CONCERNS — HOW ANIMALS ARE TREATED AT SHELTERS:
BESSEMER, ALABAMA:
Concerns
about how animals are treated at the animal shelter in Bessemer, Alabama (in Jefferson County):
Article: "Bessemer shelter had no food for dogs"
-- from: The Western Tribune (9/2/09)
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Article: "Bessemer had to take free food to feed dogs"
-- from: The Western Tribune (9/18/09)
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Web site: "About animal control in Bessemer, Alabama" >>>
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BIRMINGHAM and parts of JEFFERSON COUNTY, ALABAMA:
Concerns about treatment of animals (and other concerns) by the company (BJC Animal Control Services, Inc) contracted to do animal control in Birmingham and parts of Jefferson County, Alabama:
Article: "Out of Control"
... "In response to complaints from constituents, on January 21, 2009, Sharon Evans and Jeanette Brabston, both employed by Jefferson County Commissioner Jim Carns's office, made an unannounced visit to the BJC Animal Control facility." ...
... "Regarding the room where dogs are held as evidence in animal cruelty cases, they reported: Some of the dogs had been held there for up to a year. There were no windows—it was completely enclosed. The stench was bad. ... Many of the dogs looked malnourished." ...
--- from black & white (Birmingham city newspaper), (4/30/09)
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The following is posted on the site "Higher Ground":
Excerpts from "BJC Animal Control Services Program Evaluation Report September, 2001" by the National Animal Control Association (NACA):
"Observation detail: 41 animals euthanised (31 dogs and 10 cats). [NOTE: The following are three of the ten bulleted items in the list in the NACA report (page 4 - 17). Emphasis added.]
— Only 3 dogs observed could be classified as totally sedated. All other animals were active or alert when the IC [intracardiac] injection was administered. ...
— "Most dogs were held up in the air (hind feet only touching the ground) while on the catch-pole and during the drug administration. Puppies were observed totally suspended in the air during injection. ...
— "Some dogs were placed in a wheeled carrier (containing dead animals) while still alive (confirmed by heartbeat)." ...
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From a June 19, 2009 letter from Jacque Meyer, Executive Director of the Greater Birmingham Humane Society to Jefferson County Commissioner Jim Carns:
"We are very saddened that this kind of cruelty could have occurred in a facility where the animal was being housed in response to a cruelty case. We are iterested in pursuing this particular situation as far as necessary to ensure the humane treatment ot animals housed at BJCAC. ..."
[BJCAC is a for-profit company that contractually carries out animal control for Birmingham and unincorporated parts of Jefferson County. -- ss (ed.)]
>>> (letter is at bottom of page)
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Animal Welfare article:
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PRICHARD, ALABAMA:
Concerns about how animals are treated at the Prichard, Alabama animal shelter (in Mobile County):
"The Mobile branch of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals says it has claims from a shelter volunteer that days would pass before suffering animals were euthanized. ..."
"... The family says it ... even saw a dead dog carcass at the shelter. ..."
-- from the 8/19/10 NBC Local 15 report "Prichard Animal Shelter faces more neglect allegations."
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