CALDWELL - An official with the West Valley Humane Society clarified the shelter's euthanasia policies Wednesday, in response to a lawsuit filed against the shelter last month.
The lawsuit was filed by a Caldwell family against the West Valley Humane Society after they were told their dog was adopted out, but it had actually been euthanized.
On Wednesday the animal shelter's board president, Brenda Cameron, wanted to clarify their policies and procedures surrounding euthanasia. According to documents from the Humane Society, six to eight percent of its dogs from December 2015 through April 2016 were euthanized. That's under the 10 percent requirement to be labeled a no-kill shelter.
"We have animals that come in here all the time that either have been hit by a car or somehow injured, someone finds them and brings them in," Cameron said. "Their injuries are so severe- internal or whatever- that the vet takes a look at them, assesses the situation. If they're in distress then we humanely euthanize them."
The shelter euthanizes animals that have attacked people or killed other animals as well. West Valley tells us they have changed their label from a "no-kill shelter" to "open admission" to eliminate any confusion with its policy.
They are hosting an open house in June to answer any questions from the public and to give facility tours.