Support shelter staff and animals in Macon County
Joanne M. Roesner, Guest Columnist
This is my response to an article in The Franklin Press following the December 10 meeting.
The actions of John Shearl at the Dec. 10 Macon County Commission meeting opposing the hiring of a kennel attendant and chastising current staff at the Macon County Animal Shelter at best reflect ignorance and at worst reflect obstructionism and grandstanding.
I am a local veterinarian who has donated thousands of dollars of goods and services and who is at the facility working every week. I started helping because I was moved by how hard the staff and community volunteers worked to help the animals in the face of little institutional support. My attitude is always to be part of a solution rather than to simply heap criticism from afar. This letter comes after effort on my part to meet privately with Mr. Shearl to understand his position and after much prayer.
At the Dec. 10 meeting, Mr. Shearl makes the comment: “If they can’t enact their authority, why should we want to hire another person?”
This is in reference to complaints from constituents about an unconfined dog on Lake Emory Road. The reality of this situation is that officers had no authority to do anything except issue a citation as the dog was on the owners’ property. Dogs are considered property and to confiscate the animal without due process would be stealing.
Does Mr. Shearl expect the staff of Macon County Animal Services to break the law simply because he is receiving calls? Resolution of this situation occurred because of the decency, dedication and efforts of the employees involved. They did more than meet the expectation of their employment. They continued to work with the pet owner and convinced her to voluntarily relinquish the animal. Happily, the dog was rehomed.
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Mr. Shearl was further quoted as saying he has “deep respect” for animal services staff. Perhaps this respect would have been better demonstrated by an accurate portrayal of the circumstances rather than a public accusation of lack of job performance which is not supported by the facts. I find myself wondering how staff can continue to function in the face of so much unfair criticism.
As a business owner for 25 years, I ask how this criticism relates to staffing needs. There are four employees hired to fulfill all the needs of an animal control department which, according to Health Department Officer Jimmy Villiard, handled nearly 1,400 animals last year. Employee numbers are simply inadequate. If an individual’s job performance was in question — which it is not — that might indicate need for remediation. It does not change the number of employees required to adequately staff. This organization could not function without the hundreds of hours of volunteer help that is freely given. I will add that the young people who are employed at MCAS are some of the finest I have ever met. They do so much more than just their jobs.
A tragedy occurred recently which might have been mitigated by having adequate trained staff. This is an acute need, funding is already available and the position needs to be filled. This needs to be done now, not in the spring as proposed by Chairman Josh Young. Mr. Shearl’s suggestion of divesting animal control from the county to the private sector is not a near-term solution, if it is tenable at all. The current humane organizations simply do not have the capacity.
Please join me at the Macon County Commission meeting in February to support the staff and volunteers who are actively working to help animals and residents of Macon County.
