Dogs have been in the national spotlight due to football player Michael Vick but there was a local animal treatment story in the Harrisburg paper yesterday. The Pennsylvania Attorney General's office fined The Humane Society of Harrisburg $2,025 for violating state charity, nonprofit and consumer protection laws.
According to the agreement, the attorney general believes the Humane Society violated the law by:
- Using the terms "no kill," "unadoptable," "unhealthy" and "untreatable" in solicitation and promotional materials in a way that was "confusing or misleading."
- Saying it didn't turn away animals but failed to disclose that it charged a fee for accepting strays from municipalities that don't have a contract with the organization.
- Failing to keep accurate books and records.
The attorney general's office began investigating the Humane Society after two former volunteers — Annette Reiff and Felicity Fox — lodged a complaint in April 2005.
Reiff and Fox accused former management of falsely advertising the Humane Society as "no-kill" and of using temperament testing to label some dogs aggressive so they could be euthanized.
They noted that the Humane Society's 2005 annual report indicated that 40 percent of the 7,433 animals taken in were euthanized, a rate they said was too high to allow a "no-kill" designation.
I had always assumed "no-kill" meant exactly that but apparently shelters can euthanize some percentage of animals and maintain a no-kill designation. The situation has been resolved amicably. The group may have been well-intentioned but lacking the resources to live up to the letter of their billing. The Harrisburg Humane Society is under new management now that no longer claims the shelter is no-kill but says they are moving in that direction.
Jayk the Beagle says please spay and neuter your dogs and cats!!