Complaint Review: Blount Co SPCA

On 7-30-12 while returning home from the store, I arrived home to find 2 women, purportedly from the Blount Co SPCA in my yard, attempting to feed my dogs who were in my fenced back yard. They stated they had been called by an unknown person who reported my dogs as having been abandoned and without food and water. Both accusations were incorrect; however, I do understand the need to check out any and all such reports.

The thing is, these 2 women were threatening and aggressive in their manner and hostile to me and my daughter in attitude and behavior. They refused to provide me with any identification so I could verify they were who they said they were. They demanded I provide vet care bills/receipts for one dog in particular who had been suffering from an assortment of problems, which I had been treating at home, homepathically with good results. They threatened to call the sheriff department to force me to comply and did indeed call the sheriif's department. I also called the non-emergency dispatch to report their threatening behavior and that they had attempted to feed my dogs without my consent, removed several items from my yard and also took pictures of my property without my consent (as witnessed by a neighbor who also made a report to the officers).

I explained to both these women and to the responding officers that I had been out of town visiting family but my daughter had been home and was caring for our pets and that I was successfully treating my dog and she had greatly improved but I would get her the vet care demanded by the SPCA volunteers but it woull be a week or so due to budget constraints. I needed to wait until payday to be able to pay the bill. I was given 2 days when I clearly told them I needed at least a week. I received a copy of the Notice to Comply and the investigators were listed as Kellie Bachman and Karen (last name scratched out).

On Thursday, August 2, 2012, three SPCA workers arrived at my doorstep with no less than 3 police cars in attendance. It was then I discovered that Kellie Bachmann had not actually been one of the original investigators, she was the third woman and was the one who talked to me on that day.

As I felt I had absolutely no choice, in that there were no less than 3 SPCA volunteers and 3 police cars at my home, I "voluntarily" surrendered my ailing pet to the SPCA. Ms. Bachman also offered to take any other animal I felt unable to care for so I also surrendered a Chi-mix who I had been trying to rehome for a family member with no success. I was under no pressure to surrender this dog, however. I just felt she'd have a better chance with Ms. Bachman than with me of finding a forever home. I harbor no ill will towards Ms. Bachman. However, I do feel 3 police cars was excessive as I had made no threats or threatening actions towards the 2 still unnamed/unknown to me SPCA volunteers who followed up on the initial false report.

Is it a common practice of the Blount Co SPCA to threaten citizens and remove property from one's private property? To attempt to feed dogs who clearly are not in need of food? They had no idea if one of my dogs was on a special diet or feeding program. Is it their right (as they claimed) to totally disregard an owner's right to care for their pets and treat them (successfully) without vet supervision? Is it the standard operating procedure to refuse to identify themselves beyond simply wearing a t-shirt proclaiming them SPCA workers?

Is it a comman and accepted practice to sign another person's name to an official report when that person was not even actually present at the time? Is it acceptable that they use threats of police involvement when they don't get their way? Is it acceptable to use the Blount Co Sheriff department as a means to gain one's cooperation when one is cooperating? Isn't 3 police cars excessive in coming for a 2nd visit when there has been no threatening actions...ever? I hope we have not come to the point where any person can claim to be a part of an organization and not feel compelled to provide identification to the person they are demanding information from.