Director: Animal shelter used outdated euthanasia drugs

NEWARK – A Buckeye Lake woman said she has filed a complaint with the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy, claiming the Licking County Animal Shelter euthanized at least 18 animals in 2012 using an expired drug.

“Nobody likes to euthanize, but it needs to be done humanely,” said animal rescuer Bonnie Mansfield, of Buckeye Lake. “How humane is it if they’re not dying immediately because of using expired drugs?”

Mansfield said she regularly checks animal shelter records through public records requests and discovered the practice while reviewing the past two years’ worth of euthanization logs.

She filed her complaint online with the pharmacy board last week, she said, then emailed supporting documentation to an investigating officer the next day. Her documents show 10 cats and eight dogs were euthanized during August and early September of 2012 using a drug that expired in July.

Animal Control Director John Silva admitted county animal control officers did use the drug pentobarbital for animal euthanization after its July 2012 expiration, forgetting to switch bottles in August. He called it human error and said he has taken steps to prevent future occurrences.

“I can’t change the past,” he said, “but I can learn from it.”

Jesse Wimberly, spokesman for the pharmacy board, said he cannot comment on any active investigation, but said euthanization drugs should not be used past their expiration date because “the effectiveness of the drug may decrease.” Improperly dispensing a controlled drug even a day past its expiration date would be an administrative, or regulatory matter, not criminal, he said.

After hearing a case, the pharmacy board could issue a written warning, impose a fine or permanently revoke the holder’s license, he said.

County Commissioner Tim Bubb said he thinks an expiration date is “simply an arbitrary date on a bottle of medicine.” He said drugs are typically “90 to 95 percent effective” for some time after that date. He said shelter officials have admitted to the mistake and will not use outdated drugs in the future.

“At the end of the day, I don’t think, operationally, we have a problem,” Bubb said.

Silva said the shelter will now use a veterinarian to euthanize dogs, but the county’s four animal control officers, including himself, will continue to euthanize feral cats for Newark, which has its own animal control officer. So far this year, Silva said, the county has put down only one dog, a rottweiler, after a biting and quarantine.

Although they are already certified, the county’s three other full-time animal control officers will undergo euthanasia training in March, April and July, Silva said. Silva said he already has taken the course a second time.

Silva said putting animals to death is the worst part of an officer’s job.

“It’s an emotionally conflicting part of the job,” he said. “They got into the business to rescue animals, so when they focus in the euthanasia room, it’s on safety and efficiency.”

Silva said animal euthanasia has been on the decline, in part because of animal rescue groups and an increase in people adopting pets from the shelter. People are finding that adopting a shelter dog at $100 is more affordable than buying from a store or kennel, he said.

“It’s a good day to be a shelter dog,” he said, “because people are pushing for them.”

jwilliams@newarkadvocate.com

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Twitter: @JoeAdvocate

By the numbers

Disposition of dogs at the Licking County Animal Shelter

Dogs euthanized at the Licking County Animal Shelter

Dogs rescued by nonprofit agencies from the Licking County Animal Shelter

Source: Licking County Animal Control Director John Silva