Local organization pleads with commissioners to assist in animal care

The Concerned Citizens for Our Shelter Animals continue pressing county leaders for more involvement in animal care at the Richmond County Animal Shelter.

Just one month removed from broaching the subject with Richmond County Commissioners last month, CCOSA representative Christie Newton returned with a cadre of fellow CCOSA members, each wearing red CCOSA T-shirts to show commissioners their effort to change animal care in Richmond County is a community effort and not just a pair of representatives.

“When I spoke at the commissioners meeting previously, I suggested having a committee of non-paid, non-political volunteers to help with various aspects of the shelter. There are several of us that have helped at shelters, had fundraisers, volunteered at adoptions events, know how to read an animals’ behavior and have been in (animal) rescue for several years that can and are willing to help to make up this committee. Willing to train volunteers and continue to do these things to save the county money,” Newton said.

Last month, Newton and fellow CCOSA member Pamela Simmons-Young visited with commissioners regarding what role the CCOSA could play in assisting with animal care. During the meeting, Simmons-Young said CCOSA had volunteers already trained for many duties typically associated with caring for an animal housed in a shelter such as: assisting with animal rescues, providing transportation to and from facilities or even spending time with strays to reacclimate them to spending time with humans. During her most recent visit, Newtown outline the importance of animal interaction, and its role in preventing unnecessary animal euthanasia.

“Without the interaction, animals become depressed, withdrawn and become less adoptable. Getting to know the animals, volunteers will be able to pair the right animal with the right family, which means less returns. If you will research even a little, then you will see the most successful shelters with the lowest euthanasia rates are the ones with the most volunteers,” Newton said.

While speaking to commissioners, Newton theorized one reason for not getting the community involved is it allows management companies overseeing the shelter to neglect or abuse animals.

“The only reason our shelter has not welcomed volunteers for years is the abuse and neglect they wanted to hide. State inspections and investigations have proven this many times. Contracting out the shelter, in an attempt to try another approach, failed because of hiring another company that makes their money off of animals. In this case, the more animals they killed, the less food, meds and bedding they needed, and lined their pockets in cheating our community,” Newtown said.

Newtown asked commissioners if they plan to hire another management company to oversee the shelter, then the county must impose guidelines mandating higher rates of adoption for animals entering the shelter.

“It’s free labor for the county. A very important requirement for a new director (of the shelter) is transparency. We have not had that in the past, and many non-compliances and violations exposed why they were not transparent,” Newton said. “We do not feel county leaders are putting forth an honest effort in actively seeking a qualified person to oversee the shelter. It’s past time to find someone to clean up the disgrace our county management should feel from the disarray that the shelter management has been in for far too long.”