Andrea Rosebrock 
This is one of the most unbelievable, thoughtless and cruel things I’ve ever heard!
Mayor James Valley of Helena-West Helena, Arkansas, who says he has no problem with dogs, decided the shelter dog would be better off fending for themselves, so he ordered them dumped in the St. Francis National Forest.
I was stunned when I read this. What kind of an idiot would take dogs from the city animal shelter and just abandon them then to the wild? These are domesticated companion animals, not wildlife!
He just believes that strays in his east Arkansas town are better off in the nearby national forest than the local animal shelter. The mayor says the city’s animal shelter was so run down a regional humane society worker cut the locks last winter and released all the dogs.
The city then moved the operation to a temporary fenced-in area outdoors at the city sanitation department. Still, people complained that the animals were not properly cared for at the temporary shelter, so the mayor decided the dogs would be better off fending for themselves in the St. Francis National Forest.
Valley says the city street director released nearly a dozen dogs into the forest Wednesday after the animals were fed and watered.
LETTER FROM MAYOR JAMES VALLEY
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This morning we began the process of dealing with our animal shelter problem. I have met, today, with Ms. Gloria Higginbotham. She is heading up a committee to create a county-wide animal shelter and perhaps with the participation of all governmental units, we can provide the kind of facility that will be deemed appropriate.
In the mean time, we are or have released all but a few our those animals heretofore housed at the sanitation shop. We fed and watered them and took them to the St. Francis National Forest and released them to freedom. We are disassembling the pens or fences and will not any longer house or keep any of these animals. This problem is dogging us and taking away from our ability to focus on the greater good for the community as a whole. One of our animal control officers has been to the hospital three times in as many months. Twice for bites and once for a severally sprain ankle growing out of incidents with these animals.
When Ms. Higginbotham’s full plan is revealed, I plan to support it and assist her and the group in caring for our animals.
I just wanted to let you know.
Sincerely,
James F. Valley
“How long can these animals survive in the wild?” said Donna Pierce. “It’s sad.”
“They didn’t deserve this,” said Samantha Scott.
A representative with the Humane Society calls the mayor’s actions appalling and negligent saying that what happened is the equivalent to abandonment.
Yesterday many people spent the day searching for the dumped dogs. Scott spent time trying to feed a stray she found. “I’ve tried to feed him some bread and gave him some water,” she said. “But he acts real skittish, like he’s scared to come to me.”
The Mayor has also decided to suspend any dog catching operations for now as well. If animal-control officers get a call now, “they’re going to pick the dog up and probably just take them to the other side of town,” Valley said. “And it’s going to be someone else’s problem. … or maybe they will take them to the forest.”
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Forest Service says the agency was not contacted by the city before releasing the dogs, and does not condone releasing animals into the forest. The Forest Service Law Enforcement is conducting an investigation. Farley says they’ll proceed when it is complete.
It is illegal to dispose of personal property or pets at a national forest. Mayor Valley insists he had the dogs released in a rural area not too far away, so he says he broke no laws.
Do these idiots have no clue what these dogs are up against? Starvation, wild animals, predators, not to mention the dogs that try to find their way back and are killed on the roads. And what about the dogs not spayed or neutered, rampant breeding! And the ones that live will turn into wild roaming dog packs, menacing anything in their paths.
Needless to say, Mayor Valley is in hot water; from his town, from animal advocates and quite likely from the US Forest Service.
I believe the mayor, the governor and animal welfare organizations need to be contacted. People who aren’t need to be made aware of this deplorable act.
And the Mayor’s reasoning; he had no other choice other to set the animals free. “We’re caught in a Catch 22,” he said. “If we continued to do what we were doing, we’d be bad. If we let them go, we’re wrong for that as well. But the storyline would have read, if I had euthanized them, ‘Mayor Kills All of the Dogs in the City.’”
By the way, seems the good Mayor is also a lawyer. Wonder why he could not have foreseen the legal problems that this is going to cause?
I think most anyone with a heart and brain could have come up with something better than this!!
Helena-West Helena Dogs Dumped into National Forest
Here’s a second video a friend brought to my attention (thnx Jacqueline). Listen to his comments!! OMG!
Helena-West Helena Mayor Dumps Dogs in National Forest- Doesn\’t care
When asked about who’s responsible if one of the dogs bites a child, the mayor responded, “It’s going to be the parent’s responsibility to immediately get that child treated….The city owns no dogs, so we won’t be liable.”
Ah yes, elected officials in action. SWAMP the Arkansas Governor with letters and phone calls. Mayors just LOVE being in trouble with their State House.
OH AND GET THIS! He *JUST* received his raise in May 2008. He now makes over $74,000.00 Helena-West citizens must be overjoyed at the salary of this Village Idiot.
And before I get heat at poking fun at another State, don’t think I hold my own in reverence.
Andrea, sounds like he could have offered a little donation to make something better for the dogs that he turned out. He probably lives in a nice home and doesn’t have to worry about where his next meal is coming from.
Sorry, I just can’t buy the excuses! What he did was cruel and I hope he faces some charges and loses his nice cushy job.
Politicians beg for their position then whine and complain when things don’t go smooth. It’s their job to do their job, not dump the problems when things get tough.
This guy is really dumber than dog poo!
Jeez!!!
What the hell was he thinking? He simply doesn’t care!
**Video link removed by admin, video added to bottom of story. Thanx Jacqueline!**
@Jacqueline Gonzalves – Jacqueline, thanks for posting the link to that vid. I’m going to add it to the story. I cannot believe some of his comments!! He needs to be charged and arrested. This guy is beyond scary!!
Another great move by more goverment I’m so sick of people like him…. the throw way idea makes me sick… is there any way someone can get out there and help get some of these dogs and find them homes?? Please I’d open my door to some….
@Katrina – Katrina, I know there are people out there searching for these dogs, to find out more you can contact the Humane Society of the Delta at (870) 589-3396.
When I heard this story I knew the mayor was a black man before I was able to see his pic. The reason is who else would make such a no brain decision ……….
if only I practiced voodoo…………I’d have a little Mayor James Valley doll! A stick here, a stick there. He has certailly earned it after pulling this horrible act.
Please is there any way to get a couple of them up to me in New York my door is open to them…. this Mayor needs to be run out of town ….
Domestic dogs cannot survive when dumped in the country or forest….think about it…they don’t run down and catch other animals to eat…don’t catch mice..don’t eat bugs…starvation is a cruel, slow painful death…how are they supposed to fend off large preditors like coyotes, bob cats, bears etc…..those poor dogs are lost…take a stand now to prevent further abuse…for the Mayors punishment, he should be dropped off for a week in the forest…wonder what food and water he will find….wonder how he will fend off preditor animals…take up a petition and get the Mayor out of town…it’s a proven fact peoplke who abuse animals will abuse other people too…..
This guy needs to go. And this mayor is a lawyer!!! Obviously a case of affirmitive action at its worst as this brainless idiot was passed through school to meet quotas.
I live in this town. The Mayor has done many things I don’t agree with but this was just stupid and cruel. I wish someone would press charges against him, but that will not happen. He is just a crook looking to line his own pockets.
Mayor Valley is a JOKE, you should see this town.
It takes months to get anything done around here.
All you get is the run around. I was not surprised
when I heard about what HE decided to do about the
stray dogs. That is just the way he runs everything
in this town.PASS THE BUCK. I don’t believe for a minute that the dog catcher was biten or hurt on the job, if you call them all they do is drive by, if you see them
at all. James Valley is a JOKE………………
It seems that you don’t have all the facts. Please understand, the Humane Society had the “animal shelter” shut down stating that the conditions were too poor. Ok, point taken. However, rather than taking the animals anywhere themselves, they–the Human Society–placed the animals at the city sanitary department. At the sanitary? Are the dogs trash? Moreover, the dogs were in four pins in the hot sun! Come on! These “animal lovers” left the dogs in what I consider “worst conditions” for five (5) months. The sanitation workers, who had no experience caring for animals, were uncomfortable. After repeated efforts to get help with a bad situation, the mayor did what he thought was best–let the dogs fend for themselves. Finding better conditions should have been the Humane Society’s job!
What kind of “idiot” would do this? I say one who has a heart, one who is on the front line seeing it all happen. Would you prefer euthanizing them?
The Humane Society has only raised $700 to do anything worth while for the animal shelter and Mayor Valley mentioned that it will take minimum of $50K to have a decent shelter. It really sounds like the Humane Society cares (sarcasm meant).
Thanks.
@Mike Hunter – man, that is low. He’s bad because he’s a black man?
I call it Idiot with a capital “I-D-I-O-T”, Mr. Valley. You’re obviously trolling the websites. Great use of your time. Now…go outside, and head straight down to the Humane Society and offer your services to help clean up this mess.
Just another fact that Mr. Valley failed to mention in his support of his relative. Our mayor seemed to think that we could afford about that much extra money to line HIS pocket each year when he origionally asked for his humongous raise. He didn’t get nearly what HE thought we could spare for him. SO.. yeah, 50K… Build the damn shelter and get the dogs off the street. YOU wanted to be responsible for our citizens… be responsible! UGH! You could start with the brand new Tundra you bought yourself to ride around in, Even though, as an attorney, surely you already had a nice vehicle.
Not that anyone will do anything. The thugs and theives run this city now.
He just got fined by the Feds. Here is the link – FoxNews
Took ‘em long enough.