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Five days after a dog named Sam was euthanized, triggering an outcry this week, an Appomattox County supervisor said Wednesday that county staff did not know shelter volunteers had lined up an adopter for the dog.

“From staff’s perspective, you had a dog that was becoming more anti-social over time,” Supervisor Sara Carter said of Sam, who had been at the Appomattox County Public Animal Shelter since February. “They didn’t know of any adopter. … The decision was made to euthanize.”

Carter said she did not believe it was the correct decision. She also said the county shelter would no longer euthanize animals unless there is a safety issue.

Sam was euthanized Friday; volunteers have said a Timberlake resident, Becky Marsh, had agreed to adopt Sam and pick him up last Saturday.

Marsh has said she was sad and confused by the ordeal. She said she was contacted by a shelter volunteer about adopting Sam because he had a timid nature similar to her other dog, Rosie.

Jean Wells, a volunteer with the shelter for two years, said she worked with Sam. She said she had notified shelter staff that an adoptee was lined up and was coming to see him Saturday.