Crime & Public Safety
Former Bay County Animal Control Worker Charged After Internal Probe
What happened and where: The Bay County Sheriff’s Office says a former Bay County Animal Control employee has been charged with multiple animal cruelty counts following an internal investigation at the county shelter in Panama City.
Chronology and how investigators opened the case: County animal control management received an anonymous report alleging abuse and, after an internal review, contacted the sheriff’s office on September 29, 2026. BCSO investigators interviewed employees and witnesses and examined several incidents described by staff, including an event on September 3, 2026 involving a small kitten that was being euthanized.
Allegations and reported actions: Witnesses told investigators the kitten was administered a euthanasia method known as a “heart stick,” and that the former employee allegedly inserted a second syringe to withdraw stomach fluid, removed it, allowed fluid to spill, then re-injected the fluid while the animal still had a heartbeat. Other reported incidents include allegations that a dog escaped a euthanasia room earlier in the year and was struck with a catch pole, temporarily becoming paralyzed and seizing, and a separate incident weeks earlier in which the employee allegedly swung a restrained dog to the floor.
Agency actions and current status: The sheriff’s office charged the former employee with two counts of Animal Cruelty and one count of Aggravated Animal Cruelty; the person was booked into the Bay County Jail and the county terminated the individual’s employment. The sheriff’s office says the investigation remains active.
All individuals accused of a crime are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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All individuals mentioned in criminal allegations are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.