Crazys Claws N Paws Animal Confiscation: Wayne County Animal Services Won’t Tell Me Why
Tammie with some of the rescued cats. Photo courtesy Casey Mozingo
In a follow-up to Elisa’s article about the confiscation of cats and dogs from Crazys Claws N Paws by Wayne County Animal Services, I have twice telephoned Wayne County Animal Services to find out why they did it (click to read Elisa’s article – opens new tab).
2nd telephone conversation
I recorded the 2nd conversation:
I specifically asked for Frank Sauls. On the first telephone call a woman told me that he wasn’t in the office and I agreed to leave a voicemail. I was told that he would be back in the office in about 30 minutes. I left a voicemail and then called back after one hour.
On the second telephone call I spoke to a volunteer who said that he had been instructed to make no comment about the investigation and no comment will be made because it is a live investigation. I feel like I have received conflicting information.
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A refusal to talk to me indicates a lack of confidence in their actions. I’ve done some research on ordinances governing animal shelters in Wayne County. I’m told that only dogs were confiscated (update: this is incorrect). If that’s correct then it may be something to do with dangerous dogs which can only be held by the local authority’s services. I’m guessing (this is incorrect – please read the updating page by Elisa). It is about administering pain killers and antibiotics to pets when unqualified!
Crazys Claws N Paws confirm they were carrying out emergency rescue only
Tammie of Crazys Claws N Paws was simply carrying out emergency rescues of cats and dogs because of Hurricane Florence. On the face of it there was no reason to stop it. Like many others, I am bemused as to why Animal Services did.
A spokesperson for Crazys Claws N Paws told me (Facebook messenger) that they opened as an emergency center for displaced animals for this natural disaster….They said that Frank Sauls felt like laws were being broken and he made the decision on that basis. However, we don’t know what these laws are and how they were broken. A spokesperson for the Crazys Claws N Paws said that North Carolina does not have any emergency protocols for animal shelters during natural disasters and that they did not open as a shelter but as a safe haven for this event. They are still trying to figure out why Frank Sauls is ‘after Tammie’.
A recent comment from EP who was personally involved:
“Two of my outreach dogs were seized.
I provide vet care to those in need. My outreach folks were stranded and couldn’t get to their dogs. They asked me to help.
They agreed for me to find a rescue shelter, NOT at animal control as they didn’t trust them. Many horror stories.
I knew Tammie was helping displaced disaster animals. I asked if she could hold them for a short time…IF my roads weren’t flooded yet.
She agreed but asked if I had a crate and their shot records on hand.
I did.
That was Sunday afternoon.
By Monday afternoon the super sweet fully vetted dogs were seized.
Now taken to a place where they are exposed to disease.
They were also kenneled together, I was not notified of one microchip being scanned (boxer puppy).
The female ate the entire lupine collar off puppy. NOW because of the incompetence, we watch for obstruction.
Who is gonna pay for that?
If dogs had been left, they would have been safe.
Now, because AC was so “worried” for the safety of the animals, my outreach dog may be obstructed.
Good job Sauls!”
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1981133358640493&id=852260261527814
Two of my outreach dogs were seized.
I provide vet care to those in need. My outreach folks were stranded and couldn’t get to their dogs. They asked me to help.
They agreed for me to find a rescue shelter, NOT at animal control as they didn’t trust them. Many horror stories.
I knew Tammie was helping displaced disaster animals. I asked if she could hold them for a short time…IF my roads weren’t flooded yet.
She agreed but asked if I had a crate and their shot records on hand.
I did.
That was Sunday afternoon.
By Monday afternoon the super sweet fully vetted dogs were seized.
Now taken to a place where they are exposed to disease.
They were also kenneled together, I was not notified of one microchip being scanned (boxer puppy).
The female ate the entire lupine collar off puppy. NOW because of the incompetence, we watch for obstruction.
Who is gonna pay for that?
If dogs had been left, they would have been safe.
Now, because AC was so “worried” for the safety of the animals, my outreach dog may be obstructed.
Good job Sauls!
Thanks EP. I have embedded your comment into the article as it is powerful and enlightening.
The end result is that animals are still suffering, when at least some of them could be receiving comfort and care. I agree with the statement by M E King, “Without rescues the shelters would be overwhelmed and unable to operate at all. There need to be provisions in the law that allow for short term rescues that exceed their capacity.” This is indeed a grey area that seems misconstrued at the whim of the county officials.??
Without rescues the shelters would be overwhelmed and unable to operate at all. There need to be provisions in the law that allow for short term rescues that exceed their capacity. There should be minimum standards for the type of animals being kept. This is really a new area of law that is poorly addressed when you see people staying in deadly situations because they have no where and no one to turn to for their pets.
Lack of openness suggests that the AC acted on impulse and cannot back his actions legally. To me thesev actions reek of professional jealousy or of someone who enjoys causing hardship and pain to others.
I don’t remember reading that the cats were spared.
No she wasn’t. She has two past arrest records. One for animal cruelty in 2015 and another for practicing vet medicine without a license. So she has a pattern. She was on probation for the arrest in 2016 and already knew better than to solicit a controlled substance. I have pictures of her previous arrest record and the animal cruelty case where she had half starved dogs in a nasty warehouse living in their feces and urine.
Thank you Chris. I like your objectivity.
Tammie stated those charges were dismissed. I don’t know anything more on it.
I agree Michael that something is amiss here ! Many people have gone to aid cats, dogs and even to try to help farm animals who the death toll seems to be rising everyday. I thought their plan was good to receive the animals from finders, log the location of the pets pick up in hopes of reuniting them with a owner when they returned to their homes. Which may be a while based on rivers still rising and now they are predicting rain in NC.
On the face of it, it’s a very strange situation. It seems very heavy handed. I have a hunch that it may be to do with dangerous dogs. The law in Wayne County may insist that dangerous dogs or potentially dangerous dogs are handled by Animal Services and not a private animal shelter. That’s a big guess by the way. As you can see in the article they would not talk to me because it’s an ongoing investigation. If the matter was obvious and clear-cut they would have talked to me. It seems that they lack confidence and therefore are unsure themselves as to what they’ve done.