The town whose mayor ordered 10 stray dogs turned loose in a nearby national forest has taken up several animal-welfare groups' offer to pay for training two workers in caring for animals, after his actions drew national attention.
Meanwhile, a judge has stepped aside from a case in which animal-neglect charges are being sought against Mayor James Valley. The judge said he has a conflict of interest — the city pays half his salary.
Valley said last week that he had ordered city workers to take the dogs to the nearby St. Francis National Forest and turn them loose. He said the city couldn't afford to properly care for the animals.
Teresa Schagrin, animal care and control specialist for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, known as PETA, said Thursday that group and others offered to pay to send two animal-control officers to a basic training seminar in Little Rock next week.
Schagrin said the city has taken PETA up on its offer and will send an animal-control officer and a department head to the session to be held next Monday through Friday. She said PETA, the National Animal Control Association and the Humane Society of the United States will pay for the training by Arkansas State Animal Control.
"It became pretty clear to us that it was a big mistake" for Valley to order the dogs freed in the national Forest, Schagrin said.
She said the mayor wanted help in resolving the issue.
"I think the mayor understands a long-term plan needs to be in place," Schagrin said. "Obviously we want to make (sure) that nothing like this ever happens again and (make clear) that it was not the correct thing to do."
A long-term plan may be possible, Valley said Thursday. He said he may ask the City Council to approve spending up to $1,000 a month for animal control efforts in the city.
Valley is the first mayor of this city of 15,000 people in the impoverished Mississippi Delta region of east Arkansas. The city is the result of a merger between Helena and West Helena after voters in both towns approved the move in 2005.
On Monday, a complaint targeting the mayor was signed by Ruby Burton, director of the Humane Society of Southeastern Arkansas, was sworn out with the Phillips County sheriff's office. The complaint seeks Valley's arrest on misdemeanor charges of animal abandonment, mistreatment and neglect.
State law requires an arrest warrant based on such a citizen complaint to be issued by a judge. Helena-West Helena District Judge Rusty Porter said he could not sign such a warrant, because half his salary comes from the city, while Phillips County pays the other half.
Porter said a special judge from outside the area will probably need to be assigned to the case.
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Information from: The Daily World, http://www.helena-arkansas.com/