Greeley – The embattled director of the Humane Society of Weld County heard from detractors and supporters Tuesday night over allegations that she is too quick to euthanize the shelter’s animals.
Nearly 100 people packed a meeting of the society’s board of directors, who said they fully support Elaine Hicks and her staff.
But residents, along with former employees and volunteers, told the board that Hicks’ handling of the dogs and cats that come into the shelter was cruel.
Former shelter employee Lisa Sullivan said that one day she saw Hicks euthanize five struggling dogs to make space in the shelter.
“They were fighting and bleeding, and I almost threw up twice,” Sullivan said.
Board president Barb Hines told the crowd that the board needed time to investigate the allegations.
“You guys are frustrated … but we have a list of complaints to look at,” Hines said. “We need some time.”
The board was presented with a letter from 15 former volunteers and employees of the shelter who allege that Hicks was overzealous in putting pets down and abusing shelter procedures.
Supporters of Hicks said she runs the shelter with compassion, saving many animals that otherwise would be put to death.
“The good that comes from this place phenomenally outweighs the bad,” said shelter employee Jennifer Yeater.
The Colorado Department of Agriculture received a formal complaint from those who wrote the letter on Monday. An inspector then toured the shelter and wrote a report, but its findings were not made public by Tuesday night.
The shelter had been investigated in January after employees complained that animals were being put down too soon and were denied food. The state determined the complaints were unfounded.
Dr. Keith Roehr, the acting state veterinarian, said a number of the grievances outlined in the letter were of only local concern.
“Many of the issues were not state requirements,” he said.
The state can order a shelter to pay civil fines or go after the facility’s license if enough state violations are found, he said.
The shelter takes in about 6,000 animals a year for Weld County and the cities of Greeley and Evans. Shelter officials say about 30 percent of the animals taken in this year have been euthanized, which is well-below the average of most shelters.
The letter alleges that in several instances, dogs that the Weld Human Society had advertised for adoption were euthanized. People interested in adopting the euthanized dogs were then told the dogs had been adopted.
In a separate letter, a former kennel manager at the shelter said animals are stabbed and poked several times before actually being injected during euthanasia.
Staff writer Monte Whaley can be reached at 720-929-0907 or mwhaley@denverpost.com.
