An animal rescue group has filed a temporary restraining order against the Douglas County Animal Shelter and Animal Control in hopes of protecting 75 cats taken from the group in early August.
The shelter took the 75 cats from Snap-2-IT on Aug. 13, without a warrant or justification, according to the petition.
Officials said they did not need a warrant to remove the cats that officials said were being neglected. “Every action that was taken by the Douglas County Animal Control and shelter were legal per the county ordinance and we had every right to go in and impound and find a cleaner environment for the animals,” said Douglas County Purchasing and Animal Control Director Bill Peacock.
Attorney Penny Furr is representing Snap-2-IT. She said no hearing is scheduled yet.
“It’s our understanding that (the shelter) doesn’t have enough people to care for the cats,” Furr said. “I’m hoping (Douglas County) can call us back and we can work something out. (Snap-2-IT) would really like to get the cats into another environment.”
Many of the cats were rescued from the Douglas County Animal Shelter by Snap-2-IT because the cats were being neglected and poorly housed, according according to the petition.
Douglas County Director of Communications Wes Tallon told the AJC in a previous story the cats were being hoarded and kept in unsanitary conditions by Snap-2-IT, but the petition explains they were not and Snap-2-IT was being falsely portrayed.
Snap-2-It was told the Douglas County Animal Control and Animal Shelter intends to have all cats delivered to a third party or euthanized, according to the petition.
“Until charges are officially filed, or until a court rules, then the cats will continue to be maintained, fed, watered and cared for at the Douglas County Animal Shelter,” Peacock said. “There are no intentions of euthanizing or having any of these cats removed from the shelter until after the court rules and gives us permission to have them adopted or sent out to care centers.”
The petition asks for a hearing before any action is taken against the cats and that the animals have suffered a deliberate act of government terrorism.
Snap-2-IT has operated an animal recovery, healing, rescue and adoption program at 2297 Slater Mill Road in Douglasville for several years and has been licensed by the Georgia Department of Agriculture since it began, according to the document.
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