Ellis, county deserve thanks for animal efforts

The Sampson County Animal Shelter has come a long way over the past two decades, and those responsible for the positive changes deserve to be lauded for their efforts.

Much of those accolades go to shelter director Anna Ellis who, along with her staff, work tirelessly to ensure that dogs and cats are adopted as quickly as possible and go to homes where they will be loved and taken care of, as they should be.

Credit also goes to Sampson County and its Board of Commissioners for funding the new shelter and putting funding behind their words of support for the shelter and the pets that wind up there.

Where once the shelter was like the curse of sure death, now it is a place where animals find refuge from the storm and a quick turn-around on adoption.

They are cared for in a far better environment, and shelter staff — and the veterinarians that assist them — work to ensure that the animals are spayed or neutered, given the appropriate vaccinations and nourished.

Ellis is at the heart of why the shelter runs like a well-oiled machine with a heart beating pure gold.

She works diligently to get animals placed, including finding innovative ways to secure those adoptions. Her latest move was asking commissioners last week to grant her the ability to set aside special days for a reduction in fees, helping to secure those adoptions and, at the same time, ensure that the shelter isn’t overrun with more pets than they can adequately handle.

Coupled with that request was information Ellis provided regarding a rabies clinic she is holding, along with Dr. William Oglesby, who is the contracted vet at the shelter. The rabies shots will be a minimal $10 and available to anyone with a pet, helping to ensure that as many animals as possible get the needed vaccination. To participate all one has to do is bring their pet, show a valid ID with proof they live in Sampson County and pay the fee. That event is slated for Oct. 1.

Both moves show Ellis’ determination to make the shelter a safe haven for pets and provide the things most needed to ensure their safety.

Since Jan. 1, 1,287 animals have been brought to the shelter. Of those 219 have been adopted, 89 more were returned to owners and 553 were turned over to rescue centers.

Over 800 animal lives have been saved thanks to Ellis and the shelter staff, a remarkable turnaround from the 1990s.

We applaud the county and its governing board for recognizing the needs and taking the steps to meet those needs, and we thank Ellis for her diligence in ensuring the shelter is a safe, clean environment, and the animals who come through there are taken care of as it should be.

While euthanasia is inevitable, particularly when you are talking about stray and oftentimes dangerous animals, the dwindling numbers paint a far brighter picture than ones we’ve seen in the past.

Things don’t always come as quickly as we want, but the county’s decision to bring Ellis on as director and then to construct a new facility were spot-on actions that have made a difference.

And making a positive difference, after all, is all one can ask.