Reader Writes: Please Stop 'Conveyer Belt of Death' At Contra Costa Animal Services

Dear Editor:

I am writing to you today to express my grave concerns regarding Contra Costa Animal Services.

As a tax-paying resident of this county, I am horrified by the habitual needless killing of our companion animals at the Martinez and Pinole “shelters.”

On average, ELEVEN perfectly adoptable healthy companion animals are killed daily by the current regimen. ELEVEN animals a day lose their lives because of a systematic failure of the current organization. These animals are not sick, or aggressive.

I have personally witnessed, as a volunteer, perfectly healthy adoptable cats taken from the adoption floor, during adoption hours, to be killed.

I am outraged on a humanitarian level, and additionally as a tax payer that my money is being used to kill. I will not say euthanize, as this is not what it is. When an animal enters these shelters they are on a metaphorical conveyor belt to their death, and unless they are plucked from this by a rescue group or a member of the public, they will end up dead. Even when occupancy is at fifty percent of capacity!

Additionally, I have applied for the vacant position, Director of Animal Services. I have received no contact from the executive search company hired to find the replacement. There is no information available to the public as to when we can expect this position to be filled, and there appears to be a “code of silence” surrounding the status of finding a replacement.

Again as a taxpayer and applicant this is unacceptable to me.

More coverage by the press is needed on the abysmal treatment our companion animals receive at the hands of CCAS. Excuse stories such as “the holiday dump” are a smoke screen and do nothing to further the humane treatment of our companion animals

Thank you for your attention to this matter

W. K. Kelly Lambis of Concord, Contra Costa County