Clearlake council hears police investigation into North Bay Animal Services; city orders removal of animals from workshop

Lieutenant Ryan Peterson presented a 96-page investigation to the Clearlake City Council on June 1 that concluded the shelter run by North Bay Animal Services had multiple operational failings and was over capacity, prompting the council to direct removal of animals from an interim public-works workshop and to demand stronger on-site supervision.

The report, summarized by Lieutenant Peterson, said investigators contacted 22 people, completed 19 interviews, reviewed 465 pages of documents and photographs and inspected the facility and a regional shelter. Peterson listed 10 specific allegations raised by residents and staff, including that the shelter had been over capacity, lacked sufficient spay/neuter and veterinary coverage, had experienced a Giardia outbreak, accepted donated food with damaged or expired packaging and suffered from unclear supervision and slow response to community complaints. "This is not a problem that happened overnight and cannot be fixed overnight," Peterson told the council.

The report said the shelter briefly housed about 80 dogs after a hoarder case; North Bay removed animals, reducing the population to about 62 and later fluctuating between 62 and 70, with 58 animals reported at the time of the presentation. The…