[Mackenzie’s Admin]

Ryan Jeltema
Assistant News Editor

STANTON – While not the worst she’s seen, Dr. Wendy Swift believes the Montcalm County Animal Shelter is in dire need of improvement.

After touring the Stanton shelter Feb. 18, the Humane Society of Kent County’s medical director graded the Stanton shelter a 2 out of 5 during her hourlong assessment at Wednesday’s animal shelter ad hoc committee meeting.

Swift said the county likely needs to spend about $150,000 to bring the facility up to code and meet animals’ basic needs.

"You’re definitely not the worst I’ve seen but you’re below average right now," Swift told the committee. "You have some compliance issues."

She said the facility most desperately needs an upgraded computer system to better track animals in the shelter and provide better statistical data. Swift said the shelter still is utilizing an outdated and inefficient paper record keeping system, which she blamed for animals that aren’t accounted for – including 37 last June.

Swift also pointed out that the shelter’s size is inadequate for the number of animals kept there. She proposed not allowing cats into the shelter and transforming the existing cat room into more space to house dogs.

"Your building is just not designed to house all those animals in that facility and properly care for them," Swift said. "You’ve got to euthanize a whole bunch of animals or stop taking as many animals. You could send more to pound seizure but I know that’s a tough subject for all of you."

She said rescue groups are available to help eliminate the shelter’s cat population without euthanizing all of them.

In addition, Swift pointed out that much better employee training is needed, especially with cleaning and disinfecting the facility. She said the Montcalm County Jail inmate work crews that mix a bleach solution used to clean the floor aren’t properly trained in how much bleach to use, which violates state regulations.

"It’s disheartening to think that somebody could be putting 50-50 bleach mixture on a dog," Swift said. "But inmates just aren’t trained to do that."

She said a lack of separation between the kennels potentially allows diseases to spread easily.

Jeanne Urbanski of Coral, a member of the Concerned Citizens Coalition of Montcalm, said Swift’s report shows the shelter needs attention and citizens groups stand ready to help if the county ends a controversial contract with R&R Research in Howard City, which allows the company to take live animals from the shelter and sell them for medical research.

The process is often referred to as pound seizure.

"It just goes to show what happens to any facility when it goes 30 years with no improvement," Urbanski said. "There’s support to make our shelter a better place. I hope our commissioners will get rid of the things that brought us here, which are euthanasia in a barrel and pound seizure.

"We have a golden opportunity to turn things around," she said. "The people that are here are here because they care."

Committee member Fran Schuleit of Greenville said Swift’s presentation was valuable as she and other committee members contemplate policy and procedure changes for the shelter. A subcommittee was supposed to outline a set of proposed policies and procedures March 11 but that will be delayed.

"We have a lot of recommendations and a lot of work to do," Schuleit said. "There’s a lot of policy development that needs to be done."

Instead the committee will continue discussing the future of the R&R Research contract at the next meeting at 3:30 p.m. March 11. The committee now will meet every other Wednesday.

Reader Comments

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Posted: Thursday, February 26, 2009
Article comment by: NOT SURPRISED

While it is of absolute NO SURPRISE that the shelter got failing marks, but I am sure the commissioners don’t care because it gives more reason for their pockets to be lined by Woudenburg taking the animals instead of going into the shelter that is filthy and unwilling to clean up their act!

Posted: Thursday, February 26, 2009
Article comment by: Susan Maguire

You can’t ignore something for 30 years and expect it to be up to current standards. We have a $180,000 + budget for the shelter, numerous employees and a shelter that is failing. The items mentioned in this article have been brought to the attention of the commissioners and the shelter director and staff over and over again by rescue groups and the public.

I find it extremely disconcerting that an experienced animal control officer like Ms. Lentz does not know how to clean a shelter properly and would allow the cages to be cleaned with bleach while a dog is inside it. I also find it very disturbing that the drinking water spigots aren’t working and haven’t been for who knows how long. Dogs drinking bleach water off the floor is simply unacceptable.

37 dogs unaccounted for in June? How many other dogs are unaccounted for and what the heck happened to them?? This is also unacceptable.

It’s about time all of this came out into the open for all to see. Perhaps now the public can understand why so many of us in this county have been up in arms for so long.

"Never, never be afraid to do what’s right especially if the well being of a person or animal is at stake. Society’s punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way."

-Martin Luther King Jr

Posted: Thursday, February 26, 2009
Article comment by: unemployed animal lover

Are they hiring? I need a job! I used to work at a vet/kennel/boarding facility in GR doing anything that needed to be done. We had an area to take the dogs out and walk or play with them each day even, as well as a grooming clinic. It wouldn’t hurt to play with, walk, or groom the animals, to make sure that each animal is happy and well cared for. It might help adopt them out alot quicker as well.

If I knew that I would have income to care for these animals, I would start one of these facilities myself. Also, it seems that everything is focused on dogs & cats, when there are many other animals that are being neglected and abandoned right now (equines is a big one).

Posted: Thursday, February 26, 2009
Article comment by: James

Is she saying that we should be a Humane Society? Maybe the residents should start one?

Posted: Thursday, February 26, 2009
Article comment by: DJ Freeman

Perhaps privatization of the shelter would be a better idea. If the commissioners don’t like to spend money disposing of dead animals, do you think they care to spend more money on the live ones?

Posted: Thursday, February 26, 2009
Article comment by: Nikki

Now lets all hope that the commissioners will LISTEN to this and act on it!

Posted: Thursday, February 26, 2009
Article comment by: Frances Schuleit

There was a recommendation made that the shelter director begin working immediately to update policies and practices. However, the current work with the prosecutor’s office will preclude the director from initiating that right away. Therefore, the committee will meet in two weeks to begin addressing policy needs, as well as whether or not a contract is indicated with a Class B dealer.

Posted: Thursday, February 26, 2009
Article comment by: Mr Bobo

speaking as somewhat of an expert on this issue… providing adequate shelter and medical care for these animals is of the utmost importance. they need more funding ASAP! and people need to spay or nueter their pets

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