No more shooting injured animals; how is new policy working for Merced police?

A little more than a year ago, the Merced Police Department’s long-standing policy to euthanize injured animals by having officers shoot them at the department’s shooting range was brought to light, leading to a change in the 25-year-old procedure.

On the anniversary of that policy change, the chief of police reflected on its success in the community, but also recalled a dark time for the agency when a Merced Sun-Star article about the policy went viral.

The article stemmed from an incident in which a dog was shot by an officer when it charged him, but a police report revealed the paralyzed dog was later euthanized by gunfire by another officer. That case led police officials to confirm they take injured animals to the shooting range to be put down.

The angry letters and passionate pleas to stop euthanizing animals by gunshot poured in from all over the state – and even the country.

“During the article, all the hate mail started and kept trickling in,” said Police Chief Norm Andrade. “I think it’s hard on the city when it gets out there in the media, and they paint a bad picture of Merced.”

Whether prompted by the “negative press,” as Andrade put it, the demands from animal activists or requests from the community, Andrade decided to change the policy.

The chief announced that injured animals, usually picked up by police officers after being hit by vehicles, would no longer be taken to the department’s shooting range to be destroyed.

Instead, they would be taken to one of two Merced veterinarians – Valley Animal Hospital or the 24-hour Animal Medical Center – with a $250 maximum for medical treatment, paid by the city of Merced. Officers select which veterinarian to use based on the time of day and location of the wounded animal.

Some taxpayers feared the new policy would mean cuts elsewhere, but the chief told the Sun-Star that hasn’t been necessary. Since implementing the new policy, the cost to the city has been $8,647 over the past year.

From July 1 to the present, the city has been billed about $1,686 for veterinary services.

While Andrade maintained the old method of euthanizing injured animals was perfectly legal, he told the Sun-Star he has “no regrets” about changing the policy, adding that it’s been working for the city.

Merced police Capt. Bimley West, who oversees the agency’s Animal Control division, said the decision to revise the policy was prompted by an outcry from people.

“The people have made a request for the Police Department to change the process and we listened to that,” West told the Sun-Star. “The change is what our citizens requested, and it’s been working over the last year.”

The policy also appears to be working well for the animals, according to Christine McFadden, owner of Valley Animal Hospital. The longtime Merced veterinarian estimated she sees “a couple” of injured animals brought in by police each month.

McFadden said all but one of those animals have been rehabilitated and adopted out by rescue groups.

“I think this is a win-win program for everyone,” McFadden said. “Most of them have received care, and we’ve been able to work with rescue groups that have placed them into homes. These injured strays have been either reclaimed or gone on to new homes.”

The injured animals are immediately scanned for a microchip, McFadden added, making a reunion with owners much more likely. Merced police officers had no way of checking for a microchip under the old policy.

The Humane Society of the United States was one of several animal groups opposing the old policy, sending a strongly worded letter to the police chief last year.

Eric Sakach, the Humane Society’s senior law enforcement specialist, said he’s pleased Merced police changed the policy. He said the law allows destroying animals with firearms in rare instances when they cannot be moved, but it must be done by officers who are trained to do it.

Sakach said he’s happy to hear of the new policy’s success.

“We’re very glad it was exposed and corrected,” he said. “It’s positive all the way around, and I’m sure the officers that were involved with that are happy they don’t have to be involved in a decision to destroy an animal.”

Although the new policy has cost the city less than $9,000 this past year, Andrade said the price tag for irresponsible pet ownership in Merced is far higher.

The Police Department budgeted $200,000 for animal services last year and is already close to that mark, paying about $182,920 in the past year to the county’s Animal Control for sheltering Merced’s strays and unclaimed animals.

That’s about $15,243 a month or $98 per animal, according to city records. From July 1 to the present, the city has spent $59,200 on the same services.

“You have these irresponsible pet owners that raise animals to fight, for money, and some just don’t get their animals spayed and neutered,” Andrade said. “They do not put up the proper fencing to keep them contained.

“Could the city of Merced use that money elsewhere?” Andrade continued. “Absolutely. That could get you two more officers, roads or a recreation program.”

This story was originally published November 28, 2014 at 5:09 PM with the headline "No more shooting injured animals; how is new policy working for Merced police?."