Former clinic worker concerned about quality of care for animals at Anderson County Humane Society

Former clinic worker concerned about quality of care for animals at Anderson County Humane Society

The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox.

Former clinic worker concerned about quality of care for animals at Anderson County Humane Society

Anderson County Animal Control is investigating a spay and neuter clinic after a former staffer reported inadequate care for the dogs and cats at the Anderson County Humane Society.

Alyssa Walker said she sent photos to WYFF News 4 of cats with apparent eye infections, as well as what appeared to be messy cages with urine on the floor, bowls with dirty water for dogs outside, and wrapped parcels in a freezer near a carton of ice cream, which she says are dead cats.

"There's animals sitting in their feces because they're just put back in their cages," Walker said, "Not just one, not just two -- sometimes four and five cats to a kennel. Sometimes two dogs to a kennel."

Walker's daughter, Ansley Alexander, told WYFF News 4 she shadowed her mom at the clinic because she wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up.

"When I first walked in, I almost turned around and walked back out. Because the smell was horrific, and the amount of animals just running around... " said Alexander, 14 years old, "I think that all of the dogs should be adopted, because there are some that have been there for 8 and 9 months and still aren't on the website."

Walker told WYFF4 she worked for the Anderson County Humane Society for about a month. She said she no longer works there, and said she'd worked in multiple vet offices prior to ACHS.

"It's nothing against any of the workers there," Walker said. "It's ... they don't have good leadership from within. They aren't taught from the beginning that that's not what it's supposed to be, so I think it's overlooked a lot of times."

WYFF News 4's Renee Wunderlich reached out to the Animal County Humane Society last week for comment and to tour the facility. The clinic's president and director, Wanda Crane, told Wunderlich that she was out of the state for a week to attend a friend's funeral.

WYFF News 4 was able to tour the Anderson County Humane Society a week later.

"We don't have a beautiful building, we don't have beautiful equipment, we spend money on meds, vets, vet techs, and animal care -- that's it," Crane said on Wednesday.

Anderson County does not run the Anderson County Humane Society. The clinic is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, but it does get funding from the county for its spay/neuter program. This fiscal year (FY 20-21), Anderson County records show the clinic got $52,955 in reimbursements for spaying and neutering cats and dogs. Last fiscal year (FY 19-20), it was $72.765, and the year before that (FY18-19), $72.835. Crane told WYFF News 4 a vet comes in once a week to do the surgeries, though did not share a name.

She said before COVID-19, the clinic was able to do more surgeries. "We have trouble finding technicians, finding vets is very hard right now,” Crane said. “The vets are overwhelmed. They're overworked, and there's a shortage of them."

According to a data map from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, South Carolina is one of nearly all 50 states to have some sort of Veterinary services shortage. The map shows rural area food and medicine is needed in 26 counties, though does not list Anderson County.

Crane said folks are constantly bringing animals to the humane society, though the clinic was never intended to be a shelter.

During her interview on Wednesday with WYFF News 4, a woman dropped off a baby bunny in a box.

Crane told WYFF News 4 that she and her husband, along with a group of friends first founded the Humane Society's spay and neuter clinic 11 years ago in response to the county's old shelter being overwhelmed and having to euthanize cats and dogs. Anderson County has since built a new shelter, PAWS, which now partners with No Kill South Carolina.

Since the Anderson County Humane Society opened, Crane told WYFF News 4 that they have spayed and neutered about 38,000 animals. She also told WYFF News 4 the clinic works with neighbors who make below $30K a year with things like pet food and medication, along with providing spay or neuter services on a sliding pay scale.

"The pandemic caused a lot of people for some reason -- maybe for companionship -- to adopt dogs or cats," Crane said. "And now we're seeing the fallout from that. Because shelters are overcrowded, rescues are overcrowded, we're overwhelmed with cats and kittens."

Crane said the clinic struggled to get enough staff during the COVID-19 pandemic and struggled to fundraise for more resources at the facility.

"She (Wanda) and her husband have put a lot of sweat equity in this clinic, they've put a lot of their own personal money into it, and I know where the heart is," said Stephanie Garrett Giuliani, former ACHS board member of 20 years. "I mean, everybody here at this clinic wants to do the right thing, they have been doing the right thing. And it is something that can make you very angry to know that somebody from the outside comes in, and for whatever reason wants to maybe be malicious for no reason."

Walker told WYFF News 4's Renee Wunderlich she called the Department of Human and Environmental Control and the Anderson County Administrator.

"I'm not bashing anyone at the Humane Society, but you have nobody there to help," Walker said.

Walker also reported Anderson County Humane Society to County Animal Control, which is overseen by the Anderson County Sheriff's Office.

In a statement released to WYFF4's Renee Wunderlich, Anderson County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer Sgt. JT Foster wrote:

"The complaint alleged the possible neglect and ill treatment of the animals within the facility. Animal Control made contact there yesterday and again today, at which time they were allowed full access to the facility. Though outdated and in need of some updates and minor repairs, Animal Control noted the facility to be clean and within standards of proper care. The investigation is still open and ongoing. As such, no other details will be provided until they have completed their investigation."

Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.