So, this is a "response?" Cobb County, you can do better than this.

"The county does not prohibit animal control employees from working with rescue groups." What an utter disgrace, and a deplorable 'rule'. Are they really only interested in employing 'go between' staff that only want to join the police force and have no humanity in a single bone of their body? It's about time their attitude, their policies and the Management changed!

that "response" is politi-speak for "We aren't going to change our minds or our policies but we don't want to look like @$$holes in front of the public". so ridiculous!! I sent an email to everyone whose emails were provided in the story yesterday and put them all on full blast (politely, of course).
I also suggested (as Joanne Hiley does above) that if the management is not willing to put the welfare of the animals above all else--and reward that same atttitude in their employees rather than punish it-- then it's time for new management.
Additionally I reminded them that this story is on the radar of animal lovers all across the country and they are in for a sh-tstorm of negative publicity and possibly a public backlash if they don't straighten up and fly right!!

One needs a specific "rule" allowing (or more accurately, to NOT prohibit) employees to work with rescue? This woman worked on her own time, at her own expense, at NO expense to the county, to SAVE animals that were destined to be KILLED?! The county does REALIZE that they spend money to KILL those animals, right? So by saving the animals, she actually SAVED the county money? Right? Who is the genius/brain trust running this shelter? And why does the shelter NOT allow this woman to work with rescue during her work hours? And why does the shelter care HOW, WHERE or WHEN these animals are saved, ESPECIALLY if it costs the county nothing??!! Also, if my little self here in Texas is getting this information, and I'm posting it to my FB page, my guess is...this story is pretty damn viral. And going to be more so. In my humble opinion, the county owes this woman, not only an apology, but a debt of gratitude, and they obviously don't know a good thing when they see it, but anyone with half a brain, would consider putting this wonderful woman IN CHARGE of the shelter. She quite obviously knows how to get things done, even in the face of stupidity and rancor. It's time for new management, and a new paradigm. And I think you just found your new management. (shared widely on FB)

Basically Cindy is being harassed because she makes the rest of them look bad. She goes above and beyond to save lives, while their first option is killing. They have no response because there is no excuse for management's actions. This is a shelter whose management fought long and hard not to give up their precious gas chamber. They also continued to use it while under a court order to stop. That clearly demonstrates how "humane" the management is.

And then they have the nerve to enter the $100,000 ASPCA Shelter Challenge!

NO THEY DIDN'T???? Really? What did they plan on using the $100,000 for? Certainly not the animals... You are correct, Stacey...it appears there is NO excuse. My guess is that their "precious" gas chamber is not used properly either...otherwise it would be cost prohibitive, and they would not wish to use it. The only humane method of gas, is individual animals. My guess is they don't gas individually. And I love entities that operation in direct violation of a court order, yet shelters do it all the time. Louisville Metro was involved in a situation where they disregarded a judge's ruling as well. It boggles my mind that the local governmental leadership would support and approve such. If the ASPCA Shelter Challenge is a current one they are involved in, then everyone should post that information to their facebook page, and any other animal groups/chat lists/e-mail distribution lists that they can, and "out" these awful people. Give Cindy the $100,000 and I bet this shelter becomes "No-Kill"!

I get better replies from my grandchildren in the 2 to 5 year range!

Cindy has been ostracized and back stabbed by some of the management and employees at Cobb for a very long time now .
They make it very hard on her on a daily basis.
This smacks of more "gonna get her out of here" mentality.

Please show her your support

Yes, it's terrible to have an employee that works after hours....wow

Cindy being constantly harrassed by her "Manager" (I use that term very loosely as he has no concept of management), has also punished other employees for attempting rescue. CIndy has 30+ years of rescue contacts, when other employess called her for help (while THEY WERE ON DUTY) they have been written up\punished also. Its all part of the serious management issues at Cobb AC that the commissioners and county manager have ignored and brushed under the rug for years. Ask about the other things going on there -- Killing wrong dogs? Killing dogs with rescue commitment. Chemical burns on animals - severe!!! Improper feeding\watering. Those employees get away with it - yet CIndy is punished for saving lives.

How about the fact that for years they ignored the state spay/neuter law. Adopting out thousands and thousands of animals each year unfixed without so much as a follow up phone call. My neighbor adopted 8 over the course of a few years and never fixed one. Years ago Cindy was in charge of the spay/neuter compliance and guess what? It was done properly and was at about 80% compliant. About as high as it can be sending out unfixed animals. But then they took that responsiblity away from her too and it went to hell. Thanks to a push from the rescue community and Sam Olens, they are now supposed to be fixing before release. But even that took them over a year and 1/2 to get in place.

Cindy Ganues’s hearing will be held 12/19 at 6:00 p.m., in the Commissioners Room, Cobb County Building A, 100 Cherokee Street, Marietta. We want to fill the room with supporters for Cindy. Please forward to all who might help and attend yourself.

Gas Chamber info:

http://www.topix.com/forum/county/cobb-ga/TO0SU6TKH318FO1BQ
http://ugaanimallaw.wordpress.com/2009/05/27/gas-chambers-in-georgia/

Shelters that do not service the needs of the animals they are in charge of have been known to be shut down. To many people who work at these shelters it is just a job. They have no love for animals as this woman obviously has. Maybe this shelter needs to have another group come in an take charge like they did in Atlanta. The dog wardens office here is Douglasville has been reaching out to rescue groups in an effort to save the lives of as many animals as possible and I applaud their efforts. BTW, I think sending a dog out the door for a fee of $110.00 without being spayed or neutered is ridiculous. Whose pocket is that money going into? The animals here are adopted for a fee of $25.00 and are spayed or neutered. You do foot the bill for the shots.