See shocking photos of abused and neglected animals that Placer County has never protected from their abuser. Sacramento Kings player Ron Artest and the story of his starving dog Socks could have been avoided if Placer County Animal Services under the direction of Health & Human Services were doing their job in December when the dog was ultimately hit by a car for always running loose. Animal Services manager Mike Winters shunned the assistance offered by Great Dane rescue (an organization that recognizes that this breed of dog requires special care) to foster Socks but instead somehow felt that Mr. Artest's attorney would be a better 'coordinator' to find a suitable foster for the dog!! We argue that eventually Socks will be quietly reunited with Mr. Artest (and quietly die a horrible death from starvation) far from Placer County.

Take a look at this horse. On 2/22/07 Health & Human Services announced IT WILL NOT move the case to the DA's office for prosecution of the owner!! Read the 'Latest Skirmish' over this decision at the 3/6/07 Board of Supervisor's meeting about this ad. While the county states it removed the horse from the abusive situation and spent $14,000 to restore it to health before giving it to a rescue group, we maintain they 'ignored' their obligation to the citizens to forward the evidence to the DA's office to file charges against the abuser. Here's another message from the horse named "Hope" for Placer County.

And only when County officials heard public outcry on another case of abused Afghan Hounds did they finally respond on February 9th, by taking possession of the remaining thirteen dogs they left behind with their abuser in January. As of 3/22 charges have not been filed. Can someone explain why not?

In this STORY of abuse, the animals were in such horrific condition (as evidenced by photos I saw) that Animal Services euthanized thirty-eight of the dogs on-site. What awaited officers inside the house, was over two inches of feces and urine covering the entire floor and lining the crates where the animals lived. These same photos showed every surface in the house (stove, beds, tables, etc) was covered with urine and feces. Yet Animal Services under the direction of Health & Human Services never referred the case to the DA's office for prosecution - thus turning their backs AGAIN on animal abuse. We hope to post photos from this case.

In July, Animal Services siezed this group of eleven dogs, many of them puppies at the time. Three were adopted out before the County changed its mind and decided to stop all adoptions. Locked up since July, they have grown up in a fearful shelter with little human contact while their file is passed from one desk to another without commencement of legal proceedings.

If you think that just because Placer County takes possession of your animal, it will be treated kindly, then take a look at these horses standing in cold, winter rains and mud up to their fetlocks for months because the Auburn shelter is inadequate to house large animals. Once loved and owned by the late Bill Allen, FULL STORY these conditions would have been cause for Animal Services to take them away from him, yet clearly, the County repeatedly breaks the laws that they are obligated to enforce.

Animal abuse defined. The link between animal abuse, domestic violence and other brutal crimes is well documented. When Placer County turns its back on crimes against animals, it turns its back on crimes against its citizens.

---PLEASE HELP US HELP THESE ANIMALS--

Follow the petition link at the top of the page and sign it. Then 'TAKE ACTION' and send a letter.

February 8, 2007

To all Placer County citizens and animal welfare friends,

These animal abuse cases are further evidence of a failed administration of oversight surrounding Animal Services of Placer County in its most raw and exposed form. It is a clear and overwhelming example of the level of disregard upheld by the current administration at Health and Human Services; the ultimate reporting body of Animal Services, that can not be tolerated or allowed to continue in its current structure. Health & Human Services is an administration that, as history has proven, has failed to provide for the animal population whose care has been mandated to them. These cases also represent the cumulative effect of a misguided response to our request for improvements by the County Executive Officer to the Board of Supervisors -- whom we have lobbied for over fifteen months - without appropriate resolution.

Placer County has an absolute obligation to rectify crimes against animals once knowledge of it is brought to their attention in accordance with (Penal Code 597) and failing to act on such knowledge, constitutes a crime in itself.

Yet, Placer County is known to waffle in the cruelty proceedings of their cases, resulting in lost convictions, violations of civil rights and civil liability suits filed against Placer County and its employees (Jackson v. Placer County) costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars, because of its negligence to properly train and educate its staff in the laws which govern animal abuse and neglect .

Because the shelter facility in Auburn is too small to house animal victims and its budget is insufficient to provide proper long-term care, it further compounds the problem.

As long as the county continues to neglect the need for a budget overhaul within Animal Services, refuses to eliminate the dysfunctional leadership within Health & Human Services, and refuses to fulfill the county's desperate need for a new Auburn shelter sooner than 2010, then I foresee the blood of innocent animals continuing to run through the streets of our county.

Until Placer County focuses its attention on an Auburn shelter -- deserting its ill-conceived plan to co-locate a facility in South Placer with the Placer SPCA -- then those who claim they have "not euthanized an adoptable animal" need to take a hard look at the harm they are causing abandoned and abused animals in Placer County over the next four years because of their personal agendas and financial gains.

The citizens of Placer County have an absolute right to expect, its government to protect its people and the animals - NOW.

Click Here to read our Campaign for Reform.