By DONNIE JOHNSTON
The Humane Society of Culpeper's future role at the county animal shelter remains unclear following the discovery of 32 cats running free in an office there two weeks ago.
Photographs showing a urine- and mildew-stained floor littered with feces and cats sitting among items on storage shelves were displayed at yesterday's Animal Shelter Advisory Committee meeting.
"I was really taken aback by those pictures," said Supervisor Bill Chase, who chairs the panel.
Animal Control Director Jamie Bennett said the problem became acute around June 15 when one of her officers contracted ringworm from one of the cats in the 8- by- 8 foot office.
"I usually don't go into the humane society office," Bennett said.
The room is part of the animal shelter building but is not under the supervision of the animal control department and not subject to inspection from state veterinary authorities.
After discovering the almost three dozen cats--one of which was dead--Bennett told humane society officials to remove the animals. She also informed county authorities.
Since ringworm can live in porous materials such as carpet and drywall, the county has been forced to scrub the room with disinfectant. Repainting and other repair work will also need to be done before the room can be used again.
The cats in question were unwanted animals that had been transferred to the humane society from the animal shelter to spare the felines from euthanasia. Most were sick, humane society volunteer Laura Kennedy said at yesterday's meeting.
The cat issue was the focus of the meeting, but county officials also brought other problems into the open. County Administrator Frank Bossio said communication between the humane society, the county and the public was a major concern.
Both Bossio and Chase said residents are often frustrated because calls to the society go unanswered. Chase said two calls he had made were not returned and the county had not received a response to a letter it sent regarding its concerns.
Bennett said she is worried about who among a changing list of humane society volunteers has a key to the animal shelter. She said both antibiotics and drugs used in euthanizing animals are stored at the shelter.
"It seems like everybody's got one," Bennett said of the keys. "It's gotten out of control."
While most of the accusations were directed at the humane society, that group's members raised issues with the county's animal control, which also has come under fire several times during the past year.
Volunteer June Fiamengo told the advisory committee that she had found cats in shelter cages with litter in their water bowl. Some were lying in feces and even lying in their water bowl, she said.
On another occasion, she said she went into the shelter one hot night after a 90-degree day and found that there was no air conditioning.
"Those animals were suffering!" she said. "I will not go in that cat room again."
Bennett, who did not dispute Fiamengo's accusations, said the air-conditioning problem has been fixed. "We are not perfect," she acknowledged.
Bossio suggested that a committee be formed to deal with the humane society and its future role at the animal shelter. The society is an independent entity and receives no funds from the county.
He suggested that society volunteers be on duty at the shelter office at all times during county business hours, that a better relationship between the society and the county be established and that the society prepare articles for the county's quarterly newsletter informing the public about its services.
The county, the society and the new committee also will recommend to supervisors whether the humane society will be allowed to keep the room at the shelter, and, if so, how the room will be used.
"We need to negotiate another operating agreement, a real agreement," Bossio said.
Chase said several supervisors favor cutting all ties with the society, but he believes the problems are not insurmountable.
"The big problem is communication," he said. "We've overcome it before and we can overcome it again."
Humane society officials will meet in two weeks to try to come up with a workable plan for the future, which would be presented to the yet-to-be-named committee and to supervisors.
Meanwhile, the society will be allowed to continue taking sick or injured shelter animals for medical treatment, at the organization's expense. It also will continue to seek adoptive homes for shelter animals.
Bennett said, however, all activities should occur during business hours or under the supervision of an animal-control employee on weekends.
To reach DONNIE JOHNSTON:
Email: djohnston@freelancestar.com