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2/1/2009 1:43:00 AM
Animal group pulls grant funds after R&R Research decision
WZZM 13 News
STANTON - A decision regarding animal research in Montcalm County means some people will now have to pay for a service once covered by another organization.
Saturday a private foundation subsidizing the cost of spaying or neutering in the county has pulled funding, saying it no longer wants to work with the board of commissioners.
The issue is over a contract allowing animal research, and a board leader says this move only makes things worse.
The issue really came into the public view days ago when a hearing was held to determine if the county should renew its contract with R & R Research, which takes animals about to be euthanized and sells them for research.
"Animals are not equal, given the choice of using advanced knowledge that can benefit man and save lives, or euthanize an unwanted or unclaimed animal, the choice is clear," said Jim Woudenberg of R & R Research on Monday.
The board voted to form a committee to investigate what's best for the county. It was to report back in six months.
But Saturday a private foundation announced it was pulling what's left of a $30,000 grant.
Jeanne Urbanski has made it clear she's against the research and also controls the grant, which subsidizes the cost of spaying or neutering for low-income families.
"We feel that our commissioners have demonstrated that they have no compassion for animals; they don't plan to show any responsibility towards our animals," says Urbanski.
She say their latest vote pushed her over the edge.
But board chairman Patrick Carr says the message is actually doing more harm than good.
"If the object is to not have any animals to send to R & R, working on the overpopulation of pets seems to be the first place that we ought to look," says Carr, "Montcalm County isn't for sale, we're governed by the people in the county and we're not going to let the highest bidder set the policy for the county."
And even though a decision is six months away, those against the contract are fighting now.
"This contract gives us a very negative image," says Susan Maguire of the Concerned Citizens Coalition of Montcalm County. "The more negative your image, the less people want to do with your shelter."
The grant was given to the Safe Harbor Humane Society of Ionia, which then agreed to share funds with Montcalm County.
$13,000 was left; that money now stays in Ionia.
While the grant was in place county residents would pay an average of $20 to $30 to have their pets spayed or neutered.
That price will now jump at least $100.
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Posted: Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Article comment by:
Jeanne Urbanski
If the Board of Commissioners voted to install a 12” fan, there would be note of it in meeting minutes. So, who really decided to order the fan and have it installed by the maintenance department? Commissioner Blanding did not personally attack Chris Hyzer, but Patrick Carr did publicly attack Mr. Blanding. Carr was out of place and out of control. Hopefully he will be man enough to make a public apology to Mr. Blanding at the next Board of Commissioners meeting.
Posted: Thursday, February 05, 2009
Article comment by:
Marlin Howe
Urbanski makes no sense.She dropped funding for spaying and neutering for low income families to get pets so that's just that many more animals that will go to research because they won't be able to purchase the animals due to insufficient funds for spaying and nuetering.
Posted: Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Article comment by:
Jeanne Urbanski
While we recognize the need for low-cost spay/neuter services in Montcalm County, it is the position of our board that our money would be better spend in areas where community leaders have demonstrated a more progressive and compassionate attitude toward animals. The money is being redirected for use in Ionia County, where pound seizure ended over ten years ago. The Ionia County Animal Shelter now has one of the highest adoption rates in the state, utilizes volunteers and receives public donations. It is our contention that until the leaders of Montcalm County end the contract with the class b dealer we will not see any positive or significant changes or improvements at our shelter. Furthermore, the Montcalm Board of Commissioners has not initiated any type of spay/neuter program for Montcalm County nor have they funded spay/neuter education. By law, the unclaimed spay/neuter deposits held by the county can only be used for these purposes. I urge any low income family needing assistance with spay/neuter fees for their family pet to call their county commissioner and ask that the county underwrite a program with money available from the spay/neuter deposit fund. C-Snip in Grand Rapids offers low cost spay/neuters as well as Animal Hospital of Lowell
Posted: Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Article comment by:
commonsense -Belding
Fiscal responsibility is the answer. If they are getting additional funds for the research, by all means proceed. Otherwise more funds are needed to cover housing/disposal of the animals they do have. Maybe the large group of people in attendance at the meeting could fund the difference. That would silence the majority of them. There are bigger battles to fight than standing up for (in most cases) unwanted pets. By the way...they are animals. I love mine to death, but come on people spend your time on real issues.
Posted: Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Article comment by:
Carissa
I have to agree with Jennifer. Taking the grant money from our already struggling county is only going to make this situation worse. Spaying and neutering is the only way to help control the already staggering numbers of stray animals in Montcalm County. Taking away this $13,000 is going to make it VERY hard for people here to have their pets spayed/neutered. Considering how awful our economy is here, I don't know many people who can afford to come up with $100 (or more) to get the procedures done. It's a shame that the Commissioners have put the vote off, and I truly hope they will consider the public's wishes on this matter before making a decision.
Posted: Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Article comment by:
John
If people would take care of their pets and be responsible then we would not need an animal shelter at all. We need to make financial decisions now a days more than moral.
Posted: Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Article comment by:
jennifer
To correct myself, they may not get money from research they barter the animals in exchange for disposal, regardless of if it's actual dollars or some service it is still awful. By the way did the commissioners not notice the huge crowd of people at thier meeting?
Posted: Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Article comment by:
jennifer
I understand her pulling the money to make a statement but unfortunatly I believe it is going to make the issue worse. I know there has been many efforts to convince the commission to stop sending to research, and when I was out going door to door getting signatures on the petitions heard a lot of very sad stories about people contacting the shelter to find thier lost pet and go up there the next day and thier pet was gone. Sadly the commission only sees the money from selling to research over grant money, furry little faces and wet noses. And if the commssion says that spaying and nuetering is where to start then why do they not care about losing grant money, Are they pocketing the money from selling to research? They don't to care what they lose as long as it isnt money from selling to research. If they actually were doing what the people of the county wanted I believe they would be ending selling to research, I have yet to talk to someone that is for it.
Posted: Monday, February 02, 2009
Article comment by:
someone
Wow... Someone that is not scared to stand up to the commisioners! Give them the BOOT! Stand up like she did!!! I will vote for anyone but them. Anything has to be better than what we got!
Posted: Sunday, February 01, 2009
Article comment by:
Justine
She is right to pull the money, the shelter is definatly working more with R&R then they are the People of MC County or the pets that end up there. One of my dogs ran off during a tornado warning, I called the shelter daily to see if a rott mix was up there, day after day they said nothing like that was in there shelter, I got a friendly call from a Lady saying "you need to go up and look for your dog yourself, in person because the workers do not give even close to accurate descriptions of the dogs in there and R&R would love to take my dog to testing." I went up there and sure enough there were 3 dogs that were rott mix with rott markings, which I was told nothing about over the phone. How convienent for R&R ! I never did find my dog. She very well could have ended up at R&R even though I was looking for her everyday. These are not all abanded or unwanted dogs...A LOT of them are misplaced & there owners are trying to locate them...but its hard when you have the shelter working in favor of R&R. MC County should make sure the Shelter has NO part of R&R.... Let them use Rats...not our pets!
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