The Animal Welfare League of Kosciusko County met Tuesday night with a new mission - operating the county animal shelter.

"The commissioners have agreed today to turn over the shelter to the Animal Welfare League and to assist you with an annual donation of $30,000," Ron Robinson, county human resources director, announced to the group.

The official start date for the AWL takeover of the shelter will be Nov. 1, Robinson said. Also under the agreement the county will continue to pay the maintenance costs of the building and the employee costs of Animal Control Officer Jerry Clase.

"We look forward to working with the county government in providing animal control in Kosciusko County," said Dr. Richard Sasso, an area veterinarian and a driving force behind the AWL. "We will give these animals a chance - no matter what. We won't commit the animals to only five days, or whatever."

The remaining funding will come from fees charged by the AWL at the shelter and through private donations.

"We need everyone's help in this. This is a county shelter - your shelter. We need to have people involved," said Linda Mullins, AWL president. "We're looking for volunteers to come in and help at the shelter. It's the community that comes together that makes a difference."

The group will plan a series of fund-raisers to raise the necessary monies needed to operate the shelter. The next major event planned is the AWL annual Shelter Walk Oct. 17 at the County Fairgrounds, Mullins said.

The group will also increase their efforts to boost their membership, she said.

"We need as many members as we can get to make this work," Mullins said. "Ninety-nine percent of the people in the county care about animals, and we need their help."

The next meeting of the AWL is 7 p.m. Sept. 24 in the city council chambers. [[In-content Ad]]