THE PASCO 25, OR HOW PCAS SHELTER DIRECTOR JOHN MALLEY KILLED 25 DOGS AND LIED TO THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS AND THE PRESS ABOUT IT.

Last week, in yet another act of direct defiance of the Pasco County Board of Commissioners directives, PCAS Director John Malley murdered 25 dogs, two of whom were VERY adoptable black lab mix puppies that should have been placed in adoptions.  Two more were purebred labs. When asked by Commissioner Pat Mulieri if there were any dogs on the euth list, Malley insisted that there were NO dogs on the ‘euth list”, the term for the list of animals scheduled of euthanasia. To be clear euthanasia as defined by Webster’s Dictionary is “painless killing to relieve suffering, OR the act or practice killing somebody or an animal who has an incurable illness or injury.” Then he killed all 25, ALL of who he insisted to Tampa Bay Times Reporter Lee Logan, he had personally evaluated, meaning that ALL 25 would have had to be aggressive or sick. Those two lab puppies were neither, and neither were several others that were killed. He's also started the killing again; based on HIS evaluations of the dog's behavior, if he has even looked at them at all...I fear many more dogs who just have a treatable cold will be killed. Could it be that Mr. Malley is trying to justify these acts for other reasons?

On November 7, 2012, the Pasco County Board of Commissioners, approved the SAVE 90% rule in reference to the Shelter, in which it was agreed upon that they would save 90% of the animals and ONLY sick or aggressive dogs and cats would be euthanized. This  was voted on and PASSED as LAW by the BOC.

On November 26, 2012, John Malley ordered the killing of 25 animals, which, in addition to the two VERY adoptable puppies, included those two purebred labs as well as several younger, adoptable dogs. This was 21 days AFTER the SAVE 90% was adopted by the BOC on November 7, 2012. It was passed as an addendum to agenda CS 13-009.

How many were “sick”? How many were “aggressive?”  How is John Malley making a determination that a dog is aggressive and not just scared at a shelter that has chaos going on 24/7, barking dogs and the constant smell of feces, urine and death?  John Malley has NO qualifications as an animal behaviorist; NONE.

 According to the Pasco County government website, the jog requirements for management position as Animal Shelter Director REQUIRE a minimum of FOURS years experience to be considered for the position. John Malley, according to his resume posted with Pasco County government, has literally ONE year and a half stint at the Executive Directors position at the SPCA of West Pasco. He states that he was “Chief Executive Officer for All Operations” but there seems to be some discrepancy as to his actual duties and the reasons for his departure.

Prior to that position, Malley worked as a VP of Sales at Nutrition Research Center in Largo; before that he worked for Goodwill Industries as the Center Manager.

How, may I ask ANYONE, are ANY of these  jobs, with the exception of the one at SPCA, where his reasons for leaving have been questionable, does this make John Malley CAPABLE of determining behavior in an animal, especially one who is scared confused and often injured or starved for both food and attention?

It does NOT and he is not qualified for the position he currently holds at PCAS, BY THE ACTUAL STANDARDS SET BY THE COUNTY.

So how is he there? In a conversation with one of the volunteers, a retired reporter, by the way, “he contends that he formulated it (NO Kill Nation) well before NO Kill Nation Nathan Winograd but contended it wasn't workable. He also declared that portions of Wino grad’s plan were items that Malley himself had written. Malley says that he is an expert at managing a shelter, that he will not make any changes there under duress or pressure, that the Pasco Animal Advisory Board and the County Commission listen only to him, that he has the media in his pocket, that he has the legal right to restrict people (meaning those of us who dare to criticize him) from coming into the shelter as well as to forbid the taking of pictures. He also told this person that “he was a lawyer.”

I can find no John Malley on the Florida Bar website, nor had he stated that he was an attorney on his resume.

So here we have a man, who in DIRECT DEFIANCE of the Pasco Board of Commissioners, deliberately KILLED 25 dogs... he also kills cats by the dozens, but that will be covered in another post.

The public should be outraged, the BOC should be outraged and he should be fired for his direct acts of insubordination. There are several viable, BETTER candidates for the position of Director at PCAS; one is a former police lieutenant with 22 years experience with a canine task force, John Crosby, who was the Division Manager for Bay County Animal Control in Jacksonville. He is a registered dog trainer, animal behaviorist and behavioral consultant. He reduced the euthanasia rate at Bay County from 84% to 55% and more than doubled adoptions rates in two years. He consults regularly with law enforcement, animal control agencies and veterinarians on dog attacks and dog aggression. Another has run Shelters in New York and has a lot of experience as well.

THIS is the kind of person that should be running PCAS... THIS is the kind of person that could turn it around.

PCAS needs to clean house... Starting at the top. A person who DIRECTLY defies a directive from their boss should be fired. End of story.

Look for the next post about all this soon... there is a LOT more to this story that needs telling.

LC

Long Time Rescuer and Animal Advisory Board Member Denied Access at PCAS

 On Tuesday, September  18th,  there was yet another bizarre and continuing retaliatory move by Pasco County Animal Shelter Director John Malley, who has been waging an unfathomable negative campaign against individual animal rescuers as well as group rescues.

Long time rescuer and Pasco County Animal Advisory Board  member Betty Hay was visiting Adoption Building A when she was suddenly told she was no longer allowed to go into the Cat room. Betty, who has been rescuing dogs and cats from the Pasco shelter for over 20 years was given no explanation by the shelter staff. She was told that to even look OR adopt a cat,  she would have to go to Building C , the intake building whose deplorable conditions and no air conditioning have been a point of contention for animal rescuers, even though she could plainly see that the cat cages in Building A were almost completely full.  She was totally confused because three weeks ago, Betty, who had accompanied a blind rescue volunteer, had been begged by the staff to take a cat that had been in the adoption building, which she willingly did without hesitation.

"I don't have any idea why all of the sudden I couldn't walk into that cat room," Betty said. "It just doesn't make any sense to me, since I had rescued that cat three weeks earlier."

So Betty turned around and walked out.  She didn't question the staff because she didn't want to jeopardize any one on the staff's job. She went home and called Assistant County Commissioner Dan Johnson, who coincidentally had JUST hung up with John Malley prior to her call.

"Dan told me that they has spent $70,000 to make sure that cats got "good, fresh air to keep them healthy."

Although Johnson never said so, Betty felt that the implication was that because she had rescue cats at home, that she would somehow "infect" the cats at the shelter or bring in diseases, even though all of Betty's animals are vetted.

"I'm sure that's what he (Malley) was implying to Dan Johnson."

Betty's long history with the shelter began with a great relationship with the old director, Denise Hilton, who retired after 29 years of service. Malley now has her job.

"Denise was really good for this shelter," Betty said. 'She was compassionate and helped the rescue groups in their efforts to try and give these animals a forever home. I got along really well with her and she always REALLY tried to help the animals."

Betty feels that John Malley is basically punishing her because he thinks she'a a part of the many rescue groups who have been challenging Malley's constantly changing 'rules' and often unreasonable and questionable tactics.

"I think he is directly retaliating against me because he thinks I'm involved with groups who are out to "get " him. He's trying to keep me out. I'm not involved with anything like that. I am only trying to do what I've ALWAYS done, which is to rescue animals. He's not a very friendly or outgoing person and he keeps making it harder and harder to help these poor animals. You have to ask yourself, why?"

Not only has Betty been an enormous advocate for the Pasco Animal Shelter, she has by her accounts probably rescued over 200 cats and numerous dogs over her 20 year history with the Shelter.
On Betty's Tuesday visit, she also observed that there were only about 7 dogs that were in the adoption cages, while many more cages and dog runs sat empty. Again there was no explanation for this.

Betty is a woman who has devoted the last 20 years to rescue and the last 10 + to the Animal Advisory Board and  this appears to be yet another move by Malley to thwart the ongoing efforts of rescuers like her who want to question why there are the newest "rules" and restrictions that Malley seems to come up with daily.  "This My way or the Highway" kind of mentality that Malley and Lynn Deddo keep coming up with makes no sense to anyone. Why would you deny someone like Betty Hay access to the cats in Bldg A?


I think it's time to start asking why.... I think its time to start really investigating what the REAL reasons are that all of these new "rules" are making it so much more difficult to rescue an animal from PCAS.

NEW DOG TREAT RECALL .PLEASE READ!

There is a new product recall for dog treats: please read the advisory below and if you have purchased these treats, follow the directions at the bottom of the article. Reprinted from Dogfoodadvisor.com

September 21, 2012 – Kasel Associated Industries of Denver, CO is voluntarily recalling its Boots and Barkley American Beef Bully Sticks product because it may be contaminated with Salmonella.

The event was reported by the FDA in a news release dated September 21, 2012.

According to the FDA bulletin:

Salmonella can sicken animals that eat these products and humans are at risk for salmonella poisoning from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the pet products or any surfaces exposed to these products.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever.

Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms.

Consumers exhibiting these symptoms after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain.

Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has any of these signs, please contact your veterinarian.

According to the bulletin, the affected American Beef Bully Sticks were 

distributed nationwide through Target retail stores from April

 through September 2012.

What Products Are Being Recalled?

The product is sold in a clear plastic bag containing six bully sticks each and are marked with bar code number 647263899189.

The manufacturer is recalling all lot numbers because the following lot codes tested positive through analysis by the State of Colorado Department of Agriculture:

§  BESTBY20APR2014DEN

§  BESTBY01JUN2014DEN

§  BESTBY23JUN2014DEN

§  BESTBY23SEP2014DEN

No illnesses have been reported to date in animals or humans in connection with this problem.

What to Do?

Consumers are urged to return the recalled product to the place of purchase for a full refund. Those with questions may contact Kasel Associated Industries at 1-800-218-4417 Monday thru Friday from 7am to 5pm MDT.

You can report complaints about FDA-regulated pet food products by calling the consumer complaint coordinator in your area.

Or go to http://www.fda.gov/petfoodcomplaints.

A Perfectly Adoptable Dog Who Never Had a Chance....

This little brindle girl, smiling and happy, got murdered yesterday.According to her eval, she was sweet and friendly to everyone. And she was murdered... her young life snuffed out, while cages in Pasco County Animal Services Building A sat empty. Why wasn't she a candidate for Adoptions? Did she ever really have a chance at all? I don't think so.

So, if she wasn't a candidate, being beautiful, friendly, sweet and small.... what ARE the criteria for placing a dog in adoptions at PCAS? It seems to be a totally random selection and who makes that call? Techs and staff who are afraid of the dogs? Staff that won't even BOTHER TO CHECK FOR A MICRO-CHIP? 

Or is it John Malley, who, in a seemingly retaliatory effort at our investigations, has callously and some say vindictively, ordered the killing of another ELEVEN dogs JUST two days ago???

What about the unanswered phones that ring and ring? Why aren't ALL of the dog's and cat's information being updated? WHY AREN'T EMAILS BEING RETURNED TO RESCUES WHO ARE TRYING TO SAVE THESE ANIMALS? WHY CAN'T POTENTIAL ADOPTERS TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE ANIMALS SO THEY CAN BE SHOWN TO POTENTIAL ADOPTERS OR FOSTERS?

AND WHY NO TAGGING ON THE PHOTOS? SEEMS TO ME LIKE A DELIBERATE ATTEMPT TO KEEP THESE DOGS AND CATS IN THE SHADOWS... RIGHT WHERE YOU LIKE THEM, RIGHT MR. MALLEY?

Where are the REST of the dogs, Mr. Malley, that are coming into the shelter? There seems to be a lot of them that are not being shown to people. Where are you hiding them? Building D perhaps? Is that the additional killing facility you hide far away from the public eye?

I think that needs to be explored.

There HAS to be a way to make people understand and pay attention to what's going on behind the scenes at PCAS. 

Someone has to answer for their crimes against animals.

Let's get it done.

We HAVE to be their voice..... PCAS certainly isn't going to be......

After the Storm; the Shame of PCAS... by Leigh Clifton

After Tropical Storm Debby ripped through the west coast of Florida last week, she left destruction and flooding in her path. The counties of Pasco and Hillsborough saw some of the worst flooding; the local rivers were almost 20 feet above flood-stage and washed out many homes and roads. 


Consequently, not only homeowners , but their pets were displaced. Many  people opted for the storm shelters while others hunkered down with relatives and neighbors who lived on higher ground. But some with pets were either unable to take them, or they were not allowed to have them in the storm shelters and many pets were left to fend for themselves in the nasty weather. Some of these pets ended up at the Pasco County Animal Services Shelter; cold, hungry, frightened and alone. 


Now you would think that because of the storm situation, the time it has taken for the waters to recede and the amount of clean-up the residents affected had to do, that PCAS Director John Malley would gladly extend the hold time on some of these poor souls. 


And you would be wrong...DEAD  DOG wrong...


Not only has Malley NOT extended the time or courtesy to the strays being picked up, but he seems to have escalated the process towards euthanasia by lessening the time they WERE given as rescues and volunteers try and find their owners or alternative fosters or adopters. Pasco County has been declared a DISASTER AREA, for God's sake. Why on EARTH would you not take that into consideration? It boggles the mind.


While Building A, with it fancy air intake designed to thwart the spread of disease , sits largely empty and under-utilized, Building C and the mysterious Building D are full of strays and owner surrenders, some due to the storm. These animals have NOWHERE to go; I'm sure a LOT of the owners would just like to have a few days to clean up the water damage from their homes and know that their animals are at least safe for the moment, with an option for adoption from someone who can give them a new home. But that is NOT the case with PCAS. 
Owner surrenders are SUPPOSED to have some time.. for rescues and potential adopters to try and re-home them. But the reality is that they are  almost always routinely killed FIRST and their time is cut short.  The  shelter does NOT update the Facebook page, clearly the one area where the dogs can be seen.....I guess they're just a nuisance to John Malley, who paraded Frodo in front of the visiting press like he's his long lost friend come home, while he signs death warrants for the animals behind the camera's prying eyes.


And SPEAKING of CAMERAS... REALLY? NO MORE CAMERAS ALLOWED NOW? 
WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU HIDING??? WHAT DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS DO YOU HAVE TUCKED AWAY, MR. MALLEY? Oh yes, the PRESS will have a field day with this one. 


This shelter is funded with PUBLIC TAX DOLLARS, Mr. Malley, and the PUBLIC has a right to photograph any DAMN building their tax dollars PAID FOR!! 


Please remember, that YOUR salary is paid with these very same dollars.... your very OVERPAID salary for which I can see you do precious little except kill adoptable animals on a daily and often hourly basis.


PCAS needs to WORK with the rescue groups, a wonderful, courageous group of men and women who tirelessly network  the animals that come into this sham of a shelter, to try and give them a chance... at LIFE, Mr. Malley.. at LIFE... NOT a heart stick or a cold needle with no sedative. NOT a black trash bag tossed in the hallway for the local crematorium. But more on that aspect in another blog post....


Emails from both adopters AND rescues go unanswered for days and are often just ignored. Dogs and cats with interested adopters are routinely killed "by accident" or the information has somehow gotten past the staff well after the dog or cat has been euthanized. The phone is NEVER picked up... it has rung for 15 minutes at a time or more without being answered, while ON THAT PHONE is an adopter or rescue, or an owner who's lost their dog and is looking for it. Dogs that are so obviously cared for; well-fed, groomed and neutered or spayed. Dogs that get NO time to make it out of that hell-hole. Dogs that are killed....


What will it take to stop this corruption? VOICES PEOPLE... VOICES THAT SCREAM INJUSTICE AND VOICES THAT DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THEIR TAX PAYER DOLLARS.


You are officially on notice, Mr. Malley. You need to provide the information and records on Dr.Wilkins that was requested; you need to provide the euth records and the records for the shelter's kill rate as well as the adoption stats. You need to do it now. Follow the law and the guidelines in your OWN manual. 


Because now you have REALLY pissed some people off... the kind like me who like to investigate things that seem a little hinky... a little off... like charities that take in hard earned money from the public in little collection boxes at the shelter. A charity with NO MISSION STATEMENT and one that is NOT REGISTERED CORRECTLY WITH THE IRS.  The kind like me who KNOWS people who would be VERY interested in this kind of information.

Oh yes, Mr. Malley... I will be calling you. Please pick up your damn phone. You're going to have to answer to this.  Yes, yes you are.