USDA
STATEMENT
USDA
does not condone animal cruelty and holds all employees responsible for
representing its standards. WS program personnel are expected to use approved
and humane methods to euthanize captured or restrained animals whenever
practicable, and in accordance with American Veterinary Medical Association
guidelines. USDA's review of the situation is currently ongoing. As USDA officials
continue to review the situation, they will also take this opportunity to
reaffirm to employees their obligations to uphold professional standards as
well as their responsibilities to the American public. We assure you that USDA
takes this matter seriously and will complete a thorough review.
Staff
boasting about their cruel exploits
December 2012. The secretive United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) ‘Wildlife Services' department has run into very hot water again. The Sacramento Bee, the highly respected newspaper, has uncovered a series of abuses by the USDA Wildlife Services involving cruelty to animals by ‘Wildlife Service' staff, who then proceeded to boast about their deeds on social media.
December 2012. The secretive United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) ‘Wildlife Services' department has run into very hot water again. The Sacramento Bee, the highly respected newspaper, has uncovered a series of abuses by the USDA Wildlife Services involving cruelty to animals by ‘Wildlife Service' staff, who then proceeded to boast about their deeds on social media.
The
case gained prominence when photos revealed that a member of the Wildlife
Services, Jamie Ohlson, posted images of a coyote that was caught in a leg trap
being attacked and killed by his dogs. Ohlson also posted images of himself
posing with the tattered remains of the coyote. Aside from the abuse and
suffering heaped on the poor coyote, to boast of this cruelty via social
networking implies that Mr Ohlson is really not the right person to be doing this
work.
Ohlson
is not alone though. In a very similar case the Washington Post revealed that a U.S. Forest Service
Employee Josh Bransford posed with a wolf that he had just shot. The wolf in
question was actually caught in a leg trap, and Bransford shot the immobilized
wolf before posing with the dead animal with a big grin on his face. Why why
why would anyone do that?
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