Wake SPCA rescues 14 animals from high-kill shelter

Raleigh, N.C. — The Wake County SPCA took 14 dogs this week from the Montgomery County Animal Shelter in Troy, which has the highest kill rate in North Carolina. The nonprofit said it can take in dogs and cats to help them get adopted, but the shelter needs state lawmaker intervention to fix the problem.

A WRAL investigation last month revealed that the shelter euthanized nearly 1,200 animals – 100 percent of cats and 98 percent of dogs – brought there last year, according to state records. The shelter has also failed 11 of 14 state inspections for "deplorable" conditions.

Mondy Lamb with the SPCA of Wake County decided to help.

"We wanted to reach out to Montgomery County and get a handle on the problem first-hand," she said.

Lamb and her team visited the shelter and returned to Wake County with 14 animals to be put up for adoption. She described a complicated set of challenges in Montgomery County – a "have not" county with bare bones financial and community support, plus no real system to adopt out animals.

"Anyone who accuses them of simply not trying, it's simplistic. It's not understanding the problem, and it's actually offensive," she said.

After WRAL Investigates' story aired, viewers donated more than $2,000 to the Montgomery County Humane Society to help build an adoption center next to the shelter. But more money is needed to make that happen.

The SPCA and other groups are working to get more animals out of the Montgomery County shelter, but Lamb said a long-term solution will have to involve state lawmakers.

"By no means did what we did fix the problem," she said. "All we did was take 14 animals."

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Word of WRAL’s story has stirred up tremendous emotional reaction from the public. WRAL reached out to Montgomery County manager Matt Woodard and offered to help promote an adoption clinic for the animals. Instead, Woodard asked that people who want to help should coordinate through the Montgomery County Humane Society, either by donating money or adopting animals.

To adopt an animal from the SPCA of Wake County, visit their website at www.spcawake.org.

To help Montgomery County build an adoption center, make check payable to:
Montgomery County Humane Society
1150 Okeewemee Road
Troy, N.C. 27371

To learn more about spay and neuter programs:
Contact Penny Page with the veterinary division of the N.C. Department of Agriculture
919-715-7111
www.ncspayneuter.com

To learn more about organizing and volunteer efforts:
Contact Kim Alboum with the Humane Society of the United States-North Carolina Chapter
kalboum@hsus.org

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Latest Comments

The conditions for the animals at the Montgomery County shelter have always been deplorable. I've been in this county for 25 years, and at various times the humane society here has tried to make a difference, only to be ignored by the county commissioners. Although this is a poor county, the lack of funding to improve things is not because the money isn't available. From what I've seen, it seems that the general attitude of many people, especially those who could make a major difference, is that animals are expendable and their suffering doesn't matter. If the shelter has failed to meet regulations, why hasn't the state done something about it? Do the regulations have no teeth, just words and a shaking of a finger at the people who should be fixing things?

Another problem, which isn't addressed here, is the fee for spay/neuter...a lot more than what some other vets charge in other counties. How can people afford it even if they want to be responsible owners?

reeync
December 7, 2012 5:31 p.m.

Thank God for the SPCA. Thankful that they not only talk the talk, but they walk the walk - unlike the HSUS.

Praying they can save many many more from Montgomery County, and that all find homes QUICKLY.

Dynol Yn Cael Ei
December 7, 2012 5:27 p.m.

driverkid3 - I'm the opposite. I will never "rescue" an animal ever again, even though, now I know their tricks and know what they want to hear so that I can get whatever pet I'd want. It doesn't pay to be honest with them. And the shelter and SPCA prefers to give the "good" animals to "rescue" groups who farm them out to "foster" parents.

I have often thought this very thing happens, and if you are "in" with the rescue groups, you get first choice. I have adopted shelter dogs/cats in the past and have had both good and bad results. Hit or miss. I do think spay/neuter is the only answer. Animals don't know about "abstinence", so what if there where a cheaper option given as puppies, like an animal IUD?

Bnice2
December 7, 2012 5:25 p.m.

oops -- and to your second point. It's completely different. Wake County spends over $2 million each year to round up and shelter animals and at the time that article was done, they had significantly declined in their successes, despite having the means to do so. They weren't going from bad to bad they were taking a step back from where they had been. Their policies and procedures have changed for the better since that time. But knowing exactly where to help Montgomery Co. is difficult. They have no computer, no internet access. This is just something we haven't seen before in terms of other help we've able to provide to other counties. The problem needs multiple players in the solution. I hope we can be one of them. As a non-profit in these times it's difficult enough to run the programs we have now.

mlamb
December 7, 2012 4:05 p.m.

Yes the state has legislated enough -- and it's good legislation. They passed an unfunded mandate, which worked well in bringing counties up to code that could and just hadn't or simply wouldn't. But now it's been 6 years and some shelters haven't. It is my suggestion that perhaps they don't have the tax base to go to for that money AND the state money that is already available for poor counties isn't accessible to the absolute poorest ones. I'm not advocating for more legislation -- just to fix a glitch in the system that is only just becoming clear. Could the S/N funding be expanded to perhaps allow for making it possible for counties to bring themselves to a point where they can have the infrastructure to apply for the preventative money? I don't know, but that's the kind of connection I was trying to make to start the conversation.

mlamb
December 7, 2012 3:56 p.m.