STATE UNIT TO STUDY DOG DEATHS

KENNETT -- Officials from the Humane Society of Missouri are expected to arrive here today to investigate the unexplained deaths at the city's animal shelter.

The investigators were contacted after members of the Friends of Animals, Bootheel Humane Society, found at least 38 dogs dead Saturday at the shelter.

The members discovered the dead animals when they went to the shelter Saturday to retrieve animals for adoption.

The city animal control officer and a local veterinarian said the dogs were killed because they had mange and skin infections. At least 17 of the dogs were puppies.

Sarah Burke, president of the Friends of Animals chapter, thinks the city -- particularly Councilman Ron Pelts -- authorized the killings.

At a Kennett City Council meeting Tuesday, she asked that Pelts be removed from the city's health committee, which he chairs. About 100 other citizens attended the meeting to protest.

Although the protesters didn't stay for his rebuttal, Pelts denied authorizing the killings and said he became the scapegoat because he heads the health committee.

Pelts said the Friends of Animals defiled his name by circulating flyers naming him as the person authorizing the killings. He called for a public apology from the organization at the meeting.

-- The Southeast Missouri News Service contributed to this article