The March 2016 issue of Harper's Magazine contains a well-written and documented article that ought to be read by animal lovers and advocates of humane ethics. The article is hard to read because it describes, by a prominent investigator/writer, a horrifying activity being carried out in some areas of our country by what is termed a "rogue agency" involving corrupt US Fish & Wildlife officers. The happening witnessed by the investigator involves a wildlife officer using the dogs from the city's dog pound (in a Texas city and county) for demonstrating the use of a cartridge of very lethal poison that is shot into the animal's mouth. This was done under the guise of how to poison coyotes and other "target" animals. A wild animal, of course, would never allow its mouth to be opened by a person … so the nature of what happened in the Texas city was torture and bullying by this man on a docile collie dog, "training" his men to follow his example. The tortured dog was was poisoned with the cartridge, given an antidote, and promptly shot again with another cartridge ... and kicked into a pit while he/she was in the process of dying. These men are on the taxpayers' payroll. The man who committed the atrocity was later sent to the eastern part of our nation where he has another managerial position. "The Rogue Agency -- A USDA program that tortures dogs and kills endangered species" by Christopher Ketcham is in the March issue of Harper's Magazine. I'm hoping that with the combined help of our nation's animal rescue organizations, American citizens, and honest U.S. legislators, this monstrous situation can and will be stopped.
