Animal euthanizations halted at pound in Malden

MALDEN, Mo. -- In the wake of recent controversy surrounding the Malden city pound and the Kennett Humane Department, a silver lining has emerged area officials say they hope will benefit both facilities.

Malden city leaders decided in recent days to end all euthanizing of animals brought to the pound by other towns. City administrator Ted Bellars also said procedures would be reviewed to see whether there are weaknesses in the pound's policies.

Malden animal control documents posted on the humane department Facebook page say 176 dogs from 10 surrounding communities were euthanized at the Malden facility in 2013. The number of Kennett, Missouri, animals was listed as 100.

The controversy began Aug. 8 after a post from a blogger on examiner.com, reporting an allegation by two Malden animal-rights advocates, Cindy Lester and Malden councilwoman Donna Prenger, that the humane department was having animals gassed at Malden.

Prenger said the situation heated up when the city reached out to a group of volunteers to help improve the local animal pound by partnering with relocation shelters, reducing the need for the pound's gas chamber. The group asked to see the Malden city pound's animal status tickets and receipts, kept by former animal control officer Bob Burke.

"All our tickets showed 'euthanized,' and that is what we went by," Prenger said in an interview. "Some of the people who worked with the Malden volunteer group were supporters of [the humane department], and they didn't realize so many Kennett animals were being euthanized in Malden. That is what started the whole thing."

Prenger admitted not all the tickets were signed, and some had no dates or signatures.

But according to records kept by humane department officer Tena Petix, dates recorded on many of the tickets coincided with cases of dogs being temporarily held at the Malden facility for a variety of reasons. Some were being held for Petix, for veterinary services, and because of crowded conditions at the humane department.

Malden city policy forbids holding or burying animals from other cities.

Burke could not be reached for comment, and a Malden city official said he has since taken employment elsewhere within city government. The animal-control position is being temporarily filled by Malden code enforcement officer Danny Grant.