Heather Goforth
Where is the flash drive? SCACC director playing in misdemeanor waters. Spalding County Animal Care and Control
Here is a timeline of events with this situation and a breakdown of the multiple potential misdemeanors.
7/30/25: SCACC unlawfully euthanized a friendly, uninjured dog immediately at intake without a stray hold or attempt to notify a potential owner (instead of making space for new intakes by humanely euthanizing one of the dogs who had been there for 2+ years and mentally miserable). SCACC also ordered a second friendly, uninjured, collared dog with her for euthanasia immediately at intake the same. The vet refused. SCACC then abandoned the second dog at the vet after they had already claimed legal ownership of the dog.
7/31/25: I filed an ORR for the ACO’s body camera footage. It was on and recording both at the shelter and at the vet.
8/8/25: I followed up on the request as the legal timeline requirements had passed and I hadn’t received anything.
8/8/25: SCACC Director says I would get the footage once legal reviewed.
8/20/25: I followed up again with no response.
8/22/25: Per the county attorney in a later email, legal review was completed.
8/22/25 to present day: SCACC director has not provided the footage / released records.
11/7/25: Spalding County received a letter from the state Attorney General’s office due to lack of adherence to state laws with this ORR (marking the second letter the state has sent Spalding in recent months for SCACC requests).
11/10/25: County attorney sends response regarding legal review having been completed two and a half months ago.
11/20/25: County attorney second response
So…. Where is the flash drive?
The SCACC director claimed legal review was the hold up back in early August. Yet, once legal review was completed a couple weeks later, the director evidently felt it in her right to just sit on it indefinitely. Continuing to refuse to hand it over is a misdemeanor per state law.
I’ve listed quite a number of violated county ordinances and state laws over the months with other situations. Here are some more for this situation specifically:
Applicable Spalding ordinances here:
Sec. 12-1015 (d) — notice to owners / humane destruction timelines
Sec. 12-002 (b) — animal abandonment
Sec. 12-1012(a)(1)a. — cruelty to animal / knowingly abandoning
Applicable Georgia laws here:
OCGA 4-11-15.1 — animal abandonment
OCGA 50-18-71 — ORR timeline requirements
Applicable penalties here:
(County) Section 12-1015(d)(2)d. — misdemeanor for violating (d)(2), timeline required before destruction
(County) Section 12-1017 — fine or imprisonment for abandoning animal
(State) OCGA 4-11-16 — misdemeanor for violating animal protection act
(State) OCGA 50-18-74 — misdemeanor for refusing records, frustrating access, failing to meet timeline requirements
Expecting a government department head to simply follow the law, both local and state, is not a big ask. It is quite literally the law and their duty (like everyone else’s) to operate in adherence to it.
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Unhappy with Spalding County Animal Care and Control? Speak up! The next commissioners meeting is tomorrow Monday December 1st. Arrive by 5:45pm to sign up to speak. Courthouse Annex, 119 East Solomon St., Room 108, Griffin, GA 30223. Citizens get 3 minutes each to voice concerns to those with the power to bring change.
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