone said about the prisoners and not assuming they are hurting the animals. It sounds honestly like it is what little staff they have who is doing the harm.
As a vet tech I used to pull dogs for rescues from a really high-kill “shelter” outside town and the ONLY staff this place had to care for the animals were prisoners at the neighboring jail. They were not in jail for animal abuse, but less severe crimes, and they fed and cleaned and cared for the animals far more than any one else ever did. A lot of shelters use inmates to help with care and it should be allowed as long as they have no history of animal cruelty, since if we banned all inmates from shelters many would get absolutely NO care whatsoever…
But anyway, this is truly awful and I’m sure like mentioned it happens at many other places….
OK – let’s again reiterate that no where do we say anything against prisoners. In fact – see above – it was these very prisoners that brought this to the attention of the volunteers. They are to be commended, but please read the above – surely it is a violation to leave prisoners completely unattended and surely a shelter should have a paid worker to oversee the shelter and animals needs. I am all for supporting work release and prisoners bettering themselves – the point is not about THEM, it is about the people in charge USING them.
We are quite disturbed to find that a shelter along with a sheriffs office is responsible for this. Would they treat a childrens shelter this way if homes couldnt be found for them?? I took and wrote letters and emailed them out to many different agencies that were listed on here. I hope that they get my letter and that I received a letter in response to what I have written. Along with the major and city council, state attorney and the rest of the government, they all can come up with a solution and get rid of the ppl that are already doing harm and hire people that care and that are knowledgeable about how to keep records and do their job the right way instead of worrying about a freakin paycheck. What heartless morons these people are. Karma works in mysterious ways, and they will find it someday that all the harm they have done comes in full circle.
ok… so just emailing the letter to Senator Lindsay Graham this is the response that I got just a few minutes ago…
Thank you for taking the time to contact me. I appreciate the opportunity to
hear from you.
Due to the large volume of mail I receive, I regret that I am only able to
respond personally to inquiries from South Carolinians.
As we continue our work in the 112th Congress, I look forward to supporting our
troops in the War on Terror, repairing our economy and creating jobs,
strengthening Social Security, lowering the tax burden on American families, and
making the federal government more accountable and efficient.
If your correspondence pertains to a scheduling request, please fax your request
to (202) 224-3808.
Sincerely,
Lindsey Graham
Mayor John Douglas advises he has no powers overt his county. I have removed his name from the contact list but Mayor John I urge you to contact the people that you have relationships with in this area and pass on those emails to them.
Thank you.
I’ve just reported them to PETA and sent them this link.
I want to point out in most cases… prisoners are just dads sons brothers grandpas moms sisters grandmas and daughters and sons…. that did something stupid that got them put in jail.. they are not abusers of animals or small children. Please stop saying left alone with the prisoners like they would be treated badly by them.
I am all for your cause.. but saying all prisoners are going to abuse animals is like saying all police are going to shoot dogs in a landfill. My son did nothing but talk on the phone about drugs… no violence no owning drugs or large amounts of money and he is in prison for 14 years.. we didnt get a plush carpet lawyer…
How fascinating.
Senator Lindsay Graham doesn’t care about what is happening in his state, he only responds to people who can vote for him and doesn’t care what anyone else thinks or has issue with. Amazing.