Andrea Rosebrock 
Update 7/13/09 – Surveillance Video Shows the Truth, Walker County HS Lies Unveiled About Dog Killed – VIDEO
Update 6/3/09 – Witnesses Dispute Shelter Claims About Boost, Dog Killed 1/2 Hour After Drop Off – PETITION
Marcus Campbell, Jasper, AL, was happy when he found out his escaped boxer, Boost, had been found and turned into the Humane Society in Walker County. He showed up early the next morning before the shelter was even open to pick up his prodigal pooch only to find out that Boost had been euthanized within a half hour of being dropped of at the shelter.
“She asked what I needed, and I said, ‘I’m here to pick up my dog that you got in at 4 o’clock.’ She said, ‘The only dog we got in at 4 o’clock was the boxer dog that an old couple brought in.’ I said, ‘Yes, ma’am. That’s him,’ and she said, ‘We done put him to sleep.’”
Humane Society Executive Director Lane Reno says the dog was dropped off by an elderly couple at 4 pm, quickly evaluated by staff, thought initially to be a pitbull or pitbull mix and euthanized by 4:30. She didn’t sound too remorseful that they had killed a beloved family pet either.
“We can have any individual bring a dog in. It’s a family pet. It’s never bitten anybody. It’s really nice, but I guarantee you if it tries to bite one of us while we’re reaching for it, we cannot and will not put that animal up for adoption.”
Basically, the shelter was full, they had to available cages or space so it was quickly bye-bye to Boost ever though Marcus Campbell says Boost was a friendly dog, had a collar and was well-fed and taken care of.
Campbell’s attorney, Brett Wadsworth, will file a civil lawsuit on Tuesday- against the Walker County Humane Society, Executive Director Lane Reno, and Walker County this Tuesday, arguing all three broke the law.
“What our goal is in this is not to get a large sum of money,” Wadsworth explains. “Our goal is to make sure this does not happen again.”
The law requires dog or cat owners be notified when their animal is impounded, if ownership can be determined, or the animal may be put up for adoption after at least seven days. The Code of Alabama also requires all counties to have a suitable pound and impound officer. Walker County, which has neither, is essentially breaking the law. The City of Jasper pays the Humane Society to impound its dogs.
“And that’s the keyword, ‘impound,’” Reno says. “That’s official Animal Control when you can impound animals and hold them in hopes that an owner comes, but we just don’t have that kind of facility.” Reno maintains lack of space has been an issue. (ABC3340.com)
To me this is just incomprehensible! To euthanize a dog almost immediately without giving the owner a chance to come forward, especially a dog which is so obviously healthy and well-bred. Even if the dog were “moody” as she put it, that’s no reason. He was probably scared, traumatized. Most shelters will hold a dog for a certain period of time in case it belongs to someone before they put it up for adoption or euthanize it if they decide it cannot be adopted. There is no excuse for for this!
I am not a fan of lawsuits, too many of them are frivolous, set forth by greedy people who just want to line their pockets but in this case, I hope he wins and makes a big impression so that something like this never happens again!
Please take just a moment to sign the petition below and share your thoughts and support for Marcus.
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I see , a perfect pet comes in , and because it looks like a pit bull , it is disposed of like trash . Listening to Lane talk , she has probably done this hundreds of times
This is one example of our sorry, disgusting so-called county run “animal shelters” (Killing Facilities) and the uncaring “employees” who work there. Of course, its not just here, its all over our nation. Our government and our people have failed to provide any shelter/refuge for the homeless, abandoned and discarded companion animals and refuse to fund adequate, life-saving shelters. Instead, the municipalities and its citizens accept the killing of an innocent needy animal as the norm. I urge all here to write to your local municipalities, your state representatives and demand TRUE shelter and hope for adoption for the thousands of dogs and cats put to death each month in a facility near you. Its our nation’s greatest shame – in my opinion, of course. I only wish our elected officials, who have the power and hold the funds, felt it was of the utmost importance. Citizens speak out! We are the animal’s only voice and hope. Thanks. Sorry for venting, but I am so sad, and MAD about this tragedy.
I volunteer at a Shelter and I find this kind of ignorance horrific!! How heartless and unconscionable an act, and the woman who decided to kill this dog does not show any remorse or feeling for the owner.!! It’s a frightening reality, and I’m glad the owner is going forward with a civil Lawsuit. Hopefully it will bring this tragedy to light, and prevent this from happening again.
My heart goes out to this family. Rest in Peace, Boost.
Joan
You are correct,Joan Jotz, and I join you in hoping the owner/guardian will go forward with the lawsuit. It appears that animal advocates need to take advantage of every single law, and animal protection laws are few and far between, to make changes and secure safety for our homeless animals. BTW, I realize ALL shelters are not like the one in this tragedy, but most are understaffed, no vet on call or, heaven forbid, “on duty”. As most of us know, its not quite like the wonderful rescue shelters on AnimalPlanet, for lost, found, wounded or abandoned animals in most cities. But, we can make it so….hopefully one day.
It’s piss poor shelter staff that can’t tell the difference between a pit and a boxer. Don’t they have eyes?
As for it being dangerous??? It didn’t seem to threaten the elderly couple that brought it in.
Another BLACK mart for the Humane Society.
$%#&^((*%#@)&%$#@!)(*&^%$. THATS ALL I HAVE TO SAY RIGHT NOW.
This is just horrible whathappenedtothewaiting period???? The time required to at least se f an ownercomes forward?????
There is no excuse
This poor dog – because of what h was -was PTS – bcause o oercowding and the possible aggtated behvior.
Geeee – take me out ofmy home and ut me in a cage and see I don’ get irritated.
There is no excuse for this and I hop this guy wins his suit – so IT DOES’T HAPPEN AGAIN
Lane Reno is an ignorant POS and should be removed. 30 minutes? They could of tried to find room or a place for the dog. She and her staff were lazy and uncaring. I guess *close of business day* is more important. They are a disgrace. I wish Marcus Campbell a lot of luck with his lawsuit. I hope it smacks this so called Human Society up the side of their heads.
Some stupid a**hole puts my dog down in thirty minutes, they will not see the light of day. Who the hell do they think they are…God? They decide if a beautiful little pet dies or lives? In 30 freakin minutes??? Lane Reno should be shot at the very least. Heartless bitch! I am trying to get an Animal Control job right now and we have an extremely low to no kill shelter. I’m not sure I want the job (after being out of work 2 yrs), because I just don’t think I could eauthanize one single animal. Not my call! It’s God’s call. I would hope that Marcus would sue them for every penny they have, get them shut down and have a new, kind, loving, fully staffed, large shelter built with the money from the lawsuit. THAT, would be my goal! How stupid, uncaring and unfeeling are these people. CRAP! Can’t tell a BOXER from a PITTBULL? Idiots! I agree…must have been time to go home. I certainly hope these idiots, and you most of all, Lane Reno, do not have children or pets at home. Can you imagine the dinner conversation? “Hi kids…I just MURDERED a cute little boxer that looked like it was owned because I wanted to get home and get on with MY life”. Damn! May you rot forever in hell Lane Reno AND your stupid, uncaring staff. Stupid freakin’ reason…no room. You didn’t give that poor pup a smigen of a chance. I despise every one of you. God forbid the fool that ever, and I mean ever, does something that cruel and stupid to ANY animal I know. Not just mine, anybody’s. I signed your petition Marcus and I pray you sue their arses to kingdom come! AND, everyone of them are out a job and believe me, it’s tuff out there trying to get a job these days. SUFFER you frekin’ idiots!
Marcus…did you ask to have Boost’s body given to you so you give him a decent burial? In the petition it stated he could have been sold because he was a purebred. I really hate this. It just tears me up.
Oh so the dog acted out? Gee, what if you were lost and picked up by strangers and taken to a place with hundreds{guessing there} of barking dogs around you. Would you act out? I would. Plus, dogs sense feelings and the feeling at this place is very negative. It feared for its life and rightly so. Still should have held the dog to see if the owner came to get it. People are ignorant and heartless.
What about the required hold period? That is a law.
This is the humane society?
“We can have any individual bring a dog in. It’s a family pet. It’s never bitten anybody. It’s really nice, but I guarantee you if it tries to bite one of us while we’re reaching for it, we cannot and will not put that animal up for adoption.”
There are so many things wrong here – illegal. I am ashamed this happened in AL.