Last week, the four dogs and four cats at the Houston Animal Shelter were disposed of by way of gunshot. City officials claimed the animals had been at the shelter since November, and the city could not afford to feed them indefinitely or pay for lethal chemical injections.
At the time, Deputy Mayor Lance Wilson said the cost of euthanizing a dog started at $65 and was scheduled to increase to almost double that. This figure, he said, was based on information given to him by Community Service Officer Dennis Lords.
 ROBERT DeBERRY/Frontiersman 2006 file photo Former Houston animal control officer Dennis Lords was fired from his position with the city on Monday. |
Wilson had city employees pull the records of the veterinary clinics the city used for past euthanizations. When he called the clinics to check the prices, Wilson said he was shocked.
The city has had a relationship with the Palmer Veterinary Clinic since 2002, co-owner Dr. Ron Williams said. The price for euthanasia today is what it was in 2002, and there has never been any indication this price will go up.
The price charged to the city to euthanize a dog is $25, Williams said, plus another $7 to dispose of the body.
Wilson said if the council had known the real cost, “We would have never permitted these animals to be shot.”
Like many veterinary clinics, Williams said his donates time and services to local animal shelters. He euthanizes animals for the shelters at cost, thus offering the service for less than the $53 charged a private resident.
Additionally, Williams said, “If they had called and said, ‘We will shoot these animals if you don’t do them,’ I probably would have told them to bring them in.”
Williams conceded that a well-placed bullet can be highly effective, but the chances are that at least one of the eight did not go as planned.
“The goal is for these animals not to suffer. You don’t do things like they did. You want the animal not to suffer,” Williams said.
The only explanation offered by Lords, Wilson said, was that he was factoring in mileage, time and wear and tear on the vehicles. This explanation proved insufficient, as Lords was fired Monday morning.
In response, Lords said he did provide the information about the cost of euthanizing animals. His understanding, he said, was that it cost $35 for a cat and $65 for a dog. In hindsight, he said, he should have called the Palmer clinic to confirm.
But even if he had presented the lower number, Lords said it would not have mattered. He was given a budget to work with and there was no extra money for even a $25 fee to an outside clinic. Lords added that he had made every attempt to get the animals adopted out. Cat rescues typically only take younger cats or cats with a litter of kittens. Alaska Dog and Puppy Rescue passed on the dogs because they were older than 5 years old.
Julia Durand, the president of Alaska Dog and Puppy Rescue, said it’s true the group has an age limit for dogs it fosters. But if the group had known the dogs were to be euthanized, it would have found another rescue group or other people willing to take older dogs.
Without its animal control officer, Wilson said the city is using Plettner Kennels as a temporary location for sheltering animals. Wilson said he thinks one animal has come in since the incident, and it is either at Plettner Kennels or will be there shortly.
Despite the revelation about the costs, Wilson said questions still remain as to why the act was carried out in the way it was. The Houston City Council took these questions to Sergeant Charlie Seidl — the officer who shot the animals — at a special meeting Monday night.
Contact Todd L. Disher at todd.disher@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.
Comments
39 comment(s)Keep Purcell wrote on Feb 23, 2010 1:28 AM:
truth needs to come out wrote on Feb 12, 2010 2:02 PM:
You should know... wrote on Feb 12, 2010 8:50 AM:
debra wrote on Feb 11, 2010 3:15 PM:
blueeyedgurly wrote on Feb 10, 2010 10:48 PM:
Your way off base! I saw first hand how this man operates. Never took the time to call rescue shelters or find homes just dumped animals off at the Vet to be euthanized. I watched this for 3 years and have been waiting for the day he would be gone! Think what you will but you have no clue. There are many others I know who have seen the same with him and agree with me. We are all glad he will no longer be incharge of any animals!!!!! "
HAdashotgun wrote on Feb 10, 2010 1:04 PM:
Matt vally wrote on Feb 10, 2010 9:59 AM:
If you think wrote on Feb 10, 2010 9:56 AM:
be the change wrote on Feb 10, 2010 12:48 AM:
pheonix wrote on Feb 10, 2010 12:45 AM:
palmer guy wrote on Feb 9, 2010 10:48 PM:
lovesdogs wrote on Feb 9, 2010 10:07 PM:
CatBullington wrote on Feb 9, 2010 9:23 PM:
justme... wrote on Feb 9, 2010 9:13 PM:
TRUTH wrote on Feb 9, 2010 8:40 PM:
Who Cares wrote on Feb 9, 2010 8:13 PM:
concerned wrote on Feb 9, 2010 7:48 PM:
VALLEY MAN wrote on Feb 9, 2010 6:51 PM:
Mat - Su wrote on Feb 9, 2010 5:06 PM:
Plentner kennels wrote on Feb 9, 2010 5:03 PM:
the fact is wrote on Feb 9, 2010 4:58 PM:
All Creature Lover wrote on Feb 9, 2010 4:45 PM:
Outsider wrote on Feb 9, 2010 3:26 PM:
er wrote on Feb 9, 2010 12:43 PM:
dkvgsd wrote on Feb 9, 2010 12:11 PM:
Ron wrote on Feb 9, 2010 11:07 AM:
Bill wrote on Feb 9, 2010 11:03 AM:
When my old dog wandered away and was found (collar and tags) he was well cared for. At 14 he has been around along time.
And yes folks when my "Old Yeller's" is at the end of the road I will take him for one of his favorite walks and only one of us will come back.....
You bleeding hearts need to start taking all these animals into YOUR house and feed them. "
Dennis is a good man wrote on Feb 9, 2010 9:49 AM:
houston resident wrote on Feb 9, 2010 9:47 AM:
Matt vally wrote on Feb 9, 2010 9:40 AM:
jp wrote on Feb 9, 2010 9:28 AM:
when is someone going to stand up and do away with this tyranical S.O.B. "
DB wrote on Feb 9, 2010 8:57 AM:
john harkey wrote on Feb 9, 2010 8:55 AM:
euth wrote on Feb 9, 2010 6:52 AM:
If they were "euthanized" with a needle no one would whimper.
It seems to be mostly women who are upset, and it's because the bullet is seen to be so much more violent than the needle. "
blueeyedgurly wrote on Feb 9, 2010 6:13 AM:
Good bye and Good Riddance. Knowing you wont be able to hurt animals anymore makes my day. I have been waiting for someone to see what you are really like for years. A heartless animal killer! "
No.1HockeyMom wrote on Feb 9, 2010 4:59 AM:
paul Maguire PhD wrote on Feb 9, 2010 4:15 AM:
All God's creatures. "
Rick wrote on Feb 9, 2010 1:40 AM:
akmom wrote on Feb 9, 2010 12:10 AM:
no more animal executions
337,000 bucks more for parks and roads "