Animal protection agencies of Williamson County

Animal protection agencies of Williamson County

Tuesday, 07 August 2007

News: In March, the 15,000 sq. ft. Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter opened in Georgetown, funded through a partnership with the county and the cities of Round Rock, Hutto, Leander and Cedar Park. The initial operating budget was $423,963.32. In May, shelter director Melanie Sobel resigned and soon the Williamson County Sheriff’s Department began an investigation into alleged animal cruelty. In response to public demand that the shelter be staffed properly and better maintained, Sobel sent a letter dated June 29 blaming the county, noting she worked 48 consecutive days because the shelter’s staff was too small.

“The lack of planning and forethought involved in WCRAS was highly irresponsible,” she said.

The response: Dr. Dana Boehm was named interim director June 1. The County Commissioner’s Court approved increasing the budget to $692,909 to provide for additional staff. Then July 16, Dr. Beverlee Nix, zoonosis control veterinarian with the Texas Department of State Health Services in Temple, made an unannounced visit to the shelter and described it as “a clean, well-managed shelter.” Nix reported new procedures have been implemented since Boehm became director such as limiting euthanasia to ill or unsocialized animals, establishing infection control to prevent disease, training personnel and defining cleaning procedures.

Defining Shelters

No official terminology defines shelters. From “shelter” to “pound,” names are interchangeably used. All shelters are independent. No national umbrella organization gives funding.

Types of animal welfare agencies

• Municipal (city or county): Animal care and control is a part of public health and safety governmental service. Many municipalities run its own animal control and sheltering, but some contract all or part of the function to a non-profit shelter.
• Independent non-profit: Non-profit animal welfare agencies vary greatly. They may or may not have a physical shelter, may be open door or limited admission and may or may not provide contract services.

Philosophy choices

• Open Door: Accepts all animals. When the shelter’s cages are full and after exhausting other options, animals are euthanized to make room for the new animals.
• Limited Admission: Accepts new animals if space is available. They typically only take healthy, behaviorally-sound animals. They perform limited euthanasia for illness or severe behavior problems that develop after arrival.

Focus of animal welfare agencies

• Prevention Focus: Solves problems at their source by providing services such as spaying, neutering and behavior training.
• Intervention Focus: Meets current needs created by problems such as sheltering strays, rescue and adoptions.

Source: HSWC

Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter

1855 S.E. Inner Loop, Georgetown • 943-3322 • www.wilcopets.org

Tues., Wed. and Fri. Noon - 6 p.m. • Sat. and Sun. 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. • Closed Mon. and Thurs.

• Interim director: Dr. Dana Boehm
• Opened: March
• Operating budget 2008: $692, 909
• Funded by: 50 percent from county, 50 percent from partnering cities
• Facilty: 15,000 sq. ft.
• Capacity: 85 dog kennels, 90 cat kennels
• Staff: Nine full time, three part time
• Admission: Open admission. Some animals euthanized for medical or behavioral issues.
• Adoption information
  • Adoption Fee - $85
  • An adopted animal will come with:
    • Initial vaccinations
    • Spaying or neutering
    • Microchip
    • Worming
    • Heartworm screening or FIV/FeLV testing
• Services: WCRAS acts a municipal animal shelter, implementing the county and cities’ mandates for animal control. The shelter handles intervention, providing care for strays, reuniting lost animals with their owners, rabies quarantine for the county and animal adoptions as space is available.

Board Members: Pct. 3 Commissioner Valerie Covey - Williamson County, Lt. Bob Drawbaugh – Round Rock, Lt. Darlene Brown – Cedar Park, Asst. Police Chief Jerrell Jolley – Leander, Asst. City Manager Joni Clark– Hutto

Humane Society of Williamson County

10930 E. Crystal Falls Parkway, Leander • 260-3602 • www.hswc.net

Tues. - Fri. 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. • Sat. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. • Sun. Noon - 5 p.m. • Closed Mon.

• Director: Gretchen Guyer, began in March
• Opened: 1979
• Operating budget: $632,000
• Funded by: 40 percent from adoption fees, the rest from donation and fundraisers
• Facility: 7,000 sq. ft.
• Capacity: 100 animals (on-site only, does not include animals in foster care)
• Staff: 11 full time
• Admission: Became a private, no-kill shelter in March when the WCRAS opened.
• Adoption information
  • Adoption Fee - $95
  • An adopted animal will come with:
    • Spaying or neutering
    • Initial vaccinations and/or rabies vaccination voucher
    • Microchip
    • Heartworm screening or Leukemia testing
    • 30 days of free pet health insurance from ShelterCare
• Services: The Humane Society focuses on high volume adoption, low-cost spay/neuter services and pet retention services. It conducts offsite adoptions at local businesses. Pets are posted for adoption on Petfinder.com and other online resources. The society recently received a grant to further subsidize spay/neuter for low-income Williamson County residents. Abby Angel Fund provides medical care for animals that need medical help prior to adoption.

Board members: Janet Ott, President, Shandell Burgess, H.R. Strickland, Julia Whitley, Kimberly Shepard, Sallie Scott, Susan Landgraf, Diane Pappa, Kimberly Broner, Kim Lutz