County animal shelter fails annual inspection

The Stokes County Animal Shelter received a "disapproved" result on a recent state compliance inspection.

An inspector with the Animal Welfare Section of the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services visited the Sizemore Road facility on Monday, Aug. 5.

The subsequent report details several violations, including a dog that apparently went a weekend without veterinary care, missing medication records for a different dog and sick animals that had not been properly isolated.

"Today's inspection report is marked disapproved based on this facility's failure to provide adequate veterinary care in a timely manner as is described within the body of this report and based on this facility's failure to adhere to their PVC (program of veterinary care)," Inspector Lindsey Harris wrote.

Interim County Manager Amber Brown addressed the dogs' veterinary care in a statement issued Aug. 23.

"There were absolutely no animals left suffering in kennels at any time," Brown stated. "Two of the dogs she listed were being treated for a cough. Staff treated each of the dogs but failed to document that the medicine was given. The isolation of the sick dogs was also not observed at this time. During their treatment, no other animals became sick. The third dog listed was given the proper medication, but documentation failed to be completed. The dog also had an ulcer above its eve that needed to be treated....

"The Animal Control Staff and I take our jobs very seriously and the necessary changes have been made to make sure that these things don't happen in the future."

Board of Commissioners Chair Brad Chandler said the county acknowledges the failed inspection and is working on an appeal.

"We're taking it very seriously, and it's being thoroughly reviewed," he said in an Aug. 22 interview. "We are in the process of filing an appeal to show the totality of the situation."

In an Aug. 23 email, animal shelter Director Tommy Reeves referred questions to Brown.

In the Aug. 5 report, Inspector Harris described in detail the apparent lack of veterinary care of an unnamed great Pyrenees dog.

The inspector noted that the dog was thin and matted with severe discharge, redness, swelling and irritation to his left eye.

The dog had been admitted to the shelter at 6:55 p.m. on Friday.

"No record of veterinary care is noted," Harris wrote. The inspector wrote that the facility's program of veterinary care, or PVC, indicates that staff follow veterinary standing orders to provide treatment to animals and that the standing order does include treatment for those symptoms.

"I inquired with staff and staff indicated that the animal came in after hours on Friday and that they intend to clean the eye some time today (Monday) and contact their veterinarian," Harris wrote.

The inspector said in the report that the animal must receive veterinary care by 5 p.m. on Aug. 5 and that proof of the care must be emailed by 10 a.m. on Aug. 6.

Harris also noted that a medication log for a dog named Frank was incomplete. Frank was supposed to have cough tablets administered three times a day beginning the afternoon of Aug. 2 and ending after the lunch dose on Aug. 5; initials were noted only for the a.m. doses on Aug. 3 and Aug. 4.

"All other instructed doses are lacking the initials of the administrator," Harris wrote. "I am unable to ascertain if these medications were given to this animal."

The inspector also observed that three dogs were noted to be coughing at the time of inspection, two of which were receiving medication.

"The medical treatment record indicates 'isolate if possible'," Harris wrote. "I inquired with staff as to why these animals are not isolated and staff indicated that the shelter is full.

"Staff indicated that the only way they could provide adequate isolation is to place the animal in an outdoor enclosure and hang a quilt between the enclosures. This procedure does not reflect adequate isolation to minimize dissemination of disease nor were the animals adequately isolated at that the time of inspection."

The facility was also not in compliance with a requirement to keep a record of the name and address of specific individuals who transport animals to Friends of Stokes Shelter.

The animals' water was also noted to have an orange tint to it, which had been noted in previous inspection reports.

Brown said that the tint was due to iron stains from the water in pans used over several years.

The county had conducted water tests; the results showed no abnormalities and the water was approved for consumption.

The Aug. 5 report acknowledged some of the work that had been done correct areas needing improvement in previous inspections, such as resealing the floors of primary enclosures and walkway with epoxy and providing sun shade in the outdoor gravel exercise yard.

The animal shelter passed inspections in January and July 2023, though some areas were marked as needing improvement or not in compliance.

An inspection following a complaint in August 2023 led to a Notice of Violation and a $500 civil penalty.

Subsequent inspections in October 2023 and February 2024 were contingently / conditionally approved.

The Stokes County Animal Shelter was issued a Notice of Violation and assessed a civil penalty in 2015.

Plans for the new animal shelter building are in the final design stages, Chandler said.

Bid documents are tentatively planned to go out in February 2025 for the construction of the new shelter, according to Brown's statement.