June 19, 2013
Charleston, W.Va. (AP) -- West Virginia Agriculture Commissioner Gus Douglass says the state is likely to see more cases of abandoned animals as the economy continues to erode.
Douglass says his agency is looking for ways to deal with cases of animal neglect and abandonment. The agency plans to hold a meeting next year to try to identify resources and allocate responsibilities for such cases.
Douglass says the duties of the agency's veterinary staff don't include euthanizing or providing treatment for homeless animals.
The commissioner says he's heard of recent reports of an injured horse left along a roadside and an increase in abandoned dogs.
