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LAS VEGAS (AP) — The mayor is defending Boulder City's decision to drop the case against the former animal control supervisor accused of improperly euthanizing more than 100 animals, saying she was licensed to kill.
Mary Jo Frazier had authority to put down animals without veterinarian oversight through the Nevada State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners and the state's Board of Pharmacy. She is also registered with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration to administer the controlled substances used to euthanize animals at the city shelter. All three agencies said Monday that Frazier has no disciplinary record.
But Boulder City said last week it would submit requests to file felony and gross misdemeanor charges against Frazier at the Clark County District Attorney's office and would put in requests to file city misdemeanors to the city prosecutor.
The announcement that the city would drop the case comes months after the police chief initially decided against criminal charges recommended in April. The case in recent weeks has drawn scrutiny, including a protest on Thursday led by the Nevada Political Action For Animals that drew dozens of outraged community members, including state Sen. Mark Manendo.
Frazier didn't respond to calls or emails seeking comment, but it's believed that she has moved out of state. Mayor Rod Woodbury, an attorney in his day job, said the current police chief didn't think the charges would stick from the initial police investigation but that the public outcry could help push the district attorney to prosecute the case.
"The fact that she had a license was one the reasons the chief was very reluctant to forward it to the DA," Woodbury said.
A Boulder City police officer in April had investigated Frazier and recommended criminal charges, including felony animal torture or killing and misdemeanor unlawful animal poisoning. Officer David Olson also identified the deaths of 91 animals euthanized in a one-year period that violated the city code requiring animals to be held for at least five days and for a vet to see and refer them first for a mercy killing.
The city said Frazier was relieved of her duties within hours of officials learning about the "inexcusable" and "grotesque" events. She was forced to resign two days later, filing paperwork to retire after a nearly 20-year career with the shelter. Since 2006, when Frazier was first promoted to supervisor, almost half of all animals that came to the shelter were killed, according to the police investigation documents.
But the probe also revealed that the city knew about the high number of kills. The then-city manager asked in a 2009 memo why Frazier killed so many animals. In 2011, the then-police chief issued Frazier a written reprimand for failing to follow city protocols to get the animals checked by a vet first. Also included in the more recent memo was praise for the "caring and compassionate" woman. The letter stated in part: "I have complete faith in your desire to do the right thing and follow the ordinances in the future."
The current police chief, as well as Boulder City's current city manager and city attorney didn't respond to calls and emails seeking comment.
The city's current animal control supervisor, Ann Inabnitt, has declined to comment. She had sparked the initial police probe when she was an animal control officer reporting to Frazier.
Since April, the vet board has closed Frazier's euthanasia technician license because of her retirement and a planned inspection to the shelter was cancelled because Boulder City said it no longer euthanized animals on site, said Debbie Machen, executive director of the state agency. The pharmacy board also said it is now reviewing Frazier's active license for access to controlled substances.
"Clearly what the animal control lady did was amounted to cruelty to animals, and it's a travesty," the city mayor said.
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