|
 |
| The Montcalm County Animal Shelter in Stanton will be a topic of discussion during Monday’s County Board of Commissioners meeting. |
| | Schedule of speakers | Those scheduled to address the Montcalm County Board of Commissioners about the County Animal Shelter or County Animal Control Department on Monday include the following.
• 1:15 p.m. - Greenville attorney G.R. Pete Frye "will discuss the need to recruit persons to facilitate dog rescue. How to have volunteers do this."
• 1:20 p.m. - Greenville resident Sandy Carlton will "present information and arguments to support our group's request not to renew the contract between the county and Class B dealer."
• 1:40 p.m. - Jeanne Urbanski and Susan Maguire of the Montcalm County Committee for Animal Welfare will present "comments on why the Concerned Citizens Coalition feels our proposal should be carried out. Why pound seizure should be ended in Montcalm County."
• 2 p.m. - Greenville veterinarian Randy Carpenter "would like to offer fresh, new, exciting ideas relating to Montcalm County Animal Control."
• 2:10 p.m. - R&R Research owner Jim Woudenberg and Dr. Howard Rush of the University of Michigan Unit for Lab Animal Medicine will present a discussion and presentation on animals for research.
|
|
1/23/2009 10:19:00 AM
Animal shelter to be discussed again Monday
Ryan Jeltema
News Editor
STANTON - Montcalm County's contract with R&R Research Breeding in Howard City will be the topic of discussion during Monday's County Board of Commissioners meeting.
But a decision likely won't be made then.
The agenda for Monday's meeting includes presentations from four individuals and one duo regarding either the County Animal Shelter or the County Animal Control Department in Stanton.
R&R Research's five-year contract with the county, which allows the business to take live animals from the shelter to sell for medical research, will expire in February and the commissioners will decide whether to renew it.
R&R Research owner Jim Woudenberg hopes to convince the commissioners that his company's services provide a better benefit to society than simply euthanizing the animals. He sells animals to clients inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture who use them for research on possible human medical advances and veterinarian training.
"We only get animals that are about to be euthanized," he said. "They're unwanted and unclaimed animals. If I win (a new contract), I win and more animals go to save lives. If I lose then more animals go to the landfill."
Before R&R Research has a chance to claim animals he said the owner, general public and animal rescue groups all get an opportunity to adopt them.
"It's a simple issue," Woudenberg said. "The question is this - if given a choice would you rather have your animal go into the landfill or to research? Choose one or the other."
Sandy Carlton, a Greenville resident and member of the Montcalm County Citizens for Animal Welfare, plans to argue that research involving animals is acceptable but it shouldn't involve former pets. She believes animals that once were pets deserve a comfortable death instead of being subjected to medical testing.
"My position is, even if the alternative is to have more euthanasia that is better than having animals released into the pound release (research) system," Carlton said.
She said many animals end up at the shelter because their owners no longer are able to care for them.
"I can't stress enough what a betrayal of trust this is," Carlton said. "People have a far better ability to deal with the fear that if they can't keep their animal they can rest comfortably knowing it will be put down comfortably than sold for research.
"I'm not arguing against research," she said. "I'm arguing against taking people's pets and profiting from a bad situation."
District 3 Commissioner Ron Retzloff, chairman of the commissioners' Law Enforcement and Courts Committee, which oversees the shelter's operations, said he actively is looking into alternatives for the services R&R Research provides.
"I've been looking for information to see what benefit we have from the contract," he said. "Is there something we can put out there that other people can look at and say, 'I can provide that service?' I just don't believe in that contract and just won't vote for it."
However, Retzloff pointed out that R&R Research also disposes of euthanized animals from the shelter in exchange for permission to take the live animals, which Woudenberg estimated could cost the county about $6,000 to $8,000 if the contract is not renewed.
"I've asked for numbers and figures to see what it would cost if we don't have a contract and he's not taking the dogs. Then we have to do that one way or another," said Retzloff. "Either he does it and gets rid of them or we have to euthanize and dispose of them. They're going to get euthanized one way or another."
|
Posted: Monday, January 26, 2009
Article comment by:
Dog Lover
Shame on MI and SHAME on Montcalm County residents if they allow the use of homeless pets for inhumane and cruel animal research.
For heaven's sake...that is just plain barbaric!
SAY NO TO R&R Research Breeding!!
Donate your kids for research, why don't you!?
Posted: Monday, January 26, 2009
Article comment by:
Joe
Here's an idea: Let's take all the energy we're using to battle the animal shelter and do something "constructive" in the community. People are losing jobs and are moving out of the area at a record rate. And our schools are going to crap.
But hold on, for some reason, everyone has to ensure that a pit bull has a good family.
We certainly have our priorities straight around here. Let's start using our brains to clean up our streets, and come up with powerful regional, nationwide, and global businesses.
Let's volunteer at our schools to ensure our next generation turns out better than all of us.
Let's donate a couple bucks to the local non-profit shelter and hope that some family that just lost a household breadwinner can put dinner on the table.
If we put our priorities where they count, we can be a better place all around. Some of you really need to think of your priorities.
Posted: Sunday, January 25, 2009
Article comment by:
Mike Boerman
Montcalm county is in the embarassing minority, we're one of only 4 counties in Michigan that still allow "pound release" (i.e. giving the unwanted animals to this shady R&R Research company, to either die a ghastly death or be tortured in the name of flawed science). USDA statistics show that animal testing has a 92% failure rate in predicting the safety and/or effectiveness of new pharmaceuticals. So why are we still doing it? Advanced computer imagery, 3D human cell structures, and other technologies make animal testing not only obsolete, but cruel & inhumane. Can you imagine your pet dog being strapped down to the kitchen table, and injected full of chemicals and drugs, sometimes hundreds of times OVER the recommended daily human dosage - just to see how long it'll take the animal to die? What kind of sick company would do such gruesome "research"? To me, this R&R Research company is about as shady and sleazy as a used car salesman or politician - DO NOT TRUST THEM!!!
Posted: Sunday, January 25, 2009
Article comment by:
animal lover
Why do they have to go to a landfill or R&R, there are other options, like purchasing an incinerator. It might cost the county a bit, but The Animal control could offer cremation as a service to the community to help replace the "money" that they say they are making from selling to research. Unfortunitly in todays economy, people are having no choice but to get rid of thier homes and there is NOT enough homes for all the pets out there, so euthanasia (preferably by injection) is going to have to happen.
Animal owners can post their own pets that they need to get rid of on petfinder them selfs, they do have a spot for that.
I give Patty credit for the great work she has done to help make the shelter more people friendly and comfortable for the animals. Keep up the good work Patty and the rest of the staff, it is not always a nice job, but thank you for doing it!
Posted: Sunday, January 25, 2009
Article comment by:
Jon
I like Doreens comment. Why does someone have to pay to adopt the dog with getting them fixed, and shots, and licensing which can add up to hundreds of dollars limiting adoption opportunities, yet they will give them away for free so they don't have to deal with it. Sounds very hippocritical. If they decide to do it they should atleast charge him the same cost for that and put the money back into the shelter program. I don't know how many dogs he gets but at $200 a piece I am sure would amount to quite a bit.
Posted: Sunday, January 25, 2009
Article comment by:
Nan
The dumping of poor, abandoned, helpless animals to the clutches of R&R (profiteer of animal suffering) to sell to research is a crime and a disgrace among moral people. Animal cruelty is outlawed in most states, but Universities and institutions are legally protected so they can torture, maim and murder defenseless animals. Mans Best Friend has no friends in this county. Shame shame!
Posted: Saturday, January 24, 2009
Article comment by:
Penny
These pets deserve homes not to be used for research. Have a heart!
Posted: Saturday, January 24, 2009
Article comment by:
Brenda Rose
I for one have hope for the animal shelter. I have heard that the adoption percent for the month of December 2008 was over 60%. Thats a huge percent!! I think the fact that they post their animals on petfinder helps alot. I also know that they are waiting for a license from the DEA or something so they can start euthanasia by injection. I have also been told that the dogs that must be euthanised at this time are being taken to the vet to be euthanised. I believe aside from the R & R contract (which is totally up to the commissioners)The shelter has made huge improvements and they are still making more everyday. Some people will never be satisfied but as far as i am concerned Kudos to the shelter for the improvements they have made so far..
Posted: Saturday, January 24, 2009
Article comment by:
joe
I think many of the problems at the animal shelter would be solved by not having the animal dealer there.
Posted: Friday, January 23, 2009
Article comment by:
Appalled
Several times euthanasia is mentioned, the animals go to research or to the landfill pick one. WHY??? I know for a fact that in 2008 Ionia County only Euthanized 77 dogs out of 1100 that came in. I have been to both shelters the size is similar. Euthanasia is now what will happen if Montcalm Co stops selling to research, lives will happen. How can you expect anyone to walk into the Montcalm Co Animal Shelter and adopt a dog when they can only pick one and know what will happen to the rest of them? Stop selling to the dealer, post the animals for adoption and homes will be found. A little effort may have to take place on the part of the Animal Shelter but it WILL work!
|
|
Article Comment Submission Form
|
|
