Neglect alleged at city shelter, 200 animals dead - Memphis, TN

Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009

County: Shelby

Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 1 files available

Alleged:
» Ernest Alexander
» Angela Middleton
» Ivan Russell
» Tina Quattlebaum

Case Updates: 13 update(s) available

The Shelby County Sheriff's Office is digging into claims of animal abuse after a raid Tuesday morning at the Memphis Animal Shelter.

“We did find some animals that were apparently not well-cared for today,” said Steve Shular, a spokesman for the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. “We did find some animals that were malnourished.”

He said that wasn’t all deputies found inside.

“There were angry dogs placed with angry dogs in the facility, or dogs that were diseased placed in the same area as non-diseased dogs were,” he added.

An anonymous tip led Shelby County Sheriff's deputies to launch the raid. Shular said they will not release details just yet about how many dogs are part of this investigation, but Deborah Gibson worried her dog could be in that group. She said he ran away from home Saturday, and she arrived at the shelter Tuesday to pick him up.

“He's been here since Saturday and now I can't get him because of the raid, the warrants and stuff,” she said. “So he's going to spend Saturday through Thursday here when he could have been home with me.”

No dogs have been taken from the shelter. But 10 employees and the shelter's director aren't working there now.

“When it comes to animals, I want a facility that is beyond reproach, and that is the least you can ask for,” said Memphis Mayor-Elect A C Wharton, who was there for the raid. “And I won't stop until we get that.”

No one was arrested during the raid. Evidence collected by the Sheriff's office will be handed over to a grand jury which will make a decision about whether to indict anyone. While the investigation is underway, veterinarians and volunteers from animal advocacy groups will staff the shelter. The Sheriff's office is also asking people to refrain from dropping off animals at the shelter. Tuesday, about 40 dogs were dropped off, but the shelter doesn't have space to house them.

Full News Release

SHELBY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE INVESTIGATES MEMPHIS ANIMAL SHELTER AT REQUEST OF DISTRICT ATTORNEY

DEPUTIES EXECUTE SEARCH WARRANT OF SHELTER, TEMPORARILY SECURE FACILITY DURING INVESTIGATION

MEMPHIS, TN -- Shelby County District Attorney Bill Gibbons and Shelby County Sheriff Mark Luttrell announced Tuesday that deputies with the Sheriff’s Office had executed a search warrant at the City of Memphis Animal Shelter located at 3456 Tchulahoma Road and temporarily secured the facility as part of an investigation into alleged animal abuse and cruelty. District Attorney Gibbons requested the Sheriff’s Office investigation of the City of Memphis Animal Shelter earlier this month after receiving a tip from a citizen on the conditions at the shelter.

According to the search warrant, “detectives have learned that some animals have been deprived of food and water while at the Memphis Animal Shelter...” and while in the shelter’s care, “some dogs have been starved to the point of requiring euthanasia.” According to the search warrant, some of the dogs “are involved in court cases involving dog fighting and have been marked ‘Hold for Court.’” Additionally, the warrant says that shelter employees keep “dogs that are to be quarantined for rabies with dogs that are not required to be quarantined in the same kennel.”

“The information we received about the conditions of the Memphis Animal Shelter clearly warranted a criminal investigation, and it is very possible that one or more individuals could face criminal charges based on the outcome of the investigation,” said District Attorney Gibbons.

“Animals bring comfort and compassion to countless families. Animals often depend on others for their safety and protection. Once we were contacted by the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office, our detectives immediately investigated the allegations of possible abuse,” said Sheriff Luttrell.

While deputies are executing the search warrant, the facility will not be open to the public, and deputies will supervise limited employees inside the shelter. Animals brought to the facility during this time will be transferred to another shelter in Shelby County.

Trained investigators with ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and emergency responders with the American Humane Association are at the shelter assisting the deputies. Catherine Desteza, an experienced animal investigator with ASPCA, and Dr. Melinda Merck, DVM, Senior Director of Veterinary Forensic Services for ASPCA, are part of the team assisting the Sheriff’s office with the investigation. Both women were involved in the dog fighting investigation that led to the 2007 indictment of NFL player Michael Vick.

Volunteers from both ASPCA and the American Humane Association will also help care for the animals while the shelter is temporarily secured and employee access is limited.

Case Updates

Some employees at the Memphis Animal Shelter had ties to dog-fighting rings and operated outside city rules and procedures, according to a study of the shelter's operations conducted by the Memphis Rotary Club. The 22-page report to Mayor AC Wharton from the Rotary Club's Memphis Animal Shelter Evaluation Committee says that according to interviews with shelter workers, "there remains the clear understanding, on the part of all the employees, that certain individuals are exempt from the rules." Metcalf Crump, co-chairman of the Shelter Evaluation Committee, said shelter employees told committee members that some of their co-workers appeared to enjoy a protected status. "The staff was very open and wanted to share with us their feelings and thoughts and they did," Crump said Wednesday. The report also says shelter employees confirmed what many local animal-rights activists have suspected for years: "The employees at every level, while not willing to say so on the record, will readily volunteer that there has been a relationship between certain individuals and the illicit dog-fighting rings in the community. "This is particularly true where those who are perceived to be in a protected status are concerned. Extra care should be taken with new hires in the future to ensure that they have a desire to work humanely with animals." The employees did not identify who was involved in dog-fighting; it may take action by the Shelby County District Attorney General's Office to get them to speak on the record, Wharton said. "I'm going to turn the report immediately over to the D.A.," Wharton said Wednesday. "She has subpoena power. She can compel the employees, who I cannot compel them, to talk. I don't have subpoena power." The Shelby County Sheriff's Office raided the old shelter at 3456 Tchulahoma on Oct. 27, 2009. Officers found abused or neglected animals, a problem represented at the time by a widely circulated image of an emaciated dog. That dog and two others eventually starved to death, later reports revealed. Ultimately, former shelter director Ernest Alexander, veterinarian Angela Middleton and administrative supervisor Tina Quattlebaum were indicted on charges of aggravated cruelty to animals. This year, former Memphis Animal Services officer Demetria Hogan was charged by Memphis police with three counts of animal cruelty. On July 12, Hogan was dispatched to pick up an injured dog. It took about an hour for her to arrive at the site, and she didn't return to the city's animal shelter with the dog for another hour, according to a court document. By that time, the dog had died of what a veterinarian determined was heat stroke. Hogan also was charged with animal cruelty in connection with two pet pit bulls she picked up June 24 after they had escaped from a backyard in Cordova. One of the those dogs, Kapone, disappeared while in her care and became the object of a citywide search. The Rotary Club report notes that the shelter needs better record keeping to track the large number of vicious dogs it handles and needs to screen people who want to adopt them. "The vast majority of dogs brought in to the shelter are pit bulls," said the report. "Therefore, the potential for criminal activity is very real, and the checks for criminal background must be made. There should be a record of this with each adoption, available for audit. Under no circumstances, should any employee, regardless of rank, be allowed to conduct viewing (of animals) and adoption off the books." Built in 1972, the old shelter east of Memphis International Airport closed this month. The new Memphis Animal Services shelter, a 35,000-square-foot facility at 2350 Appling City Cove in Northeast Memphis, opened its doors Tuesday afternoon. Memphis Chief Administrative Officer George Little said the new facility, though a striking improvement over the old, is still not big enough to handle the animals brought through its doors. "It's already full," Little said. The Rotary report says a public education campaign about dog-fighting will be necessary to correct the city's "attitude that animals are disposable." "Until this is addressed, the shelter will continue to be overloaded, and not logistically capable of approaching any semblance of a no-kill facility," the report says. Documents Source: commercialappeal.com - Nov 16, 2011 Update posted on Nov 17, 2011 - 12:52PM

The former veterinarian in charge of the Memphis Animal Shelter who was fired by the city late last year in the wake of an October 2009 raid by law enforcement officials is suing the city for wrongful termination. Dr. Angela Middleton on Friday, Aug. 5, filed a federal lawsuit against the city alleging wrongful termination and employment discrimination "on the basis of race and retaliation in violation of federal law." Middleton was indicted with two other former shelter employees, including former director Ernest Alexander, after the Shelby County Sheriff's Department raided the shelter in October 2009 to investigate allegations of animal cruelty. Middleton, who is black, made $80,000 a year as the shelter's veterinarian. She worked with part-time veterinarian Dr. Rebecca Coleman, who is white. They were responsible for "evaluating the animals brought into the shelter and recommending and/or prescribing the proper treatment for animals," according to Middleton's lawsuit. After the shelter was raided, Middleton was put on paid leave and Coleman was hired to replace her. But the lawsuit says Middleton "engaged in no conduct which was in violation of any of her assigned responsibilities at the animal shelter" and that Middleton "throughout her entire employment with the Memphis Animal Shelter performed her job in an admirable way." Middleton's suit says the raid and "several false and misleading news reports" have made it impossible for her to find new work in her field. And that the city used her as a scapegoat for "years of administrative malfeasance." The suit asks for a jury trial. It also asks for back pay, front pay and unspecified compensatory and punitive damages. The shelter was raided in the early morning hours of Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr.'s first day on the job in October 2009. Among investigators' findings: at least three shelter dogs had starved to death, and graphic photos of one starving animal were made public in the ensuing scandal.

Source: memphisdailynews.com - Aug 8, 2011 Update posted on Aug 8, 2011 - 4:35PM

A Memphis Animal Shelter employee quit his job Friday, avoiding an administrative hearing set for that day. Animal control supervisor Ivan Russell had been awaiting the hearing for months. "Instead of coming to the hearing, he submitted his resignation," said Chief Administrative Officer George Little. Russell and two others were suspended with pay following an October raid at the shelter. Administrative supervisor Tina Quattlebaum and veterinarian Dr. Angela Middleton are scheduled for hearings on June 7. Quattlebaum, Middleton and former shelter director Ernest Alexander, whom Mayor A C Wharton fired following the raid, have been indicted on charges of aggravated cruelty to animals. Russell was not indicted. Under Tennessee law, aggravated cruelty is conduct carried out in a depraved and sadistic manner and which tortures or maims an animal, including failure to provide food and water to a companion animal resulting in death or substantial risk of death. Aggravated cruelty to animals is a Class E felony that carries a sentence of one to six years in prison. Shelby County sheriff's deputies raided the facility at 3456 Tchulahoma on Oct. 27 following reports of abuse. Investigators said at least three dogs had starved to death while in the shelter's care. Disturbing photos of one of the starved animals sparked outrage in the community. A city report on conditions at the shelter, ordered after the raid, says shelter employees were often confused about policies and procedures and received little advice or direction from supervisors. Russell collected about $830 per week while on suspension. Quattlebaum receives about $780 per week and Middleton has collected $1,663 per week while suspended.

Source: commercialappeal.com - May 10, 2010 Update posted on Jul 18, 2011 - 8:45PM

Three Memphis animal shelter workers were suspended last October when the shelter was raided by Sheriff's Deputies amid abuse allegations. We've learned in the last five months, the three shelter employees have earned thousands of dollars for a job they haven't been doing. Two of those employees face animal cruelty charges but that doesn't matter when it comes to getting paid. Ivan Russell is a Shelter Supervisor suspended after the raid in October but never indicted. Since then, he has been on paid administrative leave still getting his $43,000 a year salary. Memphis Chief Administrative Officer, George Little, says Russell has civil service status, meaning the city can't take away pay or other privileges without a hearing. The hearing couldn't begin until the city had all evidence. "The city did not want to get out ahead of the legal process with the Sheriff's Department's investigation and the processing by the District Attorney General," said Little. With Ernest Alexander, the former shelter director, Angela Middleton and Tina Quattlebaum indicted, Little says the city is now ready to proceed with a hearing for Russell. He's expected to receive a charge letter from the city soon. "We definitely think there is sufficient basis for him to answer to possible wrongdoing," said Little. Little admits the city has no time limit on paid administrative leave. The city has hired someone to take Russell's place until the hearings are concluded.. "In a sense we're paying for administrative leave for these individuals as well as the staff that's been brought on board to continue to carryout these duties," said Little. There is no set date for Russell's administrative hearing. He will get the chance to present his story during the hearing. Little says several outcomes are possible including no action taken, a suspension, written warning or possibly termination.

Source: wreg.com - April 22, 2010 Update posted on Jul 18, 2011 - 8:43PM

Three former members of the Memphis Animal Shelter made brief appearances Thursday in Criminal Court where they face animal cruelty charges. State prosecutor Dan Byer said in court that he had provided discovery materials to attorneys for former director Ernest Alexander, former supervisor Tina Quattlebaum and veterinarian Angela Middleton. All are free on $25,000 bond and are scheduled to return to court on May 24. Their charges stem from the deaths of three terriers at the shelter, which was raided by authorities last October follow allegations of animal abuse and neglect and poor record-keeping. All face a standard sentencing range of one to two years in prison if convicted, but could be eligible for diversion.

Source: The Commercial Appeal - April 22, 2010 Update posted on Apr 27, 2010 - 9:27AM

Sgt. Bettie Carter had an exemplary career over 15 years as a Memphis Police officer -- until animal control workers found two starving dogs at her home and put them to sleep. Carter's personnel file is loaded with superlatives, and in that context, charges of animal cruelty against her came as a shock to many. Carter is at the center of a controversy involving Memphis Police Association President James D. Sewell. Carter was charged in a city code citation for failing to properly care for and license the dogs. And when she missed a court date, a bench warrant was signed out and she was about to be arrested. Sewell, as MPA president, called Environmental Judge Larry Potter and asked that the judge withdraw a warrant against Carter so she could turn herself in to authorities. Potter has since said he saw nothing wrong with Sewell making the call, something that is done routinely. Carter was fired over the animal cruelty case; Sewell was fired for intervening. Both are appealing their terminations. "We feel quite confident we will get her job back," said Attorney Deborah Godwin, who represents the MPA. Carter, Godwin said, frequently took in stray animals and may have over-extended her ability to care for them. A representative of MPA at the termination hearing suggested that Carter was being singled out because of all the publicity in late 2009 over animal cruelty at the Memphis Animal Shelter. The shelter director, Ernest Alexander was removed and faces criminal charges of animal cruelty. "Sergeant Carter showed selfishness in allowing animals she admits she could not afford to starve in her back yard," Deputy Chief Joe Scott wrote in the hearing summary. The dogs suffered from malnourishment and protein deficiency. In Carter's defense during the March 5 hearing, officer Michael Williams pointed out that two other dogs at Carter's home were well fed and healthy, and that she was treating the sick dogs with over-the-counter medication for worms. Neighbors called the animal control officers because the two healthy dogs were loose. Carter said her husband had recently died and that she was in wage-earner bankruptcy and could not afford a veterinarian. Williams stated that Carter was being unduly punished "because of all the negative publicity concerning the animal shelter, police shooting dogs, and animal rights groups" that raised the profile of the case in late 2009. Carter said she missed her court date because she lost the citation and had the wrong day in her mind. She did not report that she was the subject of the animal shelter action because she did not consider it a law enforcement agency. In addition to her termination, she was suspended five days for failing to notify superiors she was the subject of an investigation. Carter had in her 15 years of service been orally reprimanded once, given a written reprimand once, and suspended one day for telling an unruly citizen during an arrest to "get your damn hands off me." Otherwise, yearly evaluations for Carter drip with praise. When she made sergeant in 2001, Carter was deployed to felony response, a unit that deals with everything from burglary, to rape, to homicide. Year after year, she exceeded expectations as an officer. "Sergeant Carter has no problems or shortcomings as an investigator ... she is an asset to the team," wrote Lt. Jerry Gwyn, her supervisor in 2008. "The quality of your work is unwavering," wrote Lt. Gene Hully in 2006. "Your work does not go unnoticed," he said.

Source: The Commercial Appeal - April 11, 2010 Update posted on Apr 27, 2010 - 9:32AM

Two former Memphis Animal Shelter employees were arraigned this morning in Criminal Court on multiple counts of aggravated animal cruelty stemming from the deaths of three terriers. Former supervisor Tina Quattlebaum and veterinarian Angela Middleton entered formal pleas of not guilty and were told to report back to court on April 22. They remain free on $25,000 bond each. The women and shelter director Ernest Alexander were indicted last month following a raid at the shelter on Tchulahoma in October in response to reports of abuse. Alexander, who was fired, is scheduled to be arraigned later this week. They each face a standard sentencing range of one to two years in prison if convicted, but could be eligible for diversion. Under Tennessee law, aggravated cruelty is conduct carried out in a depraved and sadistic manner and which tortures or maims an animal, including the failure to provide food and water to a companion animal resulting in death or substantial risk of death. Middleton, whose annual salary is $86,520, has been suspended with pay pending the outcome of an investigation.

Source: The Commercial Appeal - Mar 22, 2010 Update posted on Mar 22, 2010 - 5:34PM

MEMPHIS, TN - Highly qualified. And highly recommended. That's the buzz circulating about Matthew Pepper, the new director of the Memphis Animal Shelter. After a three month search, Memphis Mayor A C Wharton announced Pepper's hire on Friday, February 5, 2010. And myEyewitnessNews.com wasted no time checking Pepper's background and references. What did we find? Too many animals being euthanized. Unhealthy living conditions. And employees who just don't care. Sound familiar? That's how the shelter in Shreveport, Lousianna was described, until Pepper was hired in March 2008 to turn it around. And when reached for comment, Pepper's old boss in Shreveport says Mayor Wharton made an excellent hire. "He's very good," says Caddo Parish Administrator and CEO Woody Wilson. "He received the highest ratings and highest merit increases that I could give him." Pepper's new boss is already impressed. "He's high-energy like me," says Mayor Wharton. "He doesn't mind working seven days a week." Mayor Wharton expects great things from Pepper. And his choice for new administrator at the city's animal shelter has a solid resume. For the last two years, Pepper's been the director of the Caddo Parish Animal Services in Shreveport. Before that, he supervised the animal control officers in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also worked as a cruelty investigator for the Humane Society in Kent County, Michigan and as technician for the Humane Society in Kenosha County, Wisconsin. Pepper has a degree in Wildlife Biology from Grand Valley State University and attended the Park Law Enforcement and Ranger Institute at Michigan State. He's a certified member of the National Animal Control Association, board certified in animal euthanasia and Vice President of the Lousianna Animal Control Association. But in order to turn Memphis' shelter around, Mayor Wharton says Pepper will need more than good credentials. He'll need to get to know the town and its' citizens. "From day one," says Mayor Wharton, "I want to personally take him and get him involved with the community so we can work up plans to make this a better place." Multiple sources in Shreveport tell myEyewitnessNews.com that their shelter is a better place because of Pepper's hard work. Two years ago, the Shreveport shelter mirrored Memphis' facility with the wrong dogs being euthanized, dead dogs living in cages with live ones, employees not following rules and regulations. It was, says one observer, total mismanagement. Caddo Parish Administrator and CEO Woody Wilson says Pepper brought "passion and professionalism" to their shelter, along with "a sense of calmness" and "structure". "Our loss is your gain," Wilson tells myEyewitnessNews.com. "Matt's been exceptional. He'll be sorely missed. We don't want to see him go." Pepper earned $76,000 a year plus a $5,500 car and mileage allowance in Lousianna. He'll be making $92,000 a year in Memphis. His first day is March 1st. And his new boss predicts he'll be a good fit for the Bluff City. "We have a long way to go," says Mayor Wharton, "but if we get real community support, we'll be able to make this a much better place." Pepper also received high marks in Shreveport for building good relationships with the local animal groups. Animal advocates in Memphis say they like what they've heard so far and they look forward to meeting him.

Source: My Eyewitness News - February 5, 2010 Update posted on Feb 6, 2010 - 6:25PM

There are new developments in the controversy surrounding the Memphis Animal Shelter. Two suspended employees have been arrested for animal cruelty. At least one more arrest is expected. The shelter's former supervisor, Tina Quattlebaum and veterinarian, Angela Middleton were in jail Thursday night facing aggravated animal cruelty charges. They're two of several employees who've been on paid suspension since the raid of the shelter in October 2009. The Shelby County DA's office says Quattlebaum and Middleton face six counts of aggravated animal cruelty. That's a class E felony. A sheriff's office spokesman says deputies arrested Quattlebaum at her home. Middleton turned herself in. We're told a third defendant was also indicted, but is not in custody yet. The October raid of the Memphis Animal Shelter and the investigation that followed exposed a world of problems at the city-run facility. At least three dogs starved to death, others were found in horrible condition. Animal advocates called for justice. The shelter was shut down. Web cameras were installed before it reopened so that the public can monitor what goes on inside. Sheriff's warrants cited employees investigators believed knew about and were responsible for the conditions. The director, Ernest Alexander, was fired. Others were put on paid leave, including shelter supervisor Tina Quattlebaum. She's been paid her salary of nearly $800 a week ever since. The shelter's veterinarian, Angela Middleton has taken in $1,600 a week. On January 25, 2010, Mayor AC Wharton told Eyewitness News he needed formal charges before he could take action. "I'm going to look every taxpayer right in the eye and tell them, ‘I am just as frustrated, if not more so, then you are because my hands that are tied.’ Right now, I have absolutely nothing I can write on a piece of paper and say here's why I'm cutting off your check," said Mayor Wharton in January. Now it seems the formalities are becoming realities. Tina Quattlebaum and Angela Middleton were being held in Jail East on $25,000 bond. The mayor's office would not confirm Thursday night whether or not they were still employees of the city of Memphis. Shelby County DA Bill Gibbons and Sheriff Mark Luttrell will hold a news conference on these arrests Friday morning. Eyewitness News will be there to bring you the latest. The Memphis Animal Shelter still is without a director. Mayor Wharton has told Eyewitness News on several occasions that the hiring was imminent.

Source: My Eyewitness News - February 5, 2010 Update posted on Feb 6, 2010 - 6:14PM

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO - Ernest Alexander, the former director of the Memphis Animal Shelter, is in police custody in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Shelby County Sheriff's fugitive squad tracked him down on Friday, February 5, 2010. Cops say he did not resist arrest and he acknowledged that he knew investigators were looking for him. Alexander had moved back home to New Mexico and was renting an apartment.

Source: My Eyewitness News - February 5, 2010 Update posted on Feb 6, 2010 - 11:34AM

Former Memphis Animal Shelter director Ernest Alexander is indicted by a grand jury on animal cruelty charges today. He has not turned himself in and is currently wanted by the Shelby County Sheriff's fugitive sqaud. Two other employees, former shelter supervisor Tina Quattlebaum and veterinarian Angela Middleton, turned themselves in on February 4, 2010, and are out of jail on a $25,000 bond. All three were indicted on six counts of aggravated animal cruelty after a tip to the Sheriff's Department in October about conditions at the shelter on Tchulahoma Road.

Source: News Channel 3 - February 5, 2010 Update posted on Feb 5, 2010 - 3:28PM

Three former employees of the Memphis Animal Shelter have been indicted on charges of aggravated cruelty to animals, sources said on February 4, 2010. The names of the three will not be released until they are in custody. Under Tennessee law, aggravated cruelty is conduct carried out in a depraved and sadistic manner and which tortures or maims an animal, including the failure to provide food and water to a companion animal resulting in substantial risk of death or death. Aggravated cruelty to animals is a Class E felony that carries from one to six years in prison. Shelby County Sheriff's Deputies raided the facility on Oct. 27, 2009, at 3456 Tchulahoma following reports of abuse. The director of the shelter, Ernest Alexander, was fired by Mayor A C Wharton, while three other shelter employees were suspended with pay. In addition to animal abuse and neglect, authorities have been investigating the shelter's finances and whether euthanasia drugs are missing. Authorities said that at least three dogs had recently starved to death while in the shelter's care. Disturbing photos of one of the starved animals sparked outrage in the community. A city report on conditions at the shelter, ordered after the October raid at the facility, says shelter employees were often confused about policies and procedures and received little advice or direction from supervisors. A June 2009 city audit found that the shelter “had no written cash-handling policies and procedures to safeguard cash and checks and ensure continuous accountability for cash and checks.”

Source: Commercial Appeal News - February 4, 2010 Update posted on Feb 4, 2010 - 3:37PM

New information about the unexplained deaths of over 200 animals raises even more questions about the mistreatment of cats and dogs at Memphis Animal Services. Investigators' findings during a raid of the city shelter last month may be just a snapshot of a broader picture of animal abuse. From January to mid-November of this year, the shelter took in approximately 18,000 animals. 12,185 were euthanized. It's known that some animals were left to starve to death, and the deaths of 227 animals that died in the shelter's care remain unexplained. According to the Shelby County District Attorney's office, the shelter has had serious problems with record keeping. Local investigators continue to work with National ASPCA investigators to get to the bottom of the problems at the pound. The District Attorney's Office is still waiting for the full investigation report, but officials say criminal charges are likely coming in this case.

Source: WMCTV - Nov 27, 2009 Update posted on Nov 29, 2009 - 1:55AM

References

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