sponsored by : Citizens' Voice for Fannin County
Chief Bankston and Animal Control Officer Jimmy Gilbert are in charge of the Bonham Animal Facility. The conditions of the animals' run are deplorable, animals are euthanized weekly because they refuse to work with local 501(c)3 rescue and allowing sick/wounded animals to suffer without medical care. Monies raised by Volunteers fundraising are being controlled by the Chief and Animal Control Officer Gilbert were unaccountable for in 2013. A request for transparency has been made under the Freedom of Information Act and still nothing.
Local rescue has been threatened with arrest by the Chief for wanting to rescue animals that are to be euthanized. The rescue has also been harassed/bullied with phone calls to their residence. During the Chief's administration, the shelter has been reported on many occasions between 1996 to 2014 to the Texas Humane Legislation Network and the Texas Department of State Health Services for the inhumane treatments of the animals, and for breaking the law by placing Rabies quarantined animals next to healthy ones. The lucky animals that get adopted are not spayed/neutered nor are they rabies vaccinated and yet an adoption fee is charged in which the Chief and ACO also has control of.
Animal Control Officer Gilbert did not renew his Texas Euthanasia Training every 3 years according to the Texas Law and yet is allowed to put animals down. Mr. Gilbert has no training or experience in determining whether an animal is unadoptable or a biter, and yet marked them as such just to euthanize them; like a 12 weeks pup that was teething he claimed to be a biter. Dead animals are dumped at the garbage container in an open unsanitary and undignified manner. Mr. Gilbert unethical conduct in a public government building includes bringing pornographic magazines and fireworks to his place of employment where animals are impounded and euthanized. ACO Gilbert starved a dog named King from 75 lbs. to 49 lbs. where the dog has no hair on his genital and missing hair on his body. ACO Gilbert refuses to give King back to owner after the 10 days quarantine was over. Dogs lives in feces and urines.
Call State Representative Larry Phillips at 903-814-7406 and Senator Bob Hall at 972-722-3131 and asked them to look at the petition and have these two men removed from their post immediately.
We the undersigned call on the elected officials for the City of Bonham, Fannin County, State Representative, and Senator to remove Chief Bankston and ACO Gilbert from their position as Chief of Police and Animal Control Officer.
Furthermore, we request that Mr. Bankston and Animal Control Officer Jimmy L. Gilbert not be associated in any capacity to the care of animals in their future endeavors.
