Berkeley County sheriff, animal welfare group continue to clash over shelter conditions

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Berkeley County Sheriff Nathan Harmon says that claims of animal cruelty in the county's animal control office are false and are coming from an organization using "appalling, disgusting corporate tactics."

Harmon was responding Wednesday morning to court action against Berkeley County Animal Control that was filed in the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia by Bethesda, Md.-based Alley Cat Allies.

The animal welfare group is alleging that some animals at Berkeley County Animal Control at 700 S. Queen St. went days without necessary medical treatment. The group alleges the actions are a pattern at the facility.

The nonprofit organization filed a petition for a writ of mandamus against Berkeley County Animal Control on Nov. 24. The petition seeks to compel the animal control group to comply with state law which states it is a crime to withhold necessary medical care to an animal, according to the filing.

Harmon said previously that the claims by Alley Cat Allies are "completely ludicrous," and added that he's starting to suspect their actions were an effort to generate donations.

One of Harmon's central complaints raised during a news conference Wednesday at the sheriff's department office in Martinsburg is that Alley Cat Allies never called his agency to raise the concerns they had about the animal control office. He was joined by several other officers, including Kevin Jones, the county's chief animal control officer.

"It's appalling, disgusting corporate tactics that I'm not going to stand silent on," said Harmon, noting that he is an animal lover himself with a dog and cat at home.

Becky Robinson, president and founder of Alley Cat Allies, countered in a statement Wednesday that her organization did air their concerns with authorities connected to the shelter.

“We believe that our investigation has uncovered a pattern of abuse, denying animals veterinary care and in some cases urgent medical treatment," Robinson said in the statement.

"This is a case of the animal rescuer becoming the abuser," she said.

Harmon took each of the animal cases that Alley Cat Allies raised in its court filing to explain how they were handled. He said animals were rescued from bad environments in some cases, and received medical assessments. One of the animals, a dog, was taken there after being hit by a vehicle, Harmon said.

One of the animals identified in the case is a miniature pinscher with a bulging eye. It had glaucoma, ocular inflammation and a corneal ulcer, according to the petition. It was in the shelter for eight days without necessary treatment before it was adopted Sept. 2, the petition states.

Story background: Sheriff says improvements made at W.Va. animal shelter, calls allegations 'ludicrous'

Harmon said the dog was assessed by animal control staff, which determined it may have been blind. But the staff didn't consider that to be unusual since the dog, which was picked up for running at large, was an older animal, Harmon said.

When asked about an exhibit Alley Cat Allies included in its petition explaining how the dog appeared to be in pain when it was taken to Veterinary Referral Associates in Bethesda after it was adopted Sept. 2, Harmon suggested that perhaps the records were a fabrication.

He later stated that he could see Alley Cat Allies taking "bits of truth" and embellishing them.

Another animal at the shelter identified by Alley Cat Allies was a cat with an enlarged tongue, fever, diarrhea and being unable to drink. In its petition, Alley Cat Allies included an exhibit from CARE Veterinary Center in Frederick where the cat was taken for care. The center determined the cat, which had a fever of 104.2 degrees and a "diffusely thickened tongue," should be euthanized due to its condition, according to the exhibit.

Harmon said animal control officers were sent to a house where the cat was being kept due to concerns over conditions in the home. It was determined the environment was not suitable for the cat, Harmon said.

Alley Cat Allies identified a dog in the shelter with a bleeding hernia. It alleged the dog was bleeding so badly in the county shelter that it had to be removed from holding areas numerous times a day so they could be cleaned. The dog was there for about 15 days without treatment, the petition states.

Harmon said a veterinarian was contacted about assessing the dog's condition and it was determined that it was not an emergency situation. The dog was euthanized because its owner could not be found, Harmon said. Harmon said cleaning kennels every day is not unusual for all dog holding areas at the shelter.

Alley Cat Allies identified a dog in the shelter with a broken leg. The group said in its petition the dog was at the shelter multiple days without necessary medical care, which Harmon refuted.

Harmon said the dog, which was a 2020 case, was brought to the shelter after it was struck by a vehicle. It was scheduled to see a veterinarian the next day, at which time it was adopted instead, Harmon said.

Alley Cat Allies detailed in its case cats at the shelter with closed eyes and discharge over their eyes. Harmon said the allegation is so vague he's assuming the group is referring to animals that animal control officers took from a house over the summer.

There was a hoarding situation causing an "ill" condition in the house, Harmon said. Various animals were in the house including wild turtles, he said.

Harmon said he joined animal control officers in responding to the house because he was concerned. Harmon said he found the work of animal control staff there to be "not only professional, but with heart."

Alley Cat Allies is requesting oral arguments in the case before the state supreme court because it "involves issues of fundamental public importance." It's also asking the court to be awarded costs for attorney fees.

A response to the petition from Berkeley County Animal Control must be filed with the supreme court by Dec. 31, court spokeswoman Jennifer Bundy said previously. Then the court will decide how it wants to proceed, such as whether it will allow oral arguments, she said.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Berkeley County sheriff refutes animal control shelter abuse claims