Woman accused of selling dead animals

[gaddylovesdogs]

June 3rd, 2005
Wheaton, IL DuPage County, Illinois leaders are looking for a new animal control director.

They've fired Roberta Owens.

Animal activists accused the department of putting too many animals to sleep and selling dead cats and dogs for classroom dissection.

Besides looking for a new director, the county is also reviewing the animal care facility.

[bigdoglover]

is there an update??? I live in Illinois, too, and somehow missed this!!

[gaddylovesdogs]

I missed it, too...I was just searching a website and found it. I'm not sure if there's an update, I'll look for one.

[Novel]

Unfortunately, I believe in PA, a humane society was selling live dogs scheduled for euthanasia to biology classrooms. I'll see if I can find that article.

[paramount]

Animal control director dismissed
DuPage agency seeks replacement, adds post for rescue coordinator

By John Biemer
Tribune staff reporter
Published June 3, 2005


Under fire from activists who say their Animal Care and Control Department has been putting too many animals to sleep and selling dead cats and dogs for classroom dissection, DuPage county officials announced Thursday that they have laid off the agency's manager and begun a nationwide search for a replacement.

The new director must have experience in animal control and veterinary service, unlike Roberta Owens, a longtime county worker whose experience before heading the department had been administrative.

The move followed a nationwide review of similar-sized animal control facilities.

County officials described it as a change in philosophy that also fits its ongoing effort to restructure and modernize county departments, not a reflection on the job Owens had done.

"This change in mission is not unique to our county as animal control agencies across the country are adjusting their missions in order to meet the rising expectations of their residents," County Board Chairman Robert Schillerstrom said in a statement.

The county also announced that it would create a new position--rescue coordinator--to work with animal rescue groups and shelters in making the Animal Care and Control Center more accessible to people seeking to adopt pets.

County spokeswoman Diana Paluch said the mission of animal care and control is "substantially different" than when it was as a unit of law enforcement, to protect public health. It's now "more and more about rescue, adoption and education, as well as the public safety issues," she said.

"We have to try to make sure every healthy animal that comes in that front door we find a home for," said Jason Gerwig, another county spokesman.

Since fall, DuPage animal rights activists repeatedly have criticized the facility, charging that it fails to provide proper veterinary care, euthanizes too many dogs and cats and does not notify people dropping off their pets to be put down that their carcasses could be used for educational purposes.

The leading critic of the facility, Cherie Travis, who runs a Downers Grove non-profit animal shelter, said the county "made a mistake" appointing Owens to the position two years ago and that "proved problematic."

"My feeling is it took a little bit long to get this process going, and I think the county is making up for lost time," she said. "I think what I'm seeing is extremely positive. The county can and should be one of the best [animal control facilities] in the country."

This winter, the county hired an independent non-profit group, the National Animal Control Association, to analyze its practices.

The review is not yet complete.

The county will announce more structural changes to the department in coming weeks, Schillerstrom said.

[ChiChi]

THIS IS TERRIBLE!!! i cant believe it! KILL THEM!!! (lol this is sarcasm)

[FurryAngel33]

How Terrible

[bigdoglover]

It took 2 years to decide this woman was a bad choice for the job?????? Unbelieveable!!!!

[chesty]

WHY DON'T MORE VETERINARIANS OFFER FREE OR AT LEAST DISCOUNTED SPAY AND NUETER CLINICS? ARE THEY NOT THERE FOR THE GOOD OF THE ANIMAL OR IS IT JUST TO MAKE A QUICK BUCK? EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON HOW BIG THE PROBLEM REALLY IS AND MAYBE THEY MIGHT BE MORE INCLINED TO GET THEIR PET FIXED. TOO MANY VETS MAKE NEW CLIENTS PAY FOR AN OFFICE EXAM, VACCINATIONS (IF NEEDED), BLOODWORK AND MANY OTHER ,MORE THAN LIKELY, UNNECESSARY TEST BEFORE THEY CAN GET THEIR PET FIXED. MOST PEOPLE WHERE I'M FROM (SMALL REDNECK TOWN) CAN'T EVEN AFFORD THE SURGERY LET ALONE ANYTHING ELSE SO THEY SHY AWAY FROM THE WHOLE THING AND THEIR PET HAS LITTER AFTER LITTER. FIX THE OVERPOPULATION PROBLEM WITH FREE OR CHEAPER CLINICS DAMMIT!!!!!!!!!!!

[Novel]

Chesty, thank you for your post, but please, save all of our ears and do not shout (it is considered rude to post in all capitals, it's the equivalent of yelling.)
I do agree that having a pet spayed or neutered is a considerable cost, and many metropolitan areas have developed free or highly reduced rates to those in need. Some even offer mobile vets to spay and neuter when there is a need.
In my closest small town, about 300 people, there is a vet that will spay for nothing in order to assist the pet overpopulation problem. You have to set it up with her, and it's on a per person basis, but she does it, and I believe many other vets and humane societies would as well, if they were approached correctly.

[Cassiepeia]

A lot of shelters will happily help people who can't afford the cost of the spay or neuter. It's up to people to be responsible not for vets to seek people out.


Cass.

[Kelly]

There are low cost spay & neuter clinics as well. Some people are just not very smart about it, my parents for example have a golden who is NOT neutered!!! It makes my blood boil. They spend their money on other things and then say they have no money to neuter him. I tell them all the time if he creates and unwanted litter, I will disown them. They also have 2 unfixed cats, one male, one female. I can never believe my OWN family can be this dumb about it. It makes me mad.

Some people just shouldn't have pets.

[PitBullie09]

That is really terrible and sad.

[Angelina2005]

To think people keep doing stuff like this...sometimes I hate being human.

My mother always said I was born into the wrong species. And I truly believe she is right sometimes. People's actions make me sick. These people are supposed to be animal people, not out for a quick buck.

[Cassiepeia]

True Angelina (BTW, welcome to the forum! ), unfortunately sometimes money wins out over everything else.

Cass.