It would be any animal shelter worker’s worst nightmare.

Imagine going to a walk-in freezer filled with animals that are supposed to be dead after being euthanized and seeing a dog, alive, pop up.

Now, imagine it’s happened twice before.

So begins the saga of an ongoing investigation at the Rushville Animal Shelter, an explosive situation canvassing community, state and cyberspace forums nationwide.

According to “whistle blower” and assistant animal control officer Jamie Glandon, the problem started Aug. 8. In a formal complaint delivered to Mayor Bob Bridges Monday, Glandon related that Rushville Animal Control Officer Jack Hill euthanized a number of animals, one of which was a 7-year-old Border Collie. Space constraints rendered the situation necessary, as the Collie was deemed “unadoptable” by the shelter and all options were exhausted.

“After putting the animals down, [Jack] put them in the freezer and went on with his day. On August 9, upon arriving at the shelter at 8 .m., I started my daily routine,” Glandon’s typed statement reads. “When Jack got back he informed me he heard a dog howling in the freezer. So at 8:20 a.m. he went into the freezer and found out it was the Border Collie. He went and got the medicine he used to euthanize, opened the freezer door and injected the dog and closed the door back. At 8:47 a.m. the dog was still howling. At 9 a.m. he injected the dog again and closed the door. That was the last we heard from her.”

According to Glandon, she verbally made Mayor Bridges aware of the situation that day.

On Oct. 25, according to the formal complaint, Hill again euthanized several dogs before Jamie began her shift.

“I arrived at work at 8 a.m. and heard whining from the freezer. I opened the door and found three lab puppies on the top of a pile in the freezer still alive. Jack was pulling up to the shelter when I went in. I told him what was going on. I started to pull the puppies out and he told me to leave them be. He went in and got his medicine and injected the dogs again while still in the freezer. That was the last I heard from them. I verbally made my city council representative aware of the situation on Oct. 25, who then made Mayor Bridges aware, and then he spoke with me the same day.”

According to Mayor Bob Bridges, a proactive stance was immediately taken.

“I spoke with Jack and asked him what the procedures were and if there were any things that were needed in place to be sure that incidents like this do not happen again in the future,” Bridges said. “Two items needed were a scale and a stethoscope. I donated the stethoscope and told Jack to order the scales that day.”

Funds from a shelter fundraiser held earlier in the month were used for the scales, which weigh the dogs correctly so that the proper euthanaisa dosage can be administered.

Bridges also contacted local veterinarian Rob Jackman so that training on administering the serum could be utilized. The shelter employees traveled to Jackman’s clinic that day and watched as Jackman demonstrated how to find a vein on an animal while administering an IV to a dog.

“The humane standpoint we take is to make sure that it [euthanization] is done as quickly as possible,” Jackman stated. “There are several methods, but we use a solution that humanely stops the respiratory process and the heartbeat. It’s as instantaneous and painless as we can do it and dose-dependent on weight.”

“I wanted them trained to make sure the euthanasia is performed by protocol,” Bridges said. “I want a protocol sheet with a checklist of steps to take when this has to be done. We know that no one likes to do it, but the same steps should be taken every single time. It kills me to see an animal suffer. It kills me to see an animal have to be put down. I’ve cried every time one of my own animals has had to be put to sleep. It might be a sign of weakness, but that doesn’t matter. I just absolutely did not want this to happen again.”