This post is not meant to be a comprehensive critique of the Humane Society. I’m not qualified to offer one. This post is in response to a comment we receive on this morning’s post Wicomico County Council to Tackle Humane Society:
I think we are going to be OK here. Last year Joe said that he was going to build a facility that would directly compete with the Humane Society and eventually make them obsolete. Mr. Harrison could you provide the readers with an update on the status of that facility?
SBYnews publisher Joe Albero did make a proposal to the county government. I think that is where the commenter misunderstands thing. To be frank, the premise of the question is false. However, assuming that the commenter is sincere, I will attempt to explain.
As previously stated, Albero DID make a proposal to the county government. The key points of that proposal were:
- Albero would construct a facility (of sufficient size and with the appropriate amenities) on a 37 acre parcel he owns near Willards.
- Wicomico County would appropriate $300,000 per year (at the time of the proposal, the annual appropriation to the Humane Society) for the purposes of Animal Control.
- Albero would build a facility (of sufficient size and with the appropriate amenities) on the donated property.
- At the END of five years, no more funding from the county taxpayer would be expected. Future revenues would come from fundraising.
The simple answer to the commenter’s question is – nothing has been done. Why? Because the Wicomico County government never accepted Albero’s offer.
Was Albero supposed to build a facility on spec in the “hopes” that Pollitt and the county council would act? I wouldn’t.
19 comments:
I followed Joe's dealings with this closely last year and he specifically stated he would "not ask for a penny from the county". I was truly excited because as a vet tech and animal lover I have seen first hand the way that many pets are discarded in our area. So if what you are saying is true Mr. Harrison, Joe was asking for the money that is currently allocated to the humane society to be allocated to him. If that is the case I can understand why the County turned him down. The humane society is not a perfect model (not by a long shot) but it is an accepted model throughout the country. Why would the county trust tax payer funds to be allocated to a private citizen? Especially a citizen who has no experience in this matter.
Anonymous 1:35, you don't read very well, do you.
My proposal to the County asked for the SAME money/funding they are providing the HS right now, FOR 5 YEARS. AFTER 5 years we wouldn't ask for a penny from the County Taxpayers whatsoever.
WHATm do you want me to take a 37 acre parcel of land, spend at least $1,000,000.00 in construction on a new facility and do it ALL for FREE?
I'll tell you what. IF the County Taxpayers are that greedy and think someone will come along with a better offer, LET'S SEE IT!
I'll await your response. Maybe you'll read the comment all the way through, unlike the article.
Sounds like a good idea to me! I am an animal lover and would love to see something like this happen!!
Joe there is no need to talk down to me, I read the articles regarding this matter all the way through - many times. I even printed out the original article and circulated it through our office - I still have it hanging on the bulletin board in front of me. Believe me, you made it clear that you were not asking for any money from the county.
Regardless, I think that we are on the same team here. I was/am excited about the prospect of a new animal shelter. The problem I have is you expecting the county to give a citizen who has no training (with all due respect) the money that is allocated to the humane society (even with all of their problems and shortcomings they at least have a business model to work from and vets on staff). Did your proposal include a partnership with a local veterinarian or at least outline what kind of staff you would have? You of all people recognize the danger of a private citizen getting in bed with government funds.
anonymous 2:34, You couldn't have known all of the details because we never exposed all of it.
My Wife would have been the Director, (18 years as the Vet Tech for the Salisbury Zoo) who also met with the entire County Executive Staff.
The proposal was solid and would have saved the taxpayers millions of dollars.
Again, from what you're saying, YOU would have expected me to lose $1,250,000.00 to $1,500,000.00 to the taxpayers of Wicomico County, yet you think a "private citizen" shouldn't be in business with government??????
We're not on the same side here. It, (no matter what) would have been a financial loss for me personally IF I had been told they liked the idea. However, there is no possible way I was going to watch the County put out that kind of funding over the next 5 years without regrouping SOME of the millions I would have invested.
You have conveniently forgotten the value of the property proposed as well.
Now, with all due respect, I have far better things to do than to go back and forth on this issue. Clearly you will not accept what I offered and that is your right.
Now, if YOU would like to make a better offer and front a few million dollars to the County, you go for it.
Seriously all of you need to quit your complaining-at least you HAVE a shelter.Somerset County has NO shelter facilities.
The many animal lovers in Wicomico County need to work together to make this a better county for animals. Does anyone out there have experience organzing? I have no doubt that the right person could organize the animal lovers of the county so it will be a better place. Trust me when I say the humane society of Wicomico County is not as good as it could be and it has precious little to do with lack of funds; it has to do with lack of care. Try volunteering there some time and find out what really goes on.
How do you get on the Board of Directors?
Post 4:15, there is a Humane Society in Somerset. I know Michelle, the director there personally, and she runs the shelter there beautifully.
So what happened at the meeting last night??
You're worried about the County giving money to Joe----you must be nuts ! He is 1st & foremost a Business person!
This County can give our money away to Lugo with No checks & balances & think the people are going to keep on accepting her crap & theirs ! Wake up Rick, Creamer & Council!!!! Get it straight!!! Do an audit on them---let the people know what's happening to their money!!!
Anonymous 9:23pm
Very,Very,Very Well Said!
ah why don't u all go to the humane society and volunteer. maybe you can experience how inhumane some people are as pet owners and the conditions pets are in when they drop off their unwanted pets.some of you live like a bunch of pigs.a mouse or rat lives in better conditions than most of you ,by the way your yards are kept let alone the inside looks like a junkyard.Sanford & Son didn't live like that.go bark up tree and hang yourselves by your bootstraps if you have any.
10:02 PM
Sounds like someone hit a nerve. If you work there like you sound you do, you have no business in that field with your attitude.
Even if anything you say is true, it does not justify the things that the HS is being accused of.
Quite the contrary, it indicates a very deep and worrisome atmosphere.
The animals are certainly not being well served if that is the case.
10:02 -- Wow. Employee of the Humane Society. Great example of what everyone is talking about. Psycho.
If better off folks want to set something up, God bless 'em and more power to them! I think voluntarism would provide great results and save the tax payers a bundle.
3ooK is all they get? Animal control people work how many days a week? They need vehicles, equipment, taining and office space. Then there's the housing and caring for the animals for days and/or weeks. It actually seems too reasonable and I agree with the "pro" HS posts ahead of me. Go and see before you judge. Better yet, let us know what other county's pay for this service. I think we would all be surprised.
Post 5:11 I live in somerset county. We do not have a proper humane society they do not have a facility to house animals all they do is offer a low cost spay and neuter program. That does not qualify them to be a humane society. If you know anything different please let me know.
Yeah, go ahead & TRY to volunteer at the HS! IF they let you, you will be barred from any area where you might see or hear anything they don't want you to know about (like the freezer where the dead animals are kept until they are cremated, the crematorium, including the huge piles of bones and ashes of the hundreds {yes, hundreds} of cremated animals, the euthanasia room). IF they let you, you will, at best, be allowed to walk a few dogs, wash some dishes and toys, do some laundry and maybe clean out some pens. If you're going there to do some court-ordered community service, don't even bother, they'll tell you they don't need any help. They frequently turn away volunteers because they "don't need any help" at that time. In fairness, there are liability issues they have to worry about when assigning duties to volunteers & there is only a certain amount of work that is appropriate for a volunteer.
Why, though, do they cut back on their animal control responsibili-ties and continue to fully employ the office staff, and redundant directors, executive directors, grand poobahs, etc?
...and to Mr. "vets on staff," (unless I'm misinformed) they have a vet who comes in part-time to spay and neuter and very little else. ...and can he be considered to be "on-staff" if most of what he does is on a volunteer or fee-for-service (spay/neuter fees) basis?
The first thing the folks who are at the HS now need is an attitude change with respect to the people who sincerely care about animals and want to do what they can to help. They're primarily a group of "public servants" who resent serving the public. This attitude starts at the top & has infected those who work there.
Mr. Albero would be hard-pressed to do worse than the current group.
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