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SPCA director leaving after euthanasia controversy

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By PETER BERNARD

pbernard@wfla.com

Published: October 29, 2009

LARGO - Controversy over SPCA Tampa Bay's euthanasia policy is prompting some changes at the Largo facility.

Gone from the executive director position will be Beth Lockwood, a 27-year employee of the operation. The head of the SPCA board, Jeff Fox, said the retirement long has been telegraphed by Lockwood, but he admits the firestorm over the shelter's euthanasia policy accelerated her move.

"She has announced that she is stepping down as executive director, but she's helping us with this transition. To me, for someone to be able to help select their successor, that's saying a lot for her," Fox said.

The controversy about the euthanasia policy erupted over the summer when former SPCA board member and shelter volunteer Paula Hays noticed something odd about the cats she took pictures of for the facility's Web site.

"I left as a cat photographer volunteer when I realized a lot of the pictures I was taking of really good cats, healthy, wonderful, were just disappearing. They were never showing up on the Web site," Hays said.

She says she has no problem with euthanasia for animals with behavior problems or severe health concerns. But she says the SPCA lost its focus and was killing too many animals that could be adopted and was giving the impression it was a no-kill shelter.

Fox said that in response to concerns about the euthanasia policy, changes have been made to inform those who give up their pets that there is a possibility the animals could be euthanized. Prominent signs near the adoption center, online and on adoption paperwork spell out the facility's policies.

"Sometimes we felt that people didn't want to know what we were doing. I mean, it is a tough place to work. We have a lot of animals that come through the doors, and the fact that some of these animals have to be euthanized is a hard thing to deal with," Fox said.

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