A Virginia man is claiming that Huntsville Animal Services wrongfully killed a dog he had previously taken care of.
Bill Hoyt, the executive director of the Strafford Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Stafford, Va., said that the dog’s death was unnecessary and that he was unsuccessful in reaching shelter officials throughout multiple attempts to save the dog. Although Hoyt was not the owner of the dog, he said he sees him as his own after caring for him prior to his adoption.
“I am absolutely sick, and furious about the murder of our dog and the complete refusal of ‘leadership’ to even acknowledge the mistake, own it, and deal with me like an adult,” Hoyt said this week. “Instead they circle the wagons and lie – publicly.”
In a statement released this week, Huntsville Animal Services representatives say they were unable to speak with Hoyt or the man he had working to retrieve the dog in the area.
During the time they had the dog, Jaxx, shelter officials say he displayed aggressive behavior, which made him unfit for adoption.
“Jaxx, a stray picked up by Madison County Animal Control was brought to Huntsville Animal Services on Oct. 1,” the statement reads.
“Huntsville Animal Services held him for greater than the seven-day hold period for owner redemption, as required by state law. Unfortunately, during that period, he displayed aggressive behavior, which prevented him from being made available for adoption and led to his euthanasia on Oct. 10.”
“Animal Services staff were unable to speak directly with parties who inquired about Jaxx before the decision to euthanize. This was an unfortunate situation, and aspects of this case are under review by Animal Services leadership.”
Hoyt said he was trying to save the dog that had been in his shelter up until his adoption in 2017. He was brought to Alabama sometime later.
On Oct. 1, Hoyt said he was alerted that the dog’s microchip had been scanned by Madison County Animal Control, who brought the dog to Huntsville Animal Services.
A man — apparently connected to Hoyt — contacted the shelter on Oct. 9 and 10 but hung up after being put on hold, Huntsville Animal Services told News 19. Hoyt requested to speak to a supervisor on Oct. 10, the day Jaxx was euthanized, but Huntsville Animal Services said no one was available.
In his investigation of Jaxx’s death, Hoyt said his Facebook and email have been overrun with others detailing “horrific experiences” with the city’s animals services.
“Huntsville is way too big, too wealthy, and too modern to be operating with that kind of draconian facility, management, and indifferent political cover,” he said.
“From what I’ve seen over the past 24 hours, as my inbox overflows, is that I’m absolutely not alone. Apparently, this happens all the time, and is business as usual, which explains the absolute indifference of staff and management.”
No Kill Huntsville, a local animal advocacy group, recently claimed that euthanasia is at a 10-year high at the city shelter, according to a report from The Huntsville Times’ Scott Turner.
The release stated that one in four dogs entering the shelter “is destroyed even though fewer dogs enter the shelter now than five years ago.”
“It is the position of city officials that no animals have been destroyed at HAS (Huntsville Animal Services) for space or convenience since the fall of 2014,” the release said. “With skyrocketing euthanasia rates, this claim is no longer believable.”
The group is pushing an ordinance it believes would help reduce the euthanasia rate at the shelter. The ordinance – called the Huntsville Animal Protection Act – would codify some of the operations of Huntsville Animal Services, according to Turner’s report.
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