State will investigate claims of animal abuse at local shelter - wave3.com-Louisville News, Weather & Sports

State will investigate claims of animal abuse at local shelter

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By Eric Flack - bio | email
Andy Stewart (source: Marion County Detention Center) Andy Stewart (source: Marion County Detention Center)

FRANKFORT, KY (WAVE) - The state of Kentucky will investigate claims of animal abuse at a local shelter. The alleged abuse at the Taylor County Animal Shelter was first exposed in WAVE 3 Troubleshooter report. And as Troubleshooter Eric Flack reports, now the Kentucky Board of Veterinary Examiners said it will launch its own investigation into what happened.

A former worker at the Taylor County Animal Shelter claims he saw it all. The brutal killing of dogs and cats, botched euthanasia and animals being buried alive.

Thursday, the Kentucky Board of Veterinary Examiners announced it planned to launch an investigation into the allegations contained in a letter written by Andy Stewart. Stewart is a former inmate at the Taylor County Detention Center who spent months at the shelter on work release this spring.

Stewart claims shelter workers would shoot animals after failed euthanasia attempts. He also said he witnessed other incidents of mistreatment and cruelty. His letter ended up in the hands of the state board of veterinary examiners. At its meeting the board ruled there is no evidence of illegal or improper burials. But it wants to look closer at the allegations of botched euthanasia and abuse in large part because Stewart isn't the only one making those claims.

"He was actually only one of three inmates that had these complaints about the euthanasia," said board member Robert Bosse. "But we feel like it should be investigated further."

After learning of the decision the Taylor County Judge Executive, Eddie Rogers, said the county doesn't have anything to hide.

"The veterinary board is more than welcome to come in and investigate," Rogers said. "The county is open to do anything we need to do to make this go away."

The Board of Veterinary Examiners could hear back from its investigator as early as January. The Animal Legal Defense Fund, an animal rights group in California, is also investigating what happened.

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Copyright 2011 WAVE News. All rights reserved.

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