I have a question for you folks that run some of the various Rescues.
Recently, the few scourges(read Big City Transplants) in our county that just don't like animals have been making a move to bring legislation into place about barking dogs, more specifically, LOTS of barking dogs as is typical of most of our local PRIVATE Shelters/Rescues. These are not Breed Specific Rescues, just folks taking in all of the Strays and Drop Off's that they can handle, most funded privately from their own pockets, donations and what the Adoption Fee's consist of. Our County Leaders have decided that to make a Regulation against Barking Dogs would be very sticky and open up Pandora's Box against our large agricultural base that includes Cattle, Chicken Houses, etc... and complaints against who knows what other noises "the neighbors" might find offensive.
So now, they have decided that in order to please the squeaky wheels, they will take battle up against the various Shelters/Rescues SPECIFICALLY and make it virtually impossible for them to operate. Of course, you can see where this is going to go and what is going to result. Dogs and Cats that in the recent past could be brought into one of these rescues where they could be fed and sheltered, will be getting dropped off in large numbers along the sides of back country roads, or worse. I could care less about they Counties Dog Warden and County Dog Facility getting stretched thin, I do however care that these animals that once would have received proper care, will now be abandoned and left to their own devices.
The current proposal goes something like this and only affects Shelters/Rescues:
They will be required to get a Business License within the State of WV. The County will charge $25. per animal for any additional animals over 5. This will not affect a Licensed BREDING/TRAINING Kennel such as mine that may have 10-20 dogs at any given time, ONLY Shelters/Rescues. These are all No Kill Shelters/Rescues. One in particular I've become friends with has placed approximately 7000 dogs in its history.
Current Regulations for me as a Kennel require a business license and a County License for each dog over 6 months of age, at $2.00 per dog. I've had my Lcense for some time and have never been troubled with the idea of paying reasonable fee, but this doesn't really affect me, it does however affect those animals that need homes in Rescues.
It is easy to see the wide gap between $2.00 an animal for me, vs. the $25.00 an animal for them that will make it beyond Cost Prohibitive for them to stay in operation and placing animals. I think the Adoption Fee for most of these places that allows them to place so many dogs, is only $25.-50.00. If they raise the adoption rate, they are a lot less likely to be able to place animals as easily, which again will result in a lot of animals being turned away because of capacity.
A lot of these folks are VERY loosely organized and don't have a lot of resources. Any Suggestions? Non-Profit or Not for Profit status? Any ideas at all?
Thanx In Advace for ANY and ALL Help!
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