The regrettable incident when a dog in the pound was
mistakenly put down, is now being independently
investigated.
Council has appointed Kate Wallingford,
the Director of Owl Investigations, to undertake the
independent inquiry into the incident to understand the
process, verification and compliance procedures from the
moment the dog was picked up.
Council Chief Executive
Nedine Thatcher Swann says Ms Wallingford is an experienced
investigator and will do a thorough job.
“We
genuinely and deeply regret the distress caused to Sarge’s
whānau and we acknowledge the huge outpouring of anger and
grief from the community.
“We have failed the
community and need to work hard to regain its confidence in
us.”
“This should not have happened and we
sincerely apologise.”
We have confirmation that the
dog was on the road before the Animal Control Officer picked
him up.
“Sarge had both a tag and microchip. The
Animal Control Officer was able to identify Sarge from his
tag and he was taken back to his address on a lead. This is
our normal practice when dogs are picked up and we are able
to correctly identify them.
“Unfortunately, no one
was home at the property and the owners were unable to be
contacted. In these circumstances, we cannot leave a dog at
a property that they’ve wandered off from if nobody is
home.
Sarge was taken to the pound and the officer
left a message for his owner to pick him up.
“What
happened next is under review. However, it appears that what
occurred was a terrible, regrettable mistake and a case of
human error by another officer that was not involved in
picking Sarge up earlier in the day.
The Animal
Control Officer concerned was put on leave while the
investigation is carried out however has now resigned from
the Council and expressed their deep remorse. They will be
fully cooperating with the investigation.
The
officer’s personal statement, written with assistance from
their representative:
To the affected whānau, the
Tairāwhiti community, and all those
concerned.
I am writing this with a heavy
heart, burdened by the weight of the mistake I have made. It
is with sadness and remorse that I acknowledge my actions
which led to the untimely death of a much-loved family dog.
An error that I will forever regret.
To the
whānau who has lost their beloved pet, words will never be
enough to express how deeply sorry I am for your pain. A pet
is more than just an animal; it’s a family member, a
companion, and a source of endless joy. I can’t begin to
imagine the void and grief you must be experiencing. Please
accept my sincere and unreserved apology.
To
the wider Tairāwhiti community, I understand that trust is
a big part of the job, and I deeply regret breaking that
trust. The safety of people’s pets, the animals we
encounter, and the welfare of the community have always
been, and will always remain, paramount.
This
mistake was mine and mine alone. Gisborne District Council
has processes in place, which I unfortunately did not
follow. I want everyone to understand that one individual’s
error should not be a reflection on the entire Council and
its staff who work hard for the community. No one else
should be blamed for my mistake.
Just to be
clear, the Animal Control Officer who found the dog on the
road acted according to our rules. They identified the dog
and its owner’s details and despite attempts to return the
dog to the property and to contact the owner, they could not
reach them. We have to take any dog in these circumstances
to the pound. This officer was not involved in putting down
the dog.
Given the seriousness of my failure, I
have decided to resign from my position at the Gisborne
District Council. I believe in taking ownership for my
actions.
I will be fully cooperating with the
independent investigation process.
In closing,
from the depths of my heart, I seek your forgiveness. And
while the pain might not subside, I hope that in time,
healing will
begin.
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