A message to many dogs currently in the care of the City of Trenton — prepare to die!
No, that’s neither hyperbole nor overkill. A sift through all the “whereases” in the executive order issued by Mayor Reed Gusciora underscores problems regarding an overpopulation of dogs at the Trenton Animal Shelter, plus, appropriately 60 housed inside a Yardley, Pa. kennel.
With truth teller Trenton Police Department Lt. Alexis Durlacher tabbed as chief of the Bureau of Animal Control (just what this issue needs, more bureaucratic BS), the Executive Order created a five-person Animal Welfare Advisory Board charged with one specified objective identified by Gusciora.
“This Animal Welfare Advisory Board’s priorities shall be focused on reducing unwanted pet and stray animal populations,” reads the Executive Order.
Gusciora explains the, “Animal Welfare Advisory Board quintet shall be appointed by the Mayor and subject to confirmation by the City Council. The Mayor shall designate one initial appointee as Chair of the Board. The Board shall elect a Chair from among its members. Mayoral appointments shall be for three-year terms; provided that all members shall hold office until their successors are appointed and qualified.”
Dying to hold onto a “no-kill” for space identification, city officials need assessments that allow for euthanasia of unwanted canines and dogs deemed not adoptable based on evaluations. These in good conscience killings will alleviate guilt that accompanies time-stamped death notices.
By the way, while Durlacher promised each dog will be reassessed with a kind of day in court, persons familiar with Trenton Animal Shelter operations allege an assessment of dogs recently completed with few dogs tagged with temperament issues worthy of death.
Durlacher agreed that keeping dogs in cages for extended periods of time could likely contribute to the development of behavioral issues for canines. So, good doggies that enter the shelter may stay long enough to end up as bad doggies. Would a new behavioral specialist play fast and loose with assessments to support mass killing of dogs so that Trenton Animal Shelter maintains a “no-kill” tag?
Durlacher sided with Gusciora regarding paying room and board for dogs housed at the Yardley, Pa. kennel. The pair said a $13,000 per week bill lists as “unsustainable”.
No matter how Durlacher, Gusciora, and others frame this dog population problem, death seems like the only way out of this unfortunate mess.
