We’re calling on Canton, OH to immediately suspend a contractor tasked with carrying out a component of the city’s animal control services, pending an investigation into a videotaped incident in which the contractor was witnessed seriously mistreating a dog.
In January we supported community members at a city council meeting, calling for Canton to not renew the city’s animal control services contract and implement a humane and cost-effective program that would help save lives. The annual contract with the individual was not renewed, but a 90-day contract with him was put in place instead.
Under Canton’s animal control policy the city spends about $27,000 of taxpayer funds per year to capture animals and deliver them to the Stark County Humane Society. Although the Humane Society does not keep records, we know from the contractor’s records that last year 399 cats and kittens were captured. Nationally more than 70% of all cats who enter pounds and shelters are killed there.
Canton needs to abandon this cruel approach and adopt humane programs that really work.
Read the Press Release.
Read the article (with link to video).