Oct 13, 2023
T-L Photo/ROBERT A. DEFRANK Kassidy Traczyk of St. Clairsville questions the Belmont County Board of Commissioners on Thursday about criteria and regulations at the animal shelter. Guests criticized the shelter after four dogs were euthanized in recent weeks.
ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Area residents appeared before the Belmont County Board of Commissioners again Thursday following news that four dogs were euthanized at the animal shelter in recent weeks due to lack of space.
Guests also brought some allegations against Dog Warden Lisa Duvall and shelter management that the commissioners said they will investigate.
Meanwhile, a new humane group is becoming active to facilitate adoptions and possibly offer foster homes and eventually a shelter.
Emotions ran high at the meeting, which was rescheduled from its usual Wednesday, with Chris Krebs of Colerain in tears as she spoke about her efforts to help a particular dog — Valerie — to be adopted. She said she was unable to adopt the dog herself, since it was recommended Valerie not be in a home with other animals and Krebs had an older dog at the time. She said eight months ago she paid the adoption fee of $125 so that anyone could adopt Valerie.
“I learned last week Valerie was euthanized. She was one of the euthanized dogs that have been out there,” she said, adding that her older dog had since died so she could have adopted Valerie.
She also said the shelter’s social media never stated that the dog’s adoption fee had been paid.
“They didn’t promote her adoption,” Krebs said. “That’s a failure as far as I’m concerned by your dog warden and whoever else is in charge.”
She said she believes adoption fees for other dogs that have since been euthanized were paid and asked what becomes of the fees paid for a specific dog.
“As far as I’m concerned, the animal shelter was extremely negligent in not asking for any of these animals that were euthanized: ‘Did someone want to step up?\’”
She also asked about the criteria for determining which animals are to be euthanized and if an animal is not a good fit for a particular home.
Commissioner J.P. Dutton said the shelter staff makes such decisions. He added that the commissioners would gather information about the situation Krebs described.
Dutton said the commissioners have been concerned about the insufficient space at the shelter and are taking steps to either expand the current facility or to construct a new one. Dutton said it is far from ideal for about 70 animals to be housed at the site that optimally would hold about half that many.
He agreed that the shelter is not the best place for many animals but said there have been instances where adopted dogs have been returned, and there are also liability issues related to fostering animals that the staff must be aware of. He added that euthanization is not taken lightly.
Krebs was dissatisfied, saying there has been a lack of accountability and that adoptions have declined for reasons that are unclear.
“I have so much disappointment in how the animal rescue leagues in Belmont County — previous and present — handles their business,” she said. “I’m not at all impressed. It’s very lacking.”
Ashley Barto of Flushing also spoke angrily. She said she and others have formed Belmont County Pawsitive Placements and have secured licensure as a nonprofit organization with a goal of facilitating adoptions for dogs and cats.
“Right now our first mission is to get these dogs and cats homes,” she said. “Our second mission is to raise funds to continue doing so.”
She said members are seeking a facility for animals and others are willing to offer their homes to foster animals.
Barto also leveled criticism against the shelter management, saying donations have not been accounted for. After the meeting, she accused Duvall of being dictatorial in the workplace and of denying adoptions based on personal dislike.
“Another mission is to get a new dog warden,” she said during a break in the meeting.
Barto said the group is forming a board and has a Facebook page. She hopes to have a website online soon. The group can be reached at 740-582-9096.
The organization’s Facebook page states that it was created on Tuesday. The group is not yet listed as a nonprofit by the Internal Revenue Service or by Guidestar, an online resource that provides facts and insights about nonprofits.
Candace Fleagane, who runs the Belmont County Cat Stray Shun program to spay and neuter cats, said she had looked for volunteer applications at the county Human Resources department and said only two applications have been submitted.
The commissioners did not provide the exact criteria for fostering animals Thursday.
Duvall did not respond to a call for comment.
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