Lincoln County animal shelter fined for animal neglect

LINCOLN COUNTY, N.C. — The Lincoln County Animal Services Animal Shelter has been assessed a civil penalty of $7,500 after several violations were discovered within the facility, according to a state document issued by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

The document states from March to October a total of 216 cats and dogs were found dead inside their kennels.

DOCUMENT: Civil penalty assessment- Lincoln County animal shelter

Channel 9 questioned the director of Lincoln County Animals Services about the violations.

David Workman said the deaths were the result of a respiratory disease that spread rapidly throughout the shelter.

But Channel 9 found the largest part of the fine was for not properly seeking help from a veterinarian. According to the document, the contracted veterinarian was never notified of the animal deaths.

The document also claimed in some instances prescribed medications were not administered as directed, cages weren’t being cleaned and animals weren’t being fed twice daily, most likely on Sundays when staff was only present for four hours.

Workman said his staff was overwhelmed and the shelter was overcrowded. The shelter is a kill shelter and Workman said they’ve been trying to find animals a home before they’re euthanized. Still, he vowed to make the necessary changes.

“We are doing our best here. We put a lot of new policies and procedures that we now have in place now as far medication administration,” said Workman.

Workman said they now have a written protocol from a veterinarian in terms of what to do when an animal falls ill.

The shelter has also extended its hours on Sundays so puppies and kittens are fed twice daily.

For more information on how to adopt an animal from the shelter click here.

The review of the animal records in 2015: