Murfreesboro Post
MURFREESBORO WEATHER

PAWS, SPCA disagree over details of dog that was euthanized




Jax was euthanized Friday, July 6, at PAWS of Rutherford County. An Indiana animal welfare group was trying to rescue him.SUBMITTED

Jax was euthanized Friday, July 6, at PAWS of Rutherford County. An Indiana animal welfare group was trying to rescue him.SUBMITTED

PAWS of Rutherford County euthanized a German Shepherd mix that an Indiana SPCA chapter was trying to rescue. The two organizations disagree over the details.

Jax, a 2.5-year-old dog, was euthanized Friday, July 6, said Shea Harrington, field supervisor for PAWS. He had exhibited aggressive behavior at PAWS, and the shelter was unable to make follow-up contact with the Allen County SPCA in Fort Wayne, Indiana, she said.

Jessica Henry, the SPCA chapter’s executive director, said PAWS contacted her chapter either June 26 or 27 because they had traced Jax’s microchip to them because they had previously adopted the dog out. PAWS asked if SPCA if they wanted Jax back, and they said yes. SPCA asked for time to arrange for a volunteer to pick up Jax, which would take time since they are in northeast Indiana. PAWS asked for a pickup as soon as possible but did not give a deadline, Henry said.

An SPCA official tried to contact PAWS the week of July 4 to arrange transport but did not reach anyone there, Henry said. They thought that was because of the holiday.

Henry said she also left a voicemail for PAWS.

Someone with SPCA spoke with PAWS Tuesday, July 10 and was told to fill out a freedom of information request but did not elaborate, she said. In the meantime, PAWS never returned SPCA’s calls, she said.

Harrington gives a different account. Jax’s owners, who adopted him 10 months ago from SPCA, voluntarily surrounded him to PAWS because they said he was aggressive toward their children and other family members. The owner had the adoption paperwork from SPCA, she said.

PAWS contacted the microchip servicer, who confirmed Jax belonged to the person who brought him in and that SPCA had placed the dog, Harrington said. PAWS contacted the SPCA chapter and left a voicemail. On June 28 PAWS spoke with a woman who identified herself as being with the chapter’s management team who said they would work on finding transport.

PAWS did leave a follow-up message with SPCA to see if they were going to take Jax, Harrington said. But he did become the property of PAWS after five business days, she said. Another person with SPCA spoke with Paws on July 3 who said he would call back with details that evening by 5:30, but he did not, Harrington said.

PAWS received a voicemail from SPCA on Monday, July 9 but when they called the number, it was non-functioning, Harrington said. On Tuesday, July 10, the two organizations spoke and SPCA said they had arranged for a volunteer in Nashville to pick up Jax, Harrington said.

Jax was euthanized because of aggression and fear issues, Harrington said. He was not suitable for adoption because he was acting out at PAWS, including growling in the kennel, avoiding eye contact an leaning on the kennel.

During another phone call, this time with Henry, PAWS said she needed to file a public records request, Harrington said. That records request was fulfilled Wednesday, July 11, she said.

PAWS returns every voice mail that was left, Harrington said.

Henry said PAWS never told SPCA about any aggressive behavior, Henry said. Nor did PAWS give SPCA a deadline. They would have arranged a different transport method.

Leave a Reply