One example, Saving Dolly’s Funds: Killing the animals for which it’s intended
To: Director Erin Grahek
CC: Marian Cannell
CC: Chair Jessica Vega Pederson; the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners
CC: Margi Bradway, Director, Department of Community Services Director
Dolly’s Fund’s re-directed monies: A 2-pronged approach.
The strategy was to first eliminate medical and hospice fosters long in place at MCAS, intended to provide support to implement Dolly’s Fund. Second, once these were eliminated, the euthanasia protocols were revised to reflect a “lack of resources” when the monies are there. What Director Grahek and Operations manager Marian Cannell have hijacked Dolly’s Fund by eliminating that care system, leaving “free cash” for other purposes.
That is chicanery: A dishonest diversion of publicly donated funds with a restricted purpose to be used as stipulated by County Board Resolution 2015-024. They have other donation driven funds for other purposes, but Dolly’s Fund is flush with cash ‘so why not dip into it?’ It is an illegal theft of donated dollars that has gone on for years, and is still continuing.
The same holds true for the rejection of a behavior and training program critical to the well-being of shelter animals who are disproportionately from an under-served demographic. A behavior and training program is also critical for the training of staff and volunteers and serves additionally as an important resource for adopters seeking to return animals and surrendering owners. Before 2016, behaviorists and trainers were welcomed at the agency, including as an integral part of the Rounds Review process to determine whether to authorize euthanasia. The current euthanasia policy specifically does not require the expertise of behaviorists and trainers.
What the rejection of a Behavior and Training Department accomplishes is leaving managers unaccountable, free to kill animals as “unhealthy and untreatable” when they are not while disowning all professional responsibility. Animals are now killed because of agency generated stress and care less adoptions when the fault is management. To avoid challenge, MCAS eliminated all members of the Shelter Review Committee in particular behaviorists, trainers, volunteers and anyone with a thought about humane options. It is a private club limited to managers only.
MCAS now operates as a legally convenient cheap pet resale shop. If the shelter were not a government institution, it would have been shut down for animal abuse.
Why is the Director of MCAS and the managers of MCAS allowed by the County Chair and County Board of Commissioners to hijack and destroy the agency’s humane mission?
Public records support the observations reported. Anyone can read and see these trends through public records. Albeit the routine request of greater numbers of public records comes at a greater cost ($68.13/hour of work) compared to smaller requests.
Gail O’Connell-Babcock, PhD
Citizens for Humane Animal Legislation/Watchdog