If you look up the word "holocaust" in the dictionary, one of the meanings includes "any mass slaughter or reckless destruction of life". (In this age of hypersensitivity I thought I'd better get that out there, for I am certainly not equating the following to the horrors wrought by Hitler.) With that being said, I must also say that I am horrified and downright angry at the Humane Society of Hall County's decision to euthanize pretty much every single animal in their "care" last week.
I, for one, would like a full explanation of how this tragedy came about. So far, what has been reported through The Gainesville Times and AccessNorthGa.com has felt like smoke and mirrors...perhaps because of poor journalism or worse, I fear, because the Humane Society really doesn't want us to know the full story.
The Bordetella virus (if this was, in fact, the illness that supposedly compromised the whole flock) is similar to the common cold, characterized by a dry, hacking cough which usually goes away on it's own and simply must run its course. Most veterinarians simply treat this illness symptomatically...with cough suppressants. Some vets do prescribe a short course of antibiotics - usually just because it makes the animal's owner feel more comfortable, but also to ward off any further complications. Bordetella is a fairly common illness among animals and, since it is highly contagious, is often spread in kennels.
According to the article in The Times, The Humane Society of Hall County typically holds about 250 animals. Rick Aiken, President of the organization, was quoted as saying he didn't know "exactly how many animals had been euthanized" but he did say it was "the majority" of those that were in the shelter.
Here is why I am not only perplexed, but outraged as well. Mr. Aiken was quoted in AccessNorthGa.com as saying "To be perfectly honest, probably 98% of these animals didn't have any problems." This begs the question, "WHY THEN?" He also mentioned that the shelter hadn't had a "thorough cleaning" in SEVEN years. That begs the question, "WHY NOT?"
WHY had the Humane Society not cleaned it's shelter in SEVEN years? Common sense tells you that thorough cleaning, regular disinfection and good ventilation are a must in any kennel. Is THIS how you clean house? Sacrificing the lives of innocent and healthy animals so that you can get a fresh start and do the job we hoped you were doing all along? Otherwise, WHY on earth would you euthanize scores of non-symptomatic dogs and cats...unless it was some twisted form of prophylactic medicine.
As the owner of three rescue dogs, one of whom came from HSHC, I am devastated at the thought that 98% of the animals who were put to sleep were actually healthy. Even if they HAD been sick, this illness was NOT fatal and easily treatable. I am pretty sure that if Mr. Aiken and his staff had made phonecalls to their faithful supporters and apprised them of this situation they would not have found much support for his plan of action and most likely would have been offered additional financial help or better ideas as to how to proceed.
Lastly, let me say that I have personally met Rick Aiken and perceived him as a man with a heart of gold and a lover of animals. He and the HSHC have been truly dedicated to helping the thousands and thousands of animals that end up there as a result of neglect, abuse and the absolute ignorance of people who refuse to spay and neuter their pets. I am quite sure that Mr. Aiken was deeply saddened to take the lives of so many precious dogs and cats. I feel horrible, too, for the HSHC staff who had to take part in this disaster. The REAL TRAGEDY in this whole thing is that is was AVOIDABLE and I think that the HSHC owes its supporters not only a detailed explanation of how and why this situation occured, but also a promise and a plan to ensure that something like this NEVER happens again.
