Complaint leads to change in animal policy
Ross SchulzrSeptember 23, 2009 | 11:56 AM
The Harrison County Board of Commissioners Monday night heard a complaint from Milltown resident David Stillwell and his wife, Tonya Buckler, about the Harrison County Animal Control Facility and Animal Control Officer Bruce LaHue.
"I'm concerned about the way things were handled," Stillwell said.
Stillwell said his two domestic cats — one neutered, micro-chipped male and a male Blue Russian — were trapped unbeknownst to Stillwell by the Milltown Police Department on Sept. 2 and then taken to the Harrison County Animal Control facility in Corydon.
LaHue said he has an agreement with Milltown to take in cats from the Crawford County side of Milltown but only from the elementary school property, town hall, Cave Country Canoes and the police department, and only if the number does not exceed 1/4 of the total cats contained from Milltown, including the Harrison County side of town.
The agreement was in response to a request by the Milltown Police Department to work in cooperation with Harrison County Animal Control to take action in dealing with the unwanted and neglected animal population in the town limits of Milltown.
Milltown Police Chief Ray Saylor, in an interview yesterday, said he has received multiple complaints from several people within the town about stray animals.
Saylor said traps are only set on private property at the request and permission of the land owner. Public traps, like the one which trapped Stillwell's cats, are set at least 120 feet from private property. He also said at-large animals are not allowed by state and town statute.
LaHue, reached by phone yesterday, said the commissioners informed him Monday night after the regular meeting to abandon the policy with Milltown immediately.
LaHue said he had to respect the board's decision but it was not right for the residents of Milltown and Harrison County.
Saylor agreed.
"He was trying to be proactive with a problem that will ultimately be a Harrison County problem," Saylor said.
Saylor said he thought what LaHue was doing with the animal control problem in Milltown was admirable.
"The agreement he made was outside of the will of the commissioners," Commissioner Chairman James Goldman said. "We told him to call Ray (Saylor) in the morning to notify him it was to be discontinued. There was no benefit to the county, just headaches."
Stillwell said he spoke with representatives of the Milltown Police Department and the animal control facility in the days following his cats' disappearance and couldn't get an answer regarding the whereabouts of his cats.
Stillwell said he confirmed that the cats were trapped by Milltown by viewing colored photos of the cats with Saylor.
Stillwell said he went to find answers from LaHue and the animal control facility. Unable to reach LaHue, Stillwell decided to go to LaHue's home, after receiving the address from LaHue's relatives, to ask him about his cats.
Stillwell said he arrived at LaHue's residence at about 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 6, rang the door bell and stepped away from the door "as you do to be non-threatening."
LaHue answered, Stillwell said, and, after asking if he was Bruce LaHue, Stillwell said he didn't get a full sentence out before LaHue "looked at me with utter contempt and said with the utmost hatred, 'Get off of my property; I don't care about your animals.' "
Stillwell said LaHue's wife said the family had just arrived home and had received Stillwell's message, and others, about the cats. He said LaHue already had a phone in his hand and was calling the sheriff's department.
Stillwell said LaHue told him if he wasn't a former police officer, he would be "dragging me off of his property."
LaHue, however, after the meeting Monday night, said he did not speak that way to Stillwell.
"He told me he was going to break me in half," LaHue said. "I told him, 'Being a former officer, I know the law and, if you touch me, I'll defend myself. This is private property. You need to leave.' "
Stillwell admitted Monday night that he was out of line.
"Finally, after being told for the third or fourth time that if he hadn't been a (former) police officer, he would drag me off of his property, I snapped and told him that I wanted him to put his hands on me," Stillwell, in a summary written to the commissioners, said. "Actually, I was begging him to put his hands on me and, that if he did, I would break him in half."
Eventually, Stillwell said, he decided he needed to leave but not before he was handcuffed by a Harrison County police officer. He was later released.
It wasn't until Sept. 18, Stillwell said, that he learned the cats he identified as his were euthanized on Sept. 3, the day after being captured.
LaHue filed an incident report on the case, which included documents on the animals which were euthanized on Sept. 3. The cats euthanized that day were sick with an upper respiratory condition and for non-social behavior or aggression.
"It's a difficult situation," LaHue said. "I'm still not convinced his animals were in our possession."
LaHue said Stillwell described his cats as friendly, but the cats euthanized were aggressive. He also said the cats were not micro-chipped, and staff members said no cat "even close" to a unique Blue Russian was brought in to the animal control facility.
Commissioner James Goldman said the case would have to be reviewed before any action could be taken.
In other business Monday night, the board sent a request of $227,250 to the county council for new voting machines for the 2010 election cycle and beyond.
The machines, produced by Hart intercivic, have been used in one election cycle in Hawaii.
"It would save the county at least $150,000, if not $200,000, if we purchase this equipment that was used once," Circuit Court Clerk Sherry Brown said. "If we don't act now, I'm afraid that equipment will be sold and we'll be forced to buy new (equipment) after 2010."
The commissioners were also notified by county planner and land conservation committee member Eric Wise that the committee has secured the second land preservation easement of the year and the third for the program. The 63.4-acre property, owned by Clarence Hausz, is located off Smith Creek Road near Lanesville.
The commissioners also approved compensation documents for RQAW Corp., the engineering firm hired for the old hospital renovation government complex project, totaling just more than $1 million for total professional services and reimbursable expenses.
Ross SchulzrSeptember 23, 2009 | 11:56 AM
The Harrison County Board of Commissioners Monday night heard a complaint from Milltown resident David Stillwell and his wife, Tonya Buckler, about the Harrison County Animal Control Facility and Animal Control Officer Bruce LaHue.
"I'm concerned about the way things were handled," Stillwell said.
Stillwell said his two domestic cats — one neutered, micro-chipped male and a male Blue Russian — were trapped unbeknownst to Stillwell by the Milltown Police Department on Sept. 2 and then taken to the Harrison County Animal Control facility in Corydon.
LaHue said he has an agreement with Milltown to take in cats from the Crawford County side of Milltown but only from the elementary school property, town hall, Cave Country Canoes and the police department, and only if the number does not exceed 1/4 of the total cats contained from Milltown, including the Harrison County side of town.
The agreement was in response to a request by the Milltown Police Department to work in cooperation with Harrison County Animal Control to take action in dealing with the unwanted and neglected animal population in the town limits of Milltown.
Milltown Police Chief Ray Saylor, in an interview yesterday, said he has received multiple complaints from several people within the town about stray animals.
Saylor said traps are only set on private property at the request and permission of the land owner. Public traps, like the one which trapped Stillwell's cats, are set at least 120 feet from private property. He also said at-large animals are not allowed by state and town statute.
LaHue, reached by phone yesterday, said the commissioners informed him Monday night after the regular meeting to abandon the policy with Milltown immediately.
LaHue said he had to respect the board's decision but it was not right for the residents of Milltown and Harrison County.
Saylor agreed.
"He was trying to be proactive with a problem that will ultimately be a Harrison County problem," Saylor said.
Saylor said he thought what LaHue was doing with the animal control problem in Milltown was admirable.
"The agreement he made was outside of the will of the commissioners," Commissioner Chairman James Goldman said. "We told him to call Ray (Saylor) in the morning to notify him it was to be discontinued. There was no benefit to the county, just headaches."
Stillwell said he spoke with representatives of the Milltown Police Department and the animal control facility in the days following his cats' disappearance and couldn't get an answer regarding the whereabouts of his cats.
Stillwell said he confirmed that the cats were trapped by Milltown by viewing colored photos of the cats with Saylor.
Stillwell said he went to find answers from LaHue and the animal control facility. Unable to reach LaHue, Stillwell decided to go to LaHue's home, after receiving the address from LaHue's relatives, to ask him about his cats.
Stillwell said he arrived at LaHue's residence at about 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 6, rang the door bell and stepped away from the door "as you do to be non-threatening."
LaHue answered, Stillwell said, and, after asking if he was Bruce LaHue, Stillwell said he didn't get a full sentence out before LaHue "looked at me with utter contempt and said with the utmost hatred, 'Get off of my property; I don't care about your animals.' "
Stillwell said LaHue's wife said the family had just arrived home and had received Stillwell's message, and others, about the cats. He said LaHue already had a phone in his hand and was calling the sheriff's department.
Stillwell said LaHue told him if he wasn't a former police officer, he would be "dragging me off of his property."
LaHue, however, after the meeting Monday night, said he did not speak that way to Stillwell.
"He told me he was going to break me in half," LaHue said. "I told him, 'Being a former officer, I know the law and, if you touch me, I'll defend myself. This is private property. You need to leave.' "
Stillwell admitted Monday night that he was out of line.
"Finally, after being told for the third or fourth time that if he hadn't been a (former) police officer, he would drag me off of his property, I snapped and told him that I wanted him to put his hands on me," Stillwell, in a summary written to the commissioners, said. "Actually, I was begging him to put his hands on me and, that if he did, I would break him in half."
Eventually, Stillwell said, he decided he needed to leave but not before he was handcuffed by a Harrison County police officer. He was later released.
It wasn't until Sept. 18, Stillwell said, that he learned the cats he identified as his were euthanized on Sept. 3, the day after being captured.
LaHue filed an incident report on the case, which included documents on the animals which were euthanized on Sept. 3. The cats euthanized that day were sick with an upper respiratory condition and for non-social behavior or aggression.
"It's a difficult situation," LaHue said. "I'm still not convinced his animals were in our possession."
LaHue said Stillwell described his cats as friendly, but the cats euthanized were aggressive. He also said the cats were not micro-chipped, and staff members said no cat "even close" to a unique Blue Russian was brought in to the animal control facility.
Commissioner James Goldman said the case would have to be reviewed before any action could be taken.
In other business Monday night, the board sent a request of $227,250 to the county council for new voting machines for the 2010 election cycle and beyond.
The machines, produced by Hart intercivic, have been used in one election cycle in Hawaii.
"It would save the county at least $150,000, if not $200,000, if we purchase this equipment that was used once," Circuit Court Clerk Sherry Brown said. "If we don't act now, I'm afraid that equipment will be sold and we'll be forced to buy new (equipment) after 2010."
The commissioners were also notified by county planner and land conservation committee member Eric Wise that the committee has secured the second land preservation easement of the year and the third for the program. The 63.4-acre property, owned by Clarence Hausz, is located off Smith Creek Road near Lanesville.
The commissioners also approved compensation documents for RQAW Corp., the engineering firm hired for the old hospital renovation government complex project, totaling just more than $1 million for total professional services and reimbursable expenses.