Multnomah County Animal Services (MCAS) now refuses to release critical information once part of the agency’s public records. This is profoundly concerning. The Shelter Review Committee now determines animals’ fates in complete secrecy. No outside professional or rescue input is permitted. Committee membership and attendance are not known. There is no opportunity for offering alternatives to killing and no reasoning for death sentences is provided. Animals’ fates are determined by color codes assigned following “temperament testing” despite the fact that recent veterinary research has found that such testing is no better than a coin toss. (www.researchgate.net/publication/306103860) The transparency essential to agency oversight – by the public and by elected officials – is now gone. But, despite the fact that the windows into the agency’s misdeeds are closed, we do know that at MCAS routinely exploits the Asilomar Accords standards to support its false claim that “no healthy, treatable or rehabilitable animals are ever killed. “Example after example prove that claim false. ROXY (MCAS ID 132625) was killed as “unhealthy/untreatable” by MCAS 9 days after she entered what we are to call the “shelter.” She was killed after the Oregon Humane Society declined to take her because outside surgical specialist care for her condition (urine leakage) was reportedly too expensive. We don’t know what “too expensive” meant to OHS or MCAS; the anticipated cost to these organizations was not reported. We do, however, know that MCAS has a fund, “Dolly’s Fund,” specifically dedicated to needed veterinary care for shelter animals. That money is under lock and key now; clearly being saved for other uses. Roxy was young, 2 years old when she was killed and happy despite her condition. Her medical condition, urinary incontinence, was “treated and managed” by her young owner with the diligent help of her veterinarians for most of Roxy’s life (see records). Roxy’s veterinarian’s in private practice suggested “go fund me”, crowd sourcing or seeking time payments as a private citizen before her owner could no longer keep her after losing her housing. Even without surgery, the condition is best described as “treatable/manageable, “because it was. The term “unhealthy/untreatable” is completely inaccurate, used by MCAS as an easy justification for a death sentence: money they chose to not raise or spend. Roxy was surrendered on December 07 because her young owner lost her housing and had to move in with her parents. The parents’ landlord forbade pets. Roxy’s owner anguished about surrendering her dog to MCAS and had hoped to find a No Kill rescue in the short time available to her. She told MCAS about her love for Roxy to MCAS, reporting her rescue from former neglect and describing her as a “big lover, cuddles at night, gets excited when I bark at her, loves coconut oil.” She specifically asked that she be called if euthanasia was planned. But no one called. No one at MCAS cared. Did MCAS have options for Roxy? Absolutely yes. They could have called Ashley as she had requested and kept her informed. If the surgery was indeed necessary and MCAS remained unwilling to tap Dolly’s Fund, funds could have been raised or a medical rescue or foster such as Hoagie’s Farm contacted. But, MCAS doesn’t do that anymore. It’s just too much bother. How can the county be proud of that? Does betrayal of trust mean nothing? Just another day’s work? BUBS, a friendly lovable pit bull, was also killed as “unhealthy/untreatable” after a failed adoption. He had spent time in a foster care at the Columbia River Correctional Institute, where he was loved and cared for and described as a “coddler with the guys, and LOVES to be under the blankets…. The only time he saw a dog was a small one, about 10 -15 feet away. He saw the dog but ignored it and kept walking… He interacted with kids once. The guys said he had a tennis ball in his mouth, and was wiggly happy when the kids pet him.” Bubs’ fate was determined by an adoption special on December 11. Sold for $11 at the end of year inventory clearance event, he was returned on 12.17. 17 and destroyed on December 22, killed for unspecified “behavior.” There were other options, an adequate collar, a halter, and leash training. Bubs was clearly “manageable,” fully “rehabilitatible” with a little effort. An adopter’s failure is not a failed dog. But he’s dead now, never given a chance. Because for MCAS director Jackie Rose, unwillingness becomes “necessity.” At MCAS animals are commodities to be discarded and lives without value. Roxy’s MCAS records: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1eJszs_AohPWtQKlWMvIQFDXg80fLmVsH Bubs’ MCAS records: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1AGqk98Ru1HSqAB_AGCyFwVglWrRVwhDX Edit: Fixed the link to the veterinary research doubting the effectiveness of temperament testing.