Animal Activists Demand Answers After Dog Dies In Shelter
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MESQUITE (CBSDFW.COM) - In Mesquite, animal activists are demanding answers after an apparently sick dog died in the city's shelter—after a local rescue group offered to provide care.
"I passed this dog, and the dog was barely moving," says Leslie Ysuhuaylas, "basically swaying back and forth, supporting himself on the wall."
Ysuhuaylas operates an animal rescue group called The Underdog Project. She says she recorded a brief video of the dog, and then spent an hour observing the obviously ill animal and pleading with shelter staff to provide help, or allow her to take the dog to vet. According to Ysuhuaylas, shelter staffers would only respond with assurances that the animal had been adopted.
"I was following up on Sunday, they told me the dog got better—obviously the dog did not get better. And I was like, that's a lie," says Ysuhuaylas.
Today, Mesquite City Manager Cliff Keheley provided CBS11 a lengthy explanation in an emailed statement that expressed support for the animal services staff, while also insisting that the dog appeared to recover.
"The dog continued to drink water and was active… Our shelter staff continuously monitored the dog, assessed its condition, consulted with the owner multiple times and provided their professional judgment on the care of the dog. It is for those reasons that I support the actions of the shelter staff."
Keheley's statement goes on to acknowledge that the explanation would likely not appease animal activists.
"In this situation, a dog died in our care. We made the best possible decisions at the time. I would ask the public to consider not forming their opinion of our shelter staff on one 22-second video and some photos captured on one Saturday afternoon, of one dog after it had just vomited."
Still, Ysuhuaylas insists that something should have been done.
"I know the dog suffered… I was banging on the glass, trying to get his attention, and he wouldn't turn. He turned one time, slightly… turned his head. It was so painful to just see him."
