No-Kill Shelter May Start Putting Down Dogs

Killing dogs at the Windham Animal Shelter is up for consideration and it sparked outrage on Wednesday night.

Dozens showed up at Town Hall to protest, and said there was no reason to put them down, however the man in charge of the place claimed they were too dangerous.

The pit bull’s in question have been up for adoption for months, but the head of Animal Control told NBC Connecticut they’re way too aggressive and would be a liability for the town if they were placed with a family.

He wanted the dogs to go through extensive screening with statewide experts. If the dogs failed a temperament test, he thought they should be put down.

“The answer is not to bring them in the door and kill them by the dozens,” said George Hurry.  He has continually worked with the dogs in question at shelter, and said he’s tested them out, and they were not dangerous.

“I’ve taken them in the community, I take them in my personal car we go to McDonalds,” Hurry explained.

On Wednesday night, dozens faced the Windham Public Safety Committee, and urged them to save the potential pets.

“I think it's barbaric,” said Heidi Bardelli.   For years, there has been nothing in the town ordinance that said dogs at the pound couldn’t be euthanized, but now town leaders might take another look at the policy.

“I think we need to improve on it,” Jerry Iazetta, the Chair of the Public Safety Committee.  

The board said it might consider a no-kill clause unless the dog question couldn’t be rehabilitated. “We need to look at it whether we want to adopt it as such or make other provisions,” Iazettta explained. 

Many hoped the measure would give the dogs another chance to find homes.  For them, killing the pit bull’s wasn’t the answer. “No, no, no, we can’t do it,” Heidi Bardelli said.

Putting down the dogs was just an idea, nothing was set in stone.  The town planned to vote on changing the ordinance in the next few weeks.

 

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