Because County Executive reduced the Humane Society's Budget, the Humane Society, (putting it bluntly) doesn't have the time or money to answer the BS calls. So, what does County Executive Rick Pollitt do, he has decided to make the Sheriff's Department do it.Folks, if I've said it once I've said it a thousand times, the Eastern Shore needs people in Office with business experience. Good money after bad money is all you get from the elected officials you voted for.
OK, so who in this entire County is doing a good job? My personal answer is, Mike Lewis & Chief Ivan Barkley. Who's getting the biggest CUTS. Need I say more. So far the Sheriff's Department has been cut more than $900,000.00. The Humane Society has been cut $79,000.00. Now, you tell me. What do YOU think are the most bothersome calls the Humane Society gets on a daily basis. My guess is, barking dogs.
The County Executive now wants the Sheriff's Department to take all of those kinds of calls for the Humane Society. Truthfully Folks, I just don't know why Sheriff Mike Lewis puts up with this kind of crap. I've always said he's a better man than me because I know I would take a walk in an instant if this was shoved down my throat.
We ALL know animal rescue is WAY DOWN with the Humane Society because almost every time an animal is lost it's sent to Salisbury News and 100% of the animals posted are reunited with their owners. They do NOT end up at the Humame Society! Here's an even funnier part. Rather than the Humane Society working with Salisbury News, they're now running ads in the Guide. Remember what I always say Folks, "Don't ever forget where you came from."
When the Humane Society was overloaded with animals and funding was tight, Salisbury News ran ads on a weekly basis and guess what happened. The Humane Society actually ran out of animals instantly. Now this doesn't look good for the Humane Society because they're in the business of sheltering animals and they've got that big facility with all that Staff to keep filled and employees busy. Hence no longer seeing ANY more animals from the Humane Society for almost 2 years now on Salisbury News.
So there are political games being played all the time. I had suggested to County Executive Rick Pollitt in a special meeting ways the Humane Society could relieve the taxpayers from 100% of the funding they receive from County Taxpayers. Was anything done about it, NOPE, nothing at all. Three of us got together and offered proposals that could save and raise big money for the Humane Society and we were thrown under the Bus. Why, because they WANT to use your tax money. They don't want to make certain departments work for it.
So now take all the BS calls away from the Humane Society and make the Sheriff's Department go on all those calls. Crime is not UP in the County, right? A dog gets loose, where do people go, Salisbury News. We find the owners so do tell me, what's left for the Humane Society to do?
They won't send us pictures of the animals THEY have in their inventory, they don't want to. So Burden the Sheriff's Department because the Humane Society got cut $79,000.00 vs. the Sheriff's Departments $900,000.00. Now this is a difficult business decision but if I were in charge I think I'd have taken Joe Albero's advice in that special meeting and placed enough pressure on the Humane Society to send more photos to Salisbury News, hold more fundraisers and relieve the taxpayers so the Humane Society could reduce their Staff even more and save the taxpayers a bundle of money, perhaps more than $300,000.00 a year. I mean, if your inventory was reduced 100% because Salisbury News advertised the animals for months and it worked, wouldn't YOU take this seriously?
So for those of you out there who say I just sit here and criticize without providing solutions, you're dead wrong. You just don't see what I do on the inside on a regular basis. Now you'll come back saying I'm just angry because they didn't take my advice. No, I'm not angry at all. My advice is FREE. If they take it, good for them. If they don't, well, you pay in the end, no sweat off my back. At least I'm out there trying. How about YOU Daily Times!
Oh, to you Sheriff Lewis, at least I tried many months ago to make a difference BEFORE any of this was shoved down your throat. Your County Executive not only refused to take our advice, he never returned the promised phone call and or additional meeting he assured us would happen. In fact, when I told them how much money they were giving to the Humane Society every year they ALL shook their heads and said I was wrong. I held my ground, confident I was right and when they left the room to research my numbers they came back with a look of amazement that I was right. The next thing we know they gave the Humane Society additional cuts and threw the BS responsibilities onto the Sheriff's Department instead.
Let me close with this. Director Linda Lugo stated they are doing everything they can. NO THEY ARE NOT! Salisbury News has absolutely proven we, (and others, should they choose to join us) can reduce their overhead by probably 50%, if not a whole lot more.The Humane Society is purposely NOT providing information to news outlets because they want to stay just as large as they are right now at a huge expense to YOU the taxpayers.
Now you know what's really going on.
21 comments:
It's certainly not cheap to run an ad in The Guide either!
As you said Joe, it's nothing but politics! You've pi$$ed off people, being the powers that be and instead of them doing everything they can to save the county money, they chose to do that expensive advertising which most people will NEVER see!
I saw the ad showing a cat up for adoption in this week's guide only because I do check out most of the pages. However, I don't believe that most people read the entire guide.
Our organization just ran "classified" ads for the last few weeks for our event and it was SO expensive! I can't imagine what their DISPLAY ad bill was!
Dear Mr. Pollit...please resign.
What a waste of resources.
doug wilkerson,
Administration has it out for the Sheriff's department. period. Ed Baker, Tea Shea, Rick Pollitt, Matt Craemer just trying to prove that they are still in control. All of them are an old stale bag of chips with none of the skills required in the job market today other than the political back stabbing. The Sheriff's department does not take any of the political bull so Rick makes them suffer. Mike Lewis, Mike Elliott, Todd Richardson, all of them rank #1 as men. The administration has little balls so they have to prove their existence by trying to push their out dated influence. Go away boys.
Rick-do what you do best. Go home and take a nap.
My family stopped in this past weekend to check out the dogs up for adoption...only the middle row of cages had dogs and the majority were mixed pit bulls...about 3 that weren't pit bulls had adopted signs on them...were are all the dogs? PS - there were cats everywhere!
10:57
Yes i agree, what a waste of resources Doug Wilkerson.
I think most people know by now that if they want their dog found, all they have to do is ask you to post something on your blog and more likely than not, they will get their dog back. You provide a wonderful service and I'm appreciative of that.
I saw this coming 2 years ago. I too was at the shelter a few weeks back April 6th to be exact and they only had about 6 dogs in there at that time. Being involved with the Humane Society for many years I thought that very strange for the April time of the year.
For what its worth guys, Salisbury News is reuniting a lot of animals with their owners. Cats, dogs, it doesn't matter.
Now, mind you, there are strays they do takje in but work with us or not, (with all due respect) we're making a difference one way or the other.
No, this is not a pat on the back kind of message. I simply told Rick Pollit we could make a difference with or without them and I thank you for your comments because I know now more than ever what we're doing is not only working, it's making a huge difference for the better for all involved.
The Humane Society does in fact have a ton of other daily tasks to do and the goal my Wife and I have always had is to turn them into a "NO KILL" shelter instead.
The humane society does stuff besides take in lost animals, it offers many services! And if you look at their website it says due to lots of adoptions they are low on dogs!! Is it really a bad thing that they dont have many dogs? That just means alot of dogs have homes! And they help other humane societies with adoptions!
I think the Sheriff's Office has better things to do than answer dog calls. isn't that what the animal control is for? Animal control doesn't answer calls for the Sheriff's Office...
There is still no cat shelter in Somerset county,only a network of dedicated volunteers who "foster" cats in need.
Someone named Suzeee Q posted this on delmarvanow.com.
"Maybe Somerset county can help. They have a high paid animal control officer and a full staff that sits around all day surfing the web. Somerset is much smaller than Wicomico yet has several employees, all dressed in uniforms, with very little to do. The commissioners are thinking about sending them out on cat patrol but maybe it would be wiser to just rent them out to Wicomico for a discounted price. Better yet Somerset should borrow a page out of Wicomico's play book and get rid of animal control all together and let the sheriffs dept handle what few calls they actually receive. Wicomico needs an animal control and doesn't have one, Somerset doesn't need an animal control and does have one. What is wrong with this picture?"
Sounds like to me the two counties should come up with a plan to combine both agencies. Then again, they will come up with some dumb excuse.
I can hear the calls coming in to the WCSO now.
Caller 1: My neighbors dog won't stop barking can you send someone to Laws Road to shut it up?
Dispatcher: Have you spoken with your neighbor?
Caller 1: No, I don't talk to those heathens.
Dispatcher: Someone will be there soon.
Caller 2: Gunshots on Waller Road two houses down from mine. Please send someone.
Dispatcher: We've got a barking dog on the other side of the county, was someone fatally shot on Waller Road?
Caller 2: I don't know you need to send someone ASAP
Dispatcher: Can you ask the shooter to go to Laws Road and fire off a few rounds? In the mean time we'll send one over as soon as we can.
Yeah right. As if WCSO is going to make barking dogs a high priority. Rick Pollitt needs to come to his senses.
first off you are all way off base. I have called wicomico animal control in the past, they will only come out between the hours of 9 to 5, so if the dog or other animal happens to be a problem after that time the sheriffs office has always handled it! If it's in your yard menacing you just shoot it! and if it's always in your yard just say it was menacing you and shoot it!
same goes for those digusting critters people call cats!
there is a leash law in this county and it applies to the cats also!
shame so many pet owners are so irresponsible!
they humane society didn't have a problem spending 10k on a washer and dryer
When neglect of their jobs at the HS was brought to the attention of the Wicomico Cty. Council a few yrs ago & people went to tell their story as to incidences that had occurred-----that is when the Heads of the County must have started planning. ( This was at the time the young man was attacked on his bicycle by 2 stray dogs that had previously attacked before!) The County had to realized Ms Lugo was not doing her job properly . She had been rude with people when it was totally uncalled & there were certainly enough people to state those facts at the meeting ! My thought is, that to brush this under the table, so not to "rock the boat" any more than it was being rocked by the citizens who were sick & tired of the untruths told by the HS,----- the County must have then decided to give the job to the Sherrifs Office------ who are already taxed with trying to take care of crime in this town!!!!
Next the Cty cuts Lugos funds---This results in citizens not being able to complain about problems with cruelty to animals, barking dogs and the like simply because ----Now there isn't enough money, manpower or police time to attend to these matters to help keep the citizens & the animals safe!!!
I heard 3 Animal Control Officers were let go----was any of the other staff? With so much less work I would think a large portion of the staff would have been eliminated or was it just the Animal Control????????
Joe, yes you do a great job reconnecting the lost or found dogs, & it's a shame Lugo doesn't post on here anymore----Those animals would probably have a home in no time.
I wonder if the people out there would also report to you any animal abuse they see, dogs not being on at least a 6 ft chain, chains that are to heavy, no proper shelter & locked in a car, no food or water & anything that relates to animal cruelty so you could post it here? That would be great if they would----then we can see what is being done.
The animals out there being treated inhumanely now, with all these cuts, have very little resources to protect them in this County----and this is totally disgusting!!! I hope you people will come forth to let others know---- on this site----- any news you have if you see abuse happening & what, if anything is being done to correct it.
Mike Lewis is such an asset to we the people!!!----The "higher paid men" in the County should all gladly take pay cuts to give to the Sherrifs Dept.!!!!
Again, Joe, Thanks for all the good you help bring forth! EW
Rick Pollitt is a HACK at best! Get rid of this BUM!
where is the Sheriff's office going to put the animals, in the evidence vault ?
No wonder they don't have many animals there any more. With only one person out there to follow up on complaints of stray dogs or abuse-----the animals aren't being taken to the HS!
7:56 Do you mean to tell me the Hs spent $10,000 on a washer & dryer----What the H--- kind was it anyway---Never heard of them costing that much.
Lugo is under almost No Control, but Her Own-----Sure she's done good things----but for the most part ------ the County would be better off with someone else with less of an ego problem!!!
1:26 You hit the nail on the head They are Totally rude & arrogant!!!This County should hang their heads in shame they help support the employees who work there!!! They are a disgrace to all of us residing here!!!
There are Laws made to be followed-----this County does nothing to help back the people up when they complain about the way this organization is run. They casually brush it all under the carpet. They need to be shut down & start all over again with a new slate of names!!! I've lived in this town a long time & this disgrace didn't occur till under management of Lugo.
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