Multnomah County (OR) Animal Services

file 1, file 2

To: Assistant County Counsel Morf:
To: County Chair Jeff Cogen

I learned by calling the MCAS message center on Friday that John Rowton and Legal Aide Officer Michelle Luckey are both gone from the agency until May 29 on business likely involving their second career as companion dog breeders and dog show fanciers,the most usual reason. I called because I couldn’t understand why the records had gone missing. There was no notice to me about why records were not forthcoming as requested, a notice sought in every public records order. I had no idea why the routine records ordered were just ignored: the reason was vacation. This has became a significant problem (under Mr. Oswald’s regime). No coverage during staff absence was planned even though the concern has been addressed many times before. When records are sent too late to help those in need, our offers of assistance are rendered futile. MCAS does not offer resources or help. A senior management administrative staff person put it this way: “When we give them deadlines, they (the public) hustle their bottoms.” No, the poor and low income parties don’t. When they have nothing, giving them “deadlines” causes stress, anxiety, helplessness and when their companion dogs are killed: anguish. They don’t have resources. We offer this out of pocket. Many, if not most, of the hapless animals at MCAS belong to persons down on their luck, who are homeless, poor, or lost their homes to foreclosure. The effects of that continue in a poor economy and are borne by helpless animals. We try to assist them because their animals shouldn’t become sacrifices to misfortune. Why do you stand in the way?
Continue reading »

Follow up: Late Thursday afternoon, January 26, we received a call from Multnomah County Animal Services stating that the two dogs of immediate concern: the senior Lhasa apso mix, and the neglected injured pit bull, scheduled to be killed Friday, January 27, were instead going to be placed on “shelter review” to allow a limited time to seek humane options. Their pictures and brief medical histories are attached. For more information call me at 503.625.4563. I know that the reprieve was the direct result of those persons who wrote or called the county commission on very short notice after our own appeals were ignored. Thank you for taking the time to place a call or write a note that gave them a chance at life. MCAS kills many animals deemed “imperfect” when they are not, and humane options can be found. Notes about the two dogs follow.

Prince: (MCAS 532822) is a fuzzy cream and tan senior neutered male Lhasa Apso mix. He clearly was someone’s loved dog once. He looks a little like a Star Wars Wookie from his picture. Loves to snuggle. He is estimated to be about 18 years old but then no one really knows. He has poor vision because he has dry eye which can be treated palliatively with eye drops; his gait is wobbly but he is able to walk and doesn’t seem painful; dental disease like many old dogs; heart and lungs normal. He still has a life to live even in his sunset years. He sees clearly with his heart and old age isn’t really a disease anyway. He is seeking a retirement home and a good lap and is ready as soon as one can be found. Cats not likely an issue: he is smaller than most cats and can’t see them well anyway.

The young neutered brown and white pit bull mix (MCAS 532858) was taken to Dove Lewis on January 22, found as a stray off NE 118th and Sandy with a lame non weight bearing back right leg. All of his vital signs are normal. He is eating well. The problem is that the head of the right femur is dislocated. Although mildly dehydrated at first and quite thin, he is now eating and drinking well and he is expected to bounce back. His injury was the primary reason given for killing him (and breed always deemed negative even if unspoken). Described as an absolute gentleman where people are concerned; wary of other dogs near him possibly because of his injury. He carries the plight and fate of so many little pit bulls killed en masse across our country for no fault of their own. They bear the burden of society’s carelessness.
Continue reading »

Note: this message was received yesterday.

—–Original Message—–
From: gocbwatchdog
To: mult.chair ; district1 ; district2 ; district3 ; district4 ; michael.l.oswald
Cc: rbabcock ; amanda ; nick ; mayorsam ; randy ; dan ; mult.auditor ; pbhatia Sent: Thu, Jan 26, 2012 12:33 pm
Subject: Urgent time sensitive appeal to County Chair Jeff Cogen: please act

Gail O’Connell-Babcock, PhD
Citizens for Humane Animal Legislation/Watchdog
16004 SW Tualatin Sherwood Road # 508
Sherwood OR 97140
Telephone 503.625.4563; Fax: 503.925.8299
E-mail: gocbwatchdog@aol.com

January 26, 2012

To: County Chair Jeff Cogen
CC: MCAS Director Michael Oswald

CC: Deborah Kafoury, District 1
Loretta Smith, District 2
Judy Shiprack, District 3
Diane McKeel, District 4

CC: Robert Babcock

Regarding: the injured neglected pit bull (MCAS 532858) scheduled to be killed tomorrow, January 27, despite offers of payment for outside specialist evaluation and community contributions to pay for an evaluation and the cost of any indicated surgery

Chair Cogen:

I am asking that you defer killing and grant permission for the captioned injured neglected pit bull (MCAS 504285) to be evaluated by a specialist so that humane treatment options can be thoughtfully reviewed. The costs of this expert review will be covered by public contributions. No costs will be borne by the county.

Mr. Oswald has said in previous correspondence that you are ultimately in charge of MCAS policy and therefore I assume that you must approve this request. MCAS policy permits outside professional review and second opinions. I am asking that that policy be honored. Perhaps you are unaware or ignorant of this request and that is why no one at the agency, including Mr. Oswald, has acknowledged any of the correspondence sent to them repeatedly about this case beginning Tuesday, January 24, after we received public records. In fact, there is no mention of the offers made or correspondence sent in the most recent public records production, Wednesday, January 25, 2012 after 4:00 PM.

The practice of simply ignoring the public (the forgotten 99%) when one doesn’t want what is offered is shocking and unethical especially when a stray animal’s life is involved. Yet this happens over and over again at MCAS. MCAS acts as if it is accountable to no one. Multiple historical examples in which MCAS ignores public offers and kills anyway denying humane options (despite public protest) suggest the implicit permission of your leadership at the county. It is unethical and unworthy of the humane values you claim. You were elected for your professed humane values. We need to see those values in action.

The information I have received from a highly respected local diplomate in veterinary medicine makes it clear that this case merits exploration of options.

· Regarding MCAS note that “It is unclear why the dog is so painful in that area,” the response was that pain is expected, disuse, and atrophy are the expected result of injury; the question is what qualifies as so painful?

· The MCAS statement that this dog was likely dog aggressive really cannot even be assessed when a dog is injured. Dogs are defensive and self protective when injured.

· Possible medical interventions include surgery (about $1500 to $2000) or amputation (if evidence of nerve injury or just to have finite cost and recovery time).

· There is no description or qualification of the dog’s pain reaction or location (specific response or provocation) to decide upon the most viable and humane treatment options.
Continue reading »

To: County Chair Jeff Cogen:

Where was MCAS? Multnomah County elected a No Kill shelter agenda in 2000 that was to have been reached by 2005. It was a decision made by a broad assembly of citizens appointed by then County Chair Bev Stein. The lack of leadership in Multnomah County is the singular cause.. Instead of honoring the county tax payers’ will, you have sacrificed this for your own and Michael Oswald’s comfort. It is easier to dispose of tax payers and homeless animals than upset the status quo or a fellow employee.

As a result, increasing taxpayers’ monies are squandered on an unsupportable archaic punitive animal control system. While declaring No Kill unachievable (and rejecting outside independent review that would design a program achieving this), you take monies from Maddie’s Fund whose agenda is No Kill, and Open Paw, whose humane philosophy and practices are routinely violated.

To take money from No Kill sponsors, then reject the premises underlying the acceptance of these gifts is simply dishonest. Without study or outside review, you apparently believe, as a matter of personal convenience, that No Kill is impossible. It isn’t, You should for ethical reasons return the monies given by these organizations..

It is notable that after declaring that you would not accept dishonesty in a government employee, you have, and do exactly that. MCAS has a long documented history of deception, promoting false statistics and making highly misleading claims intended to misdirect. Mr. Oswald recently quoted live release rates that are false. He altered the accepted formula, allowing double counting, the equivalent of stuffing the ballot box, and discounts/does not include or account for hundreds of animals annually that just go missing. If these were “real ” property, county supplies, books and pencils, chairs, you would account for them.

Modeling accountability and honesty begin at the top. What is accepted at the top becomes the county ethic.

Gail O’Connell-Babcock, Ph.D.
Citizens for Humane Animal Legislation