Outsourcing the running of the Village animal shelter a big no

Ten minutes to go before the meeting started and all the seats were claimed. The presentation was standing room only. About 90 people were turned away and waited in the Woodlands Auditorium for an unscheduled second presentation.

Animal Welfare League president Jerry Jamrich talked of the 670 animals brought into the Village Animal Shelter each year.

Jock MacMorran presented a touching presentation highlighting some of the animals placed in loving homes by the Animal Welfare League from the Village Animal Shelter.

Yesterday, the Animal Welfare League held an informational meeting highlighting the POA's proposal to outsource animal control. The POA would like to have the AWL run the shelter or send animals picked up in the Village to the Hot Springs Animal Shelter paying a little over $50 a head.

Both proposals are not acceptable. If the AWL took over, the shelter would close as soon as donations diminished. If the alternative was put in place, anyone with a missing animal would have to quickly drive into Hot Springs and hope they retrieve their animal before it is euthanized.

Already the AWL trims costs for the POA by purchasing all food and medications for animals at the Village Animal Shelter. The AWL also pays the medical bills for Shelter animals including spay and neutering.
In addition to the services provided to the POA facility the AWL also has programs in the county providing low cost spay and neutering clinics, pet owner education the surrounding schools, providing funds to veterinarians to treat pets from needy homes and much more. If the AWL took over the POA's shelter operation these programs would disappear and all funds would go to running the shelter.

The POA would diminish the good works of a not-for profit organization currently thriving in the Village.

Several proposals were mentioned by audience members for alternate ways for the POA to keep the shelter open and to maintain its control. One of the proposals was to add a dollar or two onto residents utility bills. The extra money would go to supporting the shelter operations. Another proposal was to make pet registration mandatory. One person suggested raising the cost of pet registration.

Both meetings were emotional because as one audience member, John Barnett, put it, "this decision touches our family, my animal is part of my family."

That is the crux of the matter. Animals are a part of the families that people the Village. Cutting the POA budget in other areas does not impact the family.

Audience members plan to attend this Wednesday's POA board meeting at 9 a.m. to voice their concern about the two inadequate proposals concerning the Village animal shelter. The board meeting may be standing room only as well.