Marble – The Valley River Humane Society and Cherokee County Commissioner Ben Adams are at odds over funding and services between the animal shelter and the county.
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The humane society posted an open letter on its Facebook page in response to statements Adams has made at meetings and on social media that “have presented partial information or omitted key context. The public deserves the full, accurate picture.”
In response, Adams posted his responses, including the following unedited post:
“Question and not starting a argument with the following pic are you willing to work with the county if we don’t
Make spay and neutering mandatory
Leash laws
Registering of animals
Can post a pic it won’t allow me
Copy and pasted
1. 3. 9. In general, unless some action is taken ‘on the front end’ to reduce significantly the numbers of free-roaming un-neutered animals, it will be impossible for VRHS to accept all animals from either County Government Departments or Cherokee County Citizens/residents.”
The humane society responded to Adams’ comment.
“Not arguing but it’s math. We have capacity limits put on us by the entities that inspect us. If the shelter is at that capacity then it is impossible – not that we aren’t willing – but not legally possible,” the response reads.
“Would you ask the fire marshal to bend the rules of occupation in a school, or a pre-K or a nursing home or a hospital? This is what we are being asked to do, and our response is based on budget and math. Nothing personal.”
Adams’ responses have drawn reaction from others who have been following the thread, including from local resident Julie Farris.
“Do you know how totally unprofessional you are being right now? Why are you not meeting with the VRHS team in person to solve the problem instead of posting on social media? There is NO WAY you cannot acknowledge that there is an animal problem in the county,” Farris wrote.
“As a county commissioner, it is YOUR JOB to assist the county and residents with issues, not cause more discourse in the county. Just a suggestion ... Call the shelter and arrange a meeting with the staff and board. Try to find a solution instead of baiting anyone on social media.”
Debra Thompson added, “I don’t understand how such a disrespectful imbecile was elected to begin with.”
Clarifying, Adams posted, “All I am asking is: If we do not make Spay and neutering Mandatory, A leash law And registering of animals Mandatory, Are you still going to work with us? Nothing Personal.”
In reply, Farris quipped, “Please turn off Facebook … nothing personal.”
County funding
Cherokee County commissioners want interim reports about the Valley River Humane Society’s operations as a condition to continue the county’s $250,000 annual contribution for housing homeless dogs and cats.
The humane society operates a no-kill animal shelter in Marble that works under contract for Cherokee and Clay counties.
State law requires the county to fund 72 hours of an animal’s shelter. About 75% of the humane society’s $1.2 million budget is funded by donations, but because of its no-kill policy, the shelter is often at capacity and can’t take new drop-offs.
As far as county commissioners are concerned, that means the shelter isn’t fulfilling its end of the contract. Some commissioners are also concerned that the shelter doesn’t allow drop-in visits from people interested in adopting animals.
Humane society officials have described the interim report as a deadline for continued funding, while Adams has denied that a deadline exists.
In its open letter, the humane society said it values open dialogue with elected officials. However, officials felt a response was needed to Adams’ recent posts on Facebook, which seemed to have been removed as of Monday.
“Commissioner Adams has claimed the county did not give VRHS a funding deadline,” the letter reads. “Yet, in the commissioners’ meeting video (at 11:50), he states that VRHS should be funded ‘for six months and then we will see how it’s going before funding for the rest of the year.’ This is a deadline. It prevents VRHS from responsibly projecting its annual budget and directly impacts how many animals we can help.
“Like the county, we must plan for the entire fiscal year. Our intake numbers – and therefore the scope of our services – are tied to our budget. Annual planning is not an ‘ultimatum’; it is a best practice in nonprofit management.
“VRHS is often described as “just another nonprofit asking for money. That narrative ignores the fact that over 80% of the animals we care for come directly from Cherokee County – a figure we track and report monthly,” the letter reads.
Most animals from here
In June, the shelter took in 98 animals, 65 of which were from Cherokee County along with four born at the shelter. The shelter operates on an annual budget of about $1.25 million.
“Of that, we are asking the county to commit $250,000 – only 20% of our budget. We raise the remaining 80% ourselves through grants, fundraisers, donations and partnerships,” the letter reads.
“Rather than being recognized for our ability to raise four-fifths of our budget independently – an achievement most nonprofits could only hope for – VRHS has found itself on the receiving end of criticism that overlooks this extraordinary self-reliance.
“Commissioner Adams has suggested that because our website lists fewer adoptable animals than our shelter houses, we are withholding animals from adoption. The truth is that every single animal must first be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and deemed healthy before being listed.
“This is not a VRHS policy – it is a legal requirement set by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and the ASPCA. Until animals are ready, they cannot be placed for adoption. This ensures healthy adoptions and prevents contributing to overpopulation,” the letter reads.
A so-called “investment income” refers to the occasional bequests left to VRHS in the form of investments, which are liquidated immediately to serve animals. The “rental income” is a $12,000 annual lease from a cell tower on its property.
Financial records are open for review, but spending $9,000-$12,000 on a forensic audit “would take resources away from the very animals our donors intended to help,” the letter reads.
Contrary to claims that the humane society employs 41 people, its staff count is 21, which includes animal care workers, veterinary staff, administrative staff and thrift store employees – some of whom work below minimum wage to protect their Social Security benefits.
Adams has expressed frustration that the public cannot freely walk the shelter’s kennel aisles. The open letter said the policy is for safety and animal welfare reasons.
“Our shelter is not a pet store,” the letter reads. “Many animals are recovering from trauma or illness; unrestricted access can cause stress, fear or even aggression. Structured, supervised interactions protect everyone.”
Accomplishments
Despite limited funding and significant challenges in the past year, the humane society has:
- Built an on-site surgical suite, reducing costs and improving care.
- Constructed a new climate-controlled puppy building.
- Replaced non-compliant fencing.
- Built specialized kennels for “dangerous animal” holds in coordination with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.
- Assisted in rescuing more than 100 cats from a hoarding case, ensuring all were spayed or neutered.
- Provided storm relief during Hurricane Helene using designated grant funds.
“The work of VRHS is complex, regulated and deeply tied to the health of our community’s animals. Criticism without context not only undermines the people who dedicate their lives to this mission, but risks eroding public trust in an organization that is, in fact, highly transparent and exceptionally self-sufficient,” the letter reads.
“We remain ready to work with our county leaders in a spirit of collaboration. But we will also stand firm in ensuring that facts – not partial narratives – guide our community’s under-standing,” the letter ends.