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Humane Society accused of leaving animals inside van in frigid temps

By Gina Esposito, wsoctv.com
By Gina Esposito, wsoctv.com

STANLY COUNTY, N.C. — The Stanly County Humane Society is under fire after a volunteer was accused of leaving cats and dogs inside a van overnight in frigid temperatures.

On Tuesday, Cabarrus County deputies said they found a van full of adopted dogs and cats parked outside of a home in Mount Pleasant.

The van was being used by a volunteer with the Stanly County Humane Society.

The volunteer told officers she picks up the animals from the Humane Society on Tuesdays and keeps them in a “running” van overnight so she can take them to the Cabarrus Spay and Neuter Clinic by 7 a.m.

County officials alerted the state, and on Thursday, Channel 9 saw an inspector looking at vans belonging to the Stanly County Humane Society.

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The state rules regarding animals that are being transported to and from the facility show that temperatures must be maintained between 50 and 85 degrees. But during the past four weeks, temperatures have averaged between 11 and 49 degrees.

A volunteer with the Humane Society said they use two vans built with compartments for dogs and cats. The vans can carry 15 animals at a time.

“We’ll keep it running if it’s really cold outside. In the summertime we will skip certain weeks if it’s really hot,” volunteer Jenny Harwood said.

Harwood said they do the spay and neuter runs to save people money, and over the past three years they haven’t had any problems.

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“I’m sorry if it bothers you but they are taken very well care of,” Harwood said.

Officials with the Humane Society told Channel 9 they are suspending their spay and neuter runs until they can figure out a solution with the state.

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