Animal advocates raise questions about shelter after violations

A troubled animal shelter says it's been making progress, but animal advocates are doubting those claims. This comes a month after state officials found a number of violations at the shelter in Hamilton Township, Mercer County, including how animals are euthanized.

Well before the afternoon press conference, the Hamilton Township Animal Shelter was a beehive of activity.

Trash trucks and work crews filling the parking lot. There was painting even a street sweeper making repeat runs.

"It's an ongoing effort to what's happening here, yes. Last minute effort, no, not at all," Acting Mayor of Hamilton Township Marty Flynn said.

It was all in advance of the 2 p.m. press conference in which town officials were to report what they'd done to improve the animal shelter after a scathing inspection report by New Jersey's Department of Health.

"No animal here is without care or without emergency care," Flynn said.

The July 16th. inspection found a number of violations including how animals were being put down. The shelter was cited for methods of euthanasia, violated for the people doing them and how they were being done.

Attending the parking lot briefing, animal advocates raised questions about the town's claims of a major cleanup.

"How can you say your staff is acting properly when you are giving insufficient medication to euthanize, when you euthanize unnecessarily," Animal advocate Marge Caldwell-Wilson said.

The township argues it's an on-going repair process and is defending its staff.

"Killing innocent animals--we completely reject that notion--our staff is a hardworking, dedicated staff," Flynn said.

The township says it will post its improvements online, but some residents are wondering just what they're getting for the million dollar yearly cost.