A year after the change.org petition was started seeking for clemency for Chucky, a senior German Shepherd in deteriorating health, Cain, both held in solitary confinement since February 2016, and Blaze, held in isolation since May 19,2017 at Multnomah County Animal Services, the cases are still pending on appeal. MCAS management continues to openly ignore concerns, refuses to answer questions about its cruel practices and the documented effects of forced long term deprivation and social isolation, and declines humane options that equally protect the public.
While these dogs continue to suffer, MCAS received its second critical audit report on July 12, 2018. Among many concerns, MCAS was again cited for substandard animal care and welfare. Instead of responding with concern and correction, the Multnomah County government took the unusual course of excusing the problems and MCAS Director Jackie Rose.
Rather than follow up and investigate the auditors’ report, the Commissioners gave Ms. Rose a social promotion for poor performance and described her failures as “success.” A 51% redemption rate was graded “excellent” when neighboring and far more modestly funded Washington County Animal Services had a 67% redemption rate the same year. Special attention was heaped upon Ms. Rose’s creation of a separate walkway to the shelter’s adoption area.
The media and public outrage were immediate (see media responses below). Explicitly clear was that the culture of collegiality in Multnomah County government always trumps public service. Every failure is explained away. Impression management is favored over addressing problems, problems that become worse as they continue to be ignored. Wrong doing is covered up in layers of lies. Questions are met with silence as MCAS leads citizens away from facts with propaganda. The public records that provide the only transparency and accountability are made deliberately unaffordable and out of reach.
There are serious animal care problems. Carelessness and neglect of homeless animals in MCAS’s care persists, hidden deliberately behind closed doors. The dogs on security are locked in cramped cells along a silent tomb-like passage. There is no traffic. Twice a day a staff person checks off behavior categories on a monitor sheet. On only a few occasions, Cain and Chucky are permitted into an exercise yard when it is not occupied. For a great majority of each day, they are locked away as if they do not exist. Cain’s and Chucky’s psychosocial and physical health have seriously deteriorated after 2 years in isolation with the only permitted 15-minute visits requiring appointments and the presence of a staff person, no physical contact with the visiting owners is allowed. This despite the fact that both dogs are very friendly with people. This unjustified and harmful policy has been approved by the county’s government despite the absence of demonstrated public safety concerns.
In May 2018 Cain suffered a probable cruciate ligament care for which the county has declined veterinary care with the false “claim” that “legal circumstances” prevented anything more than medication for pain relief. Blaze, impounded when he was barely a year old has suffered severely from the absence of care and isolation. All humane options have been denied by Director Rose. In July 2017, the MCAS canine specialist “assessed” Blaze (see attachment) and declared him “Unhealthy/Untreatable” as a result of the agency’s forced detention. Several offers have been made over time to pay for a consultation with a diplomate in animal behavior veterinary medicine to help improve his care. Ms. Rose has never responded.
Cain’s owner, once homeless in 2016, has been employed since mid-2017 and now has his own home with a fenced yard. He visits Cain for 15 minutes a week every week, all the time he is allotted. The request that dog and person be reunited because his owner is now wholly capable of caring for him has been rejected. A skilled and experienced hospice foster person from out of the state has asked to take Chucky into care. That offer too has been ignored.
This government sponsored cruelty is not just imposed against the dogs on security but against all homeless animals in MCAS’s care. The abject shocking cruelty of MCAS policies is not about public safety. It results from Ms. Rose’s whims and her unfettered power to do as she pleases. There are no checks and balances. Multnomah county government is responsible.
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Care Rejection: Blaze and Cain:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ck70m7Aq_l4IPGZTKp8C1AhapijgVrVE
--------Media Coverage of the MCAS 2018 Audit--------
Editorial: County's response to animal services audit raises our hackles
https://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2018/07/post_214.html
The Oregonian/OregonLive guest opinion. By Barbara Spears and Jon Gramstad.
https://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2018/08/readers_respond_animal_service.html
Board responds to follow-up Animal Services audit
https://multco.us/multnomah-county/news/board-responds-follow-animal-services-audit
Willamette Week: Multnomah County Animal Services Still Doesn’t Have Adequate Staffing or a Database for People to Track Their Missing Pets
https://www.wweek.com/news/2018/06/26/multnomah-county-animal-services-still-doesnt-have-adequate-staffing-or-a-database-for-people-to-track-their-missing-pets/
Pamplin Media Group – Audit sounds alarm at Animal Shelter
https://portlandtribune.com/pt/9-news/399967-295069-audit-sounds-alarm-at-animal-shelter