County of Riverside Animal Shelter DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION, PUPPY ADOPTED TO ME ON HIS DEATHBED WITH PARVO AND THE COUNTY WON'T TAKE RESPONSIBILITY, Internet
I adopted a 3 month old austrailian shepherd from Riverside Animal Shelter 6851
Van Buren Riverside, CA on 8/5/10 and when I chose him I told them he seems to
have a bad cold his nose is full of snot and he is sneezing. They told me he
probably has kennel cough but they will check him over fully and return him to
me in 3-5 days. They then had me sign paperwork and pay for the dog. I
received a call the very next day he is ready come get him. I told them I
cannot get him as it was 4pm Friday afternoon and with traffic I could not make
it by 5 and I would be there promptly at 9am to pick him up. When I got there
they told me I cannot pick up the dog until 11. I told them I was told I could
pick him up at 9 and they sent me to the lost dog counter to get him.
The girl
behind the counter came back with my puppy in a paper pillow case type thing
covered from head to toe in dog crap and told me not to wash him for 10 days as
he was just nutered. She did not ask me to sign any more paperwork. I took him
immediately to my vet and he had a fever of 104.8 and was on his deathbed from
parvo!!! If I would not have taken him directly to the vet and admitted him he
would have died and I have the letter from the vet stating the horrible
condition the dog was received in only one hour after picking him up from the
pound. Not only was he almost dead but he was covered in ticks too! It took 6
days on IV at the vet and it was touch and go and I almost lost him during the
first 48 hours. The bill came out to $1,870.
Now the County of Riverside has told me that they are not
responsible for the vet bill as I signed a paper on 8/5/10 stating the dog will
be my responsibility even tho I didnt pick him up till the 7th and
they promised me he would be completely checked over for kennel cough before
being returned to me. They not only did not check him for kennel cough but they
had to know this dog was very sick. I spoke with Allan Adrusys the vet for the
County of
Riverside who did the nuter
on my half dead sick puppy and he told me to send the bill and he would get it
taken care of. I emailed & faxed all info to him and he promptly stopped
calling me or returning any of my calls.
I then went to the Board of Supervisors for the County of Riverside and Veronica Diaz, secretary to Mr. Robert Miller, Director of the shelter and had me send her the bills and paperwork and we opened a claim. The risk department came back and said that they wont pay because I signed the form on the 5th stating the dogs health is my responsibility which does not apply here because they promised me they would give the dog a health check before returning him to me and I never signed anything when I picked up the dog. I now will have to sue the County of Riverside and they will loose! I would love an article in your paper about this nightmare!! Attached is a photo of my puppy who thankfully is ok now!!
I am seriously thinking about going to the shelter and picketing with signs that say RIVERSIDE SHELTER ADOPTS HALF DEAD PARVO PUPPIES AND WONT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!!q
5 Updates & Rebuttals
Susan
Santa Ana,California,
U.S.A.
RIVERSIDE COUNTY DID THE RIGHT THING AND PAID MY VET BILL!!
#6Author of original report
Sun, October 03, 2010
The county of Riverside has now done the right thing and paid my vet bill in full. I want everyone to know they did the right thing by me and paid for the vet bill!! Thank you Riverside County for coming to your senses on this one!! I especially want to thank Veronica Ramos of Robert Millers office as I know they are the ones who got it done!!
Susan
Santa Ana,California,
U.S.A.
COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE SAYS THEY HAVE RECONSIDERED AND WILL NOW PAY
#6Author of original report
Wed, September 22, 2010
Well the County of Riverside Risk Department just called and told me that they have re-reviewed my claim and have decided to pay my vet bill!! They are supposed to be sending me a release form followed by a check! I will let you know when the check appears. I told them I would remove my ripoff report, call the BBB, KFI news radio, the LA Times, Riverside Tribune and Press Enterprise once they pay up and that now I won't be going to the shelter this weekend with a big old banner and picketing the shelter!!!
John
Memphis,Tennessee,
U.S.A.
Turn Up The Heat
#6Consumer Suggestion
Wed, September 22, 2010
File a complaint with the local SPCA. This Riverside Animal Shelter can be charged with cruelty to animals. The alleged vet who performed the neutering would have had to check the animals temperature before the procedure. The SPCA investigator will have some serious questions for the vet and shelter manager. Also, notify the local news organizations. This is the kind of story they love to get on the air.
Susan
Santa Ana,California,
U.S.A.
UPDATE TO PUPPY ADOPTED FROM RIVERSIDE COUNTY WITH PARVO
#6Author of original report
Tue, September 21, 2010
I have since contacted Bob Buster District Supervisor for the County of Riverside to see if his office can help me. They contacted the shelter and the shelter is completely aware of the situation and wont bend because I signed a form on the 5th holding me responsible for the care of a dog I didnt get from the pound until the 7th covered in poop from head to toe with a fever of 104.8 with severe parvo!!! So off to court I go!!!
I sent one more last ditch effort to Robert Miller, Director of the new Western Riverside Shelter at 6851 Van Buren, Riverside asking him to contact the risk department and reverse their decision as there is no way that form will stand up in court. They are liable and should never have adopted any animal in the condition my puppy was in. SHAME ON RIVERSIDE COUNTY!!!
betty.b
Corona,California,
United States of America
Riverside Animal Shelter
#6Consumer Comment
Tue, September 21, 2010
I just want to say I am sad and disappointed with your experience with the Animal Shelter. Boggles my mind that this puppy would be up for adoption in the first place when he is obviously sick. I believe they have the means to test for parvo and in my opinion they should have. You then went on to say that he had been neutered and was placed in your arms with crap on him. I know they have a policy of doing spays and neuters before adoption, but they never should have reached that point with him. I'm guessing this puppy stole your heart right away and you trusted what you were being told in the beginning as it likely being kennel cough.
When you picked him up 2 days later, he should have been very symptomatic or as you said on his death bed.
I'm very glad you were wise and took him to your Vet immediately. It stinks that at the very least the County wont reimburse you partially. I suppose they can argue that you didn't have to adopt the puppy but I can see why you did.
I worked for a wonderful Vet in Riverside for about 3 years (though have about 20 years before that with other Veterinarians.) I have not worked for about 3 years now, but back then, Animal Control Officers would bring in wounded or sick animals for evaluation before taking them back to their Shelter. I think maybe once or twice they sent the new owner in with the adopted pet to be checked out and if any work was to be done, it had to be pre-approved. I honestly don't know how this puppy got by them and into your arms.
But, as an animal lover myself, I thank you for saving this puppy and providing him a good home.
Betty B.