Walker County Added To Humane Society Lawsuit
Walker County added to humane society lawsuit
by James Phillips
August 1, 2010
The Walker County Humane Society shelter in downtown Jasper is involved in a civil suit in which the complaint claims Walker County is not meeting the state’s requirement that each county provide a suitable county pound.
The Walker County Humane Society shelter in downtown Jasper is involved in a civil suit in which the complaint claims Walker County is not meeting the state’s requirement that each county provide a suitable county pound.
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A new defendant was added Friday to an ongoing civil suit involving the Walker County Humane Society.
Jasper attorney Brett Wadsworth filed an amended complaint in the Walker County Circuit Court Friday afternoon to add the Walker County Commission as a defendant in the suit.
In the complaint, Wadsworth said Walker County is required to provide a suitable pound and quotes the Alabama Code as stating, “It shall be the duty of each and every county in the state to provide a suitable county pound and imounding officer for the impoundment of dogs and cats found running at large in violation of the provisions of this chapter.”
The euthanization of a dog in May 2009 by employees at the humane society led to the civil suit being filed. The dog, a 1-year-old boxer named Boost, was reportedly brought to the humane society by an elderly couple from Jasper in late May. By the day’s end, the dog was allegedly put to sleep.
The dog’s owner, Marcus Campbell, hired Wadsworth and filed suit on May 26 against the Walker County Humane Society and its executive director, Lane Reno. Also on May 26, a statement of claim was presented to the Walker County Commission due to the county’s failure to fund a suitable pound. Two humane society employees were added to the lawsuit in October.
Wadsworth said in Friday’s complaint the commission was partly to blame for the dog’s death.
“The county’s failure to provide funding for a suitable pound proximately caused Mr. Campbell’s dog to be euthanized in an untimely manner,” the complaint said.
According to Wadsworth, the commission pays $40,000 per year to the humane society.
“That is not providing proper funds,” he said. “I would think they need to provide at least $160,000 per year.”
Wadsworth said he would like to see Walker County operates its own animal shelter.
“I believe they are responsible for that,” he said. “That’s what the code says. I think residents of our area would feel much more comfortable with supporting the facility if the county took more interest in it.”
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