Attorney general seeks complete accounting from Carthage Humane Society

Attorney General Jay Nixon, in a news release issued earlier today, said he is seeking a complete financial accounting of the Carthage Humane Society. The group, according to the release, faces allegations of

Nixon seeks court order for financial accounting of Carthage Humane Society "taking assets for personal use, gross mismanagement and animal abuse."

The news release continues:

Earlier this fall Nixon requested records and documentation from the Carthage Humane Society after receiving several complaints. The requests were necessary in order to investigate allegations raised in the complaints. To date, the Carthage Humane Society has produced an incomplete and insufficient set of records, Nixon said, making it impossible for the Attorney General's Office to complete its investigation and determine if the corporation has complied with state law.

"My office has a duty to ensure that non-profit organizations are using their assets in a manner consistent with Missouri laws," Nixon said. "We have been unable to do so due to the Carthage Humane Society's refusal to provide us with an accounting of its corporate assets and activities that we need. Perhaps an order of the court will get their attention."

Nixon is asking for the following records covering the period of Jan. 1, 2001 to the present in the petition for accounting, filed today in Jasper County Circuit Court:

* Names and dates of service for all individuals who have served as directors of
officers of CHS;

* List of all payments made to CHS's directors of officers;

* Detailed financial statements, audited or unaudited, including income and
expense reports, balance sheets
and the board-approved annual budget, along with copies of all audits conducted;

* Copies of all credit card statements for all CHS credit cards and list of
authorized users of CHS credit cards, along with copies of receipts for all
expenses reimbursed by CHS;

* Copies of the monthly statements for all CHS bank accounts;

* All donation records and receipts from all fund raising events held; and

* A detailed explanation of CHS's policies regarding treatment and euthanasia decisions, adoption procedures and foster placement procedures.