On the heels of a Colorado Department of Agriculture investigation that led to PAWS for Life surrendering its license to operate the city-county animal shelter, the PAWS private no-kill shelter on North Pueblo Boulevard is now under "administrative investigation."

In response to a Colorado Open Records Act request for PAWS' most recent inspection records, Nick Fisher, Pet Animal Care Facilities Act program manager for the department of agriculture, said the records could not be released yet.

"These records may become available once the department has concluded the investigation," Fisher wrote in an email. He did not elaborate on the nature of the case.

PAWS, which operates its private facility under a separate license than the one it relinquished last month to run the city-county shelter, remains open for business. In 2018, PAWS celebrated its 40th anniversary.

Board members extended a public "open invitation" to residents interested in learning about the "perfect storm of events that got us to where we are today" in a Facebook post April 10.

"During the past several weeks, much information and many untruths have been shared by word of mouth, social media and The Pueblo Chieftain surrounding the relinquishment of our PACFA (Pet Animal Care Facilities Act) license at Community Animal Services of Pueblo and the loss of our contract to provide services for the city and county of Pueblo," the post read.

"We have been forced to sit quietly while being vilified and threatened by individuals both privately and publicly and through social media. Freed from the legal restrictions of nondisclosure of information required of us during open investigations (some criminal), every board member is more than ready and willing to do exactly that."

In December, PAWS for Life was awarded a three-year contract to run the city-county shelter and handle animal control. Last month, the organization was caught in weeks of turmoil that included a state investigation, the ousting of its veterinarian and director, the closure of the facility and decisions by the city and county to terminate the contract.

On April 8, the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region took over as a short-term operator of the Pueblo shelter.

The Facebook post says PAWS for Life board members would meet with residents — "individually or in small groups" — to answer questions, address concerns and "tell our side of the story."

"That said, we are not interested in putting ourselves out there if your intent is to try to engage us in the same misinformed and pointless name calling monologues so often publicized in the past weeks," the post read. "If you would like to meet with a board member(s), please send an email request to Pawsboard123@gmail.com. We also ask that you include information on how to best contact you."

Upon learning of the state investigation, The Pueblo Chieftain sent an email request to meet with a PAWS board member and received a reply from Kim Alfonso, who indicated she would be available Wednesday. After rescheduling one call, she didn't answer subsequent calls nor reply to email.

jpompia@chieftain.com

Twitter: @jpompia





