SPOKANE, Wash. — Less than a week after learning 13 dogs were put down in a single day at SCRAPS (Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service), city council member Karen Stratton and Michael Cathcart pushed an emergency ordinance.
The change was originally proposed earlier this month, but Cathcart says urgency is now necessary after council learned of the more than a dozen dogs killed September 20.
“Waiting a week, what would that do, if we followed regular process?” asked council member Zack Zappone during a discussion of the proposed change during a committee meeting.
“Potentially another mass euthanasia," Cathcart responded.
If passed during council's legislative session Monday night, the ordinance will change city code to reflect the belief euthanasia shouldn't be done because of capacity issues. It would also beef up an advisory committee overseeing SCRAPS, Cathcart explained during the Public Infrastructure, Environment, and Sustainability Committee meeting.
Cathcart and Stratton detailed their work over the last five months to address community concerns over the shelter's practices and frustration over assessments used to deem whether an animal should be put down.
Cathcart says several of the dogs euthanized Wednesday had adoptions pending and families waiting to take them in.
“One of the frustrations is many of these animals were labeled adoptable and then the next day labeled non-adoptable," he told council.
There are still lingering questions over those assessments and how animals are found too dangerous to adopt.
Patrick Bell, communications director with Spokane County, says humane euthanasia is a last resort and not done for lack of space.
“We never, ever euthanize because of capacity issues," he said.
The ordinance, if approved, would not change county rules in the interlocal agreement over animal control services. It will only apply to animals from within city limits. Some members of council questioned what good it would do.
"Passing an ordinance, how would that change those operations?" asked Zappone. "It doesn’t necessarily, because they could still euthanize animals from outside the city instead of making those changes, so it’s really more of a contract issue.”
Cathcart and Zappone agreed. They say they're still trying to work with the county on a regional approach.
“In further discussions we’re hoping to get some insight into are assessments regular, how are those timed and if that advisory committee could help in that process," Stratton said.
Bell explained the assessment tool SCRAPS uses is new within the last couple months.
“It’s a risk assessment tool that hleps us understand how big a risk this dog would be if it were released in the community," he said of the tool, called CARS. "Would it need muzzle, would it need a six-foot gate, would it need special door locks?”
He says staff recently had a national team come in to train them on the CARS method. He says moving forward, it'll be more clear which animals are adoptable and which aren't.
Cathcart and Stratton also brought up community concerns, including from other animal rescue organizations, that SCRAPS isn't accessible. Cathcart brought up one complaint from a local reporter who says it took three hours for anyone at the organization to respond; others complain knocking on the door yields no answer.
Council president Lori Kinnear reiterated some of those concerns, saying operational practices need to be explored and fixed between the county and city, so if the shelter is at capacity animals can be moved to other local organizations. She says there appears to be a breakdown in those relationships under new SCRAPS management.
Bell says SCRAPS has invited council members to tour the facility, but as of Monday only one, Jonathan Bingle, has done so.
WATCH RELATED: Spokane City Council passes ordinance limiting euthanasia at SCRAPS
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