The Humane Society Serving Logan County announced Tuesday it is preparing to close the Top of Ohio Pet Shelter and cease all its operations by June 9 after nearly 46 years serving the community.
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The Humane Society Serving Logan County announced Tuesday it will cease operation of the Top of Ohio Pet Shelter effective June 9 after nearly 46 years serving the community. (EXAMINER PHOTOS | REUBEN MEES) |
“Unless there is a massive change in funding we will be closing,” Executive Director Barbara Faulkner said. “If a guardian angel comes out of the sky and gives us enough money to continue operating, we will continue, but short of that we cannot stay open.”
A news release detailed the nonprofit shelter’s financial situation, which has been worsening for many years.
“Unfortunately, current funding from the County in the amount of $7,000 per month covered less than half of the nearly $20,000 required to operate the shelter every month,” the release reads.
“Despite its best efforts, TOPS has been unable to fill that shortfall with donations or grants. In addition, the organization is burdened by debts which were inherited by the current Board of Directors in the approximate amount of $50,000, in addition to the $240,000 outstanding mortgage on the building.”
The humane society, which is a not-for-profit private entity that shelters dogs for the county through a contract with the Logan County Commissioners, has struggled finding adequate revenue to fund its operations since the early 2000s.
“I hated to do this, but there’s not much I can do about it,” said Dr. Tim Tillman, a veterinarian and current board member who has been involved with the local humane society since its earliest days.
“It has been going on like this for years. We’ve got good people in place that have been really evaluating the situation and it’s just not sustainable.
“This has been the bottom line for quite a few years, but we’ve never been willing to bite the bullet and say we can’t do this,” Dr. Tillman added. “Every month, our expenses are much more than people realize. Certain bottom line things like heat, insurance and mortgage eat up a bunch of money.
“It breaks my heart, but there was no other choice.”
Countywide impact
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Skate rink operators sweeten adoption deals After hearing about the financial distress and tentative closure of the Top of Ohio Pet Shelter, Indian Lake Rollarena owner Kevin Moore said he will pay half of the already discounted $50 adoption fee during the Paws N Claws Skate & Adoption Day fundraiser from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 15, at the rink. The event was rescheduled from April because of unforeseen circumstances, but was conceived between the two as a means to get adoptable pets to more people in the community. Mr. Moore had already intended to return all $3 admission sales to TOPS, but added the incentive after learning the fate of the organization. “I just want to see the dogs get a chance to go to a good home,” said the longtime shelter supporter of the gesture. Overall, adoption fees through the shelter have been discounted 30 percent. Prices vary depending on species and age, and all animals will still be spayed or neutered before going to an adoptive home. Since news of the closure broke Tuesday, TOPS officials have been inundated with inquiries and notes of support and addressed the issue on social media Tuesday evening. Officials asked for understanding in the delay to respond as they work to return “SO many messages inquiring about the kiddos.” The shelter is maintaining hours of operation from noon to 5:30 p.m. Mondays, 2 to 6 p.m. Thursdays, noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, and by appointment by calling 593-4277. Admission for Sunday’s event is $3 and $2 for skate rental. |
Currently, Logan County pays the shelter 90 percent of all dog tag fees collected, which amounts to nearly $7,000 per month or $82,861 in 2015, the commissioners reported.
Their office received a letter Monday terminating that contract effective June 9 and the elected officials began discussing the decisions during their Tuesday session.
They said they are exploring all possible avenues to house stray dogs — a service Ohio counties are required by law to provide their citizens. While the commissioners have always aimed to keep those services local, it may become necessary to contract with an out-of-county agency as a temporary measure, Commissioner Dustin Wickersham said.
“Over the years, we’ve tried to avoid having to make people go out of county to collect their dogs; we’ve tried to keep it local,” he said. “I don’t know how we’re going to be able to do that now, at least for the time being.”
The county would have to triple the cost of dog tags from $14 per dog to $42 per dog to cover the operating cost of the shelter, commissioners estimated. The last time they increased rates was from $12 to $14 per animal in 2014.
The commissioners have provided slightly more than $1 million to the shelter since 2000, with annual payments rising from a little more than $40,000 a year to the current rate of almost $83,000, according to data provided by the commissioners.
The Logan County Sheriff’s Office, which provides the dog warden for the county, will also feel the effects, Sheriff Andy Smith said.
“We were disappointed to hear the news,” the sheriff said. “We valued the partnership with the Top of Ohio Pet Shelter and we feel this is going to leave a hole in our community.
“We are going to work with the commissioners to find other options. This will stress an already understaffed and overworked sheriff’s office.”
The remaining animals
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(EXAMINER PHOTO | REUBEN MEES) |
The shelter is also looking to adopt 54 remaining dogs and about 15 cats prior to the June 9 deadline, Ms. Faulkner said.
While they won’t be giving away the animals — all of which are spayed or neutered and have had appropriate shots and heartworm checks — the prices have been reduced, the director said.
The new rates are $69 to $90 per dog or $45 to $60 pet cat.
“We’ve reduced the adoption fees to try to get them good homes, but we don’t want to just give them away,” Ms. Faulkner said.
A total of 437 animals were received at the Top of Ohio Pet Shelter in 2015 and 4 percent of the animals had to be euthanized, shelter officials reported in the release. By contrast, nearly 31 percent of all dogs entering animal shelters are euthanized nationwide.
Dr. Tillman said he plans to spay young kittens this week in hopes to get them ready for adoption.
Anyone who would like to adopt a pet can visit the shelter during normal hours: noon to 5:30 p.m. Monday, 2 to 6 p.m. Thursday and noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday or call (937) 593-4277.
History of the organization
This will be the first time in almost 46 years, Logan County has been without a humane society.
The organization dates back to the late 1960s when a handful of citizens concerned with the welfare of animals began communicating among themselves to improve the conditions stray animals were subjected to, according to a history of the organization printed in the Examiner to mark the shelter’s 30th anniversary.
On Sept. 18, 1970, 20 people who attended a public meeting conducted by Thomas Barton, president of the Ohio Federation of Humane Societies, drafted a constitution for the Logan County office and elected officers: Jane Constantine, president; Luther Link, executive vice-president; Ava Detwiler, vice-president; Mrs. J.R. Fuson, treasurer; Annette Keeran, secretary; and Teresa Tewksbury, assistant secretary/treasurer.
A month later, at the Oct. 17 board meeting, the organization was incorporated as the Humane Society Serving Logan County Inc.
Also instrumental in the society in early days were Dr. G.K. and Margaret Miller, Helen Clark Kapp, Marjorie Sickler, Lucille Thomas, Sue Johnson, Robert Keeran, Dr. William Verbsky and Dr. Tillman, the article states.
The original shelter was located at the site of the Bellefontaine Wastewater Treatment Plant, but the Millers provided enough money to build the society a new shelter near Plumvalley Avenue.
The financial picture
The current shelter, located about a mile north of Bellefontaine along U.S. Route 68, was built in 1999 at a cost of $500,000 and the local humane society still owes about $240,000 on the mortgage.
The organization also has about $50,000 in debt that has accrued to a variety of creditors and vendors.
Without revenue from the county contract, paying the mortgage and minimum utilities becomes an issue.
Ms. Faulkner said the board, which has been reorganized twice in the past two years, has yet to determine how it will continue to meet its financial obligations.
The Thursday Belle Center bingo games — historically one of the humane society’s largest funding sources — are also being canceled as shelter personnel focus on adopting the animals, Ms. Faulkner reported.
There is a trust from the Millers’ estate, for which Dr. Tillman is the trustee, but it is uncertain if that money can be used to pay off any outstanding debt, Dr. Tillman said. It has been designated to be used for the welfare of animals, but any expenses from the principal must be approved by the courts. Regardless, it is not enough to meet all the society’s financial obligations.
“How we proceed from here hasn’t been completely decided,” Ms. Faulkner said. “We had to move forward with the steps we have decided to do. It was a really tough decision. We can’t feed the dogs on love and we can’t pay the bills on love.”
But they hold out hope for a saving grace.
“I have prayed every day for years that a guardian angel will come down and help us out — somebody who really loves animals and can help us out of this,” Dr. Tillman said. “But it hasn’t happened yet and I don’t think we can count on that at this point.”