Two animal cruelty cases in a matter of weeks - both involving a large number of animals - are straining resources at the Haywood County Animal Shelter and may lead to more animals being euthanized.

On May 1, Haywood animal control officers impounded 159 animals belonging to George Elfrid. Most of the animals in the Elfrid case were fowl. There were 98 chickens, 15 quail, six pheasants and an assortment of other fowl including guineas and turkeys. Thirteen dogs and five cats were also seized.

On June 2, officers seized more than 35 abused and neglected animals from a property in Jonathan Creek. Haywood County cruelty investigator Tim McCoyle said six dogs were found staked out along the creek. Two of the dogs had shelter and four did not. The rest of the animals were found in the cab and compartment of a Ryder rental truck. Other animals seized included cats, skunks, lizards and snakes.

Initially, two Asheville men, Rex Wayne Hensley and Farrell Eugene Harrell, were charged in the Ryder case. Since then, two additional people have been charged. Each of the four is charged with seven counts of instigating cruelty to animals, a misdemeanor.

Elfrid was charged with 14 counts, including cruelty and instigating cruelty.

McCoyle said the shelter has also filed its first ever civil suit in the Elfrid case. According to McCoyle and shelter director Jean Hazzard, the civil action was taken because it was such a large, expensive case and the animals were in extremely poor condition. McCoyle said they hope the civil case will end with the shelter gaining possession of the animals and having its expenses paid.

Elfrid, who appeared in court May 27 and was granted a continuance, will be back in court June 27. He has retained Waynesville attorney, Don Patton. The four men accused in the Ryder case will have their first court appearance June 27.

Because the animals in the Elfrid case are evidence and because they still, legally, belong to him, the shelter can’t take possession and try to adopt the animals out. Instead, they must house and care for them until the outcome of the trial. No one knows how long the 13 dogs and five cats associated with this case will have to remain at the shelter. Hazzard said the shelter has one animal from an ongoing cruelty case that has been in custody for a year.

Fostering the animals also presents many logistical hurdles. According to McCoyle, county regulations require that a shelter employee observe impounded animals at least once a day. This would be difficult if the animals were fostered at different locations throughout the county. Meanwhile, these animals occupy 18 slots no longer available for routine shelter operations.

The Ryder case presents different circumstances because the shelter was able to secure custody of the animals. McCoyle said the four charged in the Ryder case signed documents transferring ownership of the animals to the shelter.

Haywood Animal Welfare Association (HAWA) has stepped forward an offered to pay half of all adoption fees on the Ryder animals. Even with this assistance, only four of the 13 animals had been adopted as of Monday, June 11.

These cases have added a considerable amount of work to an already overworked shelter staff, Hazzard said. The shelter has four full-time employees, including Hazzard, one regular part-time employee and one regular volunteer.

No matter how hard the shelter staff labors, the added workload from the two cruelty cases will impact routine services, McCoyle said. He said the staff would still answer all emergencies but there might be a backlog of routine calls. Also, limited space at the shelter could cause euthanasia rates to rise. All animals picked up by the shelter will be held for the legally required time, but animals surrendered to the shelter and even animals deemed adoptable will come under increased scrutiny due to lack of space. Typically, shelter staff keeps what they consider “adoptable” animals longer than the required minimum in hopes of finding a home for them.

There have been some bright spots in this ordeal. Students from Central Haywood High School pitched in and helped shelter staff build cages for the fowl impounded in the Elfrid case. Soco Zoo took possession of the reptiles from the Ryder case, and food donations have been up at the shelter.

McCoyle also praised HAWA’s efforts. Besides offering half-price adoptions, HAWA paid for all the veterinary expenses incurred in both the Elfrid case and the Ryder case.

“I know I can always count on HAWA,” McCoyle said.

Melinda Messer of HAWA said the veterinary bill was several hundred dollars. She said HAWA has an emergency medical fund of $2,400 a month and budgets $1,200 a month for adoption.

But the bright spots are merely blips on the radar screen of pet overpopulation. The shelter euthanized more than 30 animals last Monday, and Hazzard said 13 new cats had been dropped off before 9 a.m. that same day.

Cruelty cases like the Elfrid case and the Ryder case, while too common, are generally the exception, according to Hazard and McCoyle. The overwhelming problem faced by the shelter is pet overpopulation. Until people take responsibility and spay/neuter and care for their pets, the cycle will never be broken, Hazzard said.

 

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