Calcasieu Parish Animal Control

[sparkie]

Original post is xposted from Nola.com:

Original Post...Nola.

25373. HELP~PLEASE READ
by neenasue, 10/23/05 20:13 ET
25276. i need EVERYONES HELP with this one..... by neenasue, 10/23/05 13:19 ET
This email was sent to me by someone in the area, it is very important HER NAME NOT COME UP AT ALL....She does rescues for us from roicy and lake charles....But you can't use her name as seen in the email below. We need to call and find out the truth........thanksNina,

I really need some help....

I was told (could be. and hopefully is, a rumor) that Calc Par Animal Services put most of the animals they had in their shelter down before Rita. I have had three people contact me about matches they have in PF that show they are listed at CPAS and they are only telling me they were evacuated to Caddo or "elsewhere." Caddo and Shreveport both say they never recieved any of these animals.

I can't ask CPAS because I have a "healing" relationship with the Director. He has just come to point that he will tolerate being in the same room with me (I have always been pretty vocal/critical of this kill shelter and their policies.) He's actually even started letting me adopt at a 501(c)3 cost. I really don't want to ask the shelter myself for fear that this will prevent me from saving the lives of pups in the future.

Could you post on NOLA (or everywhere and anywhere) and have people call 337-439-8879 to force their hand on this without mentioning my name. The name of the Director is David Marcantel and the lady in charge of adoption is Diana Maralis (sp?). Once I get the facts and if I find out it's true - I gaurentee you I won't stop until David Marcantel is out of a job!!! I know exactly how to get the media's attention with something like this - an 8-year-old crying boy asking questions - always does well. But if it's just rumors - I don't want to take the chance of ruining my chances of continuing to rescue.




Click to view these responses

are you having bad... by vicki5989, 10/23/05
just starting to blow... by neenasue, 10/23/05
yes all too true... by vicki5989, 10/23/05
> i think everyone is just... by neenasue, 10/23/05
> Still Hot Here by ParrotHead, 10/23/05
Broward here by barkway, 10/23/05
Ah, so I should call by saffron1224, 10/23/05
i am not sure, i guess... by neenasue, 10/23/05
Neenasue by K9K9K9, 10/23/05

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[sparkie]

My reply---calcasieu parish...told is as old school and corrupt as St. Bernard Parish.This is my experience w/ Calcasieu Parish and my introduced to Animal Rescue/Control:



The "top dog" At Calcasieu Parish Animal Control gave me one of my first arrest threats. At the time, it hadn't occurred to me yet to start asking for business cards of any person who friggin' threatens me w/ arrest. But, from now on, I'm gettin' a friggin' business card.
I & 2 good rescuers (Sammy & Tim) from Winn Dixie had 2 interesting conversations @ nice, clean but nearly empty gov't shelter on sat, 1 Oct, 7 days after Rita. We also had a confusing conversation w/ Dick Green, connected to Animal Planet.com but think works for LA State Vet and 2 visits to the next door Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Dept.



Can't remember all---was confusing and some things we were told didn't shake out. Plus, this was my introduction into the crazy & sometimes secret world of animal rescuing/groups/gov't, etc.
We accidentally gave ourselves a quick tour of shelter just before they finished installing a nice, 5'-6' chain link fence all around the perimeter....why? To keep people out or animals in?
The shelter nearly empty. Were told, "all animals located...being fed in place...do not bring any animals here...80% residents home now (Not true)....LA State vet said lost control at Lamar-Dixon so w/ Rita only accredited rescuers could do rescue". I asked how long does accreditation take & Dick Green said, "I don't know". I asked Dick why so strict & he said "So they only have ONE bad guy over Rita!?



We left, hr later ran into a Salvation Army feeding site and 2 sheriff deputies encouraged us to take a nice stray in that had been hanging around. SO, we did even tho told to not take in strays??? We stopped at Sheriff Dept right next door and had a short conversation w/ a Commander. Think he basically said the animals are handled by animal control and they are the experts or whatever.



Drove next door w/ stray and got on property b4 fence all installed (photos). I had seen a sign out back w/ surrender of animal?s instruction. We followed directions and sat in vehicle until an attendant approached, per instructions.



Approach he did....he was HOT!! Guy I had not seen yet. He said, I mean sort of screamed, "weren't you just told to NOT bring any animals here? I'll arrest you if you touch another animal. Blah, blah" He finally pulled himself together and said they was no need to bring in animals. He said he was the guy in charge or top guy at the Calcasieu Parish Animal Control. (I need his name confirmed & photo for my collection of near arrests).



We left w/ nice stray and stopped back at sheriff dept. talked to a deputy and 911 operator. They said "Animal control can not arrest you. And we won?t arrest you for that either. Do what you gotta do? etc" They were supportive. We also discussed why like this and they said dept/officials being territorial, like dogs peeing to mark their territorial. They lead us back to give Commander an update and this time, in a room full of peers & officials, he said "yes we could be arrested for that and we had been warned' implying be careful.



Life in a disaster area w/ officials. I think we were confused at every visit w/ officials---twice w/ sheriff and twice w/ animal control. We took nice dog back to feeding site but they asked us to take him down road to leave. I am sure the dog was continued to be fed by them. Plus we sic'd a nice & effective looking older woman to get to the bottom of this crap.
P.S. We did not keep the dog ourselves because we did not have any equipment. Since we felt we could do nothing but get arrested in Calcasieu, I returned w/ these 2 to Winn Dixie cause we could do rescue there. Now, I kindof wish I had stayed. But, that was my first day around animals & rescuing since I was a child.



SO, I don't know about kills. I am thinking this Marcantel is the guy that thinks he has arresting powers.
I have been wondering ever since what the animal situation really was there and how did it go or going?



Please email me at Pam@livewire.FM.com. I want to know more. We did first speak to a US Marshal who had a buddy at the animal control. I still have US Marshal's #...Nice Guy. Maybe I can find out.

[sparkie]

I recently met and talked to another animal rescuer who was getting arrest threats too. They were even be sent in text messages!