Update: February 27, 2019

Alley Cat Allies filed a lawsuit asking an Indiana judge to order Spencer County Animal Shelter in Indiana not to reopen until it adopts humane standards of care and policies and fully trains employees. Last fall we played a vital role in successfully closing the shelter after a shelter employee came forward when she was instructed by the shelter manager to kill a kitten by putting her in a plastic bag and then placing her in a freezer as their method of “euthanasia.” See the most recent stories in the media:

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Original Post

Alley Cat Allies filed a lawsuit today, February 25, 2019, asking an Indiana judge to order Spencer County not to reopen its animal shelter until three critical steps have been completed:

  1. The county must stop killing animals by using freezing or hypothermia and can only use humane euthanasia,
  2. It must adopt policies that set requirements for how the animals are cared for, and
  3. It must fully train employees on these humane policies and standards of care.

Last fall we played a vital role in successfully closing the Spencer County Animal Shelter located in Spencer County, Indiana.  The shelter manager instructed an employee to kill a kitten by putting her in a plastic bag and then placing her in a freezer as their method of “euthanasia.” We mobilized supporters and advocates, attended county commissioners’ meetings, and demanded change.

Indiana lacks humane animal sheltering and transparency. Cruel practices, including freezing cats, are in violation of existing law and will continue if laws are not enforced and if Spencer County does not adopt animal sheltering humane guidelines. Now the county intends on reopening the shelter.

“Alley Cat Allies has made multiple attempts to help Spencer County embrace best practices and humane standards of care only to be turned away each time, so we were left with no other options but to file this lawsuit,” said Becky Robinson, president and founder of Alley Cat Allies. “This is a necessary step to ensure that not another cat will be treated inhumanely after the shelter reopens. Spencer County must not be allowed to reopen the shelter without making fundamental improvements to ensure widely accepted basic levels of care for animals.”

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