Rushville Indiana

read the letter from the United States Animal Protection to Chief Fudge
click here

We gathered at the City Council Chambers at 5pm on Tuesday, December 18, for the "Silent Protest: We Stand United", a show of support for Jamie and Shelter Reform. As meeting time approached the Council Chambers was still darkened and locked up tight. We soon discovered that the PUBLIC meeting had been cancelled at the last minute!! We've discovered a communiqué, detailing the meeting change had been circulated to a select few.

This is an underhanded attempt to circumvent the issues at hand with the Shelter, and limit access to the government via a PUBLIC venue. Their tactics would ensure that only those who supported the Mayor and his bogus investigation would appear for the Council Meeting.

SO....Once again, "A Silent Protest; We Stand United" will be held at the re-scheduled City Council Meeting on Thursday, Dec. 20th at 5:30pm in the City Council Chambers in Rushville. The City Council Meeting will be held adjacent to the Rushville Police Department at 270 W 15th Street, several blocks from the Courthouse. We will not allow them to stifle our rights in lawfully expressing our opinions and support. Please, it is imperative that if you are able, that you join us. It is even more important now, let them know.....they can't hide!

We attended the City Council Meeting last night in Rushville, in a "Silent Protest; We Stand United". Ten of us were present, all wearing our purple "Reform the Rushville Pound, Justice for Jamie and Gabby" sweatshirts.

The Shelter was not on the agenda, so we weren't expecting an opportunity to address the Mayor/Council. It was important to reinforce the fact that we are not going away, and I think our presence did that. That message was made more clear by our show, since the City tried to thwart us by canceling the regularly scheduled meeting, unannounced, two nights earlier.

This was the last Council Meeting held by Mayor Bridges, on January 1 the new Mayor, Merv Bostic takes office. It is disheartening that the issues surrounding the Shelter have NEVER been on the agenda. Rushville's bogus investigation and findings have never been discussed at a public meeting. This tells me that the administration is not taking seriously the atrocities taking place at their shelter. It has been swept under the rug.

The meeting was full of "ole boy's club" back slapping and high fiving. Before the meeting adjourned, since all but one of the current Council were voted off, there was much congratulating each other on what fine jobs were done by all. It was disgusting, and I had to bite my tongue. Minutes before it was all over I stood up and walked out, right down the center aisle.

As we were pulling out of the parking lot a Rushville Police cruiser drove up from behind us with lights and sirens flashing. I believe it was another intimidation tactic, just like what happened two nights previous, when a police cruiser made their presence known behind us, as we were leaving town.

We can't let this issue lose momentum. The Mayor and City are taking notice of all the phone calls and emails. The Mayor makes a point of bringing it up every time he talks to Jamie. We can't let up on the pressure. They have to know that we stand for SHELTER REFORM and we will not go away until valid and lasting change is implemented.

Awareness is the first step to resolving a problem. So far the City has refused to acknowledge that they have a problem. Instead, they "investigate" themselves and conclude that Gabby didn't even exist, this was all a lie. They did not bother to interview the list of witnesses Jamie provided, nor after all their screaming for Gabby to be brought back, did they take Jamie up on the offer (under conditions) when it was made to the City. The City never even made public they received such a letter, so it goes down in history as "Jamie refused to provide the dog".

Indy Humane's offer to temporarily take the Rushville Shelter animals would have been a strong message, had it been coupled with the condition that the City delve into addressing the real issues. Without that, it appears that they are only assisting in taking the heat off Mayor Bridges.

Helps to be a member of Mayor Bridges "good ol' boys club"
click here to read all about it

Jack Hill the Dog Warden in Rushville Indiana has apparently been reinstated and is now working for the cities street department. This is essentially a promotion because that's where Jack wanted to work anyway. We were hearing rumors as early as last Monday that Mr. Hill was back at work. This was the day that we had rallied in Rushville. Rumors were confirmed today by a very reliable source that Mr. Hill was seen driving a city truck. Although there has been no official announcement from the city.

We at USAP would like to see the arrest of Jack Hill the animal control officer for Rushville animal control for killing animals inhumanely. We believe Mr Hill has committed animal cruelty. This was not an isolated incident. in fact many incidents have occurred where animals have been put in the freezer alive. Mr. Hill never checked for death in fact when he found animals alive after botched euthanasia attempts he would inject the animals with the cruel heart stick while they lie in the freezer dying several times over until they would die. These animals should have been placed on a table sedated and then euthanized by IV. When an animal must be euthanized and IC is the chosen method, the animal must be completely comatose before the injection. The United States Animal Protection would like to see IC used as a last resort. IV should always be used as the primary form of euthasia. Too many times we have seen IC used by untrained shelter staff used to kill animals and the end result is horrific, as we've seen at the Rushville Shelter.

Chicago Tribune article about "The Undead Puppy" in Rushville. Click on the picture above to read all about it!!

Mayor Bridges told the Rushville Republican that the investigation would be completed within 48 hours on Monday Dec.3 and that the city attorney would be sending a press release to the newspaper reporting their findings. Well folks that day has come and gone and we've heard nothing. Now this is just speculation on my part but could it be that Mayor Bridges was going to base his decision on the fact that Jamie was not going to turn Gabby over to the Rushville Police Department so she could be examined by Dr. Fred Phillips, a local unbiased veterinarian? The same animal doctor that was very pissed off at Linda for posting that the local vet's in Rushville will not work with the shelter at a reduced rate? Yes, I think this man could give a unbiased opinion....don't you? Below is a copy of a letter that Jamie sent to the Police Department stating the fact that she is more than willing to have additional tests done on Gabby under these stipulations.

I'm sending you this letter in regards to Gabby, the German Shepherd/Mastiff mix. Because of the condition in which Gabby was found on 11-16-07 after attempted Euthanasia, Gabby was placed into rescue and a foster home. Her foster mom has been made aware that the Police Department for the City of Rushville would like to have Gabby seen by a veterinarian. Gabby’s foster mom has already had extensive tests run at her personal expense by an independent veterinarian concerning Gabby’s condition, but is willing to have the tests run again.

If the City would rather utilize the tests already obtained by Gabby’s foster mom, through an outside lab, she would be more than willing to release those lab results to the investigator.

Jamie
Rescue Coordinator
www.petfinder.org/shelters/IN320.html