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McCracken Animal Shelter Task Force Recommends Partnership with Humane Society

nhandler, Wikimedia Commons

McCracken County’s Animal Shelter Task Force is recommending the Humane Society there partner with the county’s animal control.  The plan, approved by the task force 6 to 3 Tuesday and sent to the Fiscal Court, has one director overseeing the operations of both Animal Control and Humane Society operations.

McCracken County Humane Society Vice President Dr. Rob Robertson says the plan also includes a new building for his organization while the county animal control will operate out of the Humane Society’s current location.  Robertson says the proposal is modeled after the system in place in Lexington and Fayette County.  According to task force member Lee King, Kentucky Humane Society Director Pam 

Rogers suggested they look at the system as a model.  Animals are brought into animal control, screened for health and behavior for a period of time, then sent on to the humane society for adoption.

About 40 residents attended last night’s meeting, and several voiced concerns about an agreement.  The City of Paducah and McCracken County had partnered with the Humane Society until an alleged incident involving improper euthanasia of animals at the Society’s shelter.

Task Force Chairman Dr. Tim Davis encouraged audience members to attend the fiscal court meeting where the issue will be decided.  “And of course when it comes to a vote,” Davis said, “I would hope you show up and express whatever view you have relating to that.  And, that’s who ultimately will decide…fiscal court may not accept anything we do here tonight or on this task force.”

In case the fiscal court rejects their first recommendation, the task force made a second; to build a new facility that would be funded by the county and operated by an independent board.  They also passed a motion making euthanasia a primary consideration in both recommendations.  The group and the audience all agreed that euthanasia for reasons of age, overcrowding, or the time an animal is held is an unacceptable policy for the new shelter.

Dr. Robertson says the McCracken County Humane Society is willing to invest money in a new shelter if the fiscal court accepts the first recommended plan.  He says the amount will depend on the county’s needs for such a shelter.

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