Licking County Animal Shelter

Blogroll Me!
I grew up in Licking County and occasionally visit relatives who still live there.
I can attest that there is NOTHING humane about the local animal shelter. It is my hope that folks with cameras and conscience will prevail in hell holes like Licking County. Most of my Columbus Ohio friends do not know how backwards and dangerous Licking County is. The "shelter" is just the tip of the iceberg. It is not a safe place for people either. But I will write more about that at a later time. Ironically my friend Bob Bueler was murdered just a few yards away from this "shelter". His murder has never been solved.

http://www.buckeyelakebeacon.net/news/2010-02-06/Editorials_%28and%29_Letters/Watchdog_responds_to_critic.html
This from Bonnie Mansfield who has taken on the task of whistle blower untill they can figure out how to silence her.

Editor:

This letter is in response to Sean Ahern’s letter in last week’s Beacon:

I think it is sad that you feel compelled to defend your long-time friend, Jon Luzio (the guy using the gas chamber) by quoting Hitler and then trying to discredit ME by making up BIG LIES. How pathetic that you don’t even know what you’re talking about. My rescue has not received one red cent because of this. I did not create that video as part of my rescue. We do not take monetary donations nor have we been offered any based on this video. You are only regurgitating the mistruths that Luzio is feeding you. You need to do your own public records request. Here are the FACTS:

• Licking County Animal Shelter (LCAS) is closed to the public except for 24 hours a week. I don’t care if any other county offices are open for business on Saturdays. We’re talking about the one that is taking care of live animals…perhaps someone’s lost pet!

• LCAS holds dogs for a minimum of 72 hours and then they can be gassed to death, ESPECIALLY if Jon Luzio deems them aggressive which he often does. In FACT, the day Channel 6 was there, Luzio killed 2 frightened pups by gassing them to death. They were frightened – not aggressive!

• LCAS has a VERY HIGH euthanasia rate (probably 60-70%) if you factor in what would be killed if rescues didn’t take them and the hundreds and hundreds of cats that are killed annually due to the overpopulation at the pound!

• LCAS does NOT have an aggressive adoption policy and their Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. adoption hours should prove that!

I don’t know of any “national” organization that Luzio is a member of but I do know that he is a member of the Ohio Dog Wardens Association which appears to be an organization comprised of GOB’s (Good Ole Boys). I don’t believe they are involved with setting standards or procedures of any kind! In FACT, Luzio doesn’t even follow his own policies and procedures! LCAS office manager John Silva, former Cuyahoga County Dog Warden, and newly hired part-time dog warden Shelley Hufman, former Reynoldsburg City Dog Warden, are part of this GOB club. I believe John Silva still officially resides in Cuyahoga County, but claims to be living in Newark at a Luzio relative’s home. (Just wanted the Licking County voters to know that their commissioners are giving jobs to out-of-county residents at top pay. In fact, Silva just got a $1,000 raise and he hasn’t even been here a year. So he now makes $47,000 per year and doesn’t have to be at the pound to make this money. He can be at the State House lobbying against legislation that would reduce the number of unwanted animals!)

Regardless, Luzio’s personnel file contains training certificates from the HSUS (Humane Society of the United States). HSUS sets guidelines for the humane treatment of animals. Their guidelines state that “Carbon Monoxide (CO) gas is without question, an unacceptable method of euthanasia in states where shelters can legally obtain and administer sodium pentobarbital.” In addition, they also say “it is ALWAYS UNACCEPTABLE to use CO gas for euthanasia of animals who are geriatric; under the age of 4 months; sick or injured; or pregnant.” But on September 4 (the day of the video), Luzio GASSED four dogs that BY HIS OWN RECORDS were in “poor health.” Also according to their own records, one dog had a “large tumor on its throat.” One dog was “very old - had trouble walking.” How HUMANE is this treatment coming from our county dog warden who is also our HUMANE officer?

Mr. Ahern, your letter is nothing short of BS, but I find it repulsive that you think “LCAS runs a “cat rescue operation.” Here’s the FACT about that: LCAS has a freezer where they store pet food with dead bodies. Dead bodies of cats are stored in barrels and sold to research for $1.50 each. Does that sound like a cat rescue organization?

Jon Luzio might be able to fool some of the people some of the time, BUT he can’t fool all of the people all of the time. The jig is up! The gas chamber needs to go and so does Jon Luzio!
Bonnie Mansfield