www.WSBTV.com
Published January 18, 2006

DEKALB COUNTY -- Two dogs have died – allegedly of heat exhaustion -- while in DeKalb County Animal Control custody after being left in a hot animal control truck for at least an hour.

More troubles for the DeKalb County Animal Shelter. In recent days it’s been under fire for what some call mismanagement and cruelty to animals. Now the state is looking into the operation because of the death of two dogs after they’d been picked up by an animal control officer.

Albert Ford says somebody dropped the ball and he wants to know why.

It appears that his dog and a stray were left in a hot animal control truck for at least an hour, and died as a result.

Ford says he can understand officers picking up his pets, but once that happens, he expects the animals to be well cared for.

Ford says he’s thankful he’s still got his 4-year-old chocolate lab, Cocoa, unlike his 2-year-old -- Golden. Both dogs were picked up for being loose and unattended near his home on Tuesday, July 11 while Ford was at work. The next day, he went to pick them up.

“So I was there when they opened up. I went inside to retrieve my two pets and I was told at that time they were both dead – died of a heat stroke,” says Ford.

Confused, Ford persisted for answers. He’s glad he did because he learned that Cocoa was in fact alive, though he’s not sure how Golden died.

“I to this day still do now know how they found my dog unconscious,” says Ford.

He says an official with animal control told him when the dogs arrived at the pound, Golden and a stray were left in the hot truck while Cocoa was taken out in a cage.

Just another reason why critics are calling for new management at the shelter that they say has the highest kill rate of any shelter in the metro area.

The State Department of Agriculture has cited the shelter for inhumane care, saying more training is in order.

“My point is I’m just trying to get a straight answer and no one is trying to provide that,” says Ford.

DeKalb County is wrapping up its own investigation as the state also looks into the incident. Apparently some personnel and policy changes have been made.

Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture, Tommy Irvin, says if the facts as we know them are true, he would hope law enforcement officials would pursue criminal charges.

original story:  www.WSBTV.com

CONTACT INFO:
Georgia Commissioner Tommy Irvin
email: tirvin@agr.state.ga.us [@agr.state.ga.us]
website: www.agr.state.ga.us