County reviews shelter options
By PAMELA BRUSTPARKERSBURG - West Virginia counties provide animal control services through a variety of methods, including in-house humane officers, through the sheriff's department and contractual services through agreements with outside agencies, either countywide or through regional cooperation.
Currently area municipalities and Wood County commissioners have separate contracts with the Humane Society of Parkersburg to provide animal control services for their respective areas. The society recently notified the county it could no longer afford to provide afterhours animal control services as of July 1, and as of July 1, 2010, they would cease to provide all animal control services to the county.
The society's total 2008-2009 operating budget was $540,246.
The society received $101,369 from the county last year, and was budgeted for an additional $3,631 added on to that total for the 2009-2010 fiscal year. The society had requested a $15,603 increase.
Budget figures provided earlier to the commission show the society is operating at a deficit of more than $46,000 based on actual cost vs. contract payment.
Commissioners are looking at their options and requested, through the West Virginia County Commission Association, information from other counties on how they provide the mandated services including use of sheriff's department humane officers.
T.R. Smith, with the Wood County Sheriff's Department, said Deputy Rob Sims serves as the department's humane officer.
"He is responsible for enforcement of criminal code regulations, such as cruelty or neglect complaints," Smith said.
Smith noted the department currently has no means to pick up stray dogs or cats.
"The real mission of the society, as we understand it, is adoption of unwanted animals and spay and neuter programs. Placing them in the position of doing animal control probably, at one point, was a good idea, because they needed the funds. Now it sounds like we've reached the point where these aren't the same issues we all have. I know the cities are looking at change as well," said Commissioner Blair Couch.
"We sent out an email asking for information from other counties on how they handle the services. It's interesting to see the number of different responses. A lot of them have one or two humane officers. Morgantown pays the county $35,000 per year for services. They don't pick up cats. Humane issues are referred to one of the three humane officers in the sheriff's department. Monongalia County operates a Canine Adoption Center with a supervisor who handles drop offs and adoptions. They have two full-time wardens who cover the county.
Wetzel County operates in-house. Marshall employs two officers.
Pendleton handles it through the sheriff's office, and if the complaint relates to rabid animals, the game warden is called out. There are a lot of different options," Couch said.
Preston County has an in house animal control officer, Marion County subs out their services for around $6,000 a year, Mineral County owns a dog pound and employs two full-time animal control/humane officers that work for the commission, Berkeley County has an animal control department under the sheriff's office.
They also contract to do animal control for the city of Martinsburg and town of Hedgesville for a fee. Upshur has an animal control officer and operates a joint facility with Lewis County. Each county pays for their officers and shares 50 percent of operational cost for the joint facility.
"You really have to look at those other facilities when you are comparing to be fair. We have an excellent facility here," said Maryann Hollis, executive director for the humane society.
In a the notification letter to commissioners, Hollis noted the reduction in after-hours service permits them to reduce the number and costs of the three humane officers and costs for overtime, gasoline, pager service, and answering service.
"Even with this reduction in service and costs, we will still be funding a large amount of our contracted services for the county through our own personal fundraising. So, this contract is still not representative of the true services costs," Hollis said.
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thetruthcomesout
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04-25-09 7:03 PM
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take the board of directors and ms. hollis and send them down the road. all the animals in wood couny would be much better off. find some people who really care about the animals. they are supposed to be spayed and neutered before they leave he shelter-- how is it people are breeding puppies out of the dogs from the "puppy mill bust" last summer??? seems strange. guess it is who you know !!!!
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thetruthcomesout
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04-25-09 3:42 PM
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yes, the peoples eyes are beginning to see the light. this animal shelter is just a stepping stone for ms. hollis and her followers at the shelter. they sure don't have to spend time and money on many of the animals- they just throw them in the incenerator. this is a quicker way to get rid of them. this is NOT humane!!! wake up WOOD COUNTY and COMMISSIONERS. that oufit is like a cancer o our area. they might be the most expensive shelter- that doesn't make them the best. ask many people who have tried to adopt an animal. they make it next to impossible- they would rather kill them.
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Labsrule
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04-25-09 12:30 PM
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wow..I wondered what I did besides agree with you! lol
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garyel
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04-25-09 11:15 AM
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Correction, I didn't mean labs rule, I was replying to HolyWriter instead. Sorry Labsrule
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garyel
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04-25-09 11:14 AM
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If they pull all of their money and the shelter closes, then maybe then can use your house to shelter the animals Labsrule.
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Labsrule
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04-25-09 10:49 AM
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I totally agree...Hollis is simply trying to pad her resume with the "look what I can do" stuff for her next job search..which will be in a larger market.
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garyel
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04-25-09 9:40 AM
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I have always supported the shelter and have gotten dogs there at different times. I cannot believe this Maryann Hollis is so callous about the animals. All she is doing with all of this is hurting the animals. It is time the Board of Directors FIRED HER and hired someone whose interest is in the welfare of the animals.
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thetruthcomesout
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04-25-09 7:57 AM
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Holis likes to pull on the heart strings of people to "hELP THE POOR ANIMALS'- all the while she has a hand in everyones pockets and a noose around the commissioners neck. Stand up fellas- she is a scam artist!!!!
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