Stray dogs attack, kill Kring’s pet: He says safety one reason animal shelter must reopen
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He hoped someone would come get the strays, apparently abandoned by a neighbor who moved out of a nearby house. Since he works during the day, he was unsure if anyone ever responded, but he remained optimistic.
A former shelter employee once responsible for responding to similar calls, Kring said the situation has gone from bad to worse, as there is currently no hope of anyone solving what he says is an ongoing problem in his neighborhood.
Kring said another one of his animals was attacked by the same strays almost two weeks ago when he let it out briefly before going to work. The dog, a companion dog to Kring and his other animals at his Autumn Road home, suffered a punctured lung and died Tuesday after spending several days at a veterinary clinic.
The animal shelter closed last month, with shelter board members citing the need for more funding.
County commissioners voted to grant the organization $80,000 last month but Humane Society president Andy Anderson said this week the shelter has not been able to open yet, apparently due to a fairly new rule related to fund distribution, which requires non-profit organizations to be reimbursed for expenses rather than be allotted the money quarterly.
That is a stark difference compared to a resolution approved by county officials Aug. 16. It authorized the county executive to negotiate with the Warren County Humane Society for the resumption of regular animal shelter operation as quickly as possible.
While preparing to bury his dog Thursday after picking it up from the veterinarian, Kring said the shelter must be reopened. He said he personally believes the shelter should be open and run by the Humane Society, but that the county should also provide an animal control officer.
Anderson said yesterday Humane Society members would soon be able to make a decision on when the shelter might be reopened. She added she would like to meet with County Executive Kenneth Rogers before that decision is made.
Anderson said current concerns are that an ad-hoc committee appointed by Rogers to “study local animals control issues and opportunities” might exert too much control over the operation of the shelter, which is something Anderson said should be avoided.
“I know there are problems,” she said of the stray animal situation. “We’re dying to do something. We need to do something, but we have to be sure – we cannot have it go back to the way it was when the county was running it.”
Kring said the service is needed.
“I worry more about the fact there’s little kids all over the place here,” Kring said. “The people on the hill have two little kids and they’re outside playing all the time, so if those dogs have the urge, who’s going to stop them?”
Kring said the other dog shown was attacked by the same pack of strays about four months ago and said the shelter needs to reopen as soon as possible.