County, Humane Society continue talks about quarantined animals

The Humane Society of Young County and the County Commissioners Court continued discussions about the addition of a clause for quarantined animals to their contract during the commissioners meeting Monday, Sept. 23.

The commissioners and humane society had a discussion regarding animal control and quarantined animals during an Aug. 26 meeting which reached no solution. This issue became a pressing matter after the sheriff’s department recently could find no available veterinarian in the county for quarantine observation after a dog bite case.

The two sides were still at an impasse by the end of the meeting Monday over the additional clause to the $20,000 contract.

“The society shall make 24 hour access to the facility available to the county, county’s appointed agent or if no agent has been appointed, then to the sheriff or sheriff’s deputy for the purpose of confining and/or quarantine of an animal for observation purposes when circumstances mandate such action,” the clause reads.

The clause also adds the county may add or construct a shelter on the premises for use of quarantining animals for the county’s sole use, if necessary.

Humane Society Board President Jaclyn Burke said the society currently has two kennels which could be used for quarantine, but they are not accepting quarantined animals. She added there could be many problems for the shelter, including money, if their employees will be in charge of observing the quarantined animals again.

“The cost per animal that the $20,000, seeing as so far this year we have taken in 410 animals from unincorporated Young County, that averages out to $49 an animal,” Burke said. “But, our costs just to intake an animal is $58 that includes vaccines, heart worm testing (etc.) The actual cost over outcome is about $162 per animal. So, that being said we are happily raising about $110 per animal.”

Board treasurer Joseph Green said everything the commissioners are wanting will cost the shelter more money and they are currently operating at loss. He said they cannot make a budget because they are so heavily reliant on donations.

The board president said they would have to implement some things which we required by the government before they could take on quarantined animals. She said some of those include needing to have the manager of the facility be a veterinarian or pass a Texas Department of Health training course.

“Probably not just the manager, but anybody that is supervising or in control of any of these animals that are supposed to be under rabies quarantine, are going to need to be trained,” Burke said. “Also, we would ask that the pre-exposure rabies vaccine series is administered to anybody that (would be in contact.)”

Bullock requested the Humane Society board to go back and rediscuss the options of quarantining animals again and come back to the next meeting, Oct. 15, to hopefully reach an agreement on the subject.

For the rest of the story, see the Saturday, Sept. 28 edition of The Graham Leader.