To kill or not to kill. That seems to be the fight going on in Ferris, Texas where animal control officer, Misty Clark, is being told to hold pets for 3 days and then immediately kill them – no exceptions.
FERRIS – A mandatory euthanasia policy placed in effect immediately by the city has resulted in a overwhelming outcry by residents, producing a mixed frenzy.
The memo handed to Misty Clark, animal control officer, said that she is to hold the animals for the minimum of three days required by law and then immediately euthanize them.
Mayor Pro Tem and temporary City Manager Bill Pardue, said he placed that mention in the memo given to Clark as a “shock factor.”
“Misty is an animal lover. She does a really good job at what she does, which is rescuing and adopting animals out, but she really needs to focus on patrolling too,” said Pardue.
“Our facility wasn’t made to be a rescue shelter.”
Clark hasn’t been told of any changes to the mandatory killings.
“I have been hearing different things all over but, I have only received the one letter and right now as it stands, I have only three days till I have to put them [the animals] down,”said Clark.
[…]
Pardue, along with Red Oak Councilman Ben Goodwyn, City Manager Tim Kelty and Director of Public Works Charles Brewer had a meeting to discuss the possibly of teaming up with Red Oak for a shelter to be strictly focused on adoption.
“We would work out something with them [City of Red Oak] to where they could either come pick the animals up from us and we pay per animal or work out an annual fee or something.
Read the rest here.
In a letter from Misty that’s being sent through email she says,
On the morning of July 7, 2009 I was called into my immediate supervisor’s office and handed a form entitled Expectations of Animal Control Function City of Ferris. I was required to sign this. I asked my immediate supervisor does this mean I need to go down to the shelter and kill everything. His response was “yes”.
[…]
I am now asking for your continued support in getting the elected officials in the City of Ferris to understand what a mistake they are making. There have been numerous changes in the reason why this directive was given. There have also been statements that this is no longer in effect. I have been given nothing else in writing except what I received on July 7, 2009.
She also says that according to the new regulations, she is not to promote spay and neuter services.
Misty’s encouraging people to attend the next city council meeting on July 20. If you’re a resident of Ferris, Texas you might want to attend or at least let your city council members know what you think about their killing spree.
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I guess it sorta makes sense not to waste time promoting s/n if your job is to just kill everything as quickly as possible. Promoting s/n might result in less killing, meaning downtime on the job. Which would be bad.
Golly gee, Biscuit, leave to you to ‘splain things to me! Thanks a bunch!
This proves that you don’t actually need a brain to be dangerous. Ferris, TX politicians are the stupidest of the stupid.
So I take it she had to go put down the > than 3 day holds? How sad.
I agree with you misty, for the pet lovers like us, it’s very hard to be on this kind of situation. But, it’s the job order so you have to choose what’s best for you, Whether you go for it or not. If i would be given that task, i will gather all pets and look for a place to hide them until i found someone to adopt them.
Steven Leo