Edgar County Animal Shelter is a Death house for Dogs

On August 23rd Edgar County Illinois Animal Shelter removed 25 pug and pug mixed dogs from a County resident.  The dogs were taken directly to the Edgar County Veterinany Clinic which house veterinarian, Linda March the Edgar County Administrator, and euthanized before the day was over.  At the Edgar County Animal Shelter meeting, March was asked why?  Her commit was first they were dirty! Then went on to add she THOUGHT they were ill.  When asked about tests to confirm - none were given.  That is also when we learned that the statistics of adoptions for the shelter to date was 1 cat and 20 dogs and 325 euthanized at the expense to tax payers of $47, 133.21 YTD.  As of September 5th the Edgar County Animal Shelter had a death rate of 94% for the dogs that entered the shelter. We asked that volunteers be allowed in to groom, exercise, post pictures, have adoption days, etc.  We were told NO volunteers for any reason.  The current proceedure for dogs that come into the shelter is 7 working days for the dogs owner to claim - then they are euthanized UNLESS Larry Soberg (animal control warden) has the time or feels like contacting a humane assn or rescue.
We, the undersigned, petition the Edgar County Board, to make changes at the Edgar County Animal Shelter.
We do not accept the satistic of 1 cat adopted, 20 dogs adopted and 325 euthanized as of the beginning of the fiscal year of Dec 1, 2007.
We do not believe that 25 dogs had to be euthanized as there was no clinical findings to dictate that any of the said animals were severely ill, a threat to the other animals at the Edgar County Animal Control, in pain and suffering or in imminent danger of dying.
In addition, we, the undersigned, petition the Edgar County Board to:
1..Open the Edgar County Animal Shelter to volunteers, to groom, exercise and socialize animal with an approved, signed and notarized Liability waiver.
2..Notify breed rescue of identifiable breeds that are available to be moved from Edgar County Animal Control.
3..Make a genuine effort to adopt the animals taken into the Edgar County Animal Control.
4..Treat all animals in the Edgar County Animal Control humanely.
5..If the current Animal Control Warden does not want to work with our citizens we asked that he be replaced with someone who is more Edgar County and animal welfare friendly. 
We recognize our own obligation to treat animls humanely not only because it is their right,  but because it is our responsibility.