By Jeff Manson, Guest Columnist
We are responding to the article in the Cherokee Scout on Jan. 17, “Sheriff is new animal officer.”
The Valley River Humane Society’s Board of Directors is dismayed to read that the Cherokee County Board
of Commissioners appointed Sheriff Dustin Smith as the county’s Animal Control Officer. This appointment does not entail the resources necessary to carry out the responsibilities assigned to him and his department. We feel that this is a decision that was made without input from key community stakeholders. Tackling the issue of stray and “vicious” dogs requires collaboration and thoughtful discussion among community stakeholders, which include the sheriff’s office, health department and humane society. Most of all, for animal control to be effective, it requires the necessary resources. These resources include allocating a position within the sheriff’s office, proper training and space to house the animals. Funding must be allocated through county commissioners.
Smith has proposed a workable solution by identifying the need for a designated part-time, non-sworn officer to carry out the responsibilities for animal control functions. Additionally, the department needs training, at a reasonable cost of $500 per officer trained.
Many of you are aware of the very difficult year the Valley River Humane Society experienced in 2023, with the sudden loss of our animal shelter manager. We managed to successfully carry on, hiring a new shelter manager and addressing the many challenges of constantly remaining over capacity and housing too many animals in an antiquated facility.
Thankfully, we have tremendous community support. We could not be more appreciative of each of you who understands the importance of what we do each day for the animals in our care. Without our employees, volunteers, donors, adopters and supporters, there would not be a humane society.
We support the community as well; for example, the Valley River Humane Society Thrift Store offers excellent bargains to residents at very affordable prices. All proceeds support the operation of the shelter.
We have some support from county commissioners as well, primarily through the work of Commissioner Jan Griggs. By state law we are paid by the three counties we serve – Cherokee, Clay and Graham – for a three-day stray hold period only. At the time that the 2024 budget was being compiled by the county, we requested to be reimbursed for capital improvements to our shelter, which were necessary to remain in operation (totaling $70,000). The budget for the shelter was approved to include the improvements, and the stray hold cost totaling $250,000.
Our operating budget for 2023 exploded to $1 million as we saw cost increases across the board in areas ranging from animal feed, supplies, veterinary medical care, utilities and more. We work hard as a board of directors to raise the additional funding needed that is not provided through the counties by operating the thrift store, fundraising, soliciting donations and procuring grant funding.
Commissioner Cal Stiles made a statement during the meeting, “The county pays VRHS a quarter-million dollars a year to house stray animals.” According to the article, he has a problem paying that amount and paying other counties to house Cherokee County's vicious dogs.
The three-day stray hold cost paid to the Valley River Humane Society totals $180,000. Cherokee County represents 75 percent of the animals that we receive and care for at our shelter; however, with a $1 million operating budget, we do not receive a fair percentage of what should actually be Cherokee County’s portion.
With our shelter staff operating at a pace they cannot sustain to care for the hundreds of animals we are responsible for daily, we are unable to also house animals for the county. We simply don’t have the space and personnel needed.
The Valley River Humane Society remains committed to our mission of saving lives each and every day. We hope that the commissioners develop a workable and sustainable plan to implement quickly, not in a silo but with us, the sheriff’s office and other key stakeholders. Our community depends on us to do the right thing.
Jeff Manson is vice president of the Valley River Humane Society Board of Directors.