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| Montcalm County Animal Control Director Patty Lentz soothes a cat at the County Animal Shelter on Wednesday. |
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2/19/2009 10:27:00 AM
R&R Research owner faces 'interrogation'
Ryan Jeltema
News Editor
STANTON - Patrick Q. Carr was hoping members of the Montcalm County Animal Shelter ad hoc committee would bring ideas to Wednesday's meeting that would help reach a compromise over the county's contract with R&R Research in Howard City.
Instead the County Board of Commissioners chairman and ad hoc committee chairman was disappointed about being treated to more arguments than possible solutions.
Committee member Dr. Randy Carpenter, a Greenville veterinarian, questioned R&R Research owner Jim Woudenberg about the business' operations and its relationship with the shelter. Woudenberg explained that he removes and disposes of dead animal carcasses in exchange for live animals.
"These animals are used for lifesaving research," Woudenberg told the committee. "These animals go to licensed facilities around the United States."
However, Woudenberg declined to answer a question from Carpenter about when Woudenberg last assisted with euthanizing animals inside the shelter, citing his 5th Amendment right against self-incrimination.
Carpenter argued euthanizing was outside the duties allowed under the contract and few county leaders know it is happening.
"That's one of the concerns that there is not transparency, that there are dealings going on under the table," Carpenter said.
Carr objected to Carpenter's questioning of Woudenberg, explaining that he invited Woudenberg to sit on the committee so he could help broker a compromise possibly allowing R&R Research to continue working with the shelter with more restrictions.
"It seems like he's on trial for the audience. You certainly know the answers to the questions you're asking," Carr told Carpenter. "I don't think it's appropriate for this committee to take him apart with an interrogation.
"He can't disclose everything that happens there with the number of people criticizing him over what he does," said Carr. "We're not going to require him to disclose trade secrets."
Carpenter replied that he doesn't know many of the details of the shelter's operations and Woudenberg's dealings there. Carr then asked Carpenter how he could make comments against the shelter without knowing much about it, specifically why Carpenter likened the shelter to the Guantanamo Bay prison camp in Cuba during the Jan. 26 commissioners meeting.
"Because of the secrets involved in it," Carpenter answered. "There's a veil, a dark cloud. We don't know what he does."
He said he believes Woudenberg's "intimate relationships" with shelter employees "in the back drinking coffee" appear to give him preferential treatment in taking animals to sell.
Committee member Steven Crouse, who is also a county commissioner, pointed out the current contract is "wide open" with few restrictions. He again proposed adding restrictions to the pact, such as requiring people who drop off animals to fill out a form indicating whether their pet may go to R&R Research.
"The contract should provide for what we want him to do and not do out there," Crouse said. "It might be a really small number of people that check that box. If that's the only dogs Jim gets, that's the contract. That's the kind of stuff that I think is the middle ground, if there is any."
Committee members didn't take any official action on the issue Wednesday. Next Wednesday they will hear an assessment of the shelter from Dr. Wendy Swift of the Kent County Humane Society.
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Posted: Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Article comment by:
Toni
Mr. Middleton, They're not all dogs that nobody wants. In many cases they are lost dogs who aren't left at the shelter long enough for their owners to find them. They're dogs who have sadly been left to find new homes due to the owners being ill or losing their homes. They're animals that rescue groups would gladly take in if the shelter didn't give them to R&R first.You speak as if they're an old sofa that has no more use. They're not just unwanted pets...the majority of them were well loved members of someones family.
Posted: Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Article comment by:
toni
Why would you have a contract stating what he can and cannot do? As seen by his former actions, the law and rules don't apply to him. It's against the law for him to euthanize, yet he does it. He's been cited numerous times for animal cruelty, yet he still does it. He is above the law because he feels that he has Carr in his back pocket. When people have secrets it means they're not proud of what they're doing, or they know that what they're doing is illegal. Why would Montcalm county want to do business with someone like that? There are way too many shady dealings going on here.
Posted: Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Article comment by:
Polly Grunfeld Sack, Esq.
Scott's applauding animal control for dealing with monkeys defacating all over the streets of Montcalm county is an indication of one of the major problems here. The commissioners have not framed the issue correctly for the public and are not sharing the relevant facts with them. In trying to manipulate public opinion with smooth talk, platitudes and double speak, the commissioners are obfuscating the real issues and facts from the taxpaying public and doing a disservice to their constituents--with respect to this issue and their duties generally.
Posted: Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Article comment by:
SICK OF CARR
MONTCALM COUNTY REALLY NEEDS TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AS CITIZENS, IF YOU ARE SICK OF CARR HAVE HIM RECALLED...IT IS A FAIRLY STRAIGHT FORWARD PROCESS AND NOT OUT OF REACH...SIGNATURES OF PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY IS ALL IT TAKES...AND SOMEONE TO ORGANIZE IT...SHOW CARR HOW MUCH HIS SERVICE IS NEEDED!
Posted: Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Article comment by:
DISGUSTED BY CARR MORE THAN WOUDENBURG
Mr. Carr, these are not TRADE SECRETS, it is called ILLEGAL ACTIVITY!!!
And if you want to condone that behavior you should be recalled from your seat immediately or step down because if Mr. Woudenburg is NOT doing illegal things, he would not have to plead the 5th, and if he is NOT an employee and not trained to perform these euthanizations via makeshift gas chambers that you use at the shelter, then he is DOING SOMETHING ILLEGAL and YOU Mr. Carr are to blame for allowing this to continue. This is not a “successful trade secret” that was meant for him to “earn his money” this is something you are encouraging to happen!
I will include a section from the USDA regulations as well as the animal welfare act as well as Michigan state law that PROHIBIT Mr. Woudenburg from euthanizing these animals for the shelter!
Posted: Monday, February 23, 2009
Article comment by:
+SRF
Scott is killing me. Boy, if you have been seeing primates running the streets of Greenville you need to get your eyes examined or stop smoking strange things!!
Posted: Monday, February 23, 2009
Article comment by:
concerned
Kara complained: "And i know of several people that wanted to adopt pets from the shelter but when the got there the animals had already been killed. And their time wasn't even up yet". Did this happened recently? We have a new animal control director. People should give her a break, and let her prove herself before they bring up complaints about things that happened under the former director. If opponents of the R&R contract want to take financial responsibility for the disposal of the county's euthanized animals, then I see no reason to continue the contract. The taxpayers of the county, however, should not be forced to cover any extra costs in these tough economic times.
Posted: Sunday, February 22, 2009
Article comment by:
Polly Grunfeld Sack, Esq.
If it wasn't for the tragedy going on at the animal shelter this would be laughable. A vendor to the county taking the 5th ? Such a defense is only applicable in criminal proceedings. This was a public committee meeting. And exactly what criminal activity was Mr. Woudenberg worried about ? And why in the world would Mr. Carr let such a evasive, and definitely incriminating, answer stand ? And trade secrets ? Asking if R&R if they are killing animals illegally is hardly what I would call a trade secret. Mr. Carr, stop defending your buddy and take your public duty seriously. Listen to your constituents and look at the real facts. Mr. Carr said that he put Mr. Woudenberg on the committee to broker a compromise. That assumes it's a given that the R&R contract would continue. I thought one of the focuses of the committee was to see if it was appropriate to continue the R&R contract at all.
Posted: Sunday, February 22, 2009
Article comment by:
Gayle Aalderink
Carr's concern over Woudenbergs rights over the masses of those living in Montcalm county is insulting to every person in the county. One can only assume that there is something criminal to invoke such language. Dr Carpenter is within his rights to ask these questions and I applaud his efforts and want those very efforts to go forward. The pets and people need his voice along with CCC of Montcalm. Dirty secerts find their way out. Proverbs 10:12 states A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel. R&R is cruel and Carr's continuing efforts to support the treatment of pound seizure againest the desires of montcalm county follows close behind.
Posted: Saturday, February 21, 2009
Article comment by:
Taxpaying citizen
Commissioner Carr is supposed to be a public SERVANT, not the King of the County. He should be required to answer questions about HIS relationship with R&R research. The people in this county have a right to the truth about how a county facility operates.
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