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Jackson County Animal Shelter
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The conditions at the Jackson County Animal Shelter are far
worse than those at Turn-3. Of course they just want a new shelter!
The animals there are DYING from the unsanitary conditions! Turn-3
Ranch is a leased property and the defendant's testified they were in the
process of buying a new facility and were not going to put any more money
into leased property. Why is this NOT appropriate for Turn-3 (when
they ALREADY had a bid on a new place) and Jackson County Animal Shelter is
in disrepair yet they don't have to fix it.
Why did Turn-3 Ranch receive NO warning at all and Jackson
County received at least 3 warnings from Dept of Ag that they did not comply
with??
What a great way to build a new shelter... $134,000 bond money to feed the
animals!
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Clock ticking on strays, shelter
Sunday, July 22, 2007
By Kristin Longley
klongley@citpat.com -- 768-4917
Walking into the Jackson County Animal Shelter, the first thing that hits
you is the smell It's the smell of years of stray dogs and cats, the odor of
feces, urine and body oil lingering in the poorly ventilated facility.
The second thing that hits is reality. Rows of newborn kittens curl up to
their mothers in cages stacked as high as 6 feet. In the adjacent hall, dogs
stare cautiously from cages -- most wagging their tails hopefully, others
growling and leaping at the rusty chain-link fencing. The shelter, though
not over its listed capacity, meets only the minimum standards set by the
state, according to inspection reports.
However, the circa-1975 facility at 2004 Blackstone St. regularly receives
unsatisfactory marks in some categories, and volunteers say it is
understaffed. Animal Control Director Kimberlee Luce said she is aware of
the frequent complaints, but the shelter's infrastructure makes it nearly
impossible to sufficiently sanitize the holding areas.
"It is not in the best of shape," Luce said. "We do minor repairs on a
regular basis, but we have limited resources."
County officials have said for at least a year that the shelter is a
problem, but they are not investing in it because they're pursuing an
alternative. Estimates to repair the current building add up to $250,000.
Acting county Administrator Randy Treacher said he will present a proposal
for purchasing or renovating another building by the county board's Aug. 21
meeting.
Spending the money -- even if it means short-term borrowing -- would be
worthwhile for a long-term solution, he said.
"(The shelter) is not up to current standards, but it's not disgusting,"
Treacher said. "It's not the best, but it does not make sense to put money
in it if we're exploring alternatives. We really do want to do something
dramatically different."
But the disrepair could soon have consequences -- such as more animals being
euthanized or becoming ill, and more citations issued from the state.
Facilities in nearby counties are sometimes refusing to take transfer
animals from the Jackson County shelter. The unsealed concrete floors and
crumbling walls of the shelter harbor bacteria, and floor fans do little to
circulate fresh air through the summer heat. There is no air conditioning.
To avoid euthanasia, some animals are transferred to facilities outside the
county. The number transferred has declined every month since January, and
in May was down 44 percent from last year. The number of animals euthanized
has dipped at times, but showed a 3 percent increase from this time last
year. "Out of all the shelters I have worked with, Jackson County's is the
worst by far," said Julia Gunger, executive director of the Battle Creek
Animal Shelter. "The dogs are so miserably sick and they bring illness."
The Battle Creek Animal Shelter is a nonprofit, no-kill facility run
entirely by volunteers. It has regularly taken Jackson County dogs who were
on the verge of being put to sleep, but that is changing as the shelter
falls deeper into disrepair. Gunger said she has had Jackson County dogs die
from upper respiratory infections and infect dozens of other dogs in her
shelter with "kennel cough." She said the cost to treat dogs from Jackson
County ultimately is too high. "Right now, we're close to full -- I would
deny taking the dogs," she said.
The past three inspection reports from the state Department of Agriculture
consistently say damaged wall brackets and chain-link fences in the Jackson
County shelter could injure the animals. Unsatisfactory marks for
sanitization of feed containers and enclosures have improved, but an e-mail
between state employees, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act
request, notes the high temperatures and strong stench Commissioner Earl
Poleski, vice president of the County Agencies Committee, said he is not
satisfied with the shelter's poor condition, and he called it a "grim" place
of business.
"It's one of those issues that everyone's aware of but other things tend to
distract from it," he said. "It's something we absolutely need to look at.
"It's bad enough for animals to be there, but more than that it doesn't seem
to be a pleasant place for our employees to work."
The dogs currently are kept behind chain-link gates, with usually two, but
sometimes three or four, dogs to a cage at times. Large litters of kittens
and cats bat playfully at their kennels, but are extremely difficult to
transfer and most are euthanized.
Luce and the three Animal Control officers spend most of their time in the
field. Four additional employees, some part time, share the shelter's
duties, including cleaning cages and caring for the animals. "It's no secret
we're understaffed," Luce said. "But we do the best we can with what we
have."
One local volunteer group is actively campaigning for a change. Jackson
County Animal Rescue Friends was able last year to transfer out nearly every
adoptable dog -- meaning those that aren't aggressive or wild -- to shelters
across the state. But that's getting harder, as the group constantly hears
complaints about animals from Jackson County.
"Our goal is to increase adoptions and cut back on unwanted animals," leader
Janette Mraz said. "But if they don't increase employees and don't do more
with the building this is a lost cause."
After recently euthanizing "perfectly adoptable" dogs because other shelters
refused them, Mraz and volunteer Diane Brush attended a county board
committee meeting and supplied commissioners with recommendations. They
included photos of the animals "who didn't make it." Gunger said the shelter
should be a place people want to come and find the "newest addition" to
their family. "It looks like a dungeon. It should be a happy place," she
said.
Long-term suggestions from Animal Rescue Friends include improved lighting,
air conditioning, ventilation and "cleanable" floors and walls. Luce also
said those improvements are on her "want list" for a new facility. She said
it is possible for dogs to get sick from the germs in unsealed floors. "A
newer building would improve all that," she said. "These are just the basic
needs." |
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