Wow….what a year! So, it is only fitting that our nationally acclaimed Clermont CARE Animal Shelter will be closing down due to the budgetary decision made by Dave Painter and the rest of the Clermont Commissioners. As of January 1, the organization that has so effectively managed the animal shelter for the county over the past 3 years and turned that shelter into something that Clermont residents could take pride in, will be no longer. The Commissioners have decided that the welfare of the misplaced animals in the county will take a backseat to budgetary constraints. We will once again be faced with the same overcrowded, poorly run ‘Dog Pound’ of decades ago when the county was in charge of daily operations.
Carolyn Evans, Executive Director at Clermont Animal CARE Humane Society addressed their reasons for asking for an increased budget. “….Plain and simple, the reason why the budget has increased so much is that the county has underfunded it so drastically over the years and the humane society can no longer afford to pick up the tab. We are nationally recognized as a top shelter in the country. We are asking Commissioners to pay their fair share of running basic services so we can use our funding for all the expanded services …. We are also asking for fair wages for our staff. This budget incorporates an average of $16 per hour for all staff positions …. and employment benefits for the first time.” This is not unreasonable.
Mr. Painter, right now, your plan is to hire only four employees to replace a staff of 20. How do you plan to run this agency with only four people? Since you have warned Clermont Care that “ALL ANIMALS MUST BE OUT OF THE BUILDING BEFORE 1/1/2021,” you are obviously not prepared for a change in management and staff at this time, let alone acting in the best interest of the animals.
I had been to the animal shelter prior to it being turned over to CARE. The difference in the care being provided now is like night and day. Only one animal in a kennel, kennels are clean and no smell. KILL or NO KILL should not be the only criteria in judging a shelter. We recently had a well publicized case of animal hoarding on a nearby property in Clermont County. Concerned neighbors repeatedly turned the owners in to the authorities and were told that nothing could be done as long as the animals were provided with food and shelter. Fast forward 20+ years, CARE rescued over 50 animals in what was described as the worst case of animal neglect they had ever encountered. CARE did what was best for the animals. Some of the German Shepherds had never been out of their cages, nor seen the light of day. Many could not even walk. Two were found dead and rotting still in their kennels in the basement. Three horses were housed on an attached porch to the house and the manure was piled so high around the deck that these thoroughbreds were never allowed to graze. The CARE staff spent hours just trying to dig through the manure to get the horses out. If not for the dedicated CARE staff, these animals would still be in these deplorable conditions! Finally, the owners were prosecuted and they are now serving an 18 month jail sentence. The people at CARE do more than just take in and adopt out strays, they do more than just provide food and shelter. We need to keep them here in Clermont County providing these services. Out of 4000 shelters in the country, Clermont CARE was ranked in the top 10. Let the people who voted for these commissioners decide. I grow so tired of contracts going out to the lowest bidder. You get what you pay for, and sometimes you have to pay the price for the best.
Gandhi famously said that, “The moral progress of a nation and its greatness can be judged by how it treats its animals.” James D. Miles claims “You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.”.. Mr. Painter, please show us the quality of your character.
Pat Hornak
Bethel
"care" - Google News
December 17, 2020 at 03:50AM
https://ift.tt/388ufxX
Letter to the Editor: We need to keep CARE here - The Clermont Sun
"care" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2N6arSB
Shoes Man Tutorial
Pos News Update
Meme Update
Korean Entertainment News
Japan News Update
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Letter to the Editor: We need to keep CARE here - The Clermont Sun"
Post a Comment