Humane euthanasia approved for ‘mortally wounded’ animals at McKenzie County landfill
M.K. French
Farmer Staff Writer
In a somber but necessary discussion at the January 6 meeting, the McKenzie County Board of Commissioners gave Landfill Director Rick Schreiber the green light to acquire a high-powered air rifle to put down animals mortally injured by heavy machinery humanely.
The decision addresses a long-standing and gruesome challenge at the county landfill, where stray pets and wildlife frequently fall victim to the facility’s massive processing equipment. “There are times when our machinery does things to animals out there that are not fixable,” Schreiber told the board, noting he has struggled with how to address the issue for over 13 years. “Calling the vet is simply not an option.”
Schreiber described a heartbreaking reality in which transient populations of workers or residents who leave the county and abandon their pets have led to an abundance of cats, dogs, and rabbits roaming onto the landfill grounds. These animals often seek warmth in front-end loaders or forage for food in 30-cubic-yard bins. “When we fire [a loader] up in the morning and [a cat] goes through a fan, we’re pretty limited as to what we can do,” Schreiber said. He noted that the issue has become a public concern, as families dropping off trash have occasionally witnessed the aftermath of these accidents. “It’s a terrible thing when we have mom and dad out there, and their kids are witnessing a cat or something like that [suffering],” Schreiber added. “We’ve gotta do something.”
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