County Administrator Steve Willis would not identify the suspended employee, but said Miller was the only remaining county worker at the shelter, and that the only remaining county worker has been placed on leave pending the investigation.
“The only thing I can tell you is that we were down to only one employee. The other one is no longer employed with the county. I can’t comment on any specifics right now,” Willis said.
Willis and Lancaster County sheriff’s spokesman Doug Barfield both strongly denied rumors that the problems involved the welfare of the animals at the shelter. Barfield said at this point, local law enforcement has not determined if the investigation will be turned over to the S.C. Law Enforcement Division (SLED). In many instances, SLED investigates to avoid any conflict of interests.
“I can tell you the allegations do not involve the direct health, care and welfare of any animals there,” Barfield said. “But where we go from here, that decision has not been made.”
For now, Joel Hinson, one of the county’s three animal-control officers, who work for the sheriff’s office, will oversee daily operations at the animal shelter. Willis said the shelter might reopen as early as Monday.
Shandy Miller did not return a message left on her cell phone Thursday afternoon. No one answered the phone at the animal shelter.
Willis said the matter was brought to his attention early Wednesday, and he immediately went to the animal shelter.
“Allegations were made of a specific nature that had to be turned over to law enforcement,” he said. “As a result, one employee has been placed on paid administrative leave until it can be investigated.”
The primary function of the Lancaster County Animal Shelter is to house and care for stray and unwanted animals. In order to assist county residents, a five-business-day hold is placed on all strays picked up or brought into the shelter to allow time for residents to reclaim missing or lost pets. If animals are not reclaimed, they become county property and are made available to animal rescues and the public for adoption.
Wednesday morning, a social media frenzy started after shelter volunteer Christy Bell arrived at the shelter and saw a “CLOSED” sign on the door. She began calling a list of animal-rescue groups. Soon there were Internet rumors that a mass euthanasia was going on at the shelter. This led to a dispatch of animal rescuers in minivans filled with empty crates and kennels, hoping to save animals from being put to death.
By Wednesday afternoon, more than a dozen animal activists from at least six different rescue groups in three counties had arrived at the shelter. There was much confusion about the circumstances surrounding the animal shelter and whether it was closed for good of just for a while.
Bell said she told them the shelter had exceeded its 24-dog capacity by 10 dogs. Eventually, Animal Control Sgt. Joel Hinson arrived to let rescuers in and dogs and cats out.
Reached Wednesday afternoon, Hinson said he could not talk about the matter.
Bell said she didn’t have details about the administrative matter, but she routinely alerts animal activists when capacity is exceeded. “We needed to save 10 dogs. And today we did,” she said, walking away with tears in her eyes.
Willis said he had no idea what the capacity is at the animal shelter.
He said that until the investigation ends, the animal shelter would be closed to the public. However, animal rescue groups will still have access, and the shelter will waive all animal adoption fees for rescue groups.
Willis said he was furious about “ridiculous social media comments” that sheriff’s deputies were at the animal shelter Wednesday afternoon euthanizing animals. None of that, he said, was true.
“It’s bull. Animal-control officers don’t even have access to drugs used in that process. They are locked in a safe, and I am the only one with the key,” Willis said. “It’s frustrating that stuff has gotten out there on Facebook slamming the sheriff, when he and his staff are doing everything they can to make sure all the animals are properly taken care of. That’s silly.”
Willis said animal control and public works employees have stepped in to help at the shelter “making sure animals are fed and watered and cages are cleaned.”
Diane Rashall of Lancaster Animal Shelter Supporters (LASS), and Mary Reimers President of Humane Society of Lancaster both said the shelter’s capacity is 24 dogs. They said they were working with volunteers at the animal shelter to find homes for excess dogs to save their lives.
The capacity of 24 in a county of more than 80,000 people falls short of the need. Chesterfield County, with a population of just over 46,000, has a new shelter with a capacity of 101, a statistic verified by Chesterfield County Shelter Director Jim McDonigal.
“If the Lancaster shelter is having such serious problems, then what are they and why doesn’t anyone know what’s going on?” said Susan White, another member of LASS.
White says that LASS often provides pet food and supplies to the shelter.
“Our goal is to protect and support the animals and to find them homes. It’s an uphill battle with the county. The employees at the shelter have worked with us,” White said.
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