An advertisement was taken out in the Wise County Messenger to try and bring some attention to the Wise County animal shelter and the animals it has up for adoption.
When the salesperson from the Messenger showed up to listen to my idea, she thought it was a great idea and was unaware herself, despite being a long-time Wise County resident, where the county animal shelter even was.
This is exactly the problem and the type of information we are trying to get out to people to raise the awareness that animal adoptions are available in our county without a trip to the Metroplex. After all, there are no signs from either the county or the highway department on how to get to the animal shelter.
The question is, has the ad been effective at all?
Numbers compiled by the Messenger advertising department and the Wise County Animal Control officer say yes. Out of 19 animals featured in these ads, 14 have been adopted and one has been claimed by their owner as a lost pet. In addition, I have been told that the foot traffic at the shelter has doubled since the ads have been in place. The county animal shelter takes in, on average, between 100 and 150 dogs a month. Approximately one-third of these animals are reclaimed or adopted, which leaves 100 dogs a month to be euthanized.
The fee the county pays to relinquish an animal to be euthanized is $30. I think most people would rather see the county spend the $36,000 it is spending on euthanizing towards creating and building a shelter that attracts people to adopt these animals.
With a new commissioners court now in session, what a great way for them to show the voters the kind of impact they can have to help improve the county. Everybody knows that it is not necessary to spend $1 million for an animal control facility. But0 when you go after a sole bid, you in essence say one of two things name your price or give me an unrealistic figure. That only shows you have made a half-hearted effort to get voters off your back for a few months.
Cost sharing between the county and cities is asking for turmoil between officials when it comes to breaking down costs. If the county built a shelter big enough like they did the jail then they should be able to take in animals from surrounding towns at a reasonable price to help recoup and offset the price of the facility.
Commissioners should form a community-based focus group to work with the animal control officer to determine the essentials for an animal shelter. They should be reasonable. Do not try to build a resort-style shelter but one that is functional. Go out and get bids, and then if you still can t seem to find funding, send it to us, the voters with options to make it happen instead of just saying it is not feasible.
One of the great things about being in a bedroom community is that you almost always have good support from local businesses, individuals and civic groups. I would think that it may be an option to have these local businesses or groups sponsor individual pens in the animal shelter. That would help offset the cost of feeding an animal which is an adoption candidate versus keeping it three days and then euthanizing it to make room for the next victim.
I am not an animal activist and I know that every animal that is picked up or dropped off is not going to meet the criteria to be adopted. But I am a citizen who feels that we need to do something to help better our community. The cost to adopt an animal from the county is $25, plus a minimal fee for spaying or neutering as well as getting a rabies shot. Animals currently in the county s animal shelter available for adoption can be seen by calling animal control at (940) 627-5971.
Mike Christiansen lives in Cottondale. He is the general manager for King s Truck Beds, located on Texas 114 west of Boyd, which sponsors the ads advocating adoption of animals from the Wise County Animal Control shelter. The shelter is located in the southeast corner of the Wise County Sheriff s Posse Grounds on Farm Road 51 South in Decatur.
