Activists Call for Overhaul at Harrison County Dog Pound

Last week, all the dogs were cleared out of the Harrison County Dog Pound in Ohio, in a dramatic rescue that started with Alyssa Milano and ended with The Gentle Barn. Unfortunately, a few days later, new dogs were being subjected to the miserable conditions at the pound.

Despite the national spotlight on it, nothing changed at the facility where there are no external walls to protect dogs from the freezing winter, where disease commonly spreads through the population, and where they aren't open long enough for people to find lost pets, adopt or rescue animals.

Even more unbelievable is that the Harrison County Commissioners actually defend the way they treat their community's homeless pets, with Commissioner Mike Vinka saying, "We are a dog pound, not an animal shelter."

Yesterday, Robin McClelland, Executive Director of the Appalachian Ohio SPCA, was given five minutes to present the dogs' case to the County Commissioners. (That's five minutes longer than she's been given at previous meetings.) In a powerful and eloquent letter presented to the commissioners, McClelland wrote that it's time to stop the excuses, finger pointing and retaliation, and take action to help the community's dogs.

"One can argue the difference between a 'pound' and a 'shelter.' Regardless of the label you choose, no one can argue that any publicly funded facility should be operated simply as a warehousing death camp for animals, which fosters suffering, rather than compassion."

The Harrison County Commissioners are already facing a lawsuit brought by the Ohio SPCA, who has received complaints of dead animals being left in cages, feces in food bowls and the lack of heat. The lawsuit also cites that, until recently, the dog pound used a homemade gas chamber to kill animals.

Over the past week, nearly 8,000 Change.org community members have called for justice, sending a message to the Attorney General and the Harrison County Prosecutor to conduct a full investigation and prosecute those found responsible for allowing the suffering to persist. Yesterday, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation began an investigation into the dog pound.

McClelland and the AOSPCA have laid out a plan for the county, which includes immediately closing the substandard facility and working with rescue organizations to provide humane care for the county's homeless dogs while an adequate shelter, independently operated by a non-government entity, is established. Giving dogs a place to stay with walls and heat shouldn't be too much to ask.

The AOSPCA is also stressing that people who want to help shouldn't send contributions directly to the county dog pound or commissioners. In addition to the obvious mismanagement of taxpayer funds, activists have also photographed donated food thrown in the dumpster after being improperly stored. For information on how to help and to get updates on the situation, check out the AOSCPA's Facebook page.

While the Commissioners watch the national criticism rain down on their operations from the warmth of their offices and homes, it's a cold, endless winter for the dogs at the pound. The Commissioners have been telling the media that they can't comment on the conditions at the dog pound due to the lawsuit. But that's no excuse for them not to start making changes today to stop the suffering.

Tell the Harrison County Commissioners that you support the AOSPCA's plan for reform.

Photo credit: Appalachian Ohio SPCA