A priority of animal welfare

Dear Editor:
The perseverance of County Commissioner Brenda Hutchinson is commendable. Week by week she brings Morgan County through the almost evolutionary process of giving animal welfare a rightful priority among the duties of county law enforcement personnel.
Hutchinson had a draft ordinance available for consideration at the second workshop session, in contrast to the under-preparedness of other participants. Her earlier solicitation of ideas for education on the fundamentals of shelter and restraint options unfortunately produced no meaningful contribution.
The efforts of Gary Brock in proposing and pursuing the ordinance are praiseworthy, and demonstrate that one person can indeed make a difference.
In the meantime, the chained dogs of this county need alert neighbors if they are to survive this winter. Hundreds of dogs received neither food nor water during the days of the snow storm. Their owners require the insistence of law enforcement if these confined animals are to receive attention.
Further praise is due the County Commission for the new weekend Animal Control Officer, Cory Barch, who endeavored through bitterly cold hours to catch a young border collie as it repeatedly crossed U.S. 522. A Fire Department volunteer came to offer assistance, and a kindly passerby donated a cheeseburger as bait. So much can be achieved from combined effort.
Dawn White
Berkeley Springs