Hundreds chime in on King County animal shelters issue

Hundreds chime in on King County animal shelters issue

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Story Published: Apr 14, 2008 at 11:29 PM PDT

Story Updated: Nov 20, 2008 at 6:27 PM PDT

By KOMO Staff

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KING COUNTY, Wash. -- Hundreds raised their voices against county officials on Monday night, calling for several different solutions to the county's animal shelters crisis.

County leaders held the public hearing in Burien in preparation for its upcoming decision on just how to fix the so-called "deplorable" conditions at the shelters.

Officials will soon decide whether it will allow the county to continue running the shelters or hand over the task to an outside source.

Last Thursday county officials demanded immediate upgrades at the shelters, including new cat cages, new dog runs, additional staff and, most importantly, a change in the shelters' culture. The upgrades total $1 million.

The officials' order followed a scathing report from a county-hired consultant who last month reported that he found cages that were dirty enough to be labeled as a breeding ground for diseases, and witnessed animals that were left without food or water.

Animal control officers dismissed the consultant's claims as one side in what they call a "he-said, she-said" mix-up. But area residents did not dismissed the report as quickly.

More than 600 people attended the public hearing at the Highline Performing Arts Center to discuss the issue and to push for a solution that would be in the best interest of the sheltered critters.

One group said in order for the county to maintain a clean shelter free of diseases and filth, some animal control officers will have to go.

"What we want to see is good training, passionate people," said a woman in attendance.

Others claimed those officers' hands have been tied because members of the King County Council have refused to provide the shelters with adequate resources to operate at a competent level.

"I noticed that you guys are spending $85,000 on a consultant. That's more than you guys are spending to make changes to the medical facilities," said one man to the county leaderships.

But council member Dow Constantine said the animal shelters never had to go without.

"The people in the shelters may have been asking for money, but in the budgets from the executive, we've funded every penny of that money from 2002 right to 2007," he said.

Al Dams with King County Animal Control maintained that animal control officers have been adequately caring for the sheltered animals.

"I have work documents and I have sworn statements from officers that did do the work to back that up," he said. "It's unfortunate that people continue to talk about that and put misinformation out there."

The county's final decision on the fate of the animal shelters is expected in early August.

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