Seems there are some minor discrepancies with past reports but here's what I think based on watching the
video:
- Chesterfield County left just $14,000 after salaries and benefits to care for dogs at the local shelter.
- They intake 70-90 dogs a month.
- To save money, staff at the Sheriff's Office, who are charged with running the shelter, euthanized the dogs using firearms, which may not be a crime in South Carolina. It is unclear whether the Sheriff, who's information is listed in the previous post, knew ahead of time about this method being used. His office is investigating itself.
- They did not anticipate the outrage that would follow such an act.
- Now the State Attorney General's Office and the State Law Enforcement Division (which may ultimately find that no law was broken) are investigating.
Keep pressure up. The news station above made their question of the day ask what should happen to the staff that shot the dogs? Local government offices are being inundated with calls. Here are some more numbers to call, courtesy of Pets Alive Blog (no pun intended).
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
Contact the Governor:
Governor Nicky Haley
grassroots@nikkihaley.com
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, in case you want to voice your concern over the unprofessional response to an overpopulation problem.
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
Betty Lynn WatsonAnd, don't forget the local news stations:
Municipal Clerk
Town of Chesterfield
843-623-9104
cftmclerk@shtc.net
http://www.chesterfield-sc.com/
Chesterfield County Newspaper:
Phone: Main Office – (843) 537-5261
Fax: (843) 537-4518
email- cherawnews@thecherawchronicle.com
WRIC- local news network
804-330-8000
What may come out of this, like many tragedies that need something bad to happen to galvanize people, is that legislators and local citizens will put their heads together to find funding or raise it, deal with the problem of poor spay/neuter programs- which lead to overpopulation, cracking down on puppymills- which breed misery, and encouraging adoption- which is the best answer possible. Here are the local rescues in the area, who likely have been screaming about these things for some time, and who have stepped up in the wake of this tragedy which did not have to happen.
In the meantime, please give a few calls today to encourage South Carolina to act like it lives in the 21st Century.
Is that bitchy?
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