Sadly, the Beacon staff writer did not verify comments made about the Halifax Humane Society (HHS) by an outside source, Anne Zessin, Shetland Sheepdog Breeder. In your article, Ms Zessin states that HHS does not make enough effort to adopt animals and that it would rather make money euthanizing animals by billing local jurisdictions for the service.

In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Over 17,000 animals entered HHS in 2007. They come in either picked up by local City or County Animal Control Officers, from owners that no longer want their animals or from citizens that find strays running loose. If no one comes forward to reclaim their lost animal, Halifax Humane Society makes every effort to have all adoptable animal placed into good lifetime homes through its adoption center. Photos of these animals are posted on the HHS web site halifaxhumanesociety.org , Petfinder web site, weekly in the Daytona News-Journal, Pennysaver, and bi-weekly in Seniors Today (we would love to add the Deland Beacon to this list). There is even a special adoption promotion taking place during the months of June, July and August to encourage more adoptions through the difficulty of "Kitten Season". HHS also participates in a Foster Program with HHS volunteers and contacts reputable "Breed Rescue" groups to place purebred animals when we can not find them a new home. Unfortunately, on many occasions, the rescue groups are either full or unavailable.

Euthanasia is a last option, not a financial gain. All to often, news publications print negative comments about the fees HHS charges local jurisdictions for the animals brought to it's shelter, stating it as charges for euthanasia. For the record, the cost of animal care is expensive, even to a non-profit animal shelter. The fees charged to local jurisdictions does not cover the actual cost that is incurred with humanely caring for each animal. Also, the fee charged is not just for euthanasia, as many people like to print or report. This misleads people to believe that animals are euthanized upon entry. Not so, the fees are for the care, feeding, providing a clean wholesome environment, medical attention, humane treatment and when appropriate, or no other option available euthanasia. So in essence, the Halifax Humane Society is having to spend valuable resources supplementing the cost of animal care for strays brought in by the Cities and the County. Resources that could otherwise be used to institute valuable community programs to assist those in need.

Zessin also states that around 24 percent of the animals taken to HHS are adopted, this happens to be true. This is sad, and HHS above all wishes to see this number higher. The question should go out to all who accuse HHS of misdoings, how many of you have saved a life and adopted an animal from our shelter. If you are a Rescue, how many hard to place animals that are not adopted from shelters do you take in? If you are, I commend you. And if you are not currently working with HHS and wish to help, we encourage you to register with our breed rescue contact person. Contact me at HHSMichelle@aol.com for more details.

Dog breeders like to quote that the cat overpopulation problem is much greater then the dogs. True, the cat intake is greater, however I do not see how that makes the number of dogs euthanized acceptable because it is not as much. What is acceptable to you? Attempting to make this a cat or feral cat issue is only misdirection.

While everybody is busy pointing fingers, misdirecting and misleading, the basic problem remains. More animals are born everyday and nobody wants to take responsibility for the thousands of surplus animals that become homeless each year.

Michelle Pari

Community Relations Director

Halifax Humane Society

hhsmichelle@aol.com

www.HalifaxHumaneSociety.org