report on Oakland animal shelter

OAKLAND, CA (ap) -- Oakland police are investigating the city's animal shelter following a report from a former employee alleging mismanagement.

Lori Barnabe, who worked at the shelter for five years before quitting in June, said dogs have been needlessly euthanized, sometimes when they were due to be picked up by their owners. She also said a live dog was mistakenly stored with dead dogs on at least two occasions.

Oakland police spokeswoman Danielle Ashford said officials "take such allegations very seriously and are deeply concerned about the safety and welfare of animals."

Barnabe said the problem is a lack of training, poor oversight and a policy of quickly euthanizing animals. She said she filed her report because the shelter is looking for a new director and she thinks changes are needed at the top.

According to city figures, 2,455 dogs were impounded in 2004, with just more than half of them put to sleep. In neighboring Berkeley, the rate was about 7 percent, and in San Francisco, 32 percent of dogs were euthanized.

Part of the reason for the discrepancy is a large number of pit bull breeders in Oakland, said Chandra Holliday, who has worked at the Oakland shelter as an animal control officer for more than five years.

"They just turn dogs out on streets ... they're not spayed or neutered, so they go out and breed and breed," she said.

However, Holliday said she does think there are some unnecessary euthanizations, a decision she said rests with managers.

Oakland will hold a town hall meeting on Feb. 17 to get public input on the selection of the next director.