Tag Archives: Euthanasia Policy

The practice of sport of killing fearful dogs: Cola and Jubilee

In February 2024, MCAS managers lowered the bar for euthanasia dispositions to accommodate their singular lack of initiative, caring, effort, and service to the public good. They did so without public permission or expert review. Frightened shelter animals have paid the price. Responsibility for their deaths is disowned by labeling all unwanted animals “unhealthy and untreatable” when all of the evidence is to the contrary: healthy but scared, or treatable, manageable and rehabilitatable.

“The shelter will never euthanize an animal due to space constraints and only considers euthanasia as an option for animals deemed dangerous.” — Margi Bradway, director of the Department of Community Services

MCAS kills animals without cause all of the time in management sessions. These meetings are closed to experts, rescues, volunteers and staff, who once attended and were part of decisions. It is an abuse of power, but MCAS is never held to account.

Cola MCAS 386348 and Jubilee MCAS 386349, 10 month old American Shelter Dogs

Cola ID# 386348 and Jubilee ID# 386349, both 10 month old American Shelter Dogs, were brought into MCAS on February 25 by a Good Samaritan who found them on an exit off I-205. The Good Samaritan reported she leashed and got them into her car easily. They were killed a week later with Cola killed on March 8, and Jubilee on March 5, 2026. Both were reported to be “unhealthy and untreatable.”

No one would consider 7 days a genuine “trial” effort. The reasons listed by the management for killing them speak to a management culture of explicit incompetence and indifference. Excuses replace solutions. When a professional in a public position of authority doesn’t know what to do, they seek expert advice, such as on how to deal with avoidant fearful dogs. Killing the animal is never the first choice.

Cola, ID# 386348, a 10 month old American Shelter Dog

March 7, 2026, Rounds Review:

“Rounds discussed and will move to humane euthanasia due to sustained levels of fear, lack of progress in the shelter that result in poor quality of life.”

It was a litany of uninspired excuses.

Cola was not afraid before coming to MCAS. MCAS is a terrifying agency for most dogs. It is an environment characterized by a bombardment of constant toxic levels of noise, deprivation of proper care (few outings, socialization and exercise opportunities) addressed only by escalating levels of psychotropics.

MCAS director Erin Grahek, no longer contracts with trainers or veterinary behaviorists, as was once practiced. Since that is an irrational position, it can only be surmised to be driven by opposition to questioning the shelter’s decisions about animal dispositions.

For example, when staff does not know how to manage fearful dogs, don’t pursue a fleeing animal, teach them. ‘Data collection times 3’ is doing the same thing over and over again seeking a different result. That’s not a plan, nor is it an “intervention.”

These are the last entry notes before Cola was ordered killed. It was his first priority walk to be followed up on March 6, 2026 after which he was ordered euthanized.

March 6, 2026, Priority Walk:

“I met Cola at his inside intake kennel. He greeted me at the gate with whale eyes, tense body, and fast tail wags to the left. He accepted a piece of hot dog from my hand through the gate, but immediately darted away, defensive barking and weight on his back legs. I decided to go around to the outside kennel and close in the dogs around him to see if that would decrease his FAS [Fear, anxiety, stress]. He greeted me the same way at his outside kennel, taking tossed hot dog and then immediately running away while defensive barking.

I entered the kennel and crouched low to the ground, placing pieces of hot dog to the right and left of me, at decreasing distances from me each time. He eventually was able to take a treat from my hand. At this point, introduced the leash to him, laying it on the ground next to a couple of treats. He took the treats and sniffed the leash once before darting away. I decided to use a treat lure with a long piece of hot dog to keep distance from his mouth and my hand.

When I presented the slip leash near his head, he immediately tensed and froze, lip curled, and then snapped at the leash, making brief contact with it but not holding on. On the second attempted [sic] he snapped at and bit the hot dog, at which point he he realized it was yummy and decided to start cautiously eating it. I was able to slide the slip lead over his head. He immediately started slinking/crawling towards the door.

We exited the kennel with him darting back and forth frantically in front and behind me, body low to the ground, ears pinned back, and whale eyes. Every so often he would pancake to the ground and some light leash pressure would get him moving again. We walked by SB and Maximus, at upper agility to which he had no reaction – remained tense, whale eyes, tucked tail, etc. We made our way down to agility at which point he he half laid/crouched down and peed all over himself and then sat in it- frozen in fear and not wanting to move.

A train was going by at this point which startled him. After it passed, he began walking again and was able to eat a bite of hot dog off of the ground. He continued walking in the same manner back to his kennel. In his kennel he frantically avoided me, giving me side whale eye with tense low body and tucked tail- nor accepted treats on the ground. I decided to leave the slip lead on him for the moment given his high FAS and reaction when I placed it earlier. I then exited the kennel. As soon as I left, he began to eat the treats I left on the ground.”

Forcing a fearful dog to perform violates common sense and every professional guideline. Cola did the best he could. He likely would have thrived in foster care. His life was safer on the streets than in the shelter.

Jubilee, ID# 386349, a 10 months old American Shelter Dog

Jubilee had an even more cursory review before he too was killed.

March 5, 2026, Rounds Review:

“Rounds discussed and will move to humane euthanasia due to severe fearful behaviors that result in frantic attempts to escape human contact to the point of causing self harm”

That was one incident on March 2, 2026 that did not result in self harm, and was the result of gross mismanagement.

March 2, 2026, Behavior Notes:

“Pet was separated from kennel mates on back side of intake. As I entered, pet retreated to the back corner, occasionally stomping forward and barking with stiff body language. While moving in with a leash, pet jumped up towards the window and was able to climb through, leading to the top of the kennels. He remained avoidant and it took multiple staff members to corral him. He was then leashed and wrapped in a blanket and safely removed from the kennels.”

Terrifying and cornering an animal is not how anyone attempts to get a helpless fearful dog out of a kennel.

After 3 data collections on consecutive days, (March 2, 3, and 4) Jubilee was ordered killed. On each day Jubilee would hesitantly alternate between approach and avoidance, never displaying aggressive behaviors.

March 4, 2026, Data Collection:

“I entered the inside of kennel. All three dogs were against the side wall, and gave some nervous whining growls and barks. I sat down a few feet from them and began treating. Jubilee stayed between the two other dogs, but would stretch forward to take treats from hand or off the ground. He would push in front of his kennel mates to take them, and climb over Cola (386348) on one or two occasions. If I attempted to move closer to them, or when I pat [sic] the ground next to me he began growling and barked a few times, while shying away. After sitting and treating for several minutes I ended interaction.”

An empirical analysis of MCAS euthanasia dispositions

Instead of meeting challenges, MCAS kills the victims. Animals are pre-selected for euthanasia if they do not meet the Operations Manager’s goal of speedy entrance and exit, maximizing efficiency with a focus on inventory management, not public service. Any animal with even a minimum challenge requiring any effort is pre-selected for euthanasia. The search begins for “reasons,” then takes isolated events out of context in order to opportunistically justify killing. A killing that is then labeled as “unhealthy and untreatable.” Its a slick game.

The rest of the Rounds Review go along to get along. Some owe their management promotions to the Operations Manager. What matters is the survival of their collegiate culture, not public service or the lives of shelter animals. The trains run on time.

Gail O’Connell-Babcock

Cola’s MCAS records, private information redacted

MCAS Records_386348 Cola Download

Jubilee’s MCAS records, private information redacted

MCAS Records_386349 Jubilee Download

MCAS’ old Euthanasia policy: “Animals will never be euthanized for lack of space in the shelter.”

Euthanasia Policy–Nov 2018 Download

MCAS’ current Euthanasia policy: Omitting the language that animals won’t be euthanized from lack of shelter space.

MCAS Euthanasia Policy 2-Euthanizing for space Download

How to Train a Fearful Dog

Leash Training for Fearful Dogs: Parts 1 and 2 from Dog Kind Training.com
https://www.dogkindtraining.com/blog/leash-training-part-1
https://www.dogkindtraining.com/blog/leash-training-for-fearful-dogs-part-2

When senior and disabled dogs are discarded: Mr. Perfect Potato Esq, and Angel Baby

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There was a time MCAS had compassion for senior and discarded dogs like Mr. Perfect Potato Esq and Angel Baby, who had been left abandoned at a park when a driver dropped them off in a carrier on February 6, 2026. Not now. Under Director Erin Grahek, Operations Managers Marian Cannell, and Andrew Mathias, medical and foster hospices were disbanded. Instead of a warm place to spend their final days Mr. Perfect Potato Esquire and Angel Baby were impounded and left at MCAS where those abandoned are supposed to get care. Instead dogs like Mr Perfect Potato Esquire and Angel Baby found no safety here.

Both were killed shortly after intake. Their lives were judged by their medical handicaps, that were not progressive and were manageable, instead of their needs for comfort and care in their final days.

Angel Baby was killed on February 8, two days after impound.

Angel Baby – February 7, 2026, Rounds Review

“Rounds met and elects humane euthanasia due to declining medical and QOL. If the dog’s condition continues to decline, we have approval to move forward with euthanasia at that time. Follow up 2/09.”

The last veterinary technician note entered before Angel Baby’s euthanasia on February 8, 2 days after intake, makes clear that the animal care veterinary staff technician was frustrated by Angel Baby because:

“…Dog continues to not attempt to eat and is fighting against all handling for medications. Proceeding with humane euthanasia due to QOL and current suffering.”

There are no behavioral record notes about Angel Baby’s suffering. It seems that when MCAS staff become frustrated with the care of an animal, instead of seeking advice from an expert, they kill the object of their frustrations and describe it as “quality of life.” Whose quality of life is open to question? Caring for distressed medically compromised animals can be frustrating. The goal is to learn how.

Angel Baby’s medical diagnoses were manageable.

February 6, 2026, Vet Exam

“Assessment
-Emaciated
-Mammary masses
-Oral mass/lesion
-Deviated mandible
-Heart murmur
-Severe peridontal disease
-AU [left ear] debris

Plan:
-Start buprenorphine 0.3 mg/ml, 0.15 ml SC BID for pain while on stray hold
-Recommend humane euthanasia at end of hold, sooner if declining or if pt is not eating despite pain management.”

The veterinary technician health exam notes entered the same day, February 6, an hour after the veterinary notes already indicated her frustration at attempting to give Angel Baby an injectable vaccine for pain:

“Health Exam-
Admission Behavior Observations:
Fear-Anxiety-Stress (FAS) Observed Intake: Low
Other Behavior Observations: Allowed all handling for exam and treatments, had difficulty with injectable vaccine.”

Venting frustrations over medical management of a distressed senior dog by killing the dog is inhumane and wrong. Euthanasia was not the only option at the end of the hold time. Even before the end of hold time, Angel Baby could have gone to medical or hospice foster and been monitored in a hospitable environment but MCAS instead opts for a killing efficiency.

Mr Perfect Potato Esq was killed February 12, 2026, 6 days later after the hold period ended, and 4 days after his companion.

February 11, 2026, Rounds Review

“Rounds met and will move forward with DVM recommendation of euthanasia due to multiple medical concerns.”

All of the medical concerns were manageable and treatable

February 10, 2026, Recheck Veterinary Exam

“Assessment:
-Severe peridontal disease
-Diarrhea
-Lethargy
-Hyporexia
-Stertorous breathing
-Geriatric
Overall quality of life seems poor.

Plan: Rounds Review. Recommend humane euthanasia. Continue current treatments until then. “

Earlier veterinary notes on February 7, observed

“…Cause of inappetance and possible abdominal pain not identified on radiographs.”

The lab work results reported on February 9, were open, none with any certain diagnostic cause, and none requiring intensive intervention (e.g. low thyroid levels). “Multiple medical concerns,” in particular inappetance, can be managed.

The day Mr Perfect Potato was killed, he started eating.

February 11, 2026, Medical update

“Assessment: Dog ate some of wet food after dose of entyce and did defecate.”

MCAS’ impatient culture regards the lives of senior disabled dogs as not worthwhile. They are killed as “Unhealthy and Untreatable,” when they are not but their lives are not considered worthwhile. These were dogs once fostered by the community. Their support care cost little and their lives were valued. The cure was and still is compassion.

Gail O’Connell-Babcock

Angel Baby’s records, private information redacted

MCAS Records_384027 Angel Baby-Redacted Download

Mr Perfect Potato Head Esq’s records, private information redacted

MCAS Records_384028 Mr Perfect Potato Esq-Redacted Download

Old age: It’s not a disease but a stage by Arden Moore, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, October 2011

Old age It’s not a disease but a stage-Arden Moore_Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University-October 2011 Download

Old age brings a host of behavior changes by Amy D Shojai, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, May 2008

Old age brings a host of behavior changes-Amy D Shojai_Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University-May 2008 Download

The power of cronyism and corruption: How Multnomah County perpetuates failure

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Failure is built into MCAS government when cronyism replaces public service, where contrary opinions are designated as ‘unprofessional’ or ‘undermining the mission.’

The recent advancement of Andrew Mathias from Animal Care Supervisor to Operations Manager at MCAS by Director Erin Grahek and Director of Community Services Margi Bradway represents an enormous betrayal of public trust. Andrew Mathias, originally hired by former Director Jackie Rose, collaborated with Jackie Rose to reverse all humane policies and public participation at MCAS. He personally ended Open Paw, a program intended to reduce shelter stress, deprived animals of needed care, and was instrumental, along with former Director Rose, in trivializing the 2018 Audit recommendations, and developed the “waiver” system that disowning all responsibility for all animal care (Kennel Cough waivers, Fear Waivers, Handling Waivers, etc.).

“Longtime volunteer Kelley Sherman and former volunteer Debbi Stegemeyer remembered Andrew Mathias, one of the shelter’s two animal care supervisors, telling volunteers at a meeting shortly after the 2018 audit was released that they didn’t have to worry about its findings. ‘I want you all to know that MCAS is already doing good enough,’ Sherman recalled Mathias saying. Mathias declined to comment to The Oregonian/OregonLive.”

Andrew Mathias applied to the position of Operations Manager in July 2022, but was rejected as a candidate due to an implicit lack of shelter and animal experience alongside administrative leadership skills. Skills that he has not developed since July 2022, based on repeated management failures documented by local media, no matter what scapegoats the shelter may create.

“From: Jamie Waltz
Sent: Monday, July 18, 2022 8:25 AM PDT
To: Erin Grahek
Subject: Re: Shelter Manager Next steps
Thank you for having this conversation with Andrew.
Jamie
On Fri, Jul 15, 2022 at 5:01 PM Erin Grahek <erin.grahek@multco.us> wrote:

Thanks for all of your support in this process. I met with Andrew a
few minutes ago and let him know that I was not going to be
offering him the position. I did say that Heather would be a good
source of interview feedback, having been on both panels.
I told him that I wanted to continue to explore and find a candidate
that had good shelter/animal experience and organization skills and
the higher level of management experience and strategic visioning
skills. That I really see this position being a support to the
management team and the director, therefore needing to be a
both/and candidate.

He seemed to take it well, we had a good talk. We will see.
Take care and have a good weekend.”

The slow slide to failure that began long ago accelerated rapidly in 2016 when Jackie Rose was appointed director, or rather, as dictator. Ms Rose, unsupervised, reformed all policies, concentrating power in her own and managers hands, leaving workers, citizens, rescues and expert consultants powerless. Those policies, all unexamined, remain in place today. They have created a collective culture of unchecked arrogant entitlement. These are some examples:

Once, owners who had surrendered their impounded dogs while in a state of emotional distress were permitted to reclaim them with the appropriate infraction ticket and corrective restrictions if a violation had occurred. Now, within minutes, they have no right to reclaim. It is entirely up to the management’s discretion. There are no rights to appeal.
Experienced rescues are forbidden to appeal euthanasia decisions by the Shelter Review Committee, a group of in-house managers with limited animal behavior backgrounds or rehabilitation experience. MCAS now permits no discussion and refuses to listen to options that will save animals’ lives without any risk to the public. In every case a process that will save lives has been replaced by policies dictated by a corrupting absolute power.
The new volunteer policy manual warns volunteers to not question management judgments to kill specific animals, nor disclose these dispositions to the public, nor advocate for animals when they saw a decision they believed was unjust or there would be consequences, designating such actions as “unprofessional” or “undermining the mission of MCAS.”

2024 MCAS Volunteer Handbook

“Volunteers are expected to act professionally at all times when engaging in MCAS
activities. This includes adhering to, and showing support of, the policies and directives of MCAS staff and refraining from allowing conflicting personal views to overshadow the expertise and purpose of MCAS…” (Page 5)

“…Multnomah County Animal Services maintains the sole discretion to determine animal dispositions and outcomes. Volunteers may not solicit changes to determined dispositions or individual outcomes without express approval from MCAS, including seeking rescue for animals on behalf of MCAS, seeking adoption placement for animals that are not available for adoption, or otherwise disregarding the disposition determination processes in place at MCAS. These activities undermine the mission of MCAS.” (Page 10)

We see a glimpse of the consequences of this policy in an Koin article by Jashayla Pettigrew, Former animal shelter volunteer sues Multnomah County over ‘unlawful’ termination.

“The lawsuit claimed MCAS employees regularly shared their frustrations with shelter leadership, and Bedrosian sometimes joined to discuss her concerns with their euthanasia and adoption policies.

According to the declaration, shelter leaders warned the volunteer against questioning their actions and policies in April 2023 — stating she made people feel ‘uncomfortable.’

About two months later, a volunteer coordinator told her that only staff could discuss topics like adoption and euthanasia.”

“…Bedrosian privately communicated her concerns with the shelter manager and was terminated the following day, according to the suit.”

A prediction from May 1, 2019, proven true.

The following is a post from my proto-blog on Change.org, following Former Director Jackie Rose’s departure from the shelter.

Fun fact: Jackie Rose departed MCAS to become Director of Ventura County Animal Services in 2019. In 2023, she ‘retired‘ after facing criticism for the same conduct she showed at MCAS due to a “small but vocal group” critical her euthanasia policies, where too many adoptable animals were euthanized.

Aftermath:

The triumphant departure of Jackie Rose to a sunnier climate;
The devastating fracture of the No Kill mission left behind.

Oregon citizens first learned of MCAS Director Jackie Rose’s April 12, 2019 departure to Ventura County Animals Services from California newspapers, where media reported that a joyful welcome awaits her scheduled arrival on May 1, 2019. There was no prior word or warning from local Multnomah government that Ms. Rose had moved on until surprised local citizens brought it to their attention.

After a 3 ½ year tenure, all that Jackie Rose left behind for Multnomah residents were unfinished audit goals surrounding continued well documented substandard care, and increased concerns about the welfare and well-being of staff and animals. Her legacy, multiple new policies that stripped away animals’, citizens’ and staff rights, continue. They are marked by a lack of empathy and passed unnoticed because of a lack of government oversight accompanied by apathy and indifference. As Bob Dylan once said, “there is no success like failure and failure is no success at all.”

Everything about Ms. Rose rejects the core of No Kill – the basic principle that every life counts and requires every effort to find and implement humane solutions. Under her leadership, “inconvenient” animals are routinely killed after being labeled “unhealthy/untreatable” even when the records demonstrate that they were only scared or had treatable conditions. Killing at MCAS has become an act of convenience, one taking place behind closed doors and disguised as “necessary” to create a perfect marketing vision.

MCAS’s progressive path forward began with a 2000 MCAS Citizens’ Task Force and a commitment to achieve a No Kill mission by 2005. After three and one-half years of Ms. Rose, MCAS could not be further from that goal. Its claimed successes are belied by unverifiable “high live release rates” that have been promoted by low adoption standards, multiple free or nearly free adoption sales, revolving door adoptions and a high adoption return rate. The mission is numbers only: “Any home will do.” Animals returned over and over again are traumatized, ultimately offered to rescue or killed. It is a factory goods model, not a humane shelter model.

The peoples’ mission lost its way under Ms. Rose’s guidance. Animals have become highly disposable: a widely supported community mission was discarded by politicians when inconvenient. The need for change starts with government culture: public service must replace collegiality. When government prizes protecting colleagues from their mistakes over accountability, democracy itself is subverted. Rationalization of failure replaces correction, motivated by a desire to keep the issue off the elected leaders’ desks. The only check on re-naming failure as success comes from George Orwell’s comment: “…It is possible to carry on this process [ ‘impudently twisting facts’] for an indefinite time: the only check on it is sooner or later a false belief bumps up against solid reality, usually on a battlefield.”

Multnomah County politics must change, if there is to be any progress forward. Questions and concerns about local government should not be treated as adversarial attacks; they present serious issues that must be addressed and corrected. Problems kicked down the road worsen. Too much power regarding the appointment of the MCAS Director is concentrated in one person’s hands.

The appointment decision of the MCAS Animal Services Director is left entirely up to one person, the Director of Community Services, a person whose other responsibilities are Bridges and Transportation, a person with no knowledge about sheltering. He provides no oversight. The position of animal control director in Multnomah County is de facto independent. Citizen and staff concerns and complaints are ignored at both the MCAS and Department levels. Ask and there is no response.

Abuse of power commonly occurs when supervisors abdicate oversight. The citizens’ will to create a progressive sheltering mission beginning in 2000 has been easily tossed aside. Department Director Peoples has steadfastly ignored mounting evidence and complaints about the hostile environment created by Ms. Rose’s policies, practices, and behaviors affecting animals, the public and staff alike. He didn’t listen. Neither he nor the county commission responded to concerns. The findings of the MCAS audit reports were treated initially as an affront. Prior to the formal release of the audit, Kim Peoples and Jackie Rose, instead of first meeting with the Audit Department to advance corrections, met privately with each county commissioner to pre-empt its impact.

Jackie Rose has departed MCAS to Ventura, California. The effects of her massive overhaul of all MCAS policies, many hostile to this community, will continue in Oregon. It will be a long and rough road home. Ventura County will be her next victim.

Gail O’Connell-Babcock

2024 Multnomah County Animal Services Volunteer Handbook

2024 MCAS Volunteer Handbook Download

Gimme Shelter Portland criticism of MCAS, and the response from Kim Peoples, former Director of the Department of Community Services

Gimme shelter portland criticism & Kim Peoples’ Response Download

MCAS Task Force Findings, June 29, 2000

MCAS 2000 Task Force Report Download

Multnomah County Animal Services Audit, 2018

Animal Services_ Important issues still need to be resolved Download

Multnomah County Animal Services Audit, 2016
https://multco.us/info/animal-services-audit

Email Record: The deterioration of morale and performance at MCAS

The deterioration of morale and performance at MCAS_Email-Feb 22, 2019 Download

The Art of the steal: How MCAS gets away with failure

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A magic program for creating the appearance of success when an agency is failing

The challenge is accounting for the health and well being of animals in their care. The task is how to kill shelter animals without being held to account. The method is to make animals responsible for their own deaths. This is the process:

1. Eliminate expertise and the community to expedite killing by dismantling every element of community and professional participation and involvement.

The Citizens Advisory Committee which is not comprised of stakeholders and is not transparent does not count. It is a distraction.

How did MCAS become an authoritarian regime?

2016 under then Director Jackie Rose training programs and professional experts with behavior and training backgrounds who once advised and participated in disposition decisions and training for animals were eliminated. So was the participation of volunteers, staff and any member of the public who once had permission to participate in disposition decisions. At the same time a policy was initiated eliminating a Shelter Review quorum in euthanasia decisions now permitting an animal to be euthanized at any time based upon any one or two managers’ decisions.

“Modified Shelter Review Process to be daily and/or as needed, as opposed to weekly with animals waiting up to six (6) days for decision making. (November 2015).” Part of the summary of accomplishments presented by Jackie Rose to Department of Community Services Director, upon her departure in April 2029.
2023 MCAS’ Policy of Euthanasia (effective as of 11/28/23), “consideration of placement for pets who may be eligible for placement is not a guarantee of placement, that “other considerations for euthanasia may include the available resources to manage or address the needs of the animal, as well as lack of available placement opportunities.” (https://www.multcopets.org/sites/default/files/2024-03/MCAS-PLC-001%20v1%20Euthanasia%20Policy.pdf)

MCAS managers have repeatedly declined to respond to the following questions stating “no responsive documents.”

The employment positions /professions of the Shelter Review Committee members (positions not names).

The animal behavior science and training credentials of the Shelter Review Committee members.
The outside consultants of the Shelter Review Committee: The public was supposed to be part of establishing euthanasia guidelines.
The minimum number of attendees when euthanasia decisions are made.

The transcript records of discussions for euthanasia decisions permitting transparency.

The decision making process for euthanasia dispositions.
The parties in charge of supervising the committee’s adherence to standards and holding the Shelter Review Committee accountable.

“It’s a mystery” as the Catholic Church would say about the unfathomable when unwilling to respond.

2. Label all dogs killed for behavior or medical reasons, “unhealthy and untreatable” despite objective evidence to the contrary in nearly every case. It relieves the responsibility of working.

3. Claim a “lack of resources” or “available placement options” to excuse a lack of effort, initiative, and their management failures: “We tried, then cried.”

4. Treat animals as criminals listing ‘crimes’ committed, then kill them for preventable incidents caused primarily by human error and ignorance including management’s shocking lack of skills and knowledge. Don’t create an intervention program.

5. Turn the shelter into a pet store and commodities market. Quote inapplicable research as justification: “Free or nearly free animals are just as loved.” No, they are not, flying back at warp speed as “adoption returns.” Selling animals at rock bottom prices, $25, to anyone, giving them a free “try out,” discourages commitment and encourages returns within 2 weeks for a complete refund if an animal does not work out; No owner education provided.

6. Take owner surrendered dogs for $50no questions asked, provide no owner surrender counseling to help owners understand reasons behind incidents, and how to prevent incidents and alternatives to surrender. Its the cheapest option in town to get rid of your now inconvenient companion animal.

7. Glorify dog bites as incredibly dangerous unpreventable threats to “public safety” that can only be resolved by killing. Most bite incidents can be prevented. Here is the answer.

“I have long suspected that many people perceive injuries from dog bites through a different lens (possibly a magnifying glass) than the one they use for injuries from other ordinary causes. In fact the data on ER and hospital treatment for dog bites bear out this suspicion. As a class of injury receiving medical treatment, dog bites, on average, are less severe (according to the accepted measurement, called an injury severity scale) than any other class of common injury.

The average treated dog bite is rated as minor, at the lowest level, 1 out of 6. (a Level 1 injury is one from which the person recovers quickly with no lasting impairment, a level 6 is one likely to be fatal. Only one percent of all treated bites rate as more severe than Level 1.” (“Dogs bite but balloons and slippers are more dangerous” Janis Bradley, James and Kenneth Publishers 2005, page 47)

Ironically MCAS does magnify all bite pictures because often the bites that have broken the skin are not clearly visible without magnification and bites that are visible are magnified to enhance effect.

8. Create a management dynasty based upon internal loyalty to the throne, advancing others according to loyalty to management not ethics, public service or competence. The effect is harmful to public service. For example, the current director, Erin Grahek, has proven herself to be wholly unsuited to lead MCAS, appointed to MCAS as director after not advancing at the Department of Aging and Disabilities. I don’t know why failure at one agency leads to promotion at another in Troutdale. MCAS has become the consolation prize for failing elsewhere in government. Multnomah County government’s welfare program is “Leave no manager behind,” prioritizing management welfare over public service.

“Grahek didn’t come to Animal Services with any animal welfare experience. ‘I will bring on strong professionals who have the animal welfare background that I don’t, and marry that with my experience as a manager and a leader in Multnomah county,’ Grahek said.” https://www.opb.org/article/2023/02/21/animal-care-concerns-multnomah-county-troutdale-shelter

By hiring an inexperienced person as MCAS director what was created instead of “strong leadership” was a power vacuum. Since human nature abhors a power vacuum, ambitious middle level managers filled it in, with the goal of creating an agency that works for them. It meant replacing caring for animals, pet redemption and public service with caring for themselves: Vacations, and 36/44 hour work weeks take precedence.

This is a short list from public records/citizens’ reports. Can this be corrected? The fish rots from the head. No, not unless honest government accountability replaces indifference and failure is not hidden by government propaganda behind which failure lies. That task belongs to the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners.

“‘I know the difference the shelter can make’ she [Jessica Vega Pederson] said Friday. ‘My family and I adopted our cat. Marie Curie, from the shelter and our team and I will be working so that the animals I visited today have the same opportunity to find a family.’” https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2023/01/former-multnomah-county-animal-services-staff-volunteers-say-deep-rooted-problems-have-led-to-years-of-animal-neglect.html

Over 2 years later nothing has changed but the cover: Animals are still suffering and are being killed indiscriminately or tossed out the door, unprepared and frightened to anyone.

Gail O’Connell-Babcock

Toby: a 12 year old Pomeranian killed for “Quality of Life,” a.k.a. ‘Old Dog Syndrome’

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Toby, ID #320255

Old dogs by definition have multiple medical issues. None of Toby’s “multiple medical conditions” were “untreatable” or “unmanageable.” He took up little space. He also should not have been kept in the general population where disease and stress are rampant. But MCAS’ attitude is ‘Kill them if you can,’ contrary to the public’s values, ‘Save them if you can.’ Once MCAS had medical and hospice fosters and there are hospice and medical rescues. But MCAS is about efficiency and saving space, not saving lives now.

June 28, 2025

“Rounds recommends humane euthanasia at the end of the stray hold period due to the poor quality of life resulting from medical issues.”

A parrot could improve on this recommendation.

Toby’s medical issues listed below had solutions because they were treatable and manageable. His quality of life was well within normal limits even without care (see notes below) and he wasn’t moribund or at the end of “end stage disease” DMUU-2, a throw away category for every unwanted animal with any medical condition whatsoever.

Quality of life – Stray Pet Profile June 22, 2025

Found on the shore of the Columbia River:

“Easy going when meeting strangers; left alone and good in the house; Easy going with cats and other dogs. “

“Very sweet old man. Quiet. Loves to be held. Good with peeing, pooping, on leash.”

June 22, 2025 Intake Behavior Observations:

“Allowed most handling and treatments. ACR to AH for multiple reason [sc]. Rec rescue/transfer path if not RTO.”

Toby’s geriatric multiple health concerns were treatable and manageable. He wasn’t “moribund.” Treating conditions including any associated pain enhances quality of life.

“Assessment
– Under-conditioned- r/o systemic disease, decreased caloric intake due to oral pain, malnutrition, parasites
-Cognitive dysfunction
-OS nuclear sclerosis vs. cataract, OD microphthalmia w/cataract, limited vision to non-visual
-Severe periodontal disease
-SC mass left thorax – r/o neoplasia vs benign
– Heart murmur [ 2/6 left atypical systolic murmur; regular heart rate and rhythm] r/o degenerative valve disease
-Suspect OA/DJD [osteoarthritis/ Degenerative Joint Disease] +/- IVDD [Intervertebral disc disease]”

Each condition was treatable and also manageable. “Quality of Life” is a suspect category at MCAS. To see old dogs with “multiple conditions” happily living go to anyone’s home with an old dog. Visit Back on Track Veterinary Rehabilitation Center to see old dogs having the time of their lives.

Multnomah County Animal Shelter is not a “shelter,” but rather a careless holding facility where it’s just easier to kill than to care.

Gail O’Connell-Babcock

MCAS Records for Toby, redacted

MCAS Records_320255 Toby-Redacted Download

Elektra: A fragile medically neglected French Bull dog lost at a park, neglected and killed by MCAS

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Where was Dolly’s Fund?

Dolly’ Fund donations intended by the public for the special medical needs of shelter animals is seldom accessed for animals. Despite audit concerns, and documented in 2024 of the diversion of the restricted funds elsewhere, Dolly’s Fund is still not reaching animals with medical needs a year later.

Multnomah County Auditor: Animal Shelter still misusing earmarked donations

The fund was named Dolly’s Fund in honor of Dolly, a medically fragile dachshund with a grave skin condition that MCAS veterinarians and animal care staff treated in 2010, restoring Dolly’s life. The fund was established as a restricted donation fund by the County Commissioners to be used to finance medical care for animal patients like Dolly, though, as reported in the Oregonian article, they have been using it outside that scope, including to pay for salaries.

Elektra, ID# 350281 and Reznor, ID# 350283

Dolly’s pictures, before and after care, are featured above alongside the pictures of Elektra and her partner Reznor. They were separated at MCAS; Elektra who came with a severe skin condition and evidence of other neglect, in addition to likely being bred for profit, was killed; Reznor went into foster care and a rapid $25 adoption.

Had Dolly been impounded today, the funds now donated in her name would have never reached her. Dogs with special medical needs are triaged and killed at MCAS unless other rescues, often with less funding but an investment in compassion will take them.

In 2025, MCAS no longer saves the lives of dogs like Dolly, despite having the means through Dolly’s Fund and the ability to support dogs with special medical needs through medical and hospice fosters. Once they did. It has become a cull and kill operation devoid of all compassion. If words could resurrect Elektra’s life to save her I would, but it’s too late. She was summarily killed on May 2, 2025, 9 days after being left at MCAS along with her partner, Reznor, from whom she was separated and saw briefly only once on April 24 as he walked by. From Reznor’s records, April 24, 2025: “…Dog followed me to play yard, tail low, and ears back. On the way he had a good sniff with Elektra (350281).”

During her brief impoundment, Elektra was frightened, anxious, and avoidant.

The last behavior note was on April 30, 2025 when Elektra developed bloody diarrhea, an event so commonplace that MCAS has created a diarrhea waiver to “indemnify” (from their wording) themselves against it.

April 30, 2025,

“Passing by kennel in AM I noticed a large amount of blood. Dog was running back and forth, slipping and sliding, ears back, eyes wide, barking with whining growls. I went to outside door, and she approached, continuing to bark. When I cracked door she attempted to move through it, then backed away. I was able to toss leash over her head. Once leashed she walked out of kennel, pacing back and forth near my side. JB had called Animal Health, and CP [an Animal Care Technician 2] came to observe. I put her back in kennel, so they could sedate for an exam. Returned with snake hook to removed [sic] leash. She mouthed towards it once, retreating. I held door slightly cracked, and she approached. I was able to hook and remove lead. She retreated inside.”

Later on the day of April 30, Elektra was examined by an on site veterinarian followed by an assessment and plan.

“Assessment
-Bloody stool 4/29 and blood from anus today- R/O acute hemorrhagic diarrhea syndrome, open
-Prolapsed gland of the third eye lid (cherry eye) OD (right eye)
-Bilateral otitis externa
-LH lameness- R/O OA (osteoarthritis)/ DJD (degenerative joint disease, hip dysplasia, soft tissue injury, open
-Dermatitis- likely secondary to allergies
– Bilateral otitis externa- – likely secondary to allergies
-Mild dental disease
High FaS [Fear, Anxiety, and Stress] prior to sedation
2 long scars on ventral abdomianal midline -R/O previous C-section, OVH (Ovariohysterectomy, laparotomy, open)”

The treatment plan included fluids, applicable medications, a bland diet for 7 days or longer if needed and treatment of her ears.

But Elekra was allowed no time to recover and heal. Instead Elektra was ordered killed the following day on May 1, as “unhealthy and untreatable,” a diagnosis unsupported by veterinary assessment and in direct contrast to the available behavior reports.

May 1, 2025,

“Rounds discussed and will move to humane euthanasia due to compounding behavior and medical concerns.”

Elektra’s death was not “humane,” as MCAS managers/leaders described. It was opportunistic and borne out of indifference.

The majority of the medical concerns were linked to allergies, none of which were remotely“unhealthy and untreatable.” The medical treatment program was interrupted and disrupted one day after it was prescribed. And Elektra’s fears and anxiety were more than likely linked to the distress caused by her severe skin condition which had not been treated.

Elektra’s medical and behavior concerns were compounded, only in the sense that her anxious and fearful behavioral distress were linked to and exacerbated/caused by her painful medical conditions. Research, as well as common sense, support that pain from medical skin conditions can cause diarrhea, while also creating anxiety/fear and aggression. Relieving pain and suffering from Elektra’s medical condition would have resolved stacked stressors causing behavioral fear and irritability

American Veterinary Medical Association Jul 11, 2022 — Pruritic, atopic dogs showed significant increases in fear- and anxiety-related behaviors as well as aggression compared with a large control)

It is clear that all of her behaviors described in the records were fearful and avoidant; and not aggressive at all.

April 25, 2025,

“Data Collection

Elektra was avoidant in kennel. Barking and huffing, stiff, ears back, eyes wide. Would retreat to far side. When I entered kennel she began small hops with her barks, and some whining growls. Glancing around kennel. I moved to inside door, and opened it, holding her leash and collar inside, she approached to sniff it, and I swung slip lead over her head. She barked at hopped, then followed me out of kennel. In play yard she began high pitched whining.

Followed me through yards for a few laps, then down to agility trail. On trail she began to paint [sic] tongue lolling out, walking at my heel. I crouched down, and she whined and moved away. I sat still for a moment, and she moved near my side for a brief sniff of my treat pouch. Startled and jerked back when I reached for it to offer treat, No interest in treats outside of kennel.

Any movement towards he [sic] would cause her to move away, flinch or whine. Returned towards outside of kennel, and she pulled towards the inside. I began to maneuver slip lead, attempting to open loop. She returned to her barking with small hops, ears back, eyes wide. Some whining growls, then retreating towards inside, tightening loop back up.

I had brought her leash and collar from kennel front, and was able to drop it through slip lead loop, using it to pull the leash over her head. She air snapped at it once when it was near her face. Once leash was off she ran to outside door, seeking exit. I was able to use leashed [sic] and door to block her, and exit kennel. No reaction towards leashes, just avoided them.”

There was only one previous behavior data collection on April 24, and described similar fearful avoidant behaviors, not aggression. Elektra’s behavior harmed no one. It may be that MCAS managers don’t know how to manage an animal’s fear, the majority caused by MCAS environment and policies. But mislabeling dogs to kill them is a deliberate evasion of responsibility and victimizes the animals they have targeted. They designate animals what they have proven themselves to be: “unhealthy and untreatable,” and it is another form of government created animal abuse.

Gail O’Connell-Babcock

MCAS records for Elektra, redacted

MCAS Records_350281 Elektra-Redacted Download

MCAS records for Reznor, redacted

MCAS Records_350283 Reznor-Redacted Download

Study links skin allergies in dogs to problem behaviors, American Veterinary Medical Association, November 2019

Study links skin allergies in dogs to problem behaviors_American Veterinary Medical Association-November 2019 Download

Associations Between Atopic Dermatitis and Anxiety, Aggression, and Fear-Based Behaviors in Dogs, Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association, July 2022

McAuliffeetal-2022-dermatitisandbehavior Download

MCAS Violence towards animals: Vengeance killing; Chronus and Rhea

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Chronus, ID# 349575 and Rhea, ID# 349576

MCAS’ Budgeted Mission

“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.”– 2024 and 2025

MCAS does not support pet owners to care for and retain their animals. For $50 anyone can surrender their companion animals, fill out a check list, then leave them behind. There is no owner surrender counseling concerning alternatives to surrender and no education and prevention. It is a cull and kill dump site for unwanted animals.

Because there are no avenues for accountability, MCAS managers have destroyed the shelter’s compassionate mission and replaced it with their own: Killing animals for whatever manufactured reason they can to dispose of them, contrary to values the Multnomah county community shares with other citizens in Oregon.

An Eye for an Eye; A Tooth for a Tooth

At MCAS, if a dog kills a cat; then the dog should be killed even when there are many safe humane options and despite that owner carelessness caused the fatal incident. That was why Chronus, 5 years old, and Rhea, 3 years old, were surrendered. They were ordered to be put to death on April 18, 2025, one day after their surrender on April 17, 2025.

The agency’s Rounds Review Committee, managers who considered no humane alternatives, declared them “Unhealthy and Untreatable” and ordered them killed despite their positive traits and friendliness towards the other family cats. There was no apparent discussion. Both were promptly and efficiently destroyed in an assembly line one right after the other, Chronus at 8:26 AM; Rhea at 8:31 AM on April 19, the morning after they were ordered killed.

April 18, 2025

“Rounds met and will proceed with euthanasia due to uninterruptible aggressive drive towards other animals in the home, resulting in the death of the animal.”

It wasn’t “uninterruptible,” and the statement “uninterruptible” is not a reason to kill an animal. The statement “aggressive drive towards other animals in the home” was false and an intended over generalization to exaggerate an incident as if it were a willful crime. Both Chronus and Rhea were friendly with the 2 confident resident cats also in residence, but would chase the new fearful cat when it ran from them.

“Dogs killed AO’s cat today. Said they have three cats, have lived fine with the two that aren’t afraid of the dogs, but the newest cat is fearful and will run from them. Today -they chased, attacked and killed. AO had to beat the dogs with a metal pipe to break up fight/attack.”

The owners knew that there was a safety risk with the newest cat but had no plan in place to keep the dogs and the fearful cat safe and apart. There are many known ways to secure the safety of cats when living with dogs. And it is well known that an animal who runs can trigger prey drive in another. The incident was caused by carelessness. MCAS then killed the dogs for owner carelessness. That is retaliatory: To cost them their lives.

At MCAS there is no owner surrender counseling to generate and consider alternatives. This time was no different than any time at MCAS. Both dogs were killed so swiftly there was not even time to re-consider other courses of action after the immediacy of the incident. There was no time to reflect. In the past, former MCAS director Hank Miggins recognized that importance and would defer formal surrender until families had time to reflect so they would not act impulsively immediately after an incident and later come to regret their decision. Now three animals are dead despite effective humane alternatives.

Animals kill out of instinct. Multnomah County managers kill out of convenience, completely subverting the county’s animal services mission, first adopted in the 2000 Citizens’ MCAS Task Force findings, that directed the shelter towards consideration of euthanasia as a last resort. It is almost always possible to preserve an animal’s life and well being alongside public safety. Killing was to be a consideration only after all other options had been exhausted. After the Task force findings were implemented, animal control failed to follow-through with the findings. Now, community members and professional experts once part of the shelter have been excluded.

MCAS managers have subverted the county elected mission with singular efficiency. Their efficiency is rapid killing without cause or reasonable consideration of alternatives, followed in every case by falsely labeling the cause for their victims’ deaths as “Unhealthy and Untreatable” despite all evidence to the contrary. The animals have no representation. In-house managers can act with the authority of a dictatorship having ejected all community members and professional experts who were once part of disposition reviews.

Failing to protect animals

MCAS also fails to address animal welfare concerns. There were no questions asked about the evidence of neglect when Chronus and Rhea were surrendered.

Medical Intake/Update: Chronus

April 18, 2025

“… Dog appeared fearful when attempted to slip lead in kennel. Froze but walked with a loose leash at my side. Ribs are apparent and has obvious waist. 3/9 BCS [Body Condition Score]…

…Plan: Adding second feed to medication list for AH [Animal Health] to manage.”

No need. The next day he was killed.

Medical Intake: Rhea

April 17, 2025

“…Social with handlers and allowed all handling and treatments. Very food motivated and ate ravenously. ACR [Animal Care Review] to AH [Animal Health] due to body condition, and placing on rounds to determine appropriate pathway…

…Over all body posture: Loose, wiggly, accepting contact.”

Personality descriptions on owner surrender profiles

Rhea was described as easy going with strangers; playful with children under 10, a dog who liked playing with toys, snacks, going on walks, being with people, car rides, snuggling and attention.

Chronus was described similarly but also liked exploring his surroundings; might resource guard food from other dogs. Given his underweight, it suggested he was not getting enough food.

Why was the only solution lethal, to kill them, when the incident and other incidents could be easily prevented and they were overall such nice dogs? The county is the agency with uninterruptible prey drive.

Gail O’Connell-Babcock

Chronus’ records, redacted

MCAS Records_349575 Chronus-Redacted Download

Rhea’s records, redacted

MCAS Records_349576 Rhea-Redacted Download

MCAS Task Force Findings, June 29, 2000

MCAS 2000 Task Force Report Download

Celebrating the canine-feline connection by Pat Miller, Your Dog Newsletter,
August 2008

Celebrating the canine-feline connection_Pat Miller_Your Dog-August 2008 Download

How To Get Cats and Dogs to Get Along by Kathy Callahan CPDT-KA,_Whole Dog Journal December 2021

How To Get Cats and Dogs to Get Along_Kathy Callahan CPDT-KA_Whole Dog Journal-December 2021 Download

Peace and Harmony Among Pets from Cornell University Collage of Veterinary Medicine, Dog Watch Newsletter, May 2014

Peace and Harmony Among Pets_Cornell University Collage of Veterinary Medicine-Dogwatch Newsletter_May 2014 Download

Living with Cats and Dogs from Cornell University Collage of Veterinary Medicine, Dog Watch Newsletter, December 2008

Living with Cats and Dogs_Cornell University Collage of Veterinary Medicine-Dogwatch Newsletter_December 2008 Download

Make Safe Dog and Cat Introductions from Cornell University Collage of Veterinary Medicine, Dog Watch Newsletter, March 2011

Make Safe Dog and Cat Introductions_Cornell University Collage of Veterinary Medicine-Dogwatch Newsletter_March 2011 Download

Understanding Highly Predatory Dogs by Mardi Richmond, CPFT-KA, Whole Dog Journal June 18 2010

Understanding Highly Predatory Dogs-Mardi Richmond, CPFT-KA_Whole Dog Journal, June 18 2010 Download

Killing Joey: When MCAS managers fail helpless animals are made to pay the price

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Joey, ID# 340953

Multnomah county government enthusiastically advocates for social justice and equity for its most vulnerable demographic, then openly denies that care. Respite programs, emergency board and pets in crisis that provide relief and safe haven for citizens and their companion animals facing life crises have been removed from the county’s animal control agency. The last reference to them was in 2020.

Helping the Pets and People Who Need the Most Support Wade Sadler Former MCAS Director, February 2020

“At MCAS, Sadler has championed programs to make services more accessible to the pets and people of the community. “For me, I care about being a good steward of our local government’s resources for the public,” Sadler says, introspectively. “Yes, I care a lot about animals, but I also want to be able to help the people attached to those animals. We’re considering the social justice perspective relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and what it means for the services we offer. How do we help the people who are struggling, who need the most support, or who aren’t accessing our services?”

It was propaganda.

Killing Joey

Joey was the faithful companion of an individual who had fallen on hard times, had lost his housing and had become homeless. After his owner became acutely ill and was hospitalized during a medical emergency with no time to find someone to assume his care, Joey was impounded at MCAS on February 21, 2025 The person his owner had hastily arranged to take care of Joey when he was hospitalized instead abandoned Joey in the hospital’s parking garage and animal control was called. At first his owner was considered to have been the perpetrator.

Finalized Animal Control Issue Summary 297436 February 21, 2025

“I [the MCAS animal control officer] called Legacy Emanuel Hospital ICU..and spoke with Robert McQuade who I informed for the reason for my call. Robert became emotionally upset at finding out that his dog “Joey” had been left in a parking garage. Robert stated that he was recently evicted from his apartment, is experiencing houselessness, and experienced a stroke which landed him at Adventist hospital needing emergency treatment. Robert stated that due to his emergency need for medical care, limited time to find someone he knew to care for “Joey”, he asked for help in watching “Joey” at the encampment he was at, someone referred him to the male whom he left “Joey” with and who appears to have left “Joey” in the hospital garage…

…Throughout the call Robert was emotionally upset with “Joey” being left, possibly abandoned, and extremely concerned that he would not be able to get him back…I informed Robert of the 6 day boarding for emergency circumstances [the normal 6 day owner hold is standard, and not in particular for emergencies] such as the one he was currently in…I informed Robert that if he believed it would be past 2/27/25 that I suggested he have a charge nurse or social worker reach out to MCAS, speak to management, to see what options there were to for possibly extending the boarding…”

The officer concluded “Given…Robert’s multiple attempts to [contact] MCAS while in the ICU it is evident that he was concerned with the well being of “Joey” even as he attempted to find care for “Joey” while experiencing a medical emergency and having little or no time to find someone. If possible/needed I recommend assisting with boarding and returning “Joey” to Robert.”

That never happened. When Joey’s owner needed extended care for Joey, he was given none. MCAS extended the hold date until March 1, 2025, while Robert, Joey’s owner, was still hospitalized. Eight days after Robert’s hospitalization for a stroke, Joey became MCAS property and Robert lost his companion dog. A week later, after a fumbled adoption to inexperienced adopters, Joey was rapidly returned to MCAS.

Joey was adopted again on March 9, 2025 then promptly returned the next day on March 10, 2025. The owners had immediately bathed him upon bringing him to their home and he bit at a towel they used to towel him off. They returned him and were refunded their $25 fee. They were asked to describe their experience.

March 13, 2025

“JON stated that he only had the dog for a day and couldn’t question about the rest of the dog’s behavior, but in accordance to the bite, JON stated that he and his partner were bathing the dog. JON stated that while his partner was putting the wash cloth near the dog, the dog lunged and bit at the wash cloth, thus piercing it and biting his partner’s finger. JON stated that he was certain it was an unintentional bite and was not towards his partner. JON stated that they did not have any photos of the bite has [sic] it was minor and had since healed, Complaint closed.”

Joey was killed on March 25, 2025. Before he was killed, the managers made a perfunctory busy effort to contact his former owner, then at Cascade Terrace Rehabilitation where Robert, Joey’s owner had been transferred on March 18, for physical therapy critical to recovering from his stroke. The MCAS management’s plan was to ask him to assume Joey’s care. It was a plan dictated by callous indifference with very short timing; the appearance of effort and caring when none was intended. It was to ‘check a box.’ MCAS completely failed to convey the urgency of Joey’s predicament to Robert in their messages.

March 21, 2025

“Called Cascade Terrace Nursing…I left a [Voicemail] with [Animal ID] and my desk number asking for a call back regarding Robert [redacted last name] and his dog.”

Prior to this, MCAS management called the Rehabilitation Center twice on March 20, 2025 and were unable to leave a message. The reason for the call was not disclosed in the record.

On March 21, the “Rounds Review” convened at 2:30 PM and had agreed that Joey would be killed if they did not hear back from Joey’s owner by the end of the day on March 23. They made no other effort to contact him personally. No letter was sent. No one was directly spoken to at Social Services. It is very likely Robert never received any message at all. MCAS’ effort was not made in good faith. It was just the appearance of diligence so they could disown responsibility.

March 21, 2025, Rounds Review

“Rounds met and we have made several attempts to contact owner and left messages. We will give previous owner until end of day Sunday 3/23 to make contact. Due to server [sic] high anxiety leading to self harm in the shelter and handling sensitivity that lead [sic] to a bite will move forward with euthanasia if no owner contact.”

On March 24, Rounds followed up “Rounds discussed and MC [Marian Cannell, Operations manager] will clarify notes and will proceed with humane euthanasia 3/25”

The notes clarification, edited into the March 21, record:

“edit to clarify about self harm. Joey’s behavior is such that while on multiple high dosages of anxiety medications, Joey continues to display high anxiety in which he has nearly destroyed two kennel divider door [sic] in his attempts to escape kennels, as well as high signs of stress that are outside of normal stress behaviors observed in shelter dogs. Significant self mutilation causing long term damage to the body has not been observed.”

Clarifying a poor decision by explaining it away with poor reasoning is not a clarification. It is either intended to justify and excuse inaction or it’s a sincere demonstration of incompetence. Either way, when someone doesn’t know what to do, they ought to ask an expert.

It is clear from the records that Joey’s distress was caused by MCAS and was a departure from his baseline behavior shortly after he was impounded.

February 25, 2025, Data Collection

“Dog readily approached me at kennel door, ears perked, small tail wags. Took a treat from hand, a little snappy. Sat when asked, and took the next treat gently. Stood still while I reached in and placed slip lead, wagging his tail. Ignored all dogs as we exited kennels, sniffing sidewalk with ears back. Pulled off and on…I crouched and pet his head, he stayed still, looking towards me, then took a step closer, putting his chin over my leg, slightly closing his eyes while I pet his chin, neck, and head. Shook off, wagging his tail when I stopped. Took all treats gently on walk…When returning to kennels he moved close to sniff a dog, then ignoring and walked away when they became reactive and began barking at him. Removed leash and exited kennel kennel without issue.”

On March 3, 2025 the records noted Joey needed time outside MCAS for kennel stress. In the March 5, 2025 Play group Joey “spent most of the time standing next to handlers and leaning into them for pets.” He was lonely.

No solutions were sought beyond escalating doses of psychotropics routinely given to most impounded animals to address endemic levels of toxic shelter stress experienced by most animals at MCAS. If the routine psychotropics are ineffective, there are numerous resources available in the Multnomah county community to reach positive outcomes. MCAS primary care veterinarians once consulted a veterinary behavior expert for viable solutions who practices in Portland and is consulted nation-wide.

Outside of consulting with experts, even bare minimum improvements including altering the environment with music and frequent outings off site, park visits, and engaging Joey in activities that used his intelligence, for example, nose work. They were not employed.

The goal should have been to return Joey to his baseline. Joey’s subsequent distress at MCAS was a reaction to confinement and the shelter environment. They didn’t have to kill him.

Managers could have also put Joey in respite foster care until his owner, who was devoted to him, recovered from his stroke enough to redeem him and Joey could go back to be with him, but the support was just not there.

The deterioration of animals’ health and well being at MCAS is the management’s responsibility to solve. Instead they are overcome by an old attitude: Blame the animal for management’s failures. Joey was described as “unhealthy and untreatable” when he was killed, the disposition used to kill all animals who become inconvenient.

MCAS didn’t have to kill him. The managers could have learned how to be effective instead of burying the evidence of failure.

The time was short. Joey’s owner was never personally contacted; only the appearance of effort was made so it could be documented. The cure for a dog’s emergent high anxiety isn’t death. The reasons listed for euthanasia are in Joey’s and almost every case, based upon indifference intended to excuse irresponsibility.

A new proposed foster animal respite program (attached) has never been implemented despite promises by the Multnomah County Chair and Commission that it was on a short list well over a year ago. The need is urgent. Emergency Board and Pets in Crisis no longer exist at MCAS. Both are services critical to the MCAS demographic. Without public notice or discussion, both services were quietly and quickly eliminated by Operations manager Marian Cannell and Director Erin Grahek diverted the MCAS funded mission away from supporting pet redemption and retention and helping those in need to a cheap pet store: $25 a dog.

Creating a caring shelter

Many of the recommendations about how to successfully foster a shelter dog apply to sheltering itself (such as in the articles below). No specific instructions: Just understand and be kind.

Gail O’Connell-Babcock

Joey’s MCAS records, redacted

MCAS Records_340953 Joey Pitts-Redacted Download

Jason Renaud’s dog foster respite proposal, September 2022

Jason Renaud_Dog Respite Proposal Download

Whole Dog Journal, Beyond Food and Water, By Kelly Gorman, CPDT
July 2004 Issue

Behavior_Beyond Food and Water_Whole-dog-journal Download

Set of three articles for Setting stressed dogs up for success. Whole Dog Journal
July 2017 Issue

Article collection for Setting a stressed dog up for success-Whole Dog Journal_ July 2017 Download

Giving Out Good Vibrations, Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine, Your Dog, by Arden Moore

Giving Out Good Vibrations-Your Dog_Arden Moore Download

The brutal killing of Rune, a Street Dog: a victim of MCAS’ mistakes

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Rune, ID# 328701

Rune, a 5-year-old American Pit Bull mix, was impounded on October 28, 2024, after he was found running down the streets and allegedly bit 2 persons. Only one could be identified, a child whom Rune had knocked down and was bruised. He had no apparent owner. A houseless person claimed to have been feeding and providing him shelter for a week, but disclaimed ownership and stated he could not keep him contained because he just kept chewing through leashes.

On November 08, 2024 during his intake exam Rune was described as:

“…Social and easy to handle. He did turn around a couple of times to see what we were doing when scanning/vaccinating but overall did very well for exams and treatments. Sending back to round review with updates after data collection.”

On November 11, a worker’s poor judgment prompted an incident. The incident escalated and was further compounded by a series of negative management interventions that only created more frantic behavior on Rune’s part, his stress already amplified by barking dogs on either side of him and across the aisle. Rune was ordered to be killed at the end of quarantine on November 21, 2024, due to a single injury to one worker’s hand when she was holding the kennel door to force Rune to stay inside. There was no management review of unsafe conduct rooted in poor practices that created an incident. They just ordered Rune, the evidence of their errors, killed after quarantine.

MCAS staff are not trained in positive safe practices, including how to manage and deescalate stress when animals are uncomfortable. Their incentive management tools are limited to treats; there are no training plans to teach fearful animals to willingly comply. Unwanted behavior is addressed with verbal warnings (“No”), Pet Corrector, water spray bottles, and shake cans which are a coin flip on whether they momentarily interrupt unwanted behavior or escalate distress in a fearful dog. “Data collections” are intrusions on an animal’s space to identify how ready they are for adoptions. Prioritizing speedy processing comes at the cost of compassion for an animal’s comfort, setting them up for failure.

November 11, 2024 Behavior note from Play group runner:

“Attempting to get Rune for playgroup. He was at his door, tail up, panting. Unlatched door and he watched me calmly, then darted to bark towards neighbor. Poked the toe of my shoe through the door and he immediately lunged, grabbing on and tugging. I was able to hold door closed against my foot, and radioed for help after 20-45 seconds. A coworker helped pull my shoe off, as he continued to tug, and pet corrector was used. He redirected towards the pet corrector, then grabbed my shoe as I tried to pull it back out of the kennel. Airhorn was used and he snapped towards that, then jumped up and bit MH’s fingers as MH held door closed. We were able to remove my shoe and latch door. No damage to my foot.”

The damage to the worker’s hand is pictured in the record described as:

“…After the shoe was retrieved from Rune’s mouth, through the crack in the door, I continued holding the door as it had not been latched. Rune then re-directed onto my hand, biting my left middle and ring fingers, briefly before letting go. The result was four tares [sic] in the skin on my fingers, two on each of the two fingers, all less than about an inch in length. I also have what appears to be a blood blister.”

Rune’s reactions caused little damage when he was wholly capable of a greater reaction given the escalation of stressors, one stacked upon the other. They were understandably based in fear after he was assaulted when he was in his kennel with no way to get away.

There was no reason for a worker to poke his foot through the kennel. The worker took off his shoe after Rune grabbed it, initiating a tug of war over that shoe. In an effort to get it back, the worker used Pet Corrector, and when that failed, an air horn. Most shelters have warning signs advising visitors to not put their hands or thrust objects into kennels because it’s an unsafe intrusion.

Why was it more important to get the shoe back than to deescalate the incident and create calm? Why not calm down and give the fearful dog space? Did anyone even try to use Counter-Conditioning and Desensitization to change Rune’s association with fear from a negative stimulus to positive with treats and a calm demeanor? Why resort to flooding animals with fear-provoking stimuli like Pet Corrector and air horns at all?

Where does the fault belong?

Both the staff and animals are victims of a protocol requiring that all interactions are compelled instead of invited. The staff are told to process the animals as efficiently and quickly as possible. When a fearful reaction occurs, instead of attending to and accommodating a dog’s fear, the worker is trained to engage in repeated aversive action. All this does is create escalation.

November 7, 2024, Data Collection/Behavior Notes:

“Approached outside kennel door. Rune was barking, snapping and jumping against shared kennel wall where Galaxy (272836) was standing and barking. Ears back, tail high and wagging. Held my hand up to door and he snapped at it, contacting the door. He did this several times, resuming fence fighting with Galaxy in between. Closed all barking dogs around him inside, returning to outside of kennel 5 minutes later. He ran out to me, panting, tail high. Snapped towards my hand again, when I held it to the door. Readily accepted treats taking them hard.

He paced and circled around the end of the kennel, looking at the walls, occasionally barking. I poked my leash through the kennel, he sniffed it, then snapped at it. Treated for a minute. Cracked door, throwing some treats on the ground, and attempted to reach in and leash. He grabbed onto leash and began tugging. After 10-15 seconds he let go to eat a treat. Did this twice but was able to leash on 3rd attempt. Once on leash he nosed at door. Pulled a little on leash … Tolerated contact on head, back and sides, but did not acknowledge me when I pet him…Returned to kennel…Reached in and removed leash. He ran inside and began barking at Galaxy.”

When a dog is snapping at an action, waiting just to repeat the same action, instead of taking a different approach, is not accommodating to a dog’s fear.

Continuing the same forced interaction only reinforces that fearful response.

The follow up data collections on November 8 and November 9 were friendly and positive. Rune welcomed all contact and didn’t display any of the previously noted leash biting behaviors. But now he was clearly limping on both back legs and was reported to be having multiple bloody stools. He was friendly and cooperative during the animal health exam addressing the new medical concerns.

Rune was killed as “unhealthy and untreatable” on November 22, 2024, when he wasn’t. The system failed him.

Multnomah County Animal Services managers cause incidents by failing to address toxic levels of stress at the shelter, including unsafe levels of continuous noise bombardment, failure to allow off-site enrichment activities, and failure to teach staff how to manage dogs proactively when the majority of intake dogs at MCAS come from traumatic backgrounds, only to be further harmed at MCAS.

The acute failure by management to improve practices that lead to unsafe incidents through review directly sets the foundation for repetitive failures. Their solution has been to dispose of the “bad” dog, frequently even when a “bad” dog’s behaviors have turned around from fearful to friendly.

Incidents are already primed to occur against a background where significant numbers of animals live in a chronic state of unremitting stress. Untrained workers are pushed to rapidly assess how much contact an often distressed dog will allow. Animals’ stress reduction is primarily addressed by escalating doses of psychotropics while the management chronically fails to provide all of the minimum requirements critical to the mental health of sheltered animals.

The Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters
Journal of Shelter Medicine and Community Animal Health 2022

MCAS managers reject positive animal training for staff, including how to address and manage animal distress. The staff are left on their own to sort it out, e.g. repeatedly pursuing a scared dog who is avoiding them in order to leash him; patting a starved dog while the dog is eating then labeling the dog defensive, a “resource guarder.” Or they are equipped with negative interventions intended to scare or frighten a dog into submission. Negative methods of addressing behavior only work momentarily, often having the unintended side effect of escalating stress.

It is the ‘Perfect storm’ where every element of failure is gathered into one place.

Gail O’Connell-Babcock

Rune’s MCAS records, redacted

MCAS Records_328701 Rune-Redacted Download

MCAS’ toxic environment: The cause of Winnie’s death

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Winnie, ID# 300464

Winnie is a neglected six year old German Shepherd mix found as a stray on October 17, 2024. She would have been better off left on the streets in the care of strangers, not left instead at MCAS where disease and indifference are rampant. Winnie was hospitalized at MCAS after developing kennel cough and pneumonia on the same day that she was approved for foster care on November 11, 2024. By then, she had been at the shelter for 24 days. On November 12, 2024, the managers rejected life saving medical care in favor of expedient killing. They assigned her to immediate euthanasia that day.

November 12, 2024,

“Rounds met and due to multiple previously diagnosed chronic medical conditions with the current medical concerns causing a concern for her QOL [Quality of life], rounds elects to move forward with euthanasia.”

The managers’ justifications for euthanasia are self serving and dishonest. More time is dedicated to finding reasons to transfer or kill animals than to save their lives, despite having over a million dollars in Dolly’s Fund, a historically misused restricted fund for special medical care needs of shelter animals. It is the managers’ quality of life that might be affected if they were to work towards their funded mission. Winnie had “…multiple previously diagnosed chronic medical conditions,” but they were treatable, manageable, and even correctable. Winnie’s quality of life depended upon and required medical care. They denied it.

On November 12, 2024, the on site veterinarian recommended:

“Rounds Review to decide next steps: Recommend starting IV fluids and IV antibiotics (at MCAS or DLEAH [Dove Lewis Emergency Animal Hospital]) or euthanasia.”

The only mention of the significance of prior chronic conditions occurred during an earlier stray intake in February 2024. They were described as treatable and manageable and were considered so until Winnie contracted preventable kennel cough and pneumonia at MCAS. Which then became a rationalization for wanting to clear space with as little effort as possible.

On February 6, 2024, Winnie was brought in as a stray exhibiting signs of neglect (with similar concerns noted on previous stray intakes: August 2020; October 2023).

February 6, 2024, Health Exam; Veterinary recommendation:

“OK to be adopted by finder at end of hold time if they can continue treatment/ management of skin and ear conditions which will likely need long term (potentially lifelong) management.”

From multiple MCAS record entries, it is clear that Winnie had a fine quality of life with chronic medical conditions.

October 23, 2024, Data Collection:

“Readily approached me at outside kennel door, wagging tail with perked ears. Easy to reach in and leash. Pulls a bit on leash, sniffing and wagging tail. Readily accepted pats on head, back, chin, and neck. Wiggling back and forth in front of me as I pet her. Sniffed dogs in neighboring kennels, whining and bumping kennel door with nose, high wagging tail. Tossed treats which she ate as I exited kennel.”

Even with chronic medical conditions, Winnie was a happy dog interested in the world around her with a quality of life. Chronic, treatable, manageable and correctable medical conditions, most secondary to neglect, didn’t become a management “concern” until MCAS managers were hopping around seeking to pile on excuses to kill her out of their indifference.

MCAS managers changed the rules to legitimize and normalize killing for space and convenience. They have no compassion for animals and the public they serve. Those in charge of MCAS supervision go along to get along and look the other way.

Veterinarians and others serve the managers, not the mission.

Before 2016, veterinarians had a more central role being part of the Rounds Review (formerly Shelter Review) committee. They were mandatory presences, part of the minimum 3 parties necessary to form a quorum. These meetings were open to invested parties such as trainers, staff, volunteers, rescues. The meetings also included a specific diplomate in behavioral veterinary medicine on contract to the agency twice a month. After 2016, former Director Jackie Rose changed the language such that Veterinarians were no longer required to be present, being relegated to optional advisory roles.

Under Director Erin Grahek, the Rounds Review meetings are supposed to include staff veterinari ans and certified veterinary technicians. However, as is seen in Winnie’s record, these meetings are far too short to possibly include any meaningful input from veterinary staff. The Rounds Review met and decided Winnie’s fate over the course of 4 minutes on November 12, 2024, and immediately after the managers signed off on her euthanasia. The speed with which these decisions are made is consistent across many records, and public records requests regarding what parties are present are ignored.

Staff veterinarians could and did frequently consult with other community veterinary professionals and were actively part of critical care decisions including final dispositions. MCAS used to have medical and hospice fosters to support animals with special needs. Handicaps and illness were not considered the end of life.

MCAS is no longer a public shelter but a private preserve. That is why Winnie died. The managers, trusted to care for shelter animals, did not want to put in more time or effort than is necessary to sign off on her euthanasia. 4 minutes could never be enough time to weigh a life. The money was there, in Dolly’s Fund.

Gail O’Connell-Babcock

Winnie’s MCAS Records, Redacted.

MCAS Records_300464 Winnie-Redacted Download

MCAS Rounds Review Policies, 2014; Working Draft under Former Director Michael Oswald

MCAS Shelter Review Guidelines-2014-Working Draft Download

MCAS Rounds Review Policies, 2016; under Former Jackie Rose

MCAS Shelter Review Guidelines-2016 Download

MCAS Rounds Review Euthanasia Policies, 2024; under Director Erin Grahek, Page 3

MCAS Euthanasia Policy-2024 Download

How Multnomah County Animal Services fails the community

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Jasmin, ID# 292723

The February 2023 investigative report by OPB April Ehrlich, addressing MCAS’ failures could be published today. A year and a half later there has been no substantive change.

“In a 2018 report, auditors noted that multiple staff were concerned the shelter had adopted out unsafe dogs.”

MCAS does not adopt out “unsafe dogs.”They adopt dogs out unsafely because of bad policies that disregard animal welfare, including low standards and $25 adoptions, when ‘cheap’ is an invitation to impulse buys. Markdowns are intended as incentives. When ‘discount specials’ never end, save changing their name, that speaks to the agency’s failure and the corruption of its values.

Adoptions: How adoptions go wrong.

Over the protests of staff and volunteers, Jasmin, a wonderful dog whose history included a severe attack by another dog, was to have an adoption restriction requiring that she be the only dog in the prospective family. Instead, management overrode that restriction and adopted Jasmin to a family with another resident dog. Days later she was returned by the family after a dog attack. MCAS managers killed her for their careless indifference. The practice of facilitating poor adoptions and killing dogs who have been sent to unsafe homes and returned happens all of the time.

Playgroups: What was intended to relieve the stress of constant confinement after working with Dogs Playing for Life, has been repurposed into an evaluation about adoptability based upon ‘observed’ social skills in the play group, filtering out dogs that, in their assessment, can’t be adopted and so should be euthanized.

This test is deeply flawed because of the debilitatingly stressful environment fostered by this shelter’s management policies. Dogs known to be reactive to other dogs are included in playgroup tests, often muzzled, increasing their anxiety and fear. Playgroups include dogs in heat, injured dogs, dogs suffering kennel cough, disabled, blind, and deaf dogs, diagnostic categories whose illness or vulnerabilities place them at risk.

Intake: Dogs are rushed through intake regardless of their levels of distress, a process forced by the management’s edict for speed efficiency. If distressed, they are attached by leash to an i-hook, escalating fear and anxiety by trapping them, and then the intrusive exams proceed. They are then labeled with ‘handling sensitivity’ and/or ‘fear’ or ‘jumpy/mouthy’ waivers for defensive reactions brought about by insensitive handling. For example, if they “head whip” when intrusive exams are conducted. When staff behaves insensitively, on the orders of management, the dogs are blamed for their reactions. Everything becomes the dog’s fault.

Data Collection: “Data collections” are visits to kenneled dogs, usually but not always up to 3, to evaluate how many personal space intrusions, including checking teeth, ears, and physically checking spay/neuter status, a dog will tolerate from a complete stranger in a shelter environment. Staff are not trained about animal behavior, how to recognize stress and how to gain safe compliance for physical exams. The emphasis is always on speed. Pushing dogs down or pursuing them to leash is unsafe conduct. The only tools management provides are negative: The word “No”; Pet Corrector, spray bottles and shake cans all of which can backfire by escalating stress.

Fosters: Are not screened, except to make sure their companion animals are licensed, and chosen randomly. They receive no training and are not provided behavior training resources. The absence of professional guidance creates safety risks. If an incident occurs it is again the dog’s fault according to managers, not their own poor policies.

Adoption Returns: Adoption Returns are commonplace because of poor and indifferent adoption standards. Only the dog pays the price.

“Multnomah County shelter has a policy to offer emergency boarding services for up to a month.”

Director Erin Grahek and Operations Manager Marian Cannell ended emergency board and respite fosters a while ago without announcement, excusing this with the statement that they have insufficient space. ‘Space’ is a matter of creativity. Respite fostering and emergency board have been replaced by the ‘ 6 day hold mandatory’ for owned animals, after which MCAS assumes ownership.

Redemption and retention are their funded missions. When one lacks the skills to honor it, one does not just get rid of the mission. MCAS accommodated for respite and emergency board in the past despite an equal or greater intake, smaller budget and fewer managers. What did previous directors do differently when space was available? The funding is there. The imagination, will, initiative, and values are not.

Attached is a proposed respite foster program County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson placed on a short list over a year ago. Why hasn’t it been funded? Other space limitations are the result of multiple adoption returns, as many as 6 times in one case.

Owner surrenders outside the scope of those that the county is mandated to take are often about owners’ deficits and mismanagement. Issues that could be managed by providing counseling before accepting a surrender, as former Multnomah County Animal Control Director Hank Miggins once required.

There is no veterinary social work position to proactively help people keep their animals when a crisis occurs. Frequent adoption returns and high intake from owner surrenders are challenges that should be met with policy change, but the management instead chooses to prioritize speedy intake with speedy adoption to create space.

“‘I will bring on strong professionals who have the animal welfare background that I don’t, and marry that with my experience as a manager and a leader in Multnomah County,’ Erin Grahek said.”

That program has failed completely. First, a leader must know the difference between competent effective sheltering and poor sheltering. A distinction that is not learned from following the managers’ lead. It has to come from a director’s lived professional experience or they will not be able to lead, and instead be relegated to a director in title only. Operations manager, Marian Cannell hired in November 2022, and the supervisory managers demonstrably lack the skills and background necessary to run a humane progressive animal shelter that meets this community’s needs. Management positions have been filled based not upon skills proficiency and a broad-based search, but upon personal loyalty to existing management.

The community and homeless animals bear the costs of government failure. The February 2023 report from OPB April Erhlich could just as well be today’s report.

Service to managers is more important than serving the community, what is really needed to return service to the community is a system of accountability.

Gail O’Connell-Babcock

Jason Renaud’s Respite Program proposal from September 2022

Jason Renaud_Dog Respite Proposal Download

Cornell University: Shelter’s Move Towards Alternatives, Dogwatch Newsletter, Vol 4, No.20, April 2016

Shelters Move Toward Alternatives_Cornell University Download

Jasmin’s [292723] records, redacted

MCAS Records_292723 Jasmin-Redacted Download

Rationalizing the cruelty of killing Sheba, a senior Aussie who exceeded her stay

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Followup to: Losing the lottery, The inexcusable killing of Sheba

Sheba (Sundown), ID# 315270

On September 23, 2024, the Rounds Review committee recommended Sheba, also known as Sundown, to be killed. Two days later on September 25, 2024, she was labeled “Unhealthy and Untreatable” despite all recorded evidence to the contrary.

Management does not justify their euthanasia decisions beyond labeling animals as “unhealthy and untreatable.” Rather than meet professional expectations of accountability, they have lowered expectations upon themselves making dogs pay the price.

The MCAS management has categorically rejected behavior and training, despite recommendations by formal audits in 2016 and 2018. Recommendations that had been glibly acknowledged in 2018, despite recent reporting by the Oregonian in 2023 demonstrating that there is still a dire lack of training throughout the agency’s personnel. This lack of training is especially problematic since the demographic the shelter serves significantly disadvantaged areas and whose adopters are often ignorant about animal behavior. Problems that all contribute to a protocol defaulting to euthanasia for convenience or ‘savings’ on space or medical care.

September 23, 2024, 9:45 AM Rounds Review:

“Rounds discussed and will move forward with humane euthanasia due to unpredictable aggressive behaviors outside of the shelter and lack of transfer resources.”

If Sheba’s behaviors were truly motivated by “unpredictable aggression outside of the shelter” then she would be very unlikely to be made available to rescue.

There was no evidence during Sheba’s extended stay at MCAS concerning “unpredictable aggression” with dogs or people in any notes despite the fact that she was in multiple play groups with other dogs. In every one she was friendly and tolerant of other dogs.

May 8, 2024, Behavior Notes, prior to adoption on May 8, 2024:

“PLAYGROUP

Greeting: Panting, walked over to fence with handler. A little avoidant of dogs initially, Turned and sniffed them. Small butt wiggles. Steerable.

Entry: Walked in, greeted handlers. Tolerated other dogs sniffing her. Sniffed them back.

Summary: Dog tolerant to dog social. Sniffing with dogs. Hung out by handlers. Friendly with people and interested in dogs. Limited energy.”

September 20, 2024, Behavior Notes, after being returned on September 10

“PLAYGROUP

Greeting: Brief snffs with with dogs. Went off and sniffed around and peed. Checking in with Runner, tail wagging.

Entry: Walked in. Tolerated sniffs from other dogs. Gave a few brief sniffs.

Yard Summary: Hung around Primary and Secondary [Playgroup handlers], sniffing their legs and wagging. Started whining, jumping, and soliciting pets. Some whining and panting next to handlers. Dog tolerance seen in play group.”

After the Rounds Review committee decided that Sheba should be euthanized due to “unpredictable aggression,” she was in another playgroup that showed exactly the same friendly behaviors she had consistently shown in playgroups prior.

September 23, 2024, Behavior Notes, after her euthanasia schedule was finalized

“PLAYGROUP

Greeting: Whining at the fence. Tail wags at all the handlers.

Entry: Walked in and sniffed with Mirage [Another dog], FDBD sniffs [muzzle sniffs and butt sniffs] with tail wags.

Yard Summary: Wagging tail and whining at the fence, soliciting pets from the handlers. Interested in other dogs but gets overwhelmed. Will greet new dogs, More interested in people. Solicited pets and attention.”

Nothing about her behavior met any standard for aggression at MCAS.

April 30, 2024, Intake notes after being held in protective custody for abuse and/or neglect.

“Behavior observations: Very overweight and severely matted along entire body. Somewhat nervous and avoidant during exam, but allowed all handling and readily accepted treats throughout exam. This animal is being placed under protective custody for further investigation into her poorly [sic] condition. Once cleared from PC [Protective custody] can be placed up for adoption inf not RTO [Returned to owner].”

On her adoption return intake notes, no personal aggression was observed. Nor was any aggression towards people observed throughout the remaining days of her shelter stay.

September 10, 2024, adoption return intake notes

“Exam performed when in admissions room – nothing appeared amiss, able to administer [de]wormer and flea control without issue. No aggression during time in shelter, able to easily kennel ( from outside, other dogs shut inside) and take off loop, no sensitivity shown.

Placing on rounds for review.”

All behavior notes before and after her return were positive.

Why was Sheba killed for “unpredictable aggression” outside of the shelter, when none of those behaviors were reported in a stressful shelter?

MCAS never sought clarification of the owners’ reports of “unpredictable aggression” towards people and/or dogs. The only information provided by the adopters was that during their 4 month adoption Sheba “had bitten 3 or 4 times during her time away, none causing bleeding to their knowledge, only ripping pants once…” and “that they cannot keep her because of her behavior.”

Had MCAS managers taken any interest in seeking to understand what was reported to be “unpredictable” about Sheba’s behavior despite the fact that there was no evidence of unpredictable behavior at MCAS, they could have easily discovered the likely challenge in other comments the adopters made in the notes:

September 11, 2024

“Wife of [adopter] called in and wanted to provide more information about their time with the dog. She said that the dog had pretty intense separation anxiety, doesn’t think dog does well with children, but says the dog bonds pretty intensely to the person to the person that brings her home. Also states that she thinks the dog would do well for someone who has a yard, because their place didn’t have a yard so she would take the dog out for exercise and stated dog reacted strongly to other dogs and people.”

MCAS’ failure to follow up with an informed interview transitions into failing its community and shelter animals. They are responsible for their welfare and fates.

“To better understand and, when necessary, modify aggressive or other kinds of behavior, it may be more useful to focus on describing the behavior and what triggers it.”

—When It Comes to Behavior, Avoid Labels, by Suzanne Hetts, Ph.D, CAAB, from DogWatch Newsletter, March 2006.

The behaviors that the adopters may have intended regarding the difficulties they reported with handling Sheba could easily be commonplace leash reactivity alongside being protective of the adopter. This is especially likely if the adopter was holding the leash tightly, exhibiting anxiety that led to Sheba feeling anxious and taking a protective stance.

Educating her adopter was one remedy. However, MCAS also considers owner, adopter and foster surrender counseling irrelevant to addressing behavior concerns. The primary way they have addressed behavior concerns has been over prescribing tranquilizing medication not unlike how unethical nursing homes drug out their residents to keep them quiet.

A different adopter with a better understanding of dogs and behavior would have also been an option. Scholarly research supports that most failed adoptions are about owners, not dogs.

“Study: Saving Normal: A New look at behavioral incompatibilities and dog relinquishment to shelters

Findings: There is no compelling evidence “for the notion that the general population of relinquished dogs in shelters are there because of relationship-breaking behavioral incompatibilities in their prior home.” Most dogs labeled “behavior” are normal as “surrenders often say more about the people doing the surrendering – about ‘owner-related factors, needs, and expectations’ – than the dogs being surrendered.” As such, shelters should stop thinking of dogs as having “behavior problems” and instead refer to them as ‘behavior incompatibilities” with the person they were living with before being surrendered.”

—No Animal Left Behind, Nathan Winograd, October 25, 2024

Saving Normal: A New Look at behavioral incompatibilities and dog relinquishment to shelters

“Being loved and cherished is not incompatible with having some behaviors or habits owners might prefer dogs not have, if given the choice.”

There was a time when parents following an incident with the family dog would ask: “What did you do to the dog?” There was nothing wrong with Sheba. MCAS never fact checked the adopter’s report. They then robbed her of her life because animal care isn’t a managerial priority, but saving on money and space is. There were multiple options and this is made clear in other parts of the record.

‘But the trains have to run on time.’

September 15, 2024,

“Emailed breed specific rescues.”

September 18, 2024

“Rounds met and we are waiting to see if a rescue comes forward. Will FU [Follow up] 9/23”

September 19, 2024

“HUNAH [Herd U Needed A Home | Border Collie And Mixed Canine rescue] declined due to lack of fosters.”

September 22, 2024

“Emailed senior dog rescues.”

“Took Sheba to Agility. Took treats eagerly at back of kennel. Mild pulling. Kept stopping to eat foliage. Back at kennel accepted pets, butt wiggling all the while.”

“Rounds discussed and will follow up 9/23 on rescue placement.”

When no senior rescue responded in the single day they waited, the managers ordered Sheba killed as “unhealthy and untreatable.” She was viewed as expired merchandise.

When managers prioritize securing vacation time, pay, and ease in work, they treat criticism as antagonism and see no reason to improve their performance so long as county officials have their back.

Gail O’Connell-Babcock

MCAS Records for Sheba (Sundown), ID# 315270 , Redacted

MCAS Records_315270 Sheba (Sundown)-Redacted Download

TIME SENSITIVE/URGENT: Please protest Malaki’s impending death

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Updated in: MCAS convenience euthanasia: Killing Malaki the senior Malamute

Malaki, ID# 324511

Malaki is a sweet-natured senior Alaskan Malamute mix set to be euthanized due to ambulatory compromises. Malaki qualifies for Dolly’s Fund and foster care.

Under the current management, MCAS has discontinued accessing the over one million dollars in Dolly’s Fund restricted to the medical needs of shelter animals. Instead in violation of the intent of the public fund, they have re-directed donated monies to spay and neuter vouchers and, at most, comfort care should dogs with medical concerns be transferred to Dove Lewis for care.

Concerns about management conduct

1. Inappropriate behavior testing

While seeking rescue options, why did the management place Malaki in 2 dog play groups, one on September 20, 2024 and another on September 23, 2024 to assess his dog compatibility skills when chronic pain affects behavior and when physical activity aggravates a bilateral cruciate ligament injury?

2. Not valuing the lives of dogs with disabilities

Why are the only options MCAS considers rescue or death for handicapped animals even as the agency continues to gather public monies for the special medical needs of shelter animals but instead redirects it elsewhere?

The Oregon Humane Society declined to take Malaki back on September 14, 2024 after obtaining veterinary radiographic records taken in October 2023 for Malaki. The attending veterinarian suspected advanced bilateral cruciate compromises that the OHS medical team does not have the capability to treat. Now MCAS managers are seeking senior dog rescues to take Malaki with a follow up on September 26, 2024, which usually implies a literal deadline: Euthanasia.

On September 21, 2024 the on site MCAS veterinarian outlined a treatment plan that if other rescues could not take him, Malaki should be euthanized. Why?

“Long term [physical therapy] will need surgery for cruciate ligament disease as well as physical therapy, and additional treatments for chronic osteoarthritis (Adequan injections, Librela injections, joint supplements). If unable to provide the above, recommend humane euthanasia due to chronic pain affecting [Quality of life]”

Nothing in the record suggests Malaki now on pain relief and other osteoarthritis support medications is suffering at all.

September 07, 2024, Intake notes:

“Behavior observations: Dog was easy to loop leash and walk to intake room. Did well for all handlings and treatment. Paced throughout time in exam room and continued to look for a way out of room, scratching door at times. Overall was social with handler. Adoption pathway once medically cleared if not reclaimed.”

September 23, 2024, ‘Behavior Walk’ notes:

“Malaki greeted me at his outside kennel with a wiggle butt and a smile, no issues leashing. We did a loop in the front parking lot, he pulled moderately. Accepted contact and leaned in for pets. Returned to kennel and exited without issue.”

September 23, 2024, Play Group notes:

“Yard Summary: Had him out for a little while but he kept trying to run around and mount other dogs so we felt it was better to bump him.”

Why kill a happy, well adjusted dog whose pain is controlled and who has a quality of life even without extraordinary measures and interventions?

Live Options

MCAS can pay for specialist consultations with Dr Bianca Shaw of Back on Track Veterinary Clinic who has assisted with MCAS dogs before. They can also pay, often at discount, for a veterinary orthopedic surgeon for a detailed or even cursory review of options from practical management to rehabilitation. Having gone to Back on Track for dogs with far greater compromises than Malaki—one being Tash, an MCAS Akita/Husky mix with significant ambulatory problems—I know compromises can be managed well, from carts to medications, even if they are not cured.

MCAS has claimed it has no resources when it does: Dolly’s Fund. MCAS also has a foster care system that can manage a dog with Malaki’s physical compromises. People are willing to adopt compromised dogs.

They just don’t want to take on the ‘chore’ involved in taking care of medically compromised animals despite having funding through Dolly’s Fund. Even though success stories of animals that are rehabilitated through Dolly’s Fund would directly encourage the effectiveness of the donation driven fund.

If MCAS is unwilling to spend Dolly’s Fund for its purpose, please distribute it to private non-profits and clinics who will help dogs with disadvantages.

This is a community of compassion in fact with mandates directing respect for all lives including those of the handicapped. Please don’t kill Malaki. He deserves his life, unjudged by others.

Gail O’Connell-Babcock

The general number is 503-988-7387, it is a hard number to get through sometimes. Every manager’s phone number and email is listed below:

MCAS Director Erin Grahek erin.grahek@multco.us, 503-988 6233
Monday through Friday
She took over as interim director starting from the first week of July 2024. She was appointed director in September without a background in animal sheltering. MCAS has been in crisis with massive staff departures ever since.

Operations manager Marian Cannell marian.cannell@multco.us, 503-988-6763
Monday through Friday

Animal Care Operations Manager andrew.mathias@multco.us, 503-988-9989
Tuesday through Saturday

Field Services Supervisor Jennifer Turner jennifer.turner@multco.us, 503-988-9079

Animal Care Supervisor dalynn.torres@multco.us, 503-988-4610
Sunday through Thursday

Client Services Manager echo.gill@multco.us, 503-988- 9086
Tuesday through Saturday

Losing the lottery, The inexcusable killing of Sheba

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Updated in: Rationalizing the cruelty of killing Sheba, a senior Aussie who exceeded her stay

Sheba, ID# 315270

Sheba (also called Sundown) was a senior Australian-Shepherd mix found severely neglected on April 29, 2024. She was described in her adoption biography as:

“Introducing Sundown, the courageous 8 ½ year old Australian Shepherd with a story of resilience. Sundown’s journey has been marked by medical challenges, but her spirit remains unbroken. Despite her obstacles, she exudes warmth and affection, captivating everyone she meets with her soulful eyes and gentle demeanor…”

Awaiting euthanasia

How did Sheba go from the adoption floor to death?

As the death rate ticks up at Multnomah County Animal Services, more and more animals die needlessly because of MCAS’ leadership incompetence and venality. The leaders no longer mask their incompetence with plausible deniability. Instead they look for baseless excuses and quote senseless unverified statements to justify the inexcusable killing of shelter animals under their care. Multnomah County government places absolute trust in the agency’s explanations, allowing any excuse to disown its historic failures.

Sheba is only one of the increasing numbers of victims from this county shelter.

On September 23, 2024 “Rounds discussed and will move forward with humane euthanasia due to unpredictable aggressive behaviors outside of the shelter and no rescue options.” They also forgot to add that the moon is made of blue cheese.

Once Shelter Review was a robust meeting that included a diplomate in behavior veterinary medicine, independent trainers, workers and rescues, anyone who had an idea. It no longer does.

Sheba’s plight

Nothing in the records support the claim that any of Sheba’s behavior was at all “unpredictable.” When the managers become restless about which dogs to kill next instead of seeking resources they hunt for excuses. Sheba could have been a foster dog and an adoption with additional requirements but all she really needed was a responsible owner.

The ‘behavior expert’ they consulted was a $25 adopter who opined that during their brief adoption from May 09, 2024 to September 10, 2024 “…she has had bitten 3 or 4 times during her time away, none causing bleeding to their knowledge, only ripping pants once. They stated she’s unpredictable, and is either great with others or terrible, acting aggressively, and that they cannot have keep her because of her behavior.”

The unprofessional managers asked no questions. They took adopters’ remarks at face value because they too know nothing about animal behavior. Animal behavior is not “unpredictable.” It is situational and context driven. But they can’t ask questions because they don’t know what questions to ask. No amount of managerial training can correct this misconduct when they are looking for excuses to take a life.

A follow up statement made by the adopters suggests that the behaviors Sheba was exhibiting were leash reactivity. Behaviors that are commonplace, wholly manageable, and correctable.

September 11 2024,

“Wife of [adopter] called in and wanted to provide more information about their time with the dog. She said the dog had pretty intense separation anxiety, doesn’t think the dog does well with children, but says the dog bonds pretty intensely to the person that brings her home. Also states she thinks the dog would do well for someone who has a yard, because their place didn’t have a yard so she would take the dog out for exercise and stated the dog reacted strongly to other dogs and people.”

Sheba displayed no aggression in any playgroup or other setting since the time of her initial impound on April 29, 2024. The very day the managers signed off on her Euthanasia on September 23, 2024, she was noted as being “…interested in other dogs but gets a little overwhelmed. Will greet new dogs. More interested in people. Solicited pets and attention.” She was placed into protective custody hold for severe neglect, not aggression.

Her other playgroups on May 8, 2024 and September 20, 2024 did not suggest the dog aggression the Rounds Review Committee used to justify her killing. The only notes that relate were the vague remarks of the owner taken at face value, despite Sheba’s behavior at the shelter to the contrary.

May 8, 2024

“Play group summary: Dog tolerant to dog social. Sniffing with dogs. Hung out by handlers. Friendly with people and interested in dogs.”

September 20, 2024

“Greeting: Brief sniffs with dogs. Went off and sniffed around and peed.
Entry: Walked in. Tolerated sniffs from other dogs. Gave a few brief notes.
Yard Summary: Hung around [playgroup staff], sniffing their legs and wagging. Started whining, jumping, and soliciting pets. Some whining and panting next to handlers. Dog tolerance seen in playgroup.”

After Sheba’s return to MCAS on September 10, 2024, all of the information about her from the intake, data collection, and walk notes were uniformly positive.

September 10, 2024

“Exam performed when in admissions room- nothing appeared amiss, able to administer wormer and flea control without issue. No aggression during time in shelter, able to easily kennel (from outside, other dogs shut inside) and take off loop, no sensitivity shown.”

September 18 2024, Walk notes

“I had never interacted with Sundown before this interaction. Sundown had a loose wiggly body when I approached her outside kennel. When I entered she kept the loose body and let me easily put the slip lead on her. She ignored the dogs in other kennels. She pulled a little bit, but walked well on lead and wanted to smell around. She responded better to Sheba when recalled She was returned back to her kennel without issue.”

Every record of Sheba’s behavior, as noted on the 12^th, 13^th, 15^th, 16^th, 18^th, and 22^nd, described a very social and friendly dog who loved being with others.

On September 15, MCAS emailed breed specific rescues. On September 19, one declined due to lack of fosters. Another call to senior rescues went out on September 22. Just one day later, the managers declared they had exhausted all options. Their false narrative of inexcusable lies and lack of initiative were the reasons for their decision to kill her. She will be declared “unhealthy and untreatable” to preserve their status as infallible in the eyes of the county government. Sheba was made to pay the price of their failure with her life.

Nowhere else in the county are such well funded managers given so much latitude without accountability to kill helpless animals. Animal care is not improving at MCAS. Its failures are hidden behind smoke and mirrors.

Gail O’Connell-Babcock

MCAS’ protocol for handicapped dogs; Tic Tac: Kill unless rescued

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Tic Tac, ID# 325340

Before 2016, caring for the special medical needs of animals in the community was an actively implemented part of MCAS’ mission. On paper, their Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-2025 budget, it still is.

“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, page 11.

Current MCAS management ended its quality care commitment to shelter animals, passing off its responsibility to independent rescues. Rescues that, despite lacking the resources of a well funded government agency, are successful in providing quality care to their animals. MCAS has rejected its mission without any public notice and under the cover of silence.

Dolly’s Fund is a public fund restricted to the care of shelter animals with special medical needs now stands at well over a million dollars, with donations increasing daily. It has been intentionally diverted to unrelated expenditures, taken away from animals in need and is now directed in part to fund the agency’s spay and neuter voucher system and, on occasion, emergency visits to Dove Lewis where most commonly MCAS does not approve funding for additional life saving care.

MCAS managers’ refusal to allocate Dolly’s Fund dollars towards the care of its shelter animals with special needs was accompanied by ending the medical and respite foster program. Unless the agency hands off its responsibility towards its special needs animals to a rescue, they are killed as “unhealthy and untreatable.” They do this despite these animals being fully treatable and rehabilitatable.

Physically handicapped animals are denied necessary care unless a rescue or humane organization responds before the Rounds Review, often within days of an animal’s intake, decides to kill the animal. Jackson 322762, a very personable physically handicapped dog, was thriving despite his handicap, was denied care and recently killed despite humane options. If Dolly’s Fund were allocated to his care, his story would have fully captured the letter and spirit behind the donation driven fund.

MCAS should have at minimum provided medical foster and rehabilitation consultation itself, or looked for further options. Instead of the initiative and commitment they purport in their mission, their approach uses short deadlines in which animals are killed unless a rescue intervenes.

Tic Tac, a disabled puppy’s rescue in progress

Tic Tac, a three month old, is a social Chihuahua mix full of vim and vigor. He was taken to MCAS on September 13, 2024 and diagnosed with a bilateral carpal deformity. Meaning that his gait was abnormal; he had difficulty walking because his limbs were fixed in a flexed position and could not be extended.

On September 14, 2024, the county animal care veterinary department medically assessed Tic Tac. The plan was to seek transfer to a rescue for consultation with a neurologist and/or orthopedic surgeon, pending a followup radiograph of the spine and limbs on September 15, 2024. That radiograph showed no overt fractures or dislocation, or evidence of trauma.

September 14, 2024, Vet Consultations Notes:

“– Recommend seek transfer to a rescue that can provide further care for severe gait abnormalities; this would involve scheduling a consult with a neurologist and/or orthopedic specialist to discuss surgical treatment options and/or physical therapy/rehab options to see if abnormalities can be corrected/managed; if unable to improve gait with surgery and PT/rehab, the only alternative option would be fitting pt for a cart.

– If no transfer options available, recommend humane euthanasia as abnormalities forelimbs are particularly severe and will affect quality of life if not able to be addressed; not an adoption candidate. …

… Medically cleared? (Yes/No): clear for transfer; not clear for foster or adoption.”

Why wouldn’t MCAS pay for a consultation with a veterinary rehabilitation clinic, when Dolly’s Fund is more flush with money than ever been? Why would MCAS assume that nobody in a progressive city and county would adopt or foster a special needs dog after a treatment and care plan was in place?

Tic Tac showed everyone that handicaps are not the end of life. His feisty personality is so clear in notes on September 15, 2024.

“… Approaches kennel readily. Whimpers, grumbles and howls to solicit attention. Prefers to be at front of kennel to watch hospital staff members. Cuddly, did great in medical swing carrier while entering data at desk. Allows treatment and handling readily including unsedated rads. Dog selective- suddenly stood up and began barking and growling loudly while treating large lab in hospital next to kennel. Redirected and quieted after several minutes with positive verbal reinforcement…”

Tic Toc’s record illuminates another enormous vacuum at MCAS: Waivers dismissing responsibility replace training and behavior that address challenges thoughtfully with a plan. Waivers, including “dog selective” waivers, are intended only as cautionary warnings that don’t inform or teach. Their primary intention is to protect the agency management by ensuring that the adopting parties ‘have been advised.’ A positive reinforcement plan is about seeking change and would include rewarding a dog for responding positively not fearfully as the distance to stressors is incrementally reduced.

MCAS has the resources to care for Tic Tac and other dogs like him and once did care for them. Whether a rescue has stepped forward for Tic Tac is not known yet. MCAS has the resources, they just don’t want to put out the effort. There are no consequences for killing as a convenience.

Gail O’Connell-Babcock

MCAS leaders sponsor animal abuse and neglect

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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

MCAS eliminates “Humane” from its mission

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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

The uninterruptible ignorance of MCAS Marian Cannell

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Cream, ID# 322411

The pointless scheduling of Cream’s death

Since Marian Cannell was appointed as operations manager in November 2022, salaried at $100,000, life for animals and staff has dangerously deteriorated; deaths have gone up and adoptions have failed as salaries increase.

Animals are being ordered killed for correctable stress created by MCAS when humane alternatives exist. They are ordered killed by managers with no background in animal behavior science and training. As a result MCAS has become the $15.6 million dollar prison on the hill where increasing numbers of shelter animals do not leave alive.

Cream came into MCAS from the field with the following note on August 11, 2024. “Hyper sweet. Bonded with female at Dove Lewis. Both found on I-84 together.”

On August 29, 2024, he was scheduled to be killed as ordered by the Rounds Committee, a clique of insiders whose regulations for euthanasia decisions have progressively lax from when they were a robust committee that included experts in animal behavior sciences and trainers. The reason he is scheduled to be killed is excitable non aggressively motivated behavior that resulted in a puncture wound and scrapes.

“Rounds Review Rounds discussed and will forward with humane euthanasia after bite quarantine due to uninterruptible behaviors in shelter that have now resulted in a bite incident that was uninterruptible. Follow up 9/7 for sign off.”

The above statement is unintelligible.

It was very clear at the outset that Cream’s excitability was secondary to kennel stress from prolonged confinement in a shelter with uninterruptible noise and dogs across and beside each other about which MCAS has done absolutely nothing.

The effects of a toxic shelter, distressed dogs, and no staff or volunteer training

Staff and volunteers are untrained leaving them without tools to manage distressed dogs. Currently, the primary tools for entering a kennel are crouching, looking sideways, throwing treats, advancing upon scared animals and pushing them back if they attempt to exit the kennel. Physical striking, i.e, “bopping” a dog on the nose is on record. Pet corrector (a noxious over the counter spray) has been used to “correct” jumpy mouthy behavior. There are multiple management and training programs for leash reactivity, including articles provided for free by Instinct Dog Training, in particular their article about using positioning and body language to alleviate leash reactivity.

The shelter’s mismanagement of Cream’s excitability and leash reactivity is not unique. These are 2 descriptions on August 21, 2024 with a different MCAS dog, records available upon request. It is a demonstrable fact that many dogs at MCAS become jumpy and mouthy secondary to the agency’s unacceptable uninterruptible toxic environment:

“ … After he had the treat he was immediately jumpy and mouthy, trying to grab onto the leash and pulling my radio and key chain off my belt. I used my pet corrector, first 3 inches away from his chest, and then directly at his chest, which re-directed him, but he would immediately go back to jumping and snapping…”

“On exit [from the play yard] he started to bite his leash when I took him out, then became more excited, continuously jumping and snapping with a high raised wagging tail, and began mouthing at my sweater sleeves and bottom, latching onto the fabric. Pulled out my pet corrector and tried to re-direct, spraying 3 inches away from and then at directly at his mouth…”

Incredibly, the solution for stress driven excitability was not a plan, but a waiver “A 12 [year] and over restriction to allow better potential matches.”

Cream is suffering from a mismanaged agency where unqualified managers run a store for cheap pets, rarely neutered or spayed, on public funds. The descriptions of Cream’s behavior make clear the incompetence is in management: First, the failure to attend to the stress they create; Secondly for not training staff or caring for dogs.

Cream

August 22, 2024

“Data collection: Dog readily came to greet me with wagging tail as I approached kennel. I opened kennel and was easily able to place slip lead. We went for a walk in agility. He walks pretty well on leash, and happily accepted all pets and in head and body. He would repeatedly come to my side, rubbing against my legs with a wiggly body to solicit attention. Returned to kennel, removed lead and exited without issue. Very sweet boy!”

Six days later, August 28, 2024

“Recap from staff member from incident in yard. Had dog out in play yard, dog became over stimulated and began mouthing at arms, was able to use treats and have him focus and sit, did well with this for awhile and took a break, staff went back with toys, dog had no interest in toys and became even further over-stimulated where he could not be re-direct [sic] with treats. Staff member called for help on the radio and was able to get into adjacent yard. Sustained injuries as follows: Single deep tooth puncture to left forearm causing SQ tissue exposure, scratches to right forearm, tooth scrapes with bruising to right ankle, one superficial (chest) and one deep (abdomen) scrape on side.”

An incident should not define the life of a nice dog. An examination of what led to the incident, and how to prevent recurrence should define the next step. But at MCAS, an unqualified management kills the victims of their mistakes.

“Data collections,” where behaviors are observed with little to no intervention, are pointless when confounded by the increased stress accrued just from being at this shelter. A behavior and training department equivalent to the veterinary department is critically needed to train dogs, staff, and volunteers and counsel owners and adopters facing challenges.

Marian Cannell and Erin Grahek reject that life saving need. They should be removed from office.

Gail O’Connell-Babcock

The story of a man and his dog after losing his wife and home

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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.

MCAS Euthanasia dispositions: The process fails all professional guidelines and standards.

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There is no longer any transparency about management decisions to kill at MCAS, no apparent logic, no evident thoughtful analysis. There has not been for some time. After 2016, outside experts, volunteers, and rescuers once part of and critical to animal disposition decisions were excluded. Since 2016, decisions are made by a closed circle of no more than 3 managers whose reasoning is seldom disclosed and when it is disclosed follows no known assessment process. All animals are almost always uniformly killed as DB UU-2.*

When incidents can be prevented, caused by human error, and/or resolvable with management and training, killing is elected as the final solution.

The standard problem solving template used by professionals is SOAP: Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan.

MCAS applies SAP. MCAS goes from, S (subjective), for example, ‘animal can’t get out on leash,’ to A (assessment) ‘Unhealthy and Untreatable,’ then onward to P (plan) ‘Kill.’

Agency managers sum up their decisions vaguely. For example: “Killed for behavior:” Seldom are the behaviors specified. From reading records it is clear that most incidents do not require death as a solution.

*Asilomar Accord definition: Dog Behavior, Unhealthy and Untreatable, defined by aggressive or anxiety conditions, with intensity level 3. Intensity Level 3 is described as “Animal is sustaining self injury. Its welfare is compromised or inflicting serious damage/putting others at risk.”

MCAS Shelter Shock

Facts that the public doesn't know about Multnomah County Animal Services, Oregon

Tag Archives: Euthanasia Policy

The practice of sport of killing fearful dogs: Cola and Jubilee

When senior and disabled dogs are discarded: Mr. Perfect Potato Esq, and Angel Baby

The power of cronyism and corruption: How Multnomah County perpetuates failure

A prediction from May 1, 2019, proven true.

The Art of the steal: How MCAS gets away with failure

A magic program for creating the appearance of success when an agency is failing

Toby: a 12 year old Pomeranian killed for “Quality of Life,” a.k.a. ‘Old Dog Syndrome’

Elektra: A fragile medically neglected French Bull dog lost at a park, neglected and killed by MCAS

MCAS Violence towards animals: Vengeance killing; Chronus and Rhea

MCAS’ Budgeted Mission

An Eye for an Eye; A Tooth for a Tooth

Killing Joey: When MCAS managers fail helpless animals are made to pay the price

Helping the Pets and People Who Need the Most Support Wade Sadler Former MCAS Director, February 2020

The brutal killing of Rune, a Street Dog: a victim of MCAS’ mistakes

MCAS’ toxic environment: The cause of Winnie’s death

How Multnomah County Animal Services fails the community

Rationalizing the cruelty of killing Sheba, a senior Aussie who exceeded her stay

TIME SENSITIVE/URGENT: Please protest Malaki’s impending death

Losing the lottery, The inexcusable killing of Sheba

MCAS’ protocol for handicapped dogs; Tic Tac: Kill unless rescued

MCAS leaders sponsor animal abuse and neglect

MCAS eliminates “Humane” from its mission

The uninterruptible ignorance of MCAS Marian Cannell

The story of a man and his dog after losing his wife and home

MCAS Euthanasia dispositions: The process fails all professional guidelines and standards.