The Carthage Humane Society was the subject of a lawsuit filed by the attorney general’s office in late 2006. The state sought an accounting in the wake of allegations that assets were taken for personal use, and that mismanagement and animal abuse took place at the operation. The state in a later filing moved for the ouster of the former shelter manager and two paid officers, who are no longer associated with the organization. The lawsuit was settled in a consent judgment filed in early 2008.

The organization also had lost its tax-exempt status and funding support from some groups, including the Carthage-based Steadley Foundation. Last week, the shelter received a $50,000 grant from the Steadley fund. Bentlage said the money will be used for shelter work and items, including puppy cages, and for repairs to the shelter building, the septic system and the air-conditioning system.

On the Net

Information on Operation Bark Alert, including how to report an unlicensed breeder, is available at www.barkalert.mo.gov.