City's Contract with PAWS Includes Veterinary Services for Shelter Animals

Concho Valley Homepage reported:

Adoptions will resume at the San Angelo Animal Shelter following an illness that affected multiple dogs. They became seriously ill after they were exposed to an ‘unknown substance’ on November 13th.  Three dogs died as a result of the exposure and over 200 dogs were given immediate medical attention by the Concho Valley Paws staff.

Dogs died and were sickened as a result of an intentional poisoning while under the care of the City Animal Shelter.  That is why the case is being investigated by San Angelo Police.

“We do think its isolated to the shelter and that citizens at large shouldn’t have a concern for their canines in their home but it is something that is quite alarming,” said Morgan Chegwidden, assistant director of the Neighborhood & Family Services Department at the San Angelo Animal Shelter. “They were getting lifesaving medication in their kennels for the last 28 days as we’ve tried to work through this and identify it and stop the spread of it.”

The City signed a new contract with Concho Valley PAWS in November 2020.  The RFP issued by the city requested the following under scope of services:

Offer emergency medical treatment for animals in residence

PAWS submission stated:

PAWS has sought for years to employ an on staff veterinarian.  PAWS vet "will be able to provide more cost-effective, in-house treatment."   City staff recommended the new contract with PAWS and Council's background packet on the item stated:

Changes include:

• Assigning the spay/neuter and rabies vaccine expense of adopted pets to the selected vendor;
• Allowing the selected vendor to set and collect their own adoption fees.
• Opening the hours of operation to be set by the selected vendor; and
• Hosting counseling appointments for owned pets jointly by both the selected vendor and city staff.
  

Other services such as large scale transports, foster programs and emergency medical support will continue unchanged from prior contracts.

City Council approved the change in scope of services in August 2020 by a vote of 7-0.  

The treatment cost Concho Valley paws $13,000, an additional expenditure they say they will have to work to make up for.

“Donations is what goes directly into the animal care so if it wasn’t for our donors and the grants that we get we would not have been in a position to help,” said Jeanie Wilson, executive director Concho Valley Paws.

PAWS was legally contracted to provide veterinary services to shelter animals.   The amount paid to PAWS for the current fiscal year rose nearly $10,000 to $69,556.

There is an issue of liability as the poisoning occurred on a widespread basis on city property.  How did the poison get to the dogs, as cats were not impacted?  Who had access to over 200 dogs and the ability to put a toxic substance in their food or water?  We know city staff and PAWS staff/volunteers had access.  How many members of the public responded to PAWS solicitation for help at the shelter after it closed for all but emergency services on November 4th due to staff shortages?  Who vetted any persons responding to PAWS plea?  Surely, the city wouldn't let someone who walked in off the street feed or water shelter dogs.  

Whoever is liable is a source of funding for the $13,000 in veterinary care.  The additional $9,556 in payments to PAWS this fiscal year is available to go toward the veterinary bill.  And PAWS has the right to collect adoption fees for shelter animals and retain those fees.  

PAWS and the city agreed to the scope of services, however one can expect the shelter to prevent toxic substances from reaching the dog population.  There is more to explore in the city's ever changing contract with PAWS and to learn about the investigation into widespread dog poisoning under city care.

Update 1-10-22:  I spoke with the detective on the case today and learned no one has been charged with a crime to date for the November dog poisoning..