I haven’t blogged for a while BUT when I got this email yesterday and verified it last night I could not sit quiet. I was shocked and horrified. I have been in many BAD shelters and I thought Cobb was doing a pretty good job, comparatively speaking. I mean Dekalb County’s is one of the worst you can enter, but at the very least I have not seen them STARVING dogs in their care.
There are almost no words I can find, the pictures speak a million. I ask, how hard is it to FEED a dog? How could their newly brought in on-staff vet NOT SEE dogs in a state of malnutrition? How can employees and volunteers walk by a kennel for weeks on end and watch a dog go from healthy to near death and NOT say anything? How inhumane can you be?
This shelter is provided food from large corporate dog food producers – so not feeding dogs is not from a lack of food – they have plenty to go around! And you better believe, when finished, this article is headed to the corporate executives of these dog food companies so they can see where there donated food dollars are going — which is apparently NOWHERE.
I implore EVERYONE that sees this story to let their elected officials know enough is enough. These million dollar plus taxpayer subsidized shelters need to be managed by caring professionals. We are sick and tired of uncaring, inhumane and unfocused management and staff running these shelters and apparently running amok. Where are the agricultural department inspectors? Why are there no checks and balances, ongoing inspections? Why do they seemingly answer to no one. Animal Control Shelters are each Georgia county’s dark little secret – the rock no one cares to look under. It is too disturbing. It is time someone comes up with some answers for the Cobb County taxpayers.
We will not allow this to go on any longer – no more turned eyes. If you have a heart – you must find your voice and let Cobb County know — this is more than unacceptable – it’s cruel and inhumane and needs to STOP!
Kimi’s story as emailed to me-
This is Kimi. Her name was Maggie until my wife Joanne and I rescued her yesterday (on September 25, 2011) from Cobb County Animal Control (aka Auschwitz For Dogs). She is nearly dead from starvation.
Kimi after her stay at Cobb County Animal Control
Kimi under the WATCHFUL eye of compassionate employees! Pathetic!
This is how Maggie (now Kimi) looked at Cobb County Animal Control on August 14, 2011 – just 6 weeks ago.
A photo taken of Kimi the day she was brought to the shelter - held by a volunteer.
See the difference?
That’s called animal abuse, and it’s being funded by the taxpayers of Cobb County.
And it’s common at Cobb County Animal Control.
There are other dogs at Cobb County Animal Control which are suffering animal abuse, but you’ll probably never see them. Why? Because Cobb County Animal Control will kill them to hide the evidence. They’ve done that before, and they’ll likely do it to the dogs still in their possession. No evidence, no problem – right? Trust me, they’ll get away with it.
So what are you going to do about it?
Unless you speak for the animals who have no voice of their own, they will suffer, and they will die. Kimi was one of the lucky ones. She made it out of Auschwitz alive; most others in her condition don’t, because they’re not easy to adopt out. They just sit and suffer until they’re killed – because they look like this picture from this morning (September 26, 2011).
I urge you to write to Cobb County’s Commissioners, and say something like:
Cobb County Animal Control is abusing animals in it’s care. Volunteers and other rescuers have also told us about many other dogs who come into the Cobb County Animal Control shelter at normal weight but who end up emaciated and starved under the cruel treatment of Cobb County Animal Control.
Please fire Animal Control Director Jeff Patellis and his entire leadership team. Replace them with people who are committed to caring for and saving the lives of animals – people who will never let this happen again.
Please give me your personal guarantee that no emaciated animals will be killed. Destroying evidence is illegal and will not be tolerated.
Please assure me that you will make sure that whoever implemented and carried out the policies that caused this horrendous suffering will be charged with animal cruelty.
This is happening on your watch, and as a leader, you are failing to do the right thing. What are you going to do about it?
Here is contact information for every member of the Cobb County Board of Commissioners:
Tim Lee
Commission Chairman
tlee@cobbcounty.org
(770) 528-3300
Helen Goreham
District 1 Commissioner
hgoreham@cobbcounty.org
(770) 528-3313
Bob Ott
District 2 Commissioner
bob.ott@cobbcounty.org
(770) 528-3316
JoAnn Birrell
District 3 Commissioner
joann.birrell@cobbcounty.org
(770) 528-3317
Woody Thompson
Vice Chairman
District 4 Commissioner
woody.thompson@cobbcounty.org
(770) 528-3312
Offices and shared fax:
100 Cherokee Street
Marietta, Georgia 30090-9679
fax: (770) 528-2606
Green Pets America pulled a golden lab from there a day before he was to be put down. We adopted him and he looked JUST like Kimi. He was with Cobb for 3 months. We have had him since August and trying our best to get weight put back on him. He has about 5 more lbs to go! This is just so heartbreaking!!
Thank you for your response and concern. We can only work harder to make change for the life of these innocent animals. It’s not just Cobb County, but counties all around the state of Georgia. We all need to speak up – by voting in individuals willing to stand up and break the lazy network of so-called animal welfare providers in this state.
Thats awful. As both a Cobb County resident and Animal Lover, I’m outraged. I have written each individual on your list. Thank you for providing this information. Hopefully we can make a difference.
Thank you for spreading the word!
I am Joanne – Kimi’s foster Mom. I would firstly like to say that she is doing very well now, gaining strength day by day. The blood work we had pulled on her came back as normal, so she has no other reason for drastic weight loss other than not being fed. Kimi eats ravenously and has done since the moment we saw her at an adoption event – not once has she turned up her nose at food, even though she gets fed 4 times per day! Kimi is a beautiful, sweet, loving dog with a wonderful temperament.
I will continue to fight for the animals still in that facility, still being starved. Kimi is out now and safe but others are not. As I speak, some of the emaciated dogs are being destroyed so that they cannot be used as evidence. JoJo, a beautiful Boxer mix was one of them – RIP little man. :-(
If anyone has a chance to go in there and see these dogs, take photos, compare them to PF, take video of feeding times etc. This would help any case anyone has to overhaul this disgusting practice of neglect.
How can hey allow any dog to sit and wither away? Whether Kimi chose to eat or not is a moot point. An on-site vet is feet away but she was given no medical treatment, just allowed to deteriorate. This is neglect, this is cruelty, this is a crime which should be punishable by law! So why are charges not being pressed?