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Peg O'Neil is a volunteer at the Orange County Shelter. She is also a dog trainer <br />and has a good background in animal behavior. On January 2, 2004, she was called and asked <br />to faster a puppy from the shelter. She had just left the shelter, but returned immediately to pick <br />up the puppy. She found out that the puppy had been there since October 31St. A member of <br />the public had asked to see this puppy and Jane pulled the puppy out of the kennel. When she <br />did this, she realized that the collar was embedded in the puppy's neck. The vet tech had to cut <br />the collar out of Hope's neck. The puppy had been there for two months. She adopted the <br />puppy, and when she did, the Interim Director cautioned her that they did not want to air their <br />laundry in public. On February 9t", Hope was spayed. When she went to pick her up at the <br />Mebane facility, they asked her to get Hope out of the kennel because she would not let anyone <br />touch her. On February 23rd, her vet put down Hope. She said that this puppy had been <br />warehoused and puppy-milled and was terrified of human beings -all under the auspices of the <br />present staff at the shelter. She said that there are many people out there with tremendous <br />expertise and she asked the Board to please look outside and not bring in the old staff. She <br />said that there are many more instances of this nature. <br />Pat Sanford said that if this had happened in the community, the person would be <br />charged with cruelty. She said that a few weeks ago Linda Schmoldt told the Board how <br />wonderful it was that APS was not going to provide veterinary services. She thought that this <br />was wonderful because it meant that the County could start afresh, which is what they all want. <br />She said that she and Elliot have met with the new Shelter Director and offered full cooperation <br />and any training. They believe that the many volunteers that have left in disgust are going to <br />return to the shelter when it is right again. The present Shelter Operations Manager was <br />responsible for disease management for over a year prior to the HSUS evaluation and since <br />then. She said that there was a litany of abuses recorded by the HSUS and these have <br />continued after the departure of Laura Walters. The current warehousing of animals and failure <br />to vaccinate is unacceptable. She urged the County Commissioners to put a new management <br />team at the shelter. She asked that they accept applications from outside APS, permitting <br />comparative evaluations for the shelter management positions. She said that she visited the <br />shelter at Charlotte-Mecklenburg and they call it Animal Services Bureau. She urged the <br />County Commissioners to use the bureau status. They have over 100 active volunteers and <br />they spay and neuter all animals before they go out. The shelter is clean and nice. <br />Commissioner Brown said that she thought they were going to offer positions to <br />anyone who applied, including current staff. John Link said that as they try to prepare for the <br />July 1St transition, they are taking the same approach as they did last year with the rescue squad <br />transition. They are accepting County applications from people working from APS that want to <br />be considered far working full time for the County. They are offering the opportunity far anyone <br />that is now working far APS to transition into the County under a probationary period. This will <br />be far six months at least before they are made permanent. <br />Commissioner Brown asked if there were any openings for the public to apply. John <br />Link said that the present staff at APS will have a timeframe within to apply and if not, then <br />these positions may be advertised to the public. <br />Commissioner Brown said that she thought the jobs were going to be open to the <br />public and the evaluation would be on credentials. She hopes that this will be extended to nine <br />months so that they can get a good evaluation of the employees. <br />Commissioner Brown asked about the accuracy of the story of Hope. She would like <br />to have a report on this dog that had an embedded collar. John Link said that they would <br />research this. <br />John Link said that, just as they have gone through transitions in the past, they <br />would make sure that staff are able to do the jab and are proficient before they are made <br />