Your Chance to Make a Difference for Eaton County Animals

by: Justine DePalma
Published March 17, 2008

Wednesday March 19^th might be a very important day for Eaton County companion animals. Issues surrounding operation of the animal control shelter are on the agenda of the Eaton County Board of Commissioners meeting. It is expected that animal lovers will be in attendance with proposals to improve the plight of animals that enter the county shelter. There certainly is room for improvement.

Annual Shelter Reports Reveal that More Animals were Sold to Research or Killed than Adopted

From 2004 through 2007 65% of the dogs and cats that entered Eaton County Animal Control Shelter were either killed or sold to research. USDA Class B Dealer, Hodgins Kennels, Inc bought 580 puppies and adult dogs. Michigan State University bought 265 cats and kittens. The shelter killed (please note that some of the deaths may have been euthanasia as appropriately defined, since there was little effort at finding homes for the animals, it is assumed that the majority of dead were healthy animals who were not suffering) 3901 dogs, cats, puppies and kittens from 2004 until 2007. About 15% or 1,139 animals were adopted and 1,265 were returned to their families.

Efforts at Avoiding Killing, Minimal to Non-Existent

Eaton County Animal Control dogs and cats do not benefit from free websites such as petfinder.com or pets911. In fact, pictures of the shelter animals are not on the county's website, http://www.eatoncounty,org. According to Animal Control Director Larry Green, adoptable shelter animals will soon be on the county website, possibly on March 19^th. Green indicated that he was being trained on how to use the county site to advertise the shelter animals. There are no plans to use petfinder.com or pets911 to reach a wider array of potential adopters.

Volunteers are important assets to successful animal shelters. Animal Control Director Larry Green related that the shelter does not allow volunteers, other than individuals sentenced to community service. The shelter is failing to avail itself of a wonderful free resource. Shelter volunteers do essential work. They socialize dogs by walking them, cats by playing with them. Volunteers foster animals until they are old enough or healthy enough to be adopted. Volunteers help transport animals to rescue groups or adopters from other areas. Volunteers take photos and maintain petfinder websites. Many citizens have volunteered at Eaton County and turned away.

Why would a shelter turn down volunteers? In general, a shelter that is poorly run will not want volunteers on the premises because volunteers will make waves. If a volunteer notices something that is illegal or abusive, it will be reported. Volunteers will work really hard to stop animals from being killed to the point where some shelters feel they are detrimental to the program. In reality, the passion to help keep animals alive must be replenished because a shelter can easily become complacent, believing that nothing will ever change. There are no plans to allow volunteers at Eaton County Animal Shelter.

Why Does Eaton County Sell Animals to Research?

One of the most controversial programs of the shelter is its sale of shelter animals to research. Selling animals to research is not a profit center for the county. In fact, since the most adoptable animals are sold to research, it can be assumed that the sales cause a loss of adoption fees to the county. The Class B Dealer takes the healthiest and easy going dogs because they will be easier for researchers to “work” with. These are the very dogs that will make the best family pets. The Class B Dealer pays only $10 per animal. Adopters pay bring

The National Animal Control Association is against shelters selling animals to research. They are concerned that the community will avoid the shelter, fail to bring strays there or even visit to adopt because of the fear that an animal may end up in research. In Michigan, nearly every humane organization has taken a stand against selling shelter animals to research.Nationally, 14 states ban shelters from selling to research. Some of the greatest research institutions in the United States are located in states that prohibit sales of shelter animals to research, including Harvard, Cornell, Princeton and Yale, just to name a few. Dogs are no longer used as surgery subjects by any medical school in the United States. Most of the country's veterinary schools have stopped using shelter animals.

B Dealers are For Profit Businesses

Whenever the issue of selling shelter animals to research is raised, Class B Dealers claim the animals are necessary to find a cure for cancer in humans and other altruistic claims. Cancer survivors will even speak before county commissions as they did in Ingham County, claiming they will be harmed if Fido is allowed to find a forever home. What they don't say is the Class B Dealer is a for profit business.A review of the finances of Michigan dealer R & R Research in Howard City revealed that R & R was selling shelter pets for an average of $311. Clearly there is more than altruism at work here.

How to Make the Citizens Proud of Their Animal Shelter

First, the shelter must stop selling to research so community confidence in the shelter operation can begin to be repaired. The animal shelter must become a true shelter for in need animals, not a collection bin for researchers. Efforts should be made that are in the best interest of the dog or cat, which means they should be returned to their homes or new homes should be found. A research lab does not qualify as a home.

Second, the shelter should adopt a culture of life. National statistics indicate that less than 10% of the animals entering shelters are candidates for euthanasia. Most dogs and cats entering shelters have the temperament to live with humans, they can find homes. Instead of killing to make room for the next one, it makes sense to actually try and find a reputable rescue group or adoptive home for the animals. This can be accomplished using volunteers to take pictures and complete petfinder.com profiles. In 2008 a shelter cannot run a successful program unless it actively reaches out to the public to find homes. The tools are there and they are free, now they just have to be used.

Just a few initial changes will cause a massive shift in the community's perception of the Eaton County Animal Shelter. Americans love their dogs and cats. They spend billions on caring and pampering their companions. Citizens will no longer stand for substandard treatment of companion animals by government shelters. On March 19^th we'll have an idea whether Eaton County will make it's citizens proud.

Methodology

I've reviewed Eaton County Animal Control's Annual Shelter Reports filed with the State of Michigan for 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007. Also, the Animal Control Department Budget for the same years have been reviewed. Finally, Animal Control Director, Larry Green was interviewed for this article.

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More useful information

Budget Concerns

The animal control expenditures for Eaton County was $250,000 in 2004 and had risen to $372,000 by 2007. The expenditures average $194 per animal. Revenues were $72,378 in 2004 and rose to about $96,000 in 2007.

Statistics from Annual Shelter Reports

Recent Lansing State Journal Articles:
Neighbors Try to Save Abandoned Animals
Abandoned Animals Safe

Legislation to stop Michigan shelters from selling to research

Organizations trying to stop research dealers
American Anti-vivisection
Animal Welfare Institute
Last Chance for Animals