By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Last year the Wood County Humane Society responded to 221 complaints of abused or neglected animals.
With the help of $32,500 from the Wood County Commissioners, the agency can continue coming to the rescue of mistreated animals.
The commissioners presented the funds Tuesday to representatives of the humane society. The check was $2,500 more than the usual annual amount given. The money is used each year to pay for the humane agent’s salary, plus help with costs for the vehicle and equipment used to respond to complaints.
Heath Diehl, president of the volunteer board, and Erin Moore, shelter manager, reported to the commissioners on changes at the shelter.
Diehl said the agency is constantly focused on working more efficiently and being good stewards of donated monies. Moore said the agency had an operational audit conducted recently by an outside company. She also pointed out increased efforts to send staff to educational seminars.
The humane society has a new humane agent, David Petersen, who responds to cruelty complaints.
“He’s been pretty busy on education,” Moore said.
Petersen, who has experience as Sandusky County’s humane agent, gets an estimated 16 calls a month about suspected animal abuse or neglect.
In some of those cases, the owners are educated on proper care and the animals are left with them. For that reason, the humane agent also conducted 882 re-checks last year, according to the Wood County Humane Society’s annual report for 2017.
In other cases, the owners surrender the animals, or the case is taken to court.
“During the really hot times of the year and the really cold times, we get more” cases reported, Moore said.
According to the annual report, the humane society set a record last year of the number of animals taken in, and the number of lives saved. A total of 1,055 animals were taken into the shelter – an increase of 20 percent from the year before – and 987 lives were saved.
Also last year, the shelter’s veterinary team completed 928 surgical procedures — 633 of which were spays and neuters for shelter animals.
Diehl and Moore also reported to the commissioners that the humane society has started to spay and neuter adoptable dogs from the Wood County Dog Shelter.
“We’re hoping there will be many more,” Moore said. “We’re hoping this will be an ongoing great relationship and something good for the community, too.”
The bulk of the Wood County Humane Society’s overall budget of close to $500,000 is from donations and fundraising efforts. The largest fundraiser each year for the organization is coming up later this spring. The annual garage sale intake will be May 21 to 23, followed by the actual sale on May 24 to 26.
