ROCKINGHAM — Although some corrections have been made at the Richmond County Animal Shelter since its inspection in January, the facility was still out of compliance on several issues in a follow-up this week.
The shelter’s inspection was labeled “Disapproved” both months.
The latest inspection report from the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Animal Welfare Section, dated Feb. 26, indicates the shelter is not in compliance with all local state and federal laws.
K2 Solutions, which has a canine training facility in the northeastern corner of the county, took over operations of the shelter from the county government in July of 2021.
Click here to read about K2 taking over.
According to the February inspection report, the shelter director, listed as B. Tadlock, admitted to using her certified euthanisa technician license to put down dogs at the K2 facility in Jackson Springs.
The report says the director claimed to have euthanized more than 50 dogs in a two-day period at the training facility.
The inspector, Elizabeth Garner, notes that the license “is issued solely for the purpose of euthanizing animals located at a permitted shelter.”
“This (training) facility is not permitted as a shelter and does not house shelter animals,” Garner writes. “The shelter director informs me that she has been utilized by K2 for this activity because the K2’s veterinarian has relocated out of state and is only on site for K2 several times a month.”
Garner says she told the director “that this is practicing veterinary medicine without a license and is not permissible.”
The report also indicates that animals are not being properly euthanized.
“…it was discovered that the shelter is using Euthasol off label to euthanize cats, additionally the shelter director admits verbally to diluting this drug with water, and showed me the bowl in the sink that held the water for diluting,” the inspector writes. “The dilution is being done to make it easier to administer. The director claims that this is what she was taught during her CET training.”
A review of a euthanization record for a dog weighing 67 pounds showed the canine only received 2 ml of the drug which is grossly underdosed,” according to Garner.
Garner notes that records in the shelter’s software system documents show the dog was given 4 ml, euthanized by K2’s vet Dr. Emily Falk.
“…however the staff admit that this was not the case, and that Pet Points only gives Dr. Falk as the option for performing euthanasia,” Garner writes. “When I asked the shelter director about this (under-dosing) she stated to me ‘well it worked.’”
The inspection in February did note that some improvements had been made from the previous month.
In January, the shelter’s animal housing facilities needed improvement, including:
- Insulation missing from the wall near the laundry room
- Electrical outlets open and uncapped in visitation rooms
- Open containers in the laundry storage area
- Standing water behind (not inside) canine enclosures
- Outdoor enclosures with damaged or missing protection
- Rusted and broken metal stripping posing a danger to animals and humans
- Waste not being removed twice daily
- Euthanasia manual not up to date
Garner, who performed the January inspection, noted in the February report that:
- the drains “are seen working properly”
- Protective covers have been replaced or added to outdoor enclosures
- Damaged metal has been replaced
However, the shelter still did not have any disaster and evacuation plans for animals held at the shelter, which was another thing docked in January.
Pam Simmons, an animal advocate who has been critical of the shelter in recent years — especially when it was operated by the county — sent an email to County Manager Bryan Land, the members of the Richmond County Board of Commissioners and local media expressing her concerns about the latest inspections.
(Disclosure: Simmons is a former contributor to the Richmond Observer.)
“This is more than unacceptable,” Simmons said in the email. “As a citizen, taxpayer, and animal lover/advocate in Richmond County, I cannot believe that the County Commissioners are allowing this type of inhumane and unsanitary treatment to continue to occur.”
In the email, Simmons highlights some of the inspection findings, which are mentioned in this story.
Simmons also references the $582,000 allocated in the county budget for the shelter — which exceeds the 2019 allocation (when it was still county-run) by more than $200,000.
“Each year, Lane Kjellson (founder and CEO of K2 Solutions) has asked for a sizeable increase in the budget and received it,” Simmons said, “And unfortunately, there have been no noticeable improvements in the management of the shelter over the time he has been in charge.”
Simmons also notes that there are four months left on the three-year contract and suggests “it is way past time to search out alternative management for the Richmond County Animal Shelter.”
“Please realize that the lives, humane care, and safety of the animals of Richmond County that end up in the animal shelter through no fault of their own, is on the line,” Simmons concluded. “Changes must be made. It is the only way that the taxpayers of Richmond County can move forward, with the assurance that the animals receive humane care at the shelter.”
Jeff Smart, chairman of the Richmond County Board of Commissioners, replied.
“We are very much aware of the two recent audits and are working very closely with State Officials on these issues,” Smart said. “The amount of taxpayer money being spent on the shelter is a huge concern for all of us just as you mentioned.
“We will continue to monitor the situation and work with the auditors and K2 to have the best animal shelter we possible can at a realistic price,” Smart added. “Please know that we do want our animals taken care of the right way just as you do.”
