AWL Suffering Through Lack Of Funds, Staff
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Animal Welfare League President Margaret Kennedy said reality has set in for the shelter.
"As far as financially, we're not doing terribly well. We're running out of dog food. We're always out of puppy food. Donations are dropping, I don't know if that's because of the time of year or what," said Kennedy Monday.
The organization is also taking applications for a new co-director of the shelter to replace Lisa Barber. Tracy Yates remains as the other co-director.
"Lisa Barber has decided she wanted to step down as co-director," said Kennedy. She said it was not financially feasible for Barber to continue working at the AWL. AWL needs a co-director to "take care of hiring and firing with Tracy. They'll train volunteers. They'll take care of advertising. They'll also do fund-raising," Kennedy said.
Yates handles the day-to-day operations of the AWL, such as food, medicine, the animals and cages. She also helps train volunteers and employees, Kennedy said.
She said there are more than 200 cats, kittens, dogs and puppies at the kennel, a problem that could be solved if county residents would be more responsible with their animals, she said.
"If people would spay and neuter their animals, we would not have this problem," she said.
Because people don't spay and neuter their pets, Kennedy said, the AWL's policy on not euthanizing animals had to be "thrown to the wind because of the overcrowding."
Animals with leukemia, heart worm, parvovirus or other illnesses will be the first on the list to be euthanized. Vicious cats and dogs will be put to sleep and then if the shelter is still too overcrowded, other animals will be selected.
"If they bring in pregnant cats and dogs, they will be put to sleep," Kennedy said. There is simply no room for a cat to have kittens and then room for the AWL to house the kittens, she said. AWL currently has too many kittens and puppies.
"This is very, very hard. This has been a heart-wrenching decision for us," Kennedy said.
"The reality has set in for us. It's not a pretty picture out there. It's just so, so sad. An animal is a responsibility and we're seeing that people are irresponsible."
AWL's lease with the county expires in less than half a year. Negotiations with the county will begin soon, Kennedy said.
AWL is seeking volunteers. They also need washing liquid, puppy food, kitty litter and anything that people can donate.
"We appreciate their financial support, but we also need bodies (to volunteer)," she said.
The AWL took over the animal shelter Nov. 1, 1998, from Kosciusko County. The league pays the county $1 a year to lease the animal shelter. The county, in return, pays the AWL $30,000 a year for expenses and pays the salary of animal control officer Jerry Clase.
Membership dues were raised at the February meeting. Active adult membership dues are $20 a year and junior membership dues are $10. Four-legged memberships are $1.
Pet adoption rates are $40 for either cat or dog. [[In-content Ad]]
Animal Welfare League President Margaret Kennedy said reality has set in for the shelter.
"As far as financially, we're not doing terribly well. We're running out of dog food. We're always out of puppy food. Donations are dropping, I don't know if that's because of the time of year or what," said Kennedy Monday.
The organization is also taking applications for a new co-director of the shelter to replace Lisa Barber. Tracy Yates remains as the other co-director.
"Lisa Barber has decided she wanted to step down as co-director," said Kennedy. She said it was not financially feasible for Barber to continue working at the AWL. AWL needs a co-director to "take care of hiring and firing with Tracy. They'll train volunteers. They'll take care of advertising. They'll also do fund-raising," Kennedy said.
Yates handles the day-to-day operations of the AWL, such as food, medicine, the animals and cages. She also helps train volunteers and employees, Kennedy said.
She said there are more than 200 cats, kittens, dogs and puppies at the kennel, a problem that could be solved if county residents would be more responsible with their animals, she said.
"If people would spay and neuter their animals, we would not have this problem," she said.
Because people don't spay and neuter their pets, Kennedy said, the AWL's policy on not euthanizing animals had to be "thrown to the wind because of the overcrowding."
Animals with leukemia, heart worm, parvovirus or other illnesses will be the first on the list to be euthanized. Vicious cats and dogs will be put to sleep and then if the shelter is still too overcrowded, other animals will be selected.
"If they bring in pregnant cats and dogs, they will be put to sleep," Kennedy said. There is simply no room for a cat to have kittens and then room for the AWL to house the kittens, she said. AWL currently has too many kittens and puppies.
"This is very, very hard. This has been a heart-wrenching decision for us," Kennedy said.
"The reality has set in for us. It's not a pretty picture out there. It's just so, so sad. An animal is a responsibility and we're seeing that people are irresponsible."
AWL's lease with the county expires in less than half a year. Negotiations with the county will begin soon, Kennedy said.
AWL is seeking volunteers. They also need washing liquid, puppy food, kitty litter and anything that people can donate.
"We appreciate their financial support, but we also need bodies (to volunteer)," she said.
The AWL took over the animal shelter Nov. 1, 1998, from Kosciusko County. The league pays the county $1 a year to lease the animal shelter. The county, in return, pays the AWL $30,000 a year for expenses and pays the salary of animal control officer Jerry Clase.
Membership dues were raised at the February meeting. Active adult membership dues are $20 a year and junior membership dues are $10. Four-legged memberships are $1.
Pet adoption rates are $40 for either cat or dog. [[In-content Ad]]