Columbus leaders will ask an independent examiner to review the policies of the city’s animal care and control department after a video of a dog being euthanized made its way onto social media and caused outrage.
The video, shared by Columbus Animal Allies on Facebook, had about 30,000 views and more than 600 comments Wednesday. Emails from city officials indicate the Columbus government already planned to investigate the incident, but the Columbus City Council passed a motion for an external investigation during a meeting Tuesday, as dozens of people filled the meeting room.
Mayor Skip Henderson said the findings of the city’s investigation will be made available to the public.
People with the Columbus Animal Allies said the dog’s name was Chai. In the video, the dog was stuck with a needle and left alone while dying with the needle still sticking out of its chest area. One person later removed the needle and two people put the dog on a cart with other dead dogs.
Four people spoke at the city council meeting Tuesday night to criticize against CACC and what was depicted in the video, while others in the crowd spoke out too. People wore stickers that read “Justice for Chai” while wearing black attire.
Attendees of the meeting had to stand, as seats ran out. Some were escorted out of the room, though they were later able to listen as the doors to the meeting room were opened. Mayor Skip Henderson said people were escorted out after advisement from the fire marshal.
Claire Thomas with Animal Advocacy called for an independent external investigation of the CACC.
Crowd members made comments such as “shame” and “that’s just wrong” as Allie Johnson, from Columbus Animal Allies, spoke to council about the video.
Cheers rang out when Johnson called for the removal of those CACC workers seen in the video. A standing ovation was given when Johnson’s time came to end her speech.
Debbie Wooten, of Columbus Animal Allies, read statements from people around the Columbus area who wanted to speak on what was in the video.
Wooten was followed by Debbie Mayhew, who broke into tears as she spoke about the euthanasia of dogs at CACC.
She said she characterized the conditions at CACC as “hell” after a visit to the facility with her daughter.
She addressed the mayor and asked, “What will it take?”
Mayhew received a standing ovation from the crowd.
Columbus councilors ‘appalled’ by ‘nauseating’ footage
Newly-elected Councilman Byron Hickey said he saw the video mentioned and was “appalled.” He asked the council for a formal investigation and to keep it completely transparent.
“We need for this to be looked into,” he said.
He suggested that the Columbus Police Department investigate. People in the crowd again stood and cheered after his statements, and thanked him.
Councilwoman Joanne Cogle called the video one of the most “nauseating and inappropriate things” she’s ever seen.
“Mr. Mayor, this can’t go on,” Councilwoman Judy Thomas said. She said she agreed with Hickey’s suggestion that CPD investigate the incident.
Hickey made a motion for an investigation by an outside agency, which was seconded by Thomas and later passed by the city council.
Councilman Glenn Davis said he was “appalled” as well and later said, “I didn’t expect to see what I saw in that video.”
Councilwoman Toyia Tucker spoke after Davis and suggested future “Come Save Me” campaigns by CACC have a $0 adoption fee to help prevent euthanizations.
“You close your eyes it’s all you see is the dogs being thrown in the bin like trash,” she said of the video. “That’s sad.”
City Manager Isaiah Hugley said what he saw in the video “didn’t look good,” which prompted laughs from the crowd.
What are guidelines around euthanasia?
A veterinarian who works part-time at CACC, Dr. Hank Hall, spoke about what happened in the video and addressed questions from council members.
Some people in support of Chai began to leave as Hall began his speech, and more left throughout his speech. Hall said Chai was under a general anesthetic at the time of euthanasia.
“The girl, she didn’t wait long enough for the anesthesia to kick in,” Hall said, referring to the person who euthanized the dog in the video. This led to an outburst from the crowd.
Hickey was the first to question Hall and asked about the requirements needed to conduct a euthanization.
Hall said the people conducting the euthanasia don’t have to be licensed or certified, but do have to be trained. Hall said the people in the video were trained and he does the trainings himself.
Hickey asked how many hours of training each person receives to be qualified to euthanize animals. Hall said there are several hours of training, but no definite time is required.
“We don’t put a clock on it like that,” he said.
Hall, when asked why the dog wasn’t taken to the euthanasia room at CACC, said it was in part due to the amount of euthanizations that day. He said there were 12.
Crabb asked Hall if he was called and told the animals would be put down that day; he said he wasn’t. Hall said he has no input on which dogs are euthanized.
Hall said one of the people shown in the video administering the anesthetic said they thought they had used enough of the anesthetic solution by using the last of what was in an anesthetic bottle, but it wasn’t enough.
“Instead of making up more of the general anesthetic they were hoping that would be enough to do it,” Hall said.
“There were several missteps here,” Hall later said.
At the end of his statements, Hall said, “I’m not against what’s been said here tonight, there needs to be changes.”
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