The Greene County Animal Shelter opened two years ago this month. The board that operates the facility is still working to define the facility’s role in the community. Although shelter is in its name, it’s meant to be a pound.
County supervisor Dawn Rudolph serves on the animal shelter board as a representative of the county. She and Jefferson city administrator Scott Peterson discussed the question of who can take animals to the shelter at the supervisors’ Sept. 8 meeting. Peterson was there for his monthly update. Rudolph reported having attended an animal shelter board meeting last week at which the board talked about the intake policy.
The new intake policy would allow only sheriff deputies or Jefferson police officers to place animals at the shelter.
The facility is owned by the city of Jefferson. Greene County has a 28E agreement with the city to allow animals from the unincorporated parts of the county to be taken there. No towns have 28E agreements for that purpose. Peterson said that was the intention two years ago, but it hasn’t happened. The cost of the agreement would be $200 per town.
If other towns enter into agreements, town residents still wouldn’t be able to take animals there. It would need to be a city official, Peterson clarified.
Sheriff Jack Williams didn’t like what he was hearing, saying, “It seems to me it’s going to increase work on law enforcement.”
Peterson said the policy specifies there will be no owner surrender. “That applies to everyone in the county,” he said. “It’s there for law enforcement purposes. That’s how intake would occur.”
Rudolph said the sheriff’s office and Jefferson PD both can scan animals for microchips. The problem, she said, is the people who see a stray animal and think they should take it to the shelter. That’s the reason for overcrowding there.
Supervisors board chair John Muir clarified the difference between a shelter and a pound. Peterson said legally the Greene County Animal Shelter is set up as a pound. “And a pound is set up for law enforcement,” Muir said.
Peterson said the city council planned to approve changes to the shelter’s quarantine policy, but the policy regarding intake is not ready for the council to consider.
Also at the meeting, the supervisors held a public hearing on the county’s application for a Community Development Block Grant for construction of a new Paton-Churdan Early Learning Center.
The county would serve as fiscal agent for the grant funds. Total cost of the project is estimated at $2,154,812. The grant application is for $600,000, with other grants, local fundraising, pledges and a private loan covering the remainder. The supervisors approved the application. The application must be submitted by Sept. 19.
