Jan. 11—A “series of unfortunate events” led to the fate of a dog that was struck by a car on New Year’s Day, not released to its owner, and died during the night at the Decatur Animal Shelter, city veterinarian Dr. Steve Osborne said this week.
The owner of Sophia, a 12-year-old Pekingese that was hit by a car after digging out of her yard and escaping because a neighbor’s fireworks frightened her, criticized Decatur Animal Services (DAS) officials and Osborne, an independent contractor for the city, for their handling of the case.
Allison Howard, Sophia’s owner, hired attorney Jonathan Watson after her pet died overnight in the Beltline Road shelter when DAS policies prevented the dog’s after-hours release. She is unhappy with the city’s response since the events.
The Police Department, which oversees Animal Services, issued a statement in the days after the death that says the department would review the DAS policy for injured animals taken into the custody of the shelter after hours.
Howard said Thursday that she and Watson are still evaluating the situation. She said she submitted a request for information, and a police lieutenant reached out to them on Wednesday.
“He said the weather is delaying response, but it’s been a week,” Howard said.
Sophia was sent to Auburn University for an autopsy, which Howard said should be complete soon.
Police Chief Todd Pinion said Wednesday that he had no comment on the situation. Any city response beyond the police statement released last week would come from the Legal Department, he added.
In response to one resident’s questions about a city inquiry at Monday’s council meeting, Council President Jacob Ladner also said the police statement is the only comment that the city plans to make at this time.
“We cannot speak on that specific situation because there’s been an attorney hired on this situation,” Ladner said.
However, Councilman Hunter Pepper insisted in the meeting that he wanted to make a statement on the issue, saying, “I’ll gladly speak on the matter.”
Ladner and City Attorney Herman Marks interrupted him and wouldn’t allow him to continue.
“I’m sharing with you that it is not proper for you to speak on this matter,” Marks told Pepper.
Ladner threatened to end the meeting if Pepper continued to insist on talking.
“If you don’t quit, you’re going to prevent other people from speaking at this meeting,” he told Pepper.
Ladner said he wanted to give Howard a chance to speak to the council.
On Tuesday, Pepper told The Daily that he wasn’t allowed to make his comments at the meeting, and he is “agitated” at Ladner and Marks for cutting him off.
“I was under a threat for the want to end the meeting,” Pepper said.
Pepper said he believes the dog “received unfair and unjust treatment.” He said Decatur Animal Services and Osborne need to take responsibility for mishandling Sophia’s case.
“The dog suffered and was in agony,” Pepper said. “Dr. Osborne should have come and examined that poor dog.”
Pepper said he believes the owner had good intentions in trying to get the dog to an emergency veterinarian.
“Animal Services neglected to give the dog back to its poor owner so she could take the dog to a proper service and get the animal checked out so the dog could be treated or humanely euthanized,” he said.
Osborne told The Daily on Wednesday that he was out of town when DAS contacted him, the city’s emergency veterinary clinic was closed, and he currently doesn’t have a backup veterinarian to cover for him if needed.
“It was super unfortunate with how the way things went,” Osborne said. “If any one of a dozen things had occurred, the dog might have been saved. I’m sorry for the dog, and I’m sorry for the owner with the way it all happened.”
Sophia’s case “was a unique, one-off situation,” Osborne said.
Osborne and Howard said they met to discuss the issue, and she said she is still unhappy with the veterinarian.
“I have proof from our conversation that Sophia was never looked at,” Howard said.
Howard said she doesn’t understand how Osborne can be chairman of the Animal Services board that designed to oversee him. She also pointed out that the city website shows his two-term limit has expired.
Watson issued a statement on Jan. 4 criticizing the city for its alleged mishandling of the dog.
“The heartless acts of Decatur Animal Service on this evening, and the subsequent social media explanation, are unconscionable and demand immediate action,” the release says.
According to Watson’s press release, Howard let Sophia outside unattended to do its bodily functions early on the evening of Jan. 1. The dog then dug under the fence and ran away. The release says Sophia was frightened by her neighbor’s fireworks.
The Police Department press release says an officer answered a call around 6:55 p.m. to the 2900 block of Lynnwood Circle Southwest because an “unattended” dog had been struck by a vehicle.
Osborne said he was out of town and traveling back to Decatur when he received a phone call from a woman about the injured dog. He said she “didn’t want to take responsibility for the dog” and chose to call Animal Services, which retrieved the animal.
Osborne said an Animal Services employee called him and sent him some photos of Sophie, but, since he was travelling, he told the employee to take the dog to the shelter and he would look at the animal in the morning.
Osborne said there are four emergency veterinary clinics in north Alabama, but the city only allows the shelter to send animals to the Decatur clinic.
“It was closed, and I don’t know why,” Osborne said. “They can release the animal to its owner, who can take it to the clinic in Madison or one of the two in Huntsville.”
The Watson statement says Howard searched for Sophia and she found out on social media just after 10 p.m. that the dog was at the Animal Services shelter.
Sophia spent the night in the shelter with no medical attention. Howard tried in vain to get Animal Services to allow her to retrieve her pet while the shelter was closed.
“It is likely that Sophia suffered immensely and died alone in a cold, dark kennel,” the Watson release says.
Watson’s release says Howard contacted a clinic in Madison and found “that a Madison emergency vet is able and willing to transport Sophia,” but she again received no response from the shelter.
Osborne said Decatur Animal Services policy is the animal shelter does not release animals after hours. However, he said he made an exception and told the officer to release Sophia at 8 a.m. instead of 11 a.m. when the shelter opens to the public.
But the dog died during the night before the opening. Howard found out the dog had died when it was brought out to her in a garbage bag, Watson said in the press release.
Howard told the City Council on Monday night that she has a problem with the city, Animal Services and its manager, Brian Lundberg, for their “the lack of transparency.”
She pointed out the city website says Lundberg has an open-door policy, but when she went to talk him he would not even come out from his office.
“He sent sticky notes through his receptionist to me,” Howard said. “All that was done in my case is a false statement was posted. The city left us no choice but to retain an attorney.”
Resident Tracy Jones also criticized Decatur Animal Services at the council meeting for its alleged mishandling of Sophia. She said Howard was willing to do whatever she needed to do for her “beloved dog,” yet the vet chose “to give his advice on a phone call. It puts Decatur in a bad way, it really does.”
Jones asked the council if there will be an investigation into Animal Services.
The Watson release says the owner’s goal “is to mandate change, through political and legal means, to ensure no citizen of Decatur ever endures what Allison and her family have endured again. This will require accountability on the part of Decatur’s leadership and all involved actors, and a willingness to admit fault. We are evaluating all legal options and will update the community and all of you as our investigation continues and as soon as any new information is available.”
— bayne.hughes@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2432