Washington Humane back in D.C.

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 1996:

WASHINGTON D.C.––The Washington Humane Society on
March 1 reacquired the Washington D.C. animal control contract for at
least 120 days, after the contract was held for four months by Animal
Link, an upstart rival headed by local activist Dee Atwell. WHS had provided
animal control service since 1980, but was unhappy with short-term
contracts and late payments due to the city’s shaky financial status.
WHS executive director Mary Healy told ANIMAL PEOPLE
that her staff found it was as hard to police Animal Link––whose operation
WHS raided at one point––as to do animal control itself. She added that
WHS is now resigned to doing animal control at a loss.

A March 4 inquiry by the D.C. Committee on Human Services
heard from former Animal Link volunteer Franklin Maphis that under
Atwell, treatment of injured animals, recordkeeping, adoption screening,
sanitation, and euthanasia wereoften
deficient. Atwell denied the
allegations, but acknowledged a
lack of capable staff.
U.S. Attorney’s Office
spokesperson Kevin Ohlson said
the period of Animal Link management,
“is under review to
determine if criminal violations
may have been committed.”
As WHS returned to
duty, the House Appropriations
legislative branch committee
allocated $100,000 in emergency
funding to deal with another
D.C. animal care crisis by moving
the Capitol Police K-9
Training Facility from a decrepit
site where one of the 27 dogs
housed there––valued at $25,000
to $50,000––died from a rare
virus transmitted by rats.