NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 5, 1997

HUMAN ERROR MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO "PARKWAY" DEATH

CARY, NC -- A review of the details surrounding the death of the wild dog known as "Parkway" shows that an error made in mixing the tranquilizing agent may have contributed to the dog’s death. Officials with the Town of Cary found late Monday that the Animal Control officer charged with mixing the solution accidentally reversed the dosages of the two drugs which comprised the tranquilizer.

"While we will never know just how much of the tranquilizer actually reached the dog, we believe that, in our best efforts to save the animal, our actions may have led to Parkway’s death," said Assistant Town Manager Ben Shivar. "This is a very sad and difficult time for all of us," he added.

Last Wednesday evening, Cary Police captured the wild dog using tranquilizing darts. Cary officials prepared the tranquilizing agent following discussions with several local veterinarians, local government animal control officers, and staff from the NC Wildlife Commission and the NC Zoo. Each dart should have contained about 3 cc’s of Ketamine and about 1.6 cc’s of Rompun, but the dosages were inadvertently reversed. The agent was delivered in two standard, non-barbed darts, striking the dog once in the leg and once in the chest.

"We used all the resources at our disposal to determine an appropriate course of action for tranquilizing and ultimately capturing the dog," said Shivar. "Based on what we knew, we felt like we had done everything we could to ensure that the dog could be brought safely to the SPCA for evaluation."

Cary officials had unsuccessfully attempted to tranquilize the dog several times over the last few months. Efforts at trapping had also failed.

A veterinarian who examined the dog following the incident certified that the dog had not received a gunshot wound. Following the examination, the dog was cremated at the request of Torry Green, the Cary resident who had fed the dog for the last 16 months.

Cary officials are evaluating Animal Control procedures to minimize the likelihood of this type of incident occurring in the future. "This is the last thing any of us wanted to have happen," said Shivar.

PRIMARY CONTACTS: Ben Shivar, Assistant Town Manager, 469-4003

Capt. Windy Hunter, Cary Police, 469-4023

Susan Moran, Public Information Officer, 460-4951

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