Columbia County Observer

Comments  (to add a comment go here)

On April 25, 2016, Columbia County resident, Roy Armstrong wrote:

I was at the 7 April meeting of the BOCC when the Board "kicked the can further down the road" when Chairman Nash established a "committee" to discuss the funding shortfall for operating the the County's Animal Control Facility. I am not sure if Chairman Nash was aware of Columbia County Code of Ordinance ANIMAL CONTROL BOARD.

Interesting reading. Does this board still exist? If so, who are the members, when are the meetings, and when was the last report to the BOCC? If this board does NOT exist, is the county in violation of its own ordinance?

I would think the long standing Commissioner Williams should remember approving this ordinance, why wasn't the Chairman advised of its existence?

Bottom line is this. The Lake City Humane Society was contracted to operate the County's Animal Control services using the LCHS's facilities and expertise for the humane treatment of companion animals. Inevitably, the County is responsible for protecting its citizens through Animal Control as outline in the County's own ordinances. The Columbia County BOCC can choose to go the humane way, or fall back to doing it cheap way and filling the County landfill with animal carcasses. I believe I know what the constituents would to see happen.

 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

On April 23, 2016, Beth Barritt of Lake City wrote, in an email to The 5 and Cnty Management:

I attended the County budget meeting on April 21 and have followed the ongoing discussion in regards to the underfunding of the Lake City Animal Control and Humane Society. I had a conversation with Scarlet Frisina and was led down a factually incorrect path. I am circulating a petition among business owners, who not only will be impacted by the Humane Society closing, but are as outraged as I that we have to fight for better treatment of our animals.

As a new resident of Columbia County, I am disheartened by the attitude toward domestic animals. As a taxpayer, I will fight. It never occurred to me before I purchased at The Oaks of Lake City to research how this community treats its animals and the unwillingness of the representatives to alter their ideas. My future move will certainly include this investigation. I cannot continue to support a community who defends the principle that doing things cheaper equals adequate care.

I've been told that a few of you have visited surrounding community shelters as a comparison. I would encourage you to visit some of the communities that have done an outstanding job, not the ones who do the bare minimum. As a community that is trying to be a gateway, it would seem to me you would embrace the ideas of people who know more than you do and are passionate about bettering the circumstances of the animals. What sense does it make to argue about subjects you know very little about? Or better yet, tell constituents completely unsubstantiated “facts."

If you don’t feel this in your hearts, at least think about it in your heads. It's bad business. There are more people than you think who would rather see an updated facility with logical and educated plans for animal control than another road widening, mattress store, or bank.

I absolutely believe there are many residents who would rather see a facility they can visit without feeling sad and feel confident that our officials support humane care of any animal lucky enough to be in Columbia County. I can assure you that the business owners I have spoken to are ashamed of the high kill rate that has always been and want change.

 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

On April 21, N.L. Vining of Columbia County wrote:

Some of our County Commissioners are rather set in their ways and if they feel that just because animals don't vote and people do - they are excused from addressing a county wide problem regarding stray animals and vaccinating against Rabies in our area, let me state that they need to take a second and harder look at the problem.

When we had a problem with a neighbor's dogs coming onto our fenced property and threatening livestock, we had to resort to law enforcement for help, since the local Animal Control was often too late to observe the situation or take corrective action.
Columbia County is growing and we need services that grow with the population.

Rather than look askance at the primitive stance taken by the decision makers in local government, it would be nice to see them get on board and continue to make it possible for the Shelter to take care of strays, spay or neuter feral animals, and put a halt to abused pets.

 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

On April 12, 2016, Robin of Columbia County wrote:

I have lived in Columbia County for over 7 years. I was shocked at how backwards this county was when it came to animals.  Alachua County has done an amazing job. Once Laura Pager took over I was so pleased to see it finally on the right track. When I read the comment that animals don't vote, people do, I was surprised.  Yes many of us people love are animals and I vote in every election and research their views on animals.  I live here so my animals can have more land and a better life. Some funding money could be raised by requiring rabies tags. I buy mine through Alachua County.  Please have forward thinking and do right by the animals who have no voice of their own.

 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

On April 11, 2016, a reader from Tampa wrote:

Columbia County has sunken to a new low. Their hesitation to scoop a fraction of dollars from their sea of cash toward the humane treatment of animals speaks volumes about the kind of people who represent the community.

Chickens? We eat those so give them anything they want. But a dog or cat that is turned out onto the street or were born to die due to neglect? Why they don't vote, do they Mr. DePratter? But don't forget that all the folks who are so dedicated to the care of these pets left behind do. They also talk to other folks who love animals who will remember the cold, uncaring attitude toward the quality and outcome of abandoned and mistreated animal lives who won't provide a profit of some kind to you. The people who donate unselfishly to keep them healthy and alive also vote.

You donated millions to private enterprise between cash and abatements. How about showing your constituents your heart is made of something more than a gold plated dollar sign?

 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

On April 10, 2016, Laura Page wrote:

While we struggle daily with the culture of throw-away pets in this county, and use private funds in the form of grants and donations to create a safety path for each healthy, friendly animal that enters our doors, the funds that we are requesting of the county and the city are the bare minimum to sustain life for four days. The budget that each commissioner, our county manager, and his assistant, were presented is our cost to care for each of the 4,200 stray and confiscated animals that we project we will intake this year.

We are appreciative of our generous donors, veterinary partners and corporate sponsors who help us take each animal past that fourth day, and on to a forever home. Our hope is that one day, our civic leaders will recognize that additional funding for targeted spay/neuter projects and Community Cat projects will ultimately save the county, and city, a significant amount of money by exponentially reducing accidental litters resulting in lower shelter intake. We believe that the only way we will get to No Kill is through No Birth.

Social change isn't easy. However, I believe that our public servants, over the course of the last three months have begun to realize that for decades our county has remained stagnant in issues of sheltering and companion animal welfare. They are serving in a county highly populated with animal lovers, many of whom once made aware of the astronomical euthanasia numbers have begun to fight back.

Animals may not vote. However, those who want their humane treatment absolutely do vote - and in larger numbers than those who do not own animals.

Laura Page, Executive Director Lake City Humane Society

This work by the Columbia County Observer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.