State Conducting Records Review At Northeast Animal Shelter

SALEM, MA -- The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources has been conducting a review since late March at the Northeast Animal Shelter in Salem. A spokesperson for the shelter said the department has not told them what prompted the review, and comes after two dogs were diagnosed with canine parvovirus. During the review, which began on March 29, Northeast Animal Shelter has limited adoptions at the request of the DOAR, which regulates animal shelters.

"I wouldn't characterize the review as typical, but it''s not unusual," said Ernie Corrigan, a public relations consultant NEAS hired in the wake of a series of stories about the shelter by Salem Patch. "They have the authorization to put restrictions on any shelter...and they're free to do whatever they determine is in the best interest of the animals."

Corrigan said the review focused on comparing adoption and health records to see "whether they matched up." Mike Cahill, director of animal health for the Department of Agricultural Resources, was not immediately available for comment.

Corrigan said the shelter routinely limits adoptions and places animals in isolation when they test positive for contagious diseases. The two dogs diagnosed with parvovirus arrived at the shelter on March 27 in a transport from a southern animal rescue and they will remain in isolation until they test negative for the virus, which is transmitted through feces and potentially fatal in dogs.

Corrigan, however, said the Department of Agricultural Resources has not told NEAS's management what prompted the review or whether or not it is related to the parvovirus.

Last month Salem Patch ran a series of articles that raised questions about the shelter's management and its treatment of dogs. In a letter to the the editor responding to the series, NEAS Director Donald Schapiro was critical of both Patch and the employees and volunteers that were quoted in the stories.

More on this story:

• Shelter's Punishment-Based Training Techniques Raised Concerns(03/26/2018)
• Staff At Northeast Animal Shelter Refused To Care For Local Pets(03/21/2018)
• Allegations Mount Against Northeast Animal Shelter Management(03/20/2018)
• Northeast Animal Shelter Responds To Allegations By Ex-Employees (03/19/2018)
• Ex-Employees Claim No-Kill Animal Shelter Euthanized Healthy Pets (03/18/2018)

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Patch file photo.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).