Protestors call for ‘compassionate’ director, volunteers at Richmond County Animal Shelter

ROCKINGHAM — Several local animal advocates have been urging the Richmond County Board of Commissioners for months for changes at the Animal Shelter.

On Friday, they took their case to the streets.

A handful of protestors — members of Concerned Citizens for Our Shelter Animals — stood on the sidewalk outside the Richmond County administration building at the corner of Fayetteville and Richmond roads, calling for volunteers to be allowed back.

Clad in red T-shirts, the protestors held signs reading that the commissioners “allow cruelty” at the shelter and advocating for a “qualified director” and the use of volunteers.

Two of Friday’s protestors, Kristi Newton Maines and Pam Simmons Young, have been very vocal about the shelter in recent years, and have spoken during the public comment section of the commissioners’ meetings.

At the June meeting, Maines called for a committee of “non-paid, non-political and knowledgeable volunteers to help with various aspects of the shelter.”

She said there were many in the community with the experience who are willing to help.

“Volunteers are crucial,” Maines said. “Without interaction, animals become depressed and withdrawn and then become less adoptable. Getting to know the animals, volunteers will be able to pair the right animal with the right family, which makes less returns.”

Maines said the most successful shelters with low euthanasia rates use volunteers.

Young was temporarily banned from addressing commissioners following social media comments that county officials perceived as threats.

There has been no public talk from the board since commissioners decided in March not to renew the operations contract with K2 Solutions. The current contract ends June 30.

The county ran the shelter for several years before giving K2 a three-year contract in 2021. The shelter was fined by the state in 2019 and 2021 when it was county-run.

Before K2 took over operations, Maines and others protested in front of the administration building, calling for the termination of the shelter’s director at the time.

The 2024-2025 fiscal year budget appropriates $582,000 for the animal shelter — the same amount budgeted the previous year.

The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Animal Welfare Division found in both January and February of this year that the shelter was not in compliance with state regulations.

However, the follow-up inspection in March notes: “All deficiencies have been addressed and brought into compliance with the NC AWA standards.”

See the March inspection below.

“We have pleaded with the Commissioners to hire a qualified person and to allow volunteers back at the shelter, making it a requirement,” members of CCOSA said in a joint statement that was being handed out to drivers stopped at the light.

“The Commissioners are waiting on someone to come to them instead of actively seeking someone to run our shelter with compassion, care, knowledge, and a willingness to treat animals humanely and try to do all possible not to kill adoptable animals,” the statement continues.

According to CCOSA, “volunteers would be key” to the shelter’s success in becoming a low- or no-kill facility.

Earlier this month, the Utah-based Best Friends Animal Society issued a press release stating that North Carolina ranks third in the U.S. for kill shelters.

“In 2023 alone, more than 24,600 cats and just over 13,400 dogs were killed simply because they found themselves temporarily homeless,” according to the release.

The Anson County Animal Shelter in Polkton has been lauded as an example to follow.

To achieve no-kill status, a shelter must have a 90% save rate, according to Best Friends.

“No-kill means saving every dog or cat in a shelter who can be saved,” reads the Best Friends release. “Typically, the number of pets who are suffering from irreparable medical or behavioral issues that compromise their quality of life and prevent them from being rehomed is not more than 10% of all dogs and cats entering shelters.”

Best Friends is reportedly focusing efforts on the shelters with the highest kill rates — in Johnston, Wilkes and Robeson counties.

According to the statement, commissioners have not responded to emails.

“Remember … (taxpayers) are the ones paying for this shelter…,” reads the statement from CCOSA. “We need to have a say in how our money is spent, how our animals are treated and how the people of this community have the right to expect our commissioners to do what is best for all of us as a whole.”

County Finance Director Cary Garner told the RO on Friday that there were two proposals submitted to take over shelter operations.

“(County Manager) Bryan Land and Tommy Jarrell met and discussed the qualifications and merit of the proposals,” Garner said in an email. “Mr. Land then met with each vendor individually to go over their respective proposal and answer any questions that may have arisen.”

Garner said that, per county policy, no comments can be made during negotiations “in fairness to all parties involved.” He also added that none of those protesting Friday submitted proposals.

Land has told commissioners that K2 “would be available and able to provide any assistance needed in the interim, even if they exceeded their official contract date,” according to Garner.

I can assure you that the animals at our shelter will continue to be housed, fed, and cared for after June 30th, even if we do not have a replacement contract in place right away,” Garner concluded. “Richmond County Government does not take this process lightly and we are seeking the best possible outcome for all parties involved, our taxpayers, our community stakeholders and for the animals.”

See photos from the protest below.