Couple upset as dog pound deal sours
MOUNT VERNON — James and Lavina Nethers of St. Louisville drove up to Knox County in hopes of finding a chocolate lab puppy to replace a dog that had recently died.
16 Responses to “ Couple upset as dog pound deal sours”
Who takes a dog and brings it back a few days later anyway. These people shouldn’t even be allowed to own pet.
I have had a few discussions with the dog wardens of Knox County and I am not impressed. I am active duty military, while visiting my two dogs ran off. I contacted the pound they told me no dogs matching my description were there. Another day passed I became worried, I called again, same response. Mind you both my dogs are neutred, microchipped and have tags. I decided to go up to the facility. It wasnt very clean and there were both my dogs without their collars on in a small cell. They are both large breed males. Upset I asked for them, I showed all shot records and explained I called the days prior. I was told they recieved shots and had to pay for them. So I did without question. I found out that their collars were in someone elses office. I was irrated. I got them home to find they both had severe coughs! They were covered in fleas even with the frontline. I am irrated the way they handled it all and their attitudes toward me like I was a bad pet owner. I wouldnt recommend anyone having to deal with the idots at the facility!
There are ALWAYS two sides to every story. I regret that there was not any space provided for the animal control officer’s version. To print one side and not the other is irresponsible. Does “Freshwater” ring any bells?
Why were the Netheres not interested in signing the return papers on the black lab? If he was aggressive, I would think they would want to sign the papers and return him, then deal with the chocolate lab as a separate issue. Did they leave a deposit on the chocolate lab when they returned to St. Louisville?
Additionally:
Why did the Commissioner(s) agree to meet with them without Reed being present? (or at least discuss the issue with him BEFORE the meeting). They owe him that respect. [just as Reed should discuss the incident with his assistant before meeting with the Commissioner(s)]
Why did the Netheres not want to have ANY more contact with animal control re: this incident. In my experience, this suggests that their story will not stand up to close scrutiny. (Similar to an “Anonymous” letter.
In RE: some of these other “discussions”. There are also two sides to each of them, also. I am sure there are many evidentiary requirements that must be met. (Watch the “Animal Planet” programs and see the restraints they are under.)
Jim Wareham
SO… are we all just liars? Just because you go to the same church, who cares! All these people with similar problems dont seem to have a pattern to you? Every one else is wrong and Reed is always right? I know what I see right next door to me, I know the calls that have been made and I watched those horses for a year waste away and still nothing done to their feet and no hay all winter and Reed did nothing!!! I called twice- my neighbor called twice. The people that owns them told us when he came out, he came out 1 time asked to see tags for their dogs and asked why they didnt have hay.He Looked at the feed bag of the food they were feeding because they told him it has foliage in it, which it does because I suggested to them they use it if they couldnt find hay they could afford, but you still have to feed them enough of it to keep their ribs from showing, had Reed followed up he would of seen these horses loose wieght, hair and that they had elf shoes for hooves and cracks 1/4″ deep from toe to the top. Dont tell me they do their job correctly. Ive seen how they do their job first hand. ANd finally NO I would not want his job but…he did so do what you get paid to do and do it RIGHT.
Moderators, I thought I somehow erased the first letter, the one w/o my name. If the 2nd comment meets your appproval, please remove the one without my name and print the second one. Thank you.
No one puts their names because he might come take our dogs.
I know the side to the story about the horses, these people had the horses for a year after me and other neighbors called. Nothing was done. There is no excuse for a horse to be left with people that cant or wont take care of it. I see theses horses every day, their condition worsened, had they did follow up they would have known. THEY DIDNT. Yes many unwanted dogs are killed so even more reason when someone comes in to treat them correctly.
First of all, LESLIE, Roger Reed is no idiot. I have known Reed and his wife for over 20 years, attend the same church and are close personal friends with them. I have not talked to Reed or his wife about this issue. Secondly, MV News, I looked and could not find where Reed was contacted for the facts from his side. When can the public expect to read this in your paper? Reed and the employee/volunteers do an excellent job with dogs that no one wants any more. They work with the dogs & each dog has to qualify before they are put up for placement. But guess what? Currently, the facility is so overcrowded with unwanted dogs that good, loving dogs have to be put down because no one wants them. And guess who has to make that horrible decision…yes, Reed. He goes in to the pound before others get there and takes care of the “job” by himself so others don’t have to experience it. Would anyone out there like to do this? I think not. But Reed does it because that is part of his responsibilities of being the KC Dog Warden. And to the KC Commissioners, SHAME ON YOU for not tabling this issue until Reed could be contacted to hear both sides of the issue. In my opinion, you undermined the very authority that you, as a Board, appointed him to as Dog Warden. Or is it with qualifications, that he does have full authority when all is going OK, but when someone is not happy, then he needs to get your approval before making a decision? Can’t have it both ways. I feel both the MV News and the KC Commissioners owe Reed an apology for not taking the time to get all the facts before printing it on the front page with such an inflammatory lead for the story. And to you other people who comment and think Reed and his assistant should be fired, you also only have one side of the incident. Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? Geez, people, remember that those who you are making such derogatory comments about are real people with real feelings who strive to do their best in a very stressful job. I noticed not one of you put your full name on your comment. Why is that? Hmm, interesting, very interesting.
like with everything, there are two sides of the story. no one is hearing the dog warden’s side of the story. before people start looking for someone’s job they should get the other side of the story.
These dogs get put down when not adopted so why would Reed and his assistant treat whoever comes in there the best possible so they can find a home for them. Ill tell you why because they could give a rat’s behind about the animals that WE pay them to protect. I hope Wise does something other than smack them on the hand.
Agreed, we need new people they do not do the job they need to do. I have called them my self ,last winter, on a home about their horses. Skinny, rain rot and hooves that looked like elf shoes because they had not been done in a year and NO hay in the middle of winter.I gave him hay in December and that was all they had for 3 months. I knew this because I know the people and I shared this info with their office. My neighbor called also, horses still there.
They did come out but looked at a bag of feed and that was the end of it.
Dog pounds everywhere are having multiple problems which is why a lot of folks are turning to resuce dogs instead.
Reed’s an idiot. He knew this couple was going home to get the black lab and returning to the pound to exchange it for the chocolate lab, yet he lets someone else adopt the chocolate lab while waiting for the couple to return with the black lab? Then he leaves for the day, apparently doesn’t advise the assistant as to the deal he made with the Netherses, and the assistant treats the Netherses like garbage when they return to the pound to keep up their end of the deal? Sounds like Reed and the assistant should be fired – or at the LEAST, be required to take some training on honesty, ethics and customer service. Yes, they ARE supposed to provide a service and treat the people who come into the pound with at least common courtesy and honesty. There are too many folks out of work who would love to have a full-time job to allow this kind of behavior to continue from Reed and his assistant.
First of all, LESLIE, I have personally known Roger Reed for over 20 years, attend the same church as he & his wife & are close friends with both of the Reeds. I can assure you, Roger Reed is no “idiot”. Secondly & as important, I cannot find anywhere in the News where Reed was contacted for the other side of the story; I would like to know when we can expect the News to contact Reed & get all the facts. The general public has no idea what a wonderful job these employees & volunteers do to take care of dogs that irresponsible nitwits just drop off because they no longer want the dog. Most people dropping off dogs usually have found one running loose; to those people, kudos. Do you have any idea how overcrowded the pound is right now? Reed & his employees make every effort to find homes for the dogs that are qualified to be placed. One volunteer uses her own vehicle/time/money to take dogs to other shelters so they won’t have to be put down because of overcrowding, driving to Indiana, Michigan & other states. Why? Because the pound is so overcrowded. Reed has to make decisions that not one person would volunteer to do – decide which dog (who would make someone a wonderful, loving pet) to be put down because the dog has been at the pound for a lengthy period of time, not been adopted for reasons known only to people who are looking for dogs and there is simply NO MORE ROOM for dogs still being brought in. Would you want to make that decision? And to make this perfectly clear, Reed himself goes in early, does the job himself & cleans up BEFORE other employees get to work. The employees/volunteers get attached to these dogs & it is a heartbreaking, thankless job. And to the Knox County Commissioners, shame on you for not tabling this issue until Reed could be contacted & his side told before simply undermining the authority YOU have given him as Knox County Dog Warden. I couldn’t even find anywhere in the News where the Commissioners mentioned that they would contact Reed for further information. So, Commissioners, does Reed have the authority of KC Dog Warden at all times or only when no one complains? As I said, the least you, as a Board should have done, is to get pertinent information from the very person you appointed to do the job of KC Dog Warden.
Adding to the above, to those of you who are crucifying Reed and his employees, whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? And I find it interesting that not one person has chosen to use their full name…….wonder why that is? Interesting, very interesting.
we need a new dog warden…….pure and simple………i have had issues with the warden myself in the past……..Larry
I feel that Suzie said it all quite adequately. I am very disappointed in the commissioners and consider them quite political. They supposedly give authority to the Warden, but at each turn, he is undermined and not even consulted about the incident before they take their own action. Is this to keep their position secure? Do they wish for the Warden to call with each daily question and ask how to handle it? When you hire a person and put them in charge, normally you would support their decisions and discuss any disagreements behind closed doors. But unfortunately we have gutless commissioners who threw the Warden under the bus.
There is also the a problem with our newspaper reporter who reported a story about our Warden and took the word of Licking Co residents without getting both sides. Fair and balanced? No! Shame on you! I now know why I do not subscribe to the Mount Vernon News, and was informed by a friend about this article. Wasting money on hearsay is not in my interest and news articles should be truth! We have nothing more than a tabloid with lies like the National Inquirer! I will be quite surprised if my comments are printed!