Summerville Animal Control
One of the more bizarre situations I encountered would have to be the investigation involving the City of Summerville Animal Control Shelter, and a private operated rescue organization. For me, this particular ordeal really drove home the point that it appeared that the Doa could care less what the licensees do - to citizens, animals, or even their own employees.
In February of 2004, I received a verbal complaint from a local vet in Chattooga County, Georgia. The complaint involved a Director of the city Animal Control, and who also owned, and operated, a separate animal rescue organization. Some of the complaints I received included allegations of cruelty, theft of dogs/cats, improper use of euthanasia chemical, etc. I spoke with close to 20 citizens regarding those allegations, conducted numerous interviews, and approximatley a month later, I convinced my superervisor to meet with these complainents to hear, for himself, what they were alleging. My supervisor finally called a meeting, that was held at the Summerville Library. My supervisor was present, along with the Assistant State Vet, and all of us listened while these people told us about what they had had to endure allegedly at the hands of this woman. One couple, who had their three legged family dog euthanized, broke down crying when recounting what had happened.
Prior to my supervisor calling this community meeting, I had been reassuring the people of Chattooga County that this situation would be fully investigated and providing the allegations were founded, we, the state, the Department of Agriculture Animal "Protection" Division, would ensure that this was resolved in a satisfactory manner. I said this because that is what I believed to be true. Looking back, I inadvertantly lied to them. I let them down due to the Ga Department of Agriculture Animal Protection Division letting me down.
After that meeting, my supervisor took me, along with the Assistant State Vet, and an Equine Department employee, and drove to Trion, Ga in Chattooga County. We all sat down in the office to question the licensee regarding the allegations we had received from citizens. She denied all allegations that were presented to her.
At the conclusion, I walked outside to get some paperwork out of the car, and upon walking back in the front door observed my supervisor and the licensee standing close to the front door. Once I realized what was being said, all I could do was stand there with my mouth dropped. I had heard my supervisor give 'that' same speech before to animal controls, so I wasn't shocked at the content of his conversation. It was with who, and the timing that went all over me. Here we were at this establishment conducting an investigation due to allegations of criminal behavior involving this licensee, and he is standing there giving her the 'body incinerator' sales pitch. I had heard him give this sales pitch to other shelter employees, about how much money they could make if they would purchase a body incinerator to burn the animal carcasses, and then sell the ashes for fertilizer. When I walked in on the conversation, he was up to the part about how much such a contraption would cost her, but how it would pay off in the long run.
I turned around, without saying a word, and walked back outside. Once outside I got in the car to wait on my supervisor. On the drive back, I guess he noticed my silence, asking me if anything was wrong. I told him that I was not feeling well, and left it at that. "Not feeling well' was an extreme understatement. Inside I was livid. If I didn't realize before then, I realized that day that I had pretty much lost all my respect for my supervisor.
In a week or so, I was told by my supervisor that this shelter's staff had been phoning the office to request copies of the complaint(s) against them. My supervisor had heard, from the complainents at the meeting, that this licensee was prone to being extremely aggressive towards anyone that questioned her authority. He advised me to take another inspector with me due to, he said, her reputation for being aggressive. He told me to do a followup inspection, and close the latest complaint out so they could get a copy of the paperwork.
Myself and another inspector drove to Summerville Animal Control on a Saturday. We arrived to a locked gate, so we parked in the street, and within minutes, a shelter employee arrived, pulling her vehicle behind our state cars. She asked what we were doing, and then said she had contacted the local law enforcement due to us trespassing on "their" property. We identified ourselves, showed her our badges, pointed out the big state seals on both doors of the car, and told her that we were there to investigate a complaint against their establishment. We also reminded her that we were parked on a county road, which was not private property, nor was the Animal Control shelter itself, private property.
The Sheriff's Department responded, and we explained to the Officer why we were there. We showed the Officer a copy of the Department of Agriculture Animal Protection Rules and Regulations stating that we were within the legal boundries of our visit. In a few minutes, a female pulls up in a personal vehicle and claimed she was the Shelter Director. Once we were allowed inside we conducted an inspection of the grounds and building. I discovered a deep freezer in the back of the shelter and after opening it, observed what appeared to be animal carcasses filling the freezer up to about 75-85% full. I noted that in my inspection report.
After we inspected the animal control facility, we then told the Director that we would also need to conduct an inspection at her animal rescue establishment located approximately 5 miles away from the animal control building. The Director refused our request stating that we could come back that following Monday but she would not allow us access to her property that day. We contacted our supervisor to advise him that this licensee had refused us entry onto the property. He said to just leave the property and he would accompany us on a follow up visit sometime that next week.
That week, I believe it was on a Wednesday, we drove back to the Animal Control shelter for a follow up inspection. I had told my supervisior about the freezer being almost full of dogs and told him that alot of the allegations I had received involved stolen, or missing, pets - so we could unload the freezer and see if any of the bodies matched the owner's description. When I checked the freezer, I observed it to be empty except for two or three bodies. Knowing already that the normal sanitation pickup for this establishment was on Fridays, and myself and the other inspector were just there on Saturday. So why were almost all of the carcasses gone? And where did they go.
After we left, I talked my supervisor into phoning the local waste management company that this shelter used for body pick up. He called on his cell phone, on the drive out of Chattooga County, and spoke with an employee of the company who my supervisor said confirmed that animal control's normal carcass pickup day was Fridays but the Director had phoned them late Monday night requesting a special pickup that next day. My supervisor asked him had she ever called them before requesting a special pickup for another day besides a Friday. My supervisor said that the employee stated 'no', that their pickup had always been on Fridays.
A few days later, my supervisor told me that this establishment had, again, phoned the office to request a copy of the complaint(s) filed against her. He said that he told her that in order to obtain copies, the complaint(s) first must be closed and an inspector would have to conduct another inspection and providing the violations were corrected, she could then obtain copies of any complaints that were closed. He instructed me to do a followup inspection and if the violations cited were corrected, to close the complaint. He told me to take another inspector with me due to this licensee's alleged aggressive nature.
Myself and another inspector drove to this licensee's rescue establishment, and upon entering the building, we were stopped by a female identifying herself as the Assistant Director for the establishment, and told us that she would need to contact the Director to accompany us on the inspection. We explained to her that it was not required for a 'Director' to be present for an inspection, and we proceeded to the back where the kennels were located.
While myself and the other inspector were observing the kennels and dogs housed, I heard a loud voice approaching, yelling extremely loud and using profanity. I turned around and observed the licensee coming down the run area towards me in an obvious state of anger. I attempted to explain to her that we were there at her request so that the complaint could be closed so she could then obtain the copies of the complaint report. She was yelling so loudly, and exhibiting what I took as an extremely hostile demeanor directed at me, she appeared to not be listening or hearing what I was attempting to say to her.
She left the area and returned with a picture frame that held her state license, began to move towards my direction with the picture frame in her hand raised as if she was about to strike me with it. She continued to shout obscenities towards me, telling me that I could have her license but that I was not going to be on her property. The other inspector then asked her if she was voluntarily surrendering her license, due to her demand that I 'take' the license. The licensee responded with additional profanity, and referring to me as a 'bitch' and said that we could not have her license.
I attempted to remind her, again, of the request for the complaint to be closed. At that time, she grabbed my arm, then attempted to twist me around towards her. I pulled my arm out of her grasp and stated to the other inspector that I would go up front and dial 911. I walked outside and called my supervisor. He said for us to leave the property, go to the courthouse and obtain an inspection warrant and return to the establishment with a deputy. So myself and the other inspector drove to the county courthouse and were in the process of obtaining the warrant. While we were there, our supervisor called, saying to hold off on the warrant and he, or another supervisor, would drive back up there that next week when things calmed down a little.
On the advice of the other inspector, who had witnessed the physical attack on me by the licensee, we went by the local Sheriff's Department where I filled out an incident report regarding the situation at the establishment. This incident report can be requested under the Open Records Act at Chattooga County Sheriff's Office located at 35 West Washington St. Summerville, Ga 30747. The incident report case number is: 04060074 and took place on June 4, 2004.
A few days later I personally drove down to the office, walked in the Director's office and placed the incident report on her desk. Her response was to tell me to let things calm down and a supervisor would be going back to this establishment that following week. Week after week, I asked about when someone would be addressing this situation. I continued to be told that it would be 'handled soon'. Enough time went by to where I was pretty much convinced that it wasn't going to be handled. I considered taking a warrant out on this licensee myself but I kept being told to 'hold off, it would be taken care of'.
I left the Doa not long after that, which I will also address my departure in this document, so I am not aware when, or if, anyone ever "addressed" the situation. My guess would be? Of course not.
Flash forward to November 5, 2004. The Summerville News ran a huge front page story regarding this Director's arrest, November 1, 2004, for felony animal cruelty. I got word from residents in Chattooga County telling me that they had faxed, phoned and emailed, the Doa to let them know of her arrest. I spoke with my supervisor, who told me that the Doa's, then, Asst. State Vet, who lives in the same county as this licensee, also brought in a copy of the newspaper with her arrest on the front page. I assumed the Doa would hastily revoke her license given their claim that no one convicted of an animal related crime (only in Georgia though, so sayeth Tommy Irvin) can hold an Animal Protection license.
However, I heard the Doa did not revoke her license, nor suspend it. It was told to me they allowed her to continue her rescue operation for another nine months, until she tried to renew her license. Supposedly, the Doa took her two hundred dollar license fee, and denied her application, based on her conviction.
I also heard that on the new inspector's ( the one that replaced me) printed out establishment list, there was a note beside this licensee's name that warned not to visit this establishment alone, there had to be two inspectors for this particular establishment.
According to the Kelly Search site where Animal Protection licenses/licensees can be searched:
http://www.kellysolutions.com/ga/apd/AnimalShelter/showcoinfo.asp?CompanyID=A184
This establishment is listed as expiring November 30, 2005. Her arrest was November of 2004, her conviction in February of 2005, but her license was never revoked.
I was elated that she had finally been brought to justice for her treatment of animals. However, if all of the allegations were true, justice was not served for alot of other family pets.
November 1, 2004 Summerville, Ga. News Article
Warrants are pending against an animal shelter operator who tossed a dead dog into the Chattooga County Commissioner's Office during an emotional outburst November 1, 2004. Theresa Smith Labrier, operator of the Lookout Mountain Animal Resources (LMAR), has four warrants against her that include: felony cruelty to animals, disorderly conduct, abandoning a dead dog on public property and abandoning an animal on public property. "She just threw the door open and slid the dead dog across the floor in front of Mrs Tucker's desk," the county's Animal Control Officer Joe Johnson Sr said. The county's animal shelter is not related or connected with LMAR.
Once tossing the dead animal covered by a garbage bag near the desk, Labrier yanked a mange ridden dog into the office. "It was scared and obvously did not want to come into the office. But she about choked it and dragged it inside," Tucker said. The frightened dog ran past the secretaries and into Commissioner Jim Parker's office where it proceeded to defecate. The dog left four piles of excrement on the carpet. Labrier told those there, even Chattooga County Sheriff's Investigator Mark Schrader, that her attorney Bobby Lee Cook Sr., advised her to make that public display. Labrier then stormed out of the office and I followed her out. She stated that she was informed by her lawyer on how to handle this case and if we needed to contact her we could do so through her lawyer, which she stated was Bobby Lee Cook," Investigator Schrader reported.
The Summerville News contacted Mr Cook yesterday afternoon and asked about his involvement. He was shocked that Labrier even mentioned his name and denied any involvement. "Ive had no conversation with her. That is totally false," Mr Cook said. "Ive not spoken with this woman in over a year. I cannot remember how long it's been, probably longer. For anyone to sugggest that I would tell someone to do something like that is the most incredulous thing that I've ever heard. That is absolutely preposterous. I resent it and I'm appalled at the conduct of someone that would say this. That is crazy, absolutely crazy," Mr Cook said.
Labrier may have made other false statements during his ordeal as well, Johnson said. The LMAR representative says a vehicle had struck the dead dog she tossed into the Commissioner's Office. "She dropped the bag on the floor and stated that this dog had been hit by a car in the roadway outsid of her business because animal control would not come and pick it up," Investigator Schrader reported. Once Labrier left, the animal was picked up and taken to the Sumerville Veterinarian Clinic for a necropsy. Veterinarian Bridget A Hopkins examined the dog and ruled in her opinion that it had not been hit by a car, but had been euthanized. "The animal is approximately 50 lbs and in good flesh. Grossly there are no external abrasions., contusions or deformities," Hopkins' veterinarian report stated. Hopkins did not want to be the sole authority on this decision. She wanted an outside independent source to check the dog, so she asked the University of Georgia in Athens to perform a necropsy. "They came up with the same conclusion as Dr. Hopkins," Johnson said. "It had not been hit by a car".
The incident first started early on November 1, 2004 when Labrier called the county's animal shelter. She wanted the county to come over and pick up some animals at LMAR, Johnson said. The animal control officer already had a list of animals to capture from earlier calls and could not immediately go. "One hour later, Labrier calls and she told a shelter employee that if I didnt go over there within two hours she was calling the Sheriff," Johnson said. "I had five calls ahead of her. I take the calls in order as I get them, unless it's a vicious dog case". Mr Johnson, upset with the comment that Labrier was going to call the Sheriff, went to advise County Commissioner Jim Parker of the threat. At the Commissioner's office, they were already receiving calls from Labrier. "It was not 10 minutes after that she pulls up and storms in with her cellphone," Johnson said. A highly emotional Labrier put the cellphone in Mrs Tucker's face, demand that answer her questions and several times told other people in the room to 'shut up'. Already the secretaries were alarmed and called for a Sheriff's Deputy to come over. Labrier appeared to b upset and was complaining about her callsl to the animal control officer were unnanswered. Labrier stated that during the night, someone had dropped animals over their fence at their place of buisiness. Labrtier stated that she had placed several calls to animal control wanting the animals removed," Investigator Schrader reported. Labrier then told Schrader that she called Mrs Tucker for help but nothing was done. "Martha Tucker interrupted Labrier and told her that she had just called her at approximately 10:30 am and that she had placed a call in to the Commisioner who was unavailable at the exact time and was waiting on a response from him regarding Labrier's complaint," Investigator Schrader reported. Labtrier then left the building and came back within seconds with a black plastic garbage bag, with the dead dog. It was put in front of Mrs Tucker's desk. "She then stepped to the door and pulled another dog, which was alive, by a leash and collar and removed the leash and collar and said that this was the other one that they wouldnt come and get. I noticed that this dog appeared to have a severe case of the mange or some other ccondition because it's skin appeared to be extremely irritated and it didn't have very much hair still left on its body," Investigator Schrader reported. Labrier let go of the frightened dog, and it ran into the Commissioner's office where it soiled the carpet. A Hays State Prison inmate crew was calld to come over with gloves and shovels to cleant the carpet while Johnson got his truck and removed the dog. The hairless dog was in such bad shape that Johnson had to order the dog to be put to sleep.
Prosecuting Official: Mark Schrader / Chattooga Co Sheriff's Office Prosecutor
Charged: 11.01.2004
Felony Aggravated Animal Cruelty
Giving False Statements
Abandoning an animal on public property
Abandoning a dead animal on public property
Indicted: 01.26.05
Felony Aggravated Animal Cruelty
Giving False Statements
Abandoning an animal on public property
Abandoning a dead animal on public property
Convicted: 02.24.05
Felony Aggravated Animal Cruelty - Nolle Pros
Giving False Statement - Nolle Pros
Abandoning Animal on public property - Convicted / Pleaded First Offender Status
Abandoning dead animal on public property - Convicted / Pleaded First Offender Status
Sentence:
12 months probation for each of the two convictions = 24 months probation
500.00 fine / 110.00 court cost / 50.00 P.O.T.F. / 61.00 J.C.F. / 30.50 V.A.P.
39.00 Probation Supervision Fee Per Month
Below is a copy of the Incident Report I filed with with the Chattooga County Sheriff's Office regarding the physical attack by Animal Protection licensee Theresa Smith.
bravenet.com