Task Force Appointed to Study Cecil County SPCA Claims
Reported by: Brian Kuebler
Email: kuebler@wmar.com
Last Update: 3/05 5:03 pm
The task force appointed to study the claims of animal abuse against the Cecil County SPCA met for the first time Wednesday night.
The 13 member panel appointed by the county commission is charged with making recommendations to improve animal control services that protect the public's health and safety.
The group will look at who would be the best provider of animal control services, draft performance standards, best practices and how they can be monitored.
"I feel good about this task force," said Cecil County Commissioner Robert Hodge, "I really want this problem to be solved."
A final report is due back to the Cecil County Commission by May, 15th.
Meanwhile the county also issued a request for proposal for other companies to bid on animal control services in the county. Those bids are due back by the end of this month. Who is chosen to run the SPCA in Cecil County will depend heavily on the findings of the task force and outcome of two ongoing but separate investigations by the Maryland State Police and the State Veterinary Board.
The Cecil County SPCA came under fire earlier this year when literally hundreds of charges of horrific animal abuse at the shelter started pouring into a state delegate's blog. ABC2News was the first to investigate the story that included claims of incinerating live animals, killing dogs with a hammer and shooting kittens.
The current management at the SPCA says the claims are false and invited the investigations. It also hosted the Humane Society to come in and inspect the facility.
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