Human beings are suckers when it comes to certain forms four-legged creatures.

I’m talking about domestic cats and dogs. Many of them end up at the city-run and publicly financed animal shelter where, sadly, they are euthanized. They need to leave this world as painlessly as possible. When they suffer needlessly, humans get their dander up.

Two key administrators have been put on leave because of allegations of mistreatment of animals at the city’s animal shelter. The Randall County Criminal District Attorney’s Office is deciding whether to recommend indicting them for breaking the law. Meanwhile, the city has taken steps to end what it acknowledges has been shabby — and potentially cruel — treatment of animals.

I don’t know where this case will end up, but the city has been caught in another large dose of bad publicity over the way it handles the public’s business.

What gives at City Hall?

The City Council has approved measures designed to euthanize unclaimed animals humanely. The city had been doing the deed without weighing the animals to determine the right dosage of drugs to put animals down. The result reportedly has been some animals have died in agonizing fashion. A veterinarian will be present during all euthanasia procedures.

What will happen to Animal Control Director Mike McGee and his chief assistant, Shannon Barlow, who’ve been placed on administrative leave? Well, if it were up to me, I don’t believe they should return to their jobs. The Animal Control Shelter has been exposed for incompetence under their watch and it would appear that it’s time for the city to clean out the top of the shelter’s chain of command.

The city has been the subject of some snickering in recent times. It went through that silly logo kerfuffle in which the city adopted a logo that was a virtual copy of a logo in use by another entity; it had hired a traffic engineer, only to learn he had been in trouble at a previous post.

Now comes news of difficulty at the Animal Control Shelter. Amarillo Humane Society acting president Carry Baker expressed “outrage” at the treatment of the animals and said the organization might seek an injunction to prevent euthanizing animals. Tom Riney, a lawyer representing the local Humane Society, called for top-level management changes to ensure the cruelty ends at the shelter.

This mess needs cleaning up in a major hurry.

I’m beginning to sense a major public-relations campaign aimed at educating Amarillo’s human population on how to care for its pets is in order.