Trooper, ID# 283892

Trooper, a victim of circumstances

MCAS runs an unhealthy and untreatable agency, marked by a hostile environment that profoundly affects the mental health and physical well being of animals unfortunate enough to be incarcerated here. Inevitably, the reasons given by managers for killing them describe the effects of what the agency has done to them. MCAS then kills its victims labeling them as “unhealthy and untreatable” through convenience euthanasia.

On March 10, 2023 Trooper was taken to MCAS after his owner was arrested for animal abuse. The owner’s sister had called the agency on March 13 to inquire about Trooper what she could do to help, including a request to contact her if he were scheduled to be killed. They did not.

The Animal Control Summary for that date described how Trooper was inside a carrier when the police blew off the door to the apartment where his owner lived. Although reported to be shaken and growling at the police officers walking by, the animal control officer described that he easily took him out of the crate on a lead. When out of the kennel he was described as “wagging his tail and friendly with the officers,” “knows sit,” and “he even liked pets.”

On intake that same day at MCAS, the intake exam behavior observations read:

“Was shaking a little, slow, to approach but loved pets once he did. Seemed to like women a little more than men. Knows sit. Was a very sweet dog until I looked in his mouth at his teeth and he snapped at me for this. Therefore I did not put him, in adoption kennels for this.”

When a dog snaps at someone for looking into his mouth after surviving an acutely traumatizing incident the same day, the reserved nature of that reaction is amazing. It’s not, under any reasonable circumstance, a disqualification for adoptions. Peering into a dog’s mouth better describes the handler as insensitive. It is intrusive stressful behavior.

Trooper was killed at MCAS with the following astonishing statement:

April 17, 2023

“Moved to ER for continued over arousal in shelter combined with inability to handle safely.”

He was incarcerated and deprived of exercise and human contact for 5 weeks, from March 10 to April 18, 2024, surrounded by a toxic atmosphere. He only got out of his kennel twice: Once on March 30, 2023 and again on April 12, 2024.

April 12, 2024, Behavior notes:

“…Trooper was very worked up and jumpy inside the kennel…Using a tennis ball to hold focus I easily leashed, then tossed him the ball to carry. He pulled very hard, but carried the ball to the play yard, played fetch for 5-10 minutes, then used the same tactics to bring him back to his kennel, tossing a ball to exit without issue.”

Why was Trooper denied proper care then killed as “Unhealthy and Untreatable” the effects of MCAS management’s incompetence? It is easy to reverse stress but not cold calculated cruelty.

MCAS harms animals then covers their mistakes up by victimizing animals in their care, day after day after day. Multnomah County, a self-proclaimed “liberal” and “humane” county, looks away. That is animal abuse. Multiple records confirm this cruelty and are available upon request.

Gail O’Connell-Babcock