OMG! Caution Heartbreaking story ahead.

What a shame.  I did like the comments by Jennifer M that we could all do that wouldn't cost any money.  Below is Jennifer's comment:

I've been working in animal rescue for years, and I can confirm that Rhonin is absolutely right - there are many well-run animal shelters, but many are headed up by lazy, indifferent, even cruel people who earn $100,000 a year of your tax money. They consider their shelters just "the last stop" for dogs and cats who are unlucky enough to get caught. And they don't care. They get paid to "eliminate the nuisance," as they see it. Lots of shelters still use antiquated gas chambers where innocent animals can take 20 or 30 seconds to die in the fumes.

This is my point -- and it's very important: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE check out your local animal pound. Start asking around at your local private rescue groups -- ask them "What kind of reputation does the animal pound have? Do they do everything in their power to get the animals adopted, like creative marketing campaigns, "adoption days" at Petsmart, foster homes, et cetera? Or do they just put these animals down? Have they been willing to work with you?"

You'll get lots of stories, either really good or really bad, I promise you. If you get bad ones, you'll know that puppies in your community are in miserable conditions, and coming to a terrible death.

In that situation, it's EXTREMELY important to get a band of caring people together, and keep high pressure on your city council until the animal control director is replaced with a more progressive, caring person.

Raise attention in the press! Get a petition going! Raise hell! Go to city council meetings! That's what it takes. AC directors like the one in Rushville, Indiana, usually have a cozy relationship with the city council, so it takes MAJOR public pressure to get them out. But it is SO worth it. The animals don't have a voice, they need you; please be their hero. Don't turn your back on them.

If everybody in America does this, we won't have putrid pounds like this one still operating.

By the way - I've also been a news reporter for many years, and I can tell you that major public pressure DOES WORK! I've seen it happen for myself. I've seen entire city councils voted out of office. Be confident! You CAN make a change!

DPU

If everybody in America does this, we won't have putrid pounds like this one still operating.

By the way - I've also been a news reporter for many years, and I can tell you that major public pressure DOES WORK! I've seen it happen for myself. I've seen entire city councils voted out of office. Be confident! You CAN make a change!

thats one great thing about our country. the power to vote. if the majority of people just sit around doing nothing then they deserve what they get. we dont have to tolerate local officials doing crap jobs and wasting their money on crap projects.

i am proud to say that Leon County DOES have a few good shelters... Gadsden however is just eking by with a rescue group. the shelter here is just a two week holding facility. if the animal isnt rescued, or doesnt find its owners then it just dies. thats it. thats all. we've been trying to convince the county to build a shelter but they dont see a need. instead they have some Boss Hog type that hasnt been voted out yet.. its a good ole boy town thats for sure.

DPU's post is a great example of why I volunteer at and support our humane society.  Despite its name, it has no affiliation with HSUS.  It is completely privately run, funded entirely by donations and their own fundraising.  If they get lazy and the animals suffer, no one will volunteer or donate and the place would close down.  Same reason why I went to the rescues I did for Coke and my three cats.  They are very organized and thorough, they treat the animals right.  If I found a stray animal I could not keep, I'd take it to our human society, not the county shelter, even though you have to pay $25 to surrender an animal at the humane society, even a stray that's not yours.  I'd rather pay a little and know the animal has a better chance and won't get gassed because it isn't cute and it was there for longer than a few days. 

 I agree it should be shut down..Or someone new should take it over...I read this story in itchmo a few days ago..it's not the first time this has happened