TAYLORSVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The firing of the animal control director is causing controversy in Spencer County.
Tuesday, supporters of James Houchins, who was fired in August, gathered outside the Spencer County courthouse where they were met by several men who supported his firing. The two groups shouted insults at each other before those who opposed left about an hour into the protest.
Houchins says he was fired on Aug. 21, nearly a month after he confiscated a calf that was reported to his office. He says the calf was suffering from pneumonia and dehydration.
"The calf could barely lift its head, he couldn't even stand up. Upon examination there was no food, no water," said Houchins.
He says three different veterinarians checked out the calf and confirmed those findings. Houchins says the county attorney signed off on the seizure, but once Judge Executive John Riley realized he knew the owners of the calf, Houchins faced backlash.
"Upon noticing who the owners were I was suspended without pay on Thursday," Houchins said. "They called a special meeting later that day on Thursday and I was terminated by Friday."
Farmer James Naive showed up to oppose the protest on Wednesday.
"I don't want someone to drive by my farm and say there's an animal and it looks like it's raining and they have to go inside the barn. That's not what cattle are about," said Naive. "We as farmers have to take care of our animals more than anybody else does. These people have dogs and cats and whatever else. We've got a livelihood and our livelihood is our animals."
This isn't the first controversy involving Spencer County Animal Control. In March, then-director David Wood resigned after coming under fire for shooting a family dog that had been hit by a car. Now the county is searching for its third animal control officer in less than six months. As far as Houchins, he says he doesn't want his job back.
"Our goal is to have him (Riley) impeached," Houchins said. "We want him gone out of office and the proper things done for our animals."
Judge Executive Riley would not go on camera, but did release a lengthy statement:
"This is a sensitive and serious personnel issue that my office will not litigate in a public Fiscal Court meeting or in the news media other than to say that the situation was brought about based on inaccurate and false information. The Director acted on information that a Spencer County resident’s Holstein calf was “abandoned and neglected” on property that had been abandoned. And that the owners should face criminal charges of cruelty to animals.
After careful investigation by my office it was easily discovered these accusations were in fact false. Neither the property nor the calf had been abandoned and the calf in fact had daily loving care, was undergoing treatment prescribed by a local veterinarian to address an illness and clearly had not been abandoned or neglected.
It is unfortunate that the Animal Control Director failed to properly investigate the circumstances, talk to the owners or to consult with the veterinarian who was treating the calf prior to his directive to confiscate the calf. He continued to refuse to acknowledge the error and he engaged in activity to discredit my office and actions and to justify inappropriate actions taken by him on behalf of Spencer County Fiscal Court as an employee.
Thus, there was a serious and insurmountable breach in confidence and trust that this Spencer County employee could and would work in the best interests of our residents to protect them and their property and to take direction from my office as his direct supervisor."
Houchins and his supporters say they have more demonstrations planned for the future.
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