Tired of the noise

Dear Editor:

I am writing in response to the letters over the past several weeks bashing our commissioners again over the “Animal Control Facility.” First off I want to commend Commissioners Brad Close and Stacy Dugan for doing what is right and makes sense with our tax dollars. There seems to be a few folks in our community that have their priorities way out of order, but be assured the silent majority stands firm with you on this. We have more important things to focus on in this community. Our leaders should be focusing on the people.

The folks complaining need to understand that Animal Control is exactly that, Animal Control. Animal Control is not an adoption agency for unwanted animals to be kept for long periods, or bringing sick animals back to health. It is, as mandated by WV State code, a subsidiary of our local government that is charged with picking up stray dogs and holding them for five days (State Code). If the owner has not retrieved their dog by this time, the county may either; adopt, sell, or humanely euthanize the dog (WV Code Chapter 19-20). The county has gone above and beyond by keeping the dogs in most cases longer than a month.

Animal Control, has a completely different mission than that of the Humane Society, and should not be confused with them.

For those that feel these animals should be housed and kept until adopted, I would suggest you start asking the questions to the real folks that have turned their backs on these troubled dogs.

The Humane Society or any other qualified rescue should be where these dogs belong, not animal control. In fact, with all of the time and money that these people have spent lambasting our County Commissioners, they could have built their own Taj Mahal of dog kennels.

My point is simple, this issue should be funded privately and not with taxpayer funds. I encourage those concerned to write a check or adopt a dog, either way, quit trying to tell the commission how to spend our taxpayer money.

Let’s work on real issues like creating jobs, making sure our children have food to eat and ending the drug abuse, to name a few.

Commissioners’ Close and Dugan, I support all you have done to stop this senseless spending that has been supported by your counterpart. Keep up the good work.

Tim Compton
Morgan County