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Hancock County Considers Animal Shelter Takeover

Hancock County Commissioner Mike Swartzmiller said commissioners may have no choice but to assume operation of the county’s animal shelter when its contract with the Hancock County Animal Shelter Foundation expires June 30.

During their meeting Thursday, commissioners — stung by criticism over the proposed contract renewal for the shelter — defended their actions in the matter. They said they felt mischaracterized in news media accounts about the county’s policy on euthanizing animals.

In a letter to commissioners dated June 8, animal shelter foundation President Tom Goff asked for an extension on the bid deadline of June 10 to give the foundation board more time to review the details. Commissioners took no action on Goff’s letter Thursday.

Swartzmiller said the foundation should have bid on the shelter operation by the June 10 deadline, instead of objecting to the wording in the contract.

The foundation wanted to continue operating the shelter but not under the terms of the new contract, which includes language about euthanasia that foundation President Tom Goff has said is problematic. The euthanasia policy incorporates a section of West Virginia Code that states a dog that is not redeemed after five days of being taken to the shelter “shall be sold or humanely destroyed.”

Commissioners said that, while that code section has always been a part of the contract, they have deferred to the shelter foundation for the proper handling of animals.

“If the animal shelter chooses to put down an animal for whatever reason … that is at their discretion,” Davis said. “The county commission has never micromanaged the animal shelter. For that to be reported in the newspaper that way is very malicious, almost barbaric, in my opinion. It never told the whole story.”

While not naming Goff specifically, commissioners said they felt the shelter should have corrected some of the information contained in news coverage of the contract issue. They also defended themselves against anonymous critics who took to social media to spout off about the issue.

On Thursday, Goff apologized for any misunderstanding between himself and the commissioners, but reiterated his belief that the new policy would lead to more euthanasia cases at the shelter.

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