County Humane Agent Don Clark wants to make one matter clear – the Lawrence County Humane Society backs the county prosecuting attorney’s office and judicial system.

Sunday, July 15, 2001

County Humane Agent Don Clark wants to make one matter clear – the Lawrence County Humane Society backs the county prosecuting attorney’s office and judicial system. This statement comes after the society removed Steve VanSant as the shelter director. Clark said the society’s board had "doubts" that VanSant was "handling his job properly."

"We have every confidence in the prosecuting attorney’s office and the judicial system here in the county," Clark said.

Clark said the board felt VanSant pressured the prosecutor’s office during the early part of the ongoing investigation into a dog abuse case concerning, "Sparkle," an abused dog the society was alerted to in the Deering area last month. The animal had its hind legs tied together and its tail was deteriorating. The dog was also found to have mange and heartworms.

Misdemeanor charges of animal cruelty, abandonment and neglect were filed with the prosecutor’s office against a Deering woman, Julie Simmons, but investigators did not find significant enough evidence to prosecute the case. Simmons was actually the one who reported the dog to the Humane Society and maintains it was a stray that had wandered onto her property.

Clark said the former shelter director used the media and a Web site that featured the dog’s photo and information to draw attention to the case. Clark said the board did not approve of these methods.

"The Humane Society is dedicated to stopping animal abuse…but we don’t approve of the methods he used," he said.

As for Sparkle, he is still recovering from the injuries sustained by the alleged neglect and abuse.

Representatives at the Proctorville Animal Clinic, where the animal is currently being held, said veterinarians had to amputate the rest of the animal’s tail and the dog is still being treated for mange and heartworms.

Although it difficult to tell how the animal will respond to the heartworm treatment, the animal, clinic staffers said, was in good spirits and appears to be responding to the treatment.

Efforts to contact VanSant for comment were unsuccessful.