JONESBORO, Ga. — Clayton County Police are investigating allegations of animal mistreatment at the county’s Animal Control facilities. Videos posted online by a local advocate appear to show disturbing incidents of abuse -- prompting public outrage and scrutiny.
Animal advocates tell 11Alive they have long raised questions about the treatment of animals at Clayton County animal shelters, but concrete evidence has remained elusive until now.
Kimberly Kirby, a former volunteer at the shelter, said she reviewed 26 days of surveillance footage and then shared clips online.
In the videos, animals appear to be roughly handled, dragged by their skin, and even sprayed in the face. In one instance, a worker seems to be spraying an animal until another employee intervenes, throwing up his hands. Another clip shows what looks like spilled dog food being kicked under a kennel, leaving a dog with a mostly empty bowl.
“These animals don’t deserve this,” Kirby said. “This county doesn’t care.”
Kirby was hoping to be a voice for animals that can't speak for themselves.
“I fostered up to 300 dogs for this place," Kirby said. "I’ve probably transported three times that many.”
Following the release of the footage, Clayton County Animal Control issued a statement acknowledging that a concerned citizen had brought several incidents to leadership's attention. After reviewing, they found that some of the incidents did not align with policies and training guidelines, so they have taken immediate action to ensure it doesn't happen again. The statement did not specify what action was taken.
"At The Clayton County Animal Control Unit, our commitment remains to serve the best interests of both our citizens and the animals in our care," the statement reads in part. "We are also grateful to the community members who help us improve by bringing these matters to our attention. Addressing them helps us work more efficiently and continue to provide the highest level of care possible."
But advocates like Sarah Ortiz remain skeptical.
“Don’t just put that statement out. What the heck did you find out?” she asked.
Ortiz was disturbed by the video.
“I can’t look at them. It upsets me a lot," Ortiz said.
Ortiz said that progress has been made under new management but desires more transparency. In terms of Kirby, she's demanding accountability.
"And they need to go to jail just like a person on the street would because we have them recorded for animal cruelty," Kirby said.
Clayton County Police have launched an investigation. A representative stated that the agency has already started reviewing the video footage, but no arrests have been made at this time.
"We are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of the animals in our care and will take appropriate actions to address any misconduct, including criminal charges if deemed necessary," the representative said.
The police department said it was taking the issue very seriously and that it was an active investigation. However, Kirby has expressed concerns about the impartiality of the investigation, noting that Animal Control is part of the police department. In addition to this, the McDonough Street location is still recovering from a respiratory disease outbreak in early December.
Full Clayton County Animal Control Statement
'"We want to take a moment to acknowledge that a concerned citizen has brought several incidents to the attention of our leadership here at The Clayton County Animal Control Facilities.
After reviewing these concerns, we've found that some of the incidents did not align with our policies and training guidelines.
As a result, we have taken immediate actions to ensure that these situations do not happen again.
At The Clayton County Animal Control Unit, our commitment remains to serve the best interests of both our citizens and the animals in our care. We are also grateful to the community members who help us improve by bringing these matters to our attention. Addressing them helps us work more efficiently and continue to provide the highest level of care possible."
Full Clayton County Police Statement
"We appreciate you for bringing your concerns to our attention and following up on this. Please rest assured that we are taking this matter very seriously and have already begun reviewing the video footage and investigating the allegations. The footage that you mentioned in the previous email is in fact, part of the footage being reviewed. At this time, no arrests have been made, as the investigation is still in progress.
We are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of the animals in our care and will take appropriate actions to address any misconduct, including criminal charges if deemed necessary.
We appreciate your patience as we work through this matter and will keep you updated as the investigation progresses."