State lawmaker, a critic of Danville Area Humane Society, calls on residents to adopt

Also on Friday, a group known as Danville Deserves Better, formed two years ago from the national organization Best Friends Animal Society, started a petition to have Danville City Council host a meeting on issues it outlines with the shelter.

The euthanasia of a dog — that could have been returned to the Lynchburg Humane Society — set off the latest outcry of the Danville nonprofit that for years has come under criticism for its high kill rates.

In this case, the owner of the dog brought the canine to the Danville shelter, citing her mother moving in.

When an animal comes into the shelter, it has to be scanned three times to check for a microchip. Scanning reveals a number that can then be matched to a company.

Paulette Dean, the executive director of the Danville shelter, said a worker called a microchip company, but was advised the chip wasn't registered, and there was no information.

It turns out that was wrong. But when the Danville shelter found out the dog had previously been at the Lynchburg Humane Society facility, it was too late.

Had that detail been known earlier, the dog would have been returned to Lynchburg, in what's termed an unwritten agreement with shelters.

A series of Facebook posts from both shelters lit the spark to a simmering powder keg and resurrected a chorus of calls for reform, most vocally from state Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Franklin County.

"The current protocols are outdated and need to change to focus on rescue and adoption rather than euthanasia as the first option," Stanley wrote Friday on Facebook.

Since Danville is an open-admission shelter, all animals are taken. Lynchburg, on the other hand, is a managed intake facility, meaning animals aren't automatically accepted.

"The City of Danville has a contract with the Danville Area Humane Society to operate the animal shelter on our behalf, and that relationship remains in good standing," Danville City Manager Ken Larking told the Register & Bee via email Friday.

He said leaders at the local shelter told city staff about the circumstances when it happened.

"They operate under an open admission policy, meaning no animal in need is turned away," Larking said.

"I am aware that there is a spirited debate among animal rights organizations about how animal shelters should function," he continued. "This debate often creates strong emotions and opinions, and I acknowledge and appreciate everyone's passion regarding what they believe is in the best interests of the animals and our community."

Danville Deserves Better wants the city council to hold a "publicly noticed community town hall" this month, which is National Pet Month.

The meeting would "review what happened, identify corrective actions, and establish clear accountability for shelter operations," a statement from Best Friends read.

"Families who surrender pets in times of hardship do so with the expectation that those dogs and cats will be given every possible chance," David Weslowoski, campaign manager of Danville Deserves Better, wrote in the statement. 

By Friday evening, Stanley's harsh tone on Facebook turned to a somewhat positive call to action for people to adopt cats and dogs from the Danville Area Humane Society.

He said he would pay for the first 50 adoptions.

Larking said he had confidence in shelter leadership and "commitment to proper protocols and legal standards."

However, he also sought to tamp down on the rage directed toward the shelter, which has had to increase security because of threats. 

"The circumstances surrounding this particular case involve multiple organizations, and a thorough review of all the facts is necessary before drawing any conclusions," Larking told the newspaper.

"We are all human beings doing our best to navigate a complicated world and showing grace toward each other should be our first response," he said. "We will continue to work closely with DAHS to support their mission to operate the shelter with compassion and integrity."