Commissioners to consider changes at animal control

Published 11:09 pm Saturday, August 9, 2014

Whitfield County Administrator Mark Gibson says he’ll have a report on the accidental death of a dog at the animal shelter ready for the Board of Commissioners when they meet on Monday.

“I’m going to present the commission with the investigation results as well as some recommendations,” said Gibson.

Wiz, a boxer being cared for by Elaine Smith, was wrongly put to death in July.

Wiz had nipped a 6-year-old girl who lived near Smith, and Whitfield County animal control cited Smith and took Wiz to the animal shelter for not having the rabies vaccination. Officials told Smith she would have to wait 10 days to pick up the dog to make sure it did not have rabies. But the 10th day fell on Saturday, and when Smith called the shelter on Monday she was told the shelter had killed Wiz by mistake.

Animal Shelter Director Don Allen Garrett said the shelter had two almost identical dogs in pens next to each other. The other dog came in one day prior to Smith’s dog and was scheduled to be put to sleep on Friday. Due to a mix-up between the two, Smith’s dog was put down.

Gibson says his report will look at how the death happened as well as recommendations for changes in animal control.

“I’ve been talking to the shelter director, the Humane Society, local veterinarians and other interested parties. This will be pretty comprehensive,” Gibson said.

The recommendations, he said, will go beyond just trying to prevent another accidental death and look at improving overall operations. One recommendation, he says, is producing a flier or pamphlet that sheriff’s deputies working animal control can give to people when the deputies have to take their dogs, explaining what will happen and what they need to do to try to get their dog back.

The Board of Commissioners meets at 6 p.m. in Administrative Building No. 2, 214 W. King St. in Dalton.