Baldwin County released first quarter statistics and information regarding its takeover of the county’s animal shelter this week during the county commission meeting.
County Administrator Ron Cink said since the county’s October takeover, county staff has worked hard to make necessary changes at the shelter, including purchasing new equipment and supplies needed for the animals.
“For example, we purchased a microscope so we could readily identify what parasites or diseases an animal might have, which helps us more readily treat the animals,” Cink said.
Cink released figures that showed the shelter’s activities over the last few months, which included adoption and euthanasia statistics.
63 dogs were reunited with their owners, 148 were adopted and 114 were rescued.
16 dogs did have to be euthanized: five for parvo, severn for other illnesses and injuries and four for behavioral issues.
The county has come under criticism from some citizens and rescue groups because of those dogs that were euthanized, including a petition questioning the processes done by the shelter and calling for the resignation of county humane officer Gina Jones, who oversees the shelter.
Local resident Mac Mckleroy, who helped spearhead the petition, said he and many others have been concerned by the rise in euthanasia numbers since the county’s takeover.
“There’s been a lot of discussion previously about when Alabama ran the shelter,” Mckleroy said. “It was no-kill in that what our idea of no-kill is that no healthy dogs were put down. We went from what we consider 0 percent to 5 percent, and that concerns us.”
Commissioner Skip Gruber said the county has been fighting a battle against misinformation about the shelter that has been spread by social media, especially that the shelter as run under the state had been no-kill.
“We’re making a lot of headway with this animal shelter,” Gruber said. “They’re doing a very good job, and there was some stuff with the state numbers that weren’t true. It’s like Chicken Little saying the sky is falling, but it’s not happening.”
Cink said the county is also moving toward a new trap, neuter and release program for the county’s feral cats that should decrease the number of kills for cats and help better control the local population.
“100 cats a month were being euthanized before we took over,” Cink said. “There are other better ways to handle the feral cat population than what was being done.”
Cink said even though the county wasn’t mandated to work with cats, he wanted to try to have the county do its part to help that part of the pet population.
Patricia Kruger, with the animal rescue group The Mylo Foundation, also addressed the commission with her concerns about the euthanasia numbers for dogs. Kruger criticized the system the county uses for assessing which dogs might have behavioral issues that would lead to being put down. The county currently uses a group of veterinarians as experts to determine which dogs might have behavioral issues that could lead to being put down.
“The only thing I have a criticism with is the way you assess the dogs,” Kruger said. “When I have a problem with my dog, I don’t call my vet - I call my dog trainer.”
The Mylo Foundation has also been a strong supporter of the petition against the shelter, and updated their thoughts Wednesday morning on the Change.org site hosting the petition.
“We presented our petition to an unmoved and sometimes unwelcoming Baldwin County Commission today,” the foundation wrote. “Our objective today was not to make demands, but to extend the olive branch and ask to work together for the sake of the animals. The Commission replied to our humble request by acknowledging they had no intention of working with the people.”
However, during the meeting, commissioners were highly supportive of making sure the shelter had ample resources to help with issues.
“I’m committed and this commission is committed to making this the best animal shelter in Alabama,” Commissioner Chris Elliott said. “We’re three months into this. We’re new at this. Is it a whole lot better than it was, though? Yes.”
Commissioner Tucker Dorsey also took time to defend the reputation of the county workers at the shelter.
“The criticism they’ve received and the negative comments, it’s unwarranted and it’s uncharacteristic of the operations you run there,” Dorsey said to the shelter staff. “We need people to work with us not in an emotional way, but to talk logically to find ways to improve and expand our programs. We’re not going to work in an environment like what has been created by social media. We don’t have an obligation to have to work with anyone. We’re trying to do the best we can here, and we can say no.”
