Meeting the homeless crisis with expedited killing
Jaxon, MCAS ID# 321726
Jaxon was killed very early into the 10-day state mandated quarantine rules, his body sent to Oregon State University for necropsy, an expense paid by the public. There was no noted urgency, other than for another animal to replace him, suggesting MCAS prioritized his kennel space.
The housing crisis in Multnomah County affects animals living with homeless persons too. Despite advertising itself as invested in helping those living on the streets, often in crisis, MCAS has refused to participate or involve itself in any solutions, except for swift and lethal outcomes. They quietly discontinued Pets in Crisis and Emergency Board programs since about mid-2022, though the application forms exist without explanation or purpose. There are no outreaches into the community. Advertisements about reaching out to honor justice, diversity and social justice mandates are empty promises and false propaganda. No public funds are directed towards finding solutions for, or offering assistance to, homeless and impoverished owners. That is why Jaxon was killed as an expedience. No one cared.
County false propaganda and failed promises are rampant. These are just 2, five years apart.
February 20, 2020
“How do we help the people who are struggling, who need the most support, or who aren’t accessing our services? A high priority for Sadler is strengthening partnerships with other county agencies and community groups to better serve community members experiencing homelessness, living with mental health concerns,and other vulnerable or underserved populations.”
2024 and 2025 Adopted budget mission statements
“Historically, the primary role of MCAS has been animal control enforcement and stray animal sheltering. In harmony with County equity goals and the MCAS North Star of providing quality care for animals and equitable services for the community, MCAS is shifting resources toward supporting pet owners to care for and retain their animals. The aim is to prevent animals from needing shelter due to surrender or abandonment, and to intervene prior to the need for enforcement activity.” — Community Services FY 2024 / 2025 Adopted Budget.
Five years later between the first and second grandiose promises, nothing has been accomplished while MCAS receives annual budget increases. The adopted budget for 2025 is funded by the highest budget ever, $15,684,375, 2 million up from the previous year’s budget. At MCAS, funding and failure go hand in hand.
The short tragic life of Jaxon, 5 years old.
After Jaxon’s owner’s wife died in 2021, leading to his becoming homeless, Jaxon, described as sweet natured and friendly, had a stable life. Those traits carried through to the present. On his owner surrender personality profile, Floyd, his owner, described him as well behaved, having lived with cats, easy going and playful with strangers, new dogs and cats, children under 10 years old.
On the streets he spent a great deal of time secured in Floyd’s truck when Floyd was not there in the truck with him. The only complaint on record were the incidents leading to his surrender on August 02, 2024. The first was when Floyd left his truck momentarily and, on his return, saw that Jaxon had gotten out of the covered bed of the truck and was lying down in front of the vehicle. The stranger approached Jaxon, put his hand out to pat him and Jaxon bit him. When he went to intervene, Jaxon redirected and bit him on the hand, a single puncture described as requiring one stitch. There is no confirming bite report or medical report. MCAS no longer considers it protocol to seek objective confirmation part of their investigative due diligence obligation.
Other second hand reports from the owner involved persons reaching over to pat Jaxson without permission, for example at a homeless shelter. It is known that reaching over, staring into a dog’s eyes and patting dogs on the head is not comfortable for dogs but considered an aggressive intent in the canine world, at best tolerated.
The next day on August 02, Floyd planned to leave the truck for awhile, leaving Jaxon behind. As an extra caution he planned to muzzle Jaxon as he was leaving. During that effort, Jaxon bit his hand again, requiring 3 stitches. For the owner that was the last straw. His owner surrendered Jaxon to MCAS on August 02, 2024.
A killing efficiency
On Sunday, August 04, two days into quarantine, Enforcement Supervisor Jennifer Turner, ordered Jaxon euthanized: “Due to behavior, Rounds elects euthanasia.” He was killed as “unhealthy and untreatable” when all evidence shows he was not.
Prior to policy changes by MCAS Director Eren Grahek on November 2023, decisions to euthanize animals required a minimum of 3 persons, including “…a minimum of the Director or Shelter Manager, a representative from the species-appropriate behavioral team, and one other manager” (MCAS Euthanasia Policy, November 2018). This shift in policy allows for completely unrestricted freedom to take an animal’s life, contrary to the intention of the agency’s mission.
Jaxon’s behaviors that led to the managers designation of him as “unhealthy and untreatable” aren’t articulated. Alternative solutions are efficiently eliminated as unnecessary. But every dog killed at MCAS now is described and killed as “unhealthy and untreatable” without providing supporting evidence corroborated by credentialed experts.
Euthanizing dogs during quarantine is highly unusual. Jaxon was euthanized on the third day of quarantine without any recorded explanation requiring his remains to be set aside and transported to OHS Diagnostic Lab on 08.05 for necropsy. It was an unexplained convenience and unnecessary public expense.
There is no evidence Jaxon was not a “dangerous dog.” His owner described him as being very sweet natured and friendly to everyone until they became homeless. On the streets, life circumstances were insecure and uncertain. His behavior challenges: protectiveness of his owner on the streets, and fear of hands reaching out uninvited to pat him on the head were correctable; future incidents preventable but life on the streets, living in his owner’s truck and in a homeless shelter is rough.
MCAS has no solutions for assisting the dogs of homeless persons, except for culling and killing. When they come into the agency, often traumatized, they are immediately examined and observed during 3 “rapid data collections”—3 attempts to informally assess an animal’s suitability for adoption by untrained staff. If they “pass,” they are routed to adoptions or rescue. If they fail they are scheduled to be euthanized, even euthanized on the same day.
MCAS managers have not met with other community agencies to plan programs for the safety and welfare on the streets for the dogs of the homeless (For examples, see a Los Angeles program www.downtowndogrescue.org)
The county has no plans for the dogs of homeless citizens. While some homeless shelters allow dogs, few have provisions, such as crates or stand up kennels to house persons and their dogs individually for safety and welfare reasons. There are no support programs for the animals of people experiencing homelessness. Petco granted to MCAS a mobile veterinary van to provide veterinary and spay/neuter services to underserved areas, yet all it has ever done is idle, unused, in its lot.
All Jaxon’s owner needed was safe housing and training help.