Michigan Democrat El-Sayed faces backlash over Detroit dog and cat kills

Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed is under scrutiny after records emerged showing that over 4,000 dogs and cats were euthanised during his tenure as Detroit health director. Fox News Digital reported that a former employee had branded the city's animal control department a 'slaughterhouse'.

Daily Mail reported that 4,680 animals were euthanised in the period around El-Sayed's tenure. In the first full calendar year under his health department, 1,056 dogs and 29 cats were killed. A 2015 whistleblower lawsuit by former officer Brittany Roberts alleged filthy conditions, inadequate food and medical care, and that animals were neglected until they died.

El-Sayed's campaign pointed to improvement: the live-release rate rose from about 20-26% in 2015 to 61-62% by late 2016. Former mayor Mike Duggan called the earlier rate 'unacceptable'. Animal lovers on social media have called on PETA to respond, with posts asking, 'Where are you @peta?'.