An attempt recently by the county to privatize its animal shelter was rejected after a recent proposal flopped — but the effort to change the way the shelter is run is ongoing, and is currently seeking to establish a permanent base of operations for the Paulding Humane Society.
An open letter from Paulding County Animal Control in conjunction with the Paulding County Board of Commissioners is currently seeking support and assistance.
County officials are working with the Paulding Humane Society in an attempt to find a location for the organization to operate and handle adoptions for Paulding County Animal Control. Animals that are brought into Paulding County Animal Control would be held until the mandatory stray hold is up and then released to Paulding Humane Society. The Humane Society would need a building that would be suitable to house the animals. The building would require office space and enough room to accommodate several dog kennels and cat cages.
The county has been attempting to separate its governmental oversight of the animal shelter operations. At present, the county runs it as an animal management center, which picks up strays and small wildlife and handles issues like biting dogs and rabies incidents. Additionally, Animal Control employees try to adopt-out strays and drop-offs, like a humane society.
But Maj. Leann LeHolm, who heads the marshal bureau that oversees Animal Control operations, says the system is overburdened as everyone tries to wear too many hats. “The government has no place in doing the humane society-type work,” LeHolm told Paulding commissioners in June. “We are getting the brunt of both sides of it.”
Leholm addressed the Board of Commissioners last week to give an update and some additional information and ideas. LeHolm said that right now, the best bet is to locate a building and other resources for the local humane society. LeHolm said the county is looking at neighboring Cobb and Bartow counties as models. She said county officials are talking to officials in Polk County as well, as they are currently trying to establish a humane society. An open letter outlines the current effort.
“To operate a facility that would accommodate the operations outlined above would be a very expensive undertaking. We are asking for any assistance that the citizens of Paulding County could provide in making this idea a reality. We are specifically looking for a building that could be donated or leased to the Humane Society for a reasonable price, monetary donations, fencing for dog kennels and food donations.” LeHolm said she pictures the humane society and Animal Control working closely together if this plan were to come to fruition.
A service agreement can be drawn up wherein the county will pick up strays and then send the adoptable animals to the humane society to be adopted. In turn, the county will contribute funds to the humane society as payment for services rendered, she said. Prior to the current initiative, the county received one proposal from Paulding Pet Orphanage, a nonprofit that organized in March that was reviewed by a committee of three people from the marshal’s bureau and three county department heads. The proposal was deemed not a good fit, with the organization’s proposing an annual bill to the county of $526,000. LeHolm said it would be senseless to contract out the shelter at an additional cost to the county and that they also wanted use of the building and all of the equipment.
While the organization only recently became a nonprofit, it has been working with the shelter for some time. In 2012, before the organization started, the county euthanized 1,756 animals over the course of the year. This year so far, according to animal control data, only 121 animals have been euthanized.
LeHolm said LifeLine Animal Project, a familiar metro Atlanta organization, showed some interest, but didn’t submit a proposal because they would need more than the county’s $30,000 annual animal control budget to operate. For further information or questions please contact Major LeHolm 678-383-3360 or Lt. Daniell 678-383-3363.