The new Colorado Humane Society & SPCA will conduct investigations into allegations of animal cruelty and neglect on Colorado’s eastern plains – an area previously not staffed by Colorado’s Bureau of Animal Protection, officials announced today.
The goal of the new organization is not only to investigate allegations of cruelty, but also to prevent cruelty and neglect before it happens, according to Duane Adams, associate director of the new Colorado Humane Society & SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).
“We hope to be a resource for people who find themselves in difficult situations,” said Adams.
If pet owners can no longer care for their animals, the hope is people will call the Colorado Humane Society, said Adams. If necessary, the society can find new homes for the pets.
Although the new Colorado Humane Society will not operate a shelter, it is partnering with agencies that do, said Adams. However, the primary thrust of the organization is to investigate animal cruelty and neglect.
In August, the Colorado Commission of Agriculture approved three animal welfare investigators who will work for the Colorado Humane Society.
They will assist local agencies investigating reports of animal cruelty in Bent, Crowley, Fremont, Huerfano, Kiowa, Kit Carson, Las Animas, Lincoln, Otero, Phillips, Prowers, Washington and Yuma counties.
Dr. Kate Anderson, administrator of the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s bureau of animal protection, said she believes the partnership of the Colorado Humane Society and the department will play an important role in animal welfare investigations.
“The Bureau of Animal Protection serves as a support mechanism to local law enforcement agencies in conducting animal cruelty and neglect investigations and we are happy to have the Colorado Humane Society & SPCA as partners in that effort,” she said.
The new Colorado Humane Society has no ties to the old organization with the identical name that was shut down by Colorado Attorney General John Suthers.
In a civil lawsuit, Suthers alleged the old Colorado Humane Society euthanized nearly 30 percent of the animals at their facility, which was sometimes advertised as a “no-kill” shelter.
Under the settlement in that case, the old group was allowed to sell its name.
The name was purchased. But the new organization that bought the name will not operate a shelter, according Adams.
Adams said the state Bureau of Animal Protection has agents in 28 of the state’s 64 counties, but did not previously have agents in the 13 Eastern Plains counties.
Adams, who has investigated animal abuse for 27 years, is the former vice president of operations for the Arizona Humane Society and moved to Colorado this year.
Adams said his investigators include the former vice president of the Larimer Humane Society; a former investigator for Pueblo Animal Services, and a former undersheriff in Kit Carson County.
“We are honored to have the opportunity to provide animal cruelty investigations to underserved communities in Colorado,” said Adams. “The need for this service is even greater in these tough economic times.”
Adams said that the new organization has three trucks and two trailers.
The Colorado Humane Society & SPCA is an independent, Colorado-based nonprofit organization. It is not funded or managed by any national advocacy groups or governmental agencies, according to Adams.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com.
