Activists, council spar over animal shelter issues
By: Josh Echt
Craig Stanley, the county's deputy
director of facilities, stands in the
dog kennel area of the Summit County
Animal Shelter, located on East North
Road in Akron. The shelter has been
under fire over the last three years
because of allegations of animal
mistreatment. "I'm one of the guys
they rip on the most," Stanley
said. "It's disgusting. But we deal
with it." BETH RANKIN | DAILY KENT
STATER
More than 40 citizens and animal rights group members
attended yesterday's Summit County Council committee
meeting to react to recent allegations of mistreatment of
animals at the Summit County Animal Shelter.
"We represent a coalition of animal rights
organizations," said Pet Welfare Coalition
spokeswoman Deanne Christman-Resch. "We're a citizen
advocacy group."
The Summit County rules committee did not pass legislation
allowing animal rescue groups, such as the Pet Welfare
Coalition, to review or implement changes to the shelter
recommended in a March 2004 audit. However, the committee
tabled the issue for upcoming meetings in two weeks.
Heather Nagel, representing Heaven Can Wait, said she
established her organization in order to rescue and place
animals in better households. She said she wanted changes
to be made to the Summit County Animal Shelter, such as
the addition of a veterinarian. Nagel also said she
disagreed with the shelter's record-keeping procedures.
"I personally rescued a dog from there -the tag
number did not match the log book," Nagel said. She
said the log book was used to sign animals in and out of
the facility.
Craig Stanley, Summit County deputy director of
facilities, said some changes have been made and others
are being worked on. He said the log book was still
manual, but that shelter workers inputted the manual
results into computers.
Pet Welfare Coalition member Tracy Popio said the county
has a "moral obligation to treat animals
universally" and denied Stanley's claims of the
shelter not taking in sick animals.
Councilman Paul Gallagher, council planning chair,
questioned Stanley in front of the crowd. He asked various
questions about Anthony Moore, the shelter's animal
control manager. He also asked Stanley various questions
regarding a purchase of a scale for the shelter.
"Money was donated for a scale used to weigh animals,
but the scale was never used," Gallagher said.
Rules committee chairman Tim Crawford, Akron 7th District
representative, acknowledged the groups' various
allegations against Stanley. However, he said certain
things need to be in place before more action can be
taken, such as having the shelter improve its online
photos of animals in the shelter's care and increasing
animal drop-off and pick-up times from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
instead of the current 3 p.m. time.
"Putting a veterinarian in the facility would cost an
estimated $100,000 to $150,000," Crawford said.
In addition to the various organizations' allegations
against the county, the Humane Advisory Board was urged by
council members to improve membership totals before
changes could take place regarding the animal rights'
groups.
Humane Advisory Board chairman Chris Mosey said the board,
which reported to Summit County executive James McCarthy,
disbanded in 2004 and has not met since March 2005.
Crawford said yesterday's meeting was the first time he
heard of the board's problems.
"Five members were supposed to make recommendations,
but this is the first time I heard it had fallen
apart," Crawford said.
Contact general assignment reporter Josh Echt at jecht@kent.edu.