Taking Unacceptable Risks

To the Editor:

Carolee Mason and her attorney apparently do not understand the real reason for her dismissal as Newtown’s animal control officer, which is her exposing the public and pound employees to considerable risk. Some of these employees were taking care of animals, including raccoons, without the rabies vaccinations that all animal care workers require for their protection. If an employee was afraid to have the vaccinations as Carolee claims, that person should have been released or made to sign a waiver, in order to protect not only themselves but the taxpayers who would have to bear the burden of a lawsuit in the event of a preventable tragedy. It takes common sense, not training, to realize the danger of rabies.

The records have indicated several instances where the vaccinations of an animal are in question and yet these animals were in contact with not only employees, but volunteers and adopting families as well. The police chief, human resources administrator, and first selectman took this lack of regard for public safety into consideration when they chose to immediately release her from her responsibilities.

She claims she was not aware that the Newtown pound is not authorized to accept feral or stray cats, yet she must have been aware that allowing numbers of cats to roam free at the pound is unsafe when volunteers are walking cat-aggressive dogs out of the kennel. She then put blame on employees when cats were hurt, killed, or escaped. 

We were especially disappointed to learn from the hearings that she has chosen to cover her own shortcomings with the accusation that our daughter not only lied to the police during their investigation, but convinced other animal control employees and volunteers to do the same. Carolee admits that she herself lied to the state animal control officer. That doesn’t mean that everyone feels it is acceptable to lie. Amy Andras refused to testify at the hearing because she has suffered enough since this began.

Bill and Jan Andras

16 Poverty Hollow Road, Newtown                                  June 8, 2009