Plight of pets pulls at residents' heartstrings - Moss Point ...

GAUTIER -- Most of the 150 people at a hearing Thursday night said they would support a county tax increase to improve the animal shelter.

Supervisor John McKay asked, and almost everyone held up their hand.

It was a passionate crowd that offered a wide range of ideas on ways to reduce the number of animals euthanized and improve the system. Some just wanted to tell their story of how the shelter had failed them or a pet. There were some horror stories from years past and talk of animals adopted from the shelter in poor condition.

TIM ISBELL/SUN HERALD Sarah Buckhalter brings a new resident of the Jackson County Animal Shelter to the Puppy Playground.

McKay learned a few things about the shelter, as well. For one thing, the county no longer uses gas to euthanize dogs and cats. It hasn?t for years.

He tried to keep the conversation constructive, taking suggestions for improvements from the crowd. And he worked to keep the hearing to an hour, promising to schedule follow-up meetings.

Marcia Hill, with Jackson County Friends of the Animal Shelter, said the value of the meeting was in bringing people together.

?I hope they keep the momentum going,? she said.

Helene Hicks suggested a fund be established to defray the cost of spaying and neutering animals for the elderly and others who can?t afford the procedures, which may be $80 or more. She and her small nonprofit have helped pay for neutering 700 dogs and cats over the past three years, but more needs to be done, she said in an emotional plea.

In 2011, 6,000 animals went through the county-run shelter -- too many to house and find homes for.

Half of those were surrendered by their owners, so the county is now considering a surrender fee.

Those who attended a suggested promotion for the shelter?s web page and other ways to let potential owners see the pets; vast improvements to the building, allowing volunteers to help and to foster animals; expanded visiting hours on the weekends; a steering committee to keep progress on track; and a special fund so people can do fundraising and make donations that go to the shelter exclusively.

Judy Dildy of Ocean Springs said she has been to the shelter daily for three weeks, hoping her dog will turn up.

She said it is more of a pound than a humane shelter. Her suggestions were that it be more people-friendly and accommodating.

?I couldn?t see all the dogs,? she said. She thinks people should not be restricted to certain areas.

The shelter has a budget of $670,000 and a staff of 11. In the county system, it now falls under the Maintenance Department rather than having a department head of its own, as it used to.

Speaking at the end of the meeting, Kelly Williams of Ocean Springs pointed to one animal-support group after another in the audience and said, ?We need to come together as a community and put the county out of this.

?We want a humane society like Harrison County. We don?t want a dog pound.?

The crowd applauded.

Source: http://www.sunherald.com/2012/01/19/3698441/plight-of-pets-pulls-at-residents.html

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