Humane society hopes for shelter
By SHARON KERR Staff Writer

The Jasper Lakes Area Humane Society again approached the Jasper County Commissioner's Court last week with a request for the county to budget for an animal shelter which would be jointly owned by the city and county of Jasper.

"We've been knocking on their door for four years now," reported Joe Lanier, head of the shelter planning committee.

Speaking for JLAHS, Lanier said he wanted to acquaint the three newly elected members of the court with how serious the animal dumping problem is in the county.

Lanier said that the city of Jasper is willing to match whatever the county does in terms of funding. Lanier also said cities and communities from Kirbyville to Pineland have pledged to help support such a shelter.

JLAHS has $44,000 in a trust fund dedicated to build a shelter, but they need the county to commit to at least $17,500 annual expenses, matched by the city, to cover basic operating costs.

Lanier said JLAHS has looked at a program in Winnsboro similar to what they propose building here. It would house about 40 animals initially.

Law enforcement officers pick up and euthanize up to 90 animals per month, according to JLAHS estimates. It's not hard to figure that the shelter would soon be full, but just having a shelter would allow JLAHS to apply for additional grants to expand the facility.

Right now dumped animals, strays, and nuisance animals are held a maximum of three days at a vet's office before being put down. By state law, the sheriff's office can take the animal to a shelter (when there is one), to a vet for euthanasia, or auction it off. In practice, the sheriff's department usually only picks up vicious or nuisance animals; many that are dumped just starve, according the JLAHS people.

JLAHS currently keeps animals in approved "foster" homes, but they remain full most of the time and cannot accept more animals. With a county shelter, Lanier estimates they could give animals 10 days instead of three, and increase JLAHS' adoption rate to between 10 and 30 percent based on what other shelters have accomplished.

Lanier said expenses could be kept to a minimum by using inmates to feed animals and clean the shelter. Lanier told commissioners JLAHS is asking the average county tax payer to contribute 25 cents per year to solve a major problem.

County Judge Mark Allen said, "We definitely have an animal control problem." He advised Lanier to confirm the verbal commitments from cities and communities, prepare a budget and submit the request through the sheriff's department during the 2008 budget hearings in July and August.

Lanier said he spoke with Jasper city officials last week. According to Lanier, both Police Chief Todd Hunter and City Manager Alan Grindstaff said they were in favor of an animal shelter.

Donations and letters in support of a shelter can be mailed to Jasper Lakes Area Humane Society, 220 Second St., Jasper, TX 75951, or call 381-8488 or 384-8251.