By RORY TINGLE From  DAILY MAIL UK

• Bridget Woodson said her boss twice instructed her to put sick cats in freezer
• When she complained Christina Payne said it was ‘no less humane’ that the vet
• Spencer County Animal Shelter is now being investigated by the state police 
• Another witness has claimed they saw four kittens being frozen at the same time

An Indiana animal shelter is being investigated after an employee said she was told to freeze cats as an alternative to having them put down by a vet.

Bridget Woodson said her boss at Spencer County Animal Shelter twice instructed her to put sick cats in the freezer but she refused and took them to a vet to be humanely put down.

On one occasion, animal control officer Christina Payne replied over text to her concerns by arguing freezing cats to death was ‘no less humane’ than taking them to a vet.

‘I was sick to my stomach,’ Woodson told WEVV. ‘She instructed me to go ahead and put it in the trash bag you know that’s assigned to it’s specific color and then just put it into the freezer. I told her it was alive. I told her it was up and moving.’

Woodson said the first time she was asked to perform the crude euthanasia technique it was on a kitten that was badly injured.

Realizing she was uncomfortable, Payne gave Woodson the option of taking the cat to the vet, which she did.

The second time, Woodson also took the cat to the vet and sent a text to Payne afterwards expressing her concerns.

‘Hey, I took the cat to the vet and had it put down,’ she wrote. ‘You can take the cost out of my pay check if that’s a problem. I will not be putting live animals in the freezer if there’s another option available, please don’t ask me to do that again.’

Payne replied: ‘That’s fine but so you know, the freezer option is no less humane. It’s fine though, Bridget, I’m here for my employees. Always.’

Woodson said she told the shelter’s board of her concerns and resigned when they failed to take action.

The method is not allowed under the American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals, which also insists euthanasia is only carried out by fully-qualified vets.

Spencer County Sheriff’s Office Detective Chris King said more witnesses had come forward about other freezer deaths. One claimed recounted an incident in which four animals died after being put in the freezer at the same time.

King said the investigation had been passed to the county due to conflict of interest concerns at the local police. Investigators are ensure exactly how many cats died through freezing, Eyewitness News reports.

Spencer County Animal Shelter has not commented publicly on the allegations. Dailymail.com phoned the shelter but was unable to leave a message.

IMAGES:

On one occasion, animal control officer Christina Payne replied to her concerns by arguing freezing cats to death was ‘no less humane’ than having them euthanized by a vet

Bridget Woodson Facebook

Bridget Woodson (pictured) said her boss at Spencer County Animal Shelter twice instructed her to put sick cats in the freezer but she refused and took them to a vet to be humanely put down instead  WEVV44

Spencer County Animal Shelter is now being investigated by the county police. It has not commented publicly on the allegations WEVV44

For more on this story go to: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6060045/Indiana-animal-shelter-investigated-claims-live-cats-FREEZER-die.html