Animals die while shelter controversy still stews

The Cherokee County Humane Society voiced doubt Saturday about resuming adoptions at the animal shelter unless the county relaxes its policies.

The Cherokee County Humane Society suspended its adoption services at the animal shelter on June 10 after talks with the county's Public Works Committee over how to handle strays who are too young to be spayed or neutered under veterinarian guidelines stalled.

Strays are taken to the shelter, and after a minimum 5-day holding period, those that are too young or underweight to be sterilized are killed. The Humane Society wants to assume the liability of placing the puppies into foster care until they are mature enough to be sterilized.

Tensions became even more strained recently when Cherokee County Assistant Administrator Holland Belue booted a group affiliated with the Humane Society, known as Project Snowball, from the shelter for videotaping animals not eligible for adoption.

The Humane Society contends that the pet rescue group is responsible for dramatically increasing the shelter's adoption rate. Project Snowball posts the videotapes of the animals on the Internet.

"We've been 100 percent cooperative with the county's policies no matter how rigid they are," Cherokee County Humane Society President Judy Wyles said. "But our volunteers have been frustrated one time too many. Something has to change dramatically."

Wyles said there's a misconception the local Humane Society has a signed contract with the county to serve as the adoption coordinator for the shelter. The local Humane Society discontinued handling adoptions at the local shelter three years ago, but agreed last year to resume those services.

"We agreed to come back in the fall and hoped things would get better," Wyles said.

They haven't.

Wyles said the Humane Society was shut out of the writing of the shelter's policies and procedures. So the Humane Society now wants more input on amending those policies.

"We want to get a signed agreement that's suitable for both sides," she said.

That means granting the Humane Society full liability for animals released from the shelter for adoption and giving the group's volunteers greater access to the shelter, according to Wyles.

County officials have argued that state law makes the county liable for ensuring an animal has been sterilized after its release. However, Wyles said the statute is clear that the person adopting the animal — not the county — would be responsible for paying a $200 penalty if the animal is not sterilized.

"The only person liable if they fail to follow through with sterilization is the person who adopts," Wyles said.

The state Attorney General's Office has been asked to clarify the statute.

Wyles said the county is placing too many burdens on the Humane Society.

For example, Humane Society volunteers are limited to four hours a day at the shelter from noon until 4 p.m. Wyles wants those hours expanded from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The county also limits the public's access to the shelter.

"They don't even allow people to walk through the shelter to see if they are interested in a dog," she said. "The county just hands out cards to contact the Humane Society."

Wyles said the Humane Society asked county officials to place a number on each cage so the Humane Society could track the animal's five-day holding period, but Belue squashed that idea.

"Now, we have to ask constantly how long each animal has been there," Wyles said.

It's also imperative the county allow the Humane Society to resume videotaping the animals for the Internet. Wyles said about 90 percent of the people or rescue groups that adopt the shelter animals make contact with the Humane Society via the Internet. This year, only about 2 percent of the adoptions have been to local citizens, she said.

Just when the Humane Society will return to the local shelter is uncertain. But there are three options as Wyles sees it.

"We can work something out that we all agree on, or the county could find somebody else to do it."

The third one is the most alarming.

"The county will continue to euthanize all the animals at the shelter," she said.

The shelter manager said last Thursday that more than 100 animals have been euthanized since adoptions have been discontinued.