By Paul Leach
Correspondent
CLEVELAND, Tenn. — The Animal Shelter Advisory Board met this week to establish safe and effective procedures for photographing shelter animals by animal adoption groups.
“We’d like to have a picture of every animal, every day,” said Beth Foster, a member of both the advisory board and the Dixie Pet Underground Railroad, an adoption group.
About 20 members of the public attended Thursday’s meeting at the Cleveland Municipal Building.
The Dixie Pet Underground Railroad seeks to increase adoptions by posting timely and accurate photographs and information of shelter animals to adoption websites, blogs, and e-mail groups. This means getting clear, digital photos of animals outside their cages, Ms. Foster said.
Dr. John Owens, advisory board chairman, said all the adoption/rescue groups can’t be in the shelter all the time.
“There’s no way the shelter employees can take care of animals correctly,” he said.
Animal control officials said they’d like to work with the pet rescuers as long as the groups don’t compromise public safety or interfere with the staff’s duties.
ANIMAL SHELTER AGREEMENTS* Dixie Pet Underground Railroad members can volunteer at the animal shelter, which would ease concerns over public safety and access to open kennels.* Animal shelter staff can photograph newly arrived animals when volunteers are unavailable.* The animal shelter will post signs regarding Dixie Pet Underground Railroad and other animal rescue/adoption groups as an alternative for pet owners intent on surrendering animals.* Dixie Pet Underground and the shelter would maintain overnight communications via e-mail and phone to prevent the possible euthanasia of an after-hours prospective pet adoption.
Shelter policy requires the staff to supervise access to kennels, which means the public cannot remove and replace animals at will, even for adoption photographs, officials said.
“It’s not that we are against you guys. We’re not against adoption,” said Assistant Police Chief Gary Hicks. “You’ve got to have systems, protocols and procedures.”
Everyone at the meeting agreed that the root cause of the animal control problem is irresponsible owners who don’t spay and neuter their pets.
They all know the shelter has limited space and funding, so there’s only a short time to save the lives of animals in its care.
“We are limited in the amount of time we can keep any animal, depending on its age and health,” Animal Control Director Gene Smith said,
Paul Leach is based in Cleveland. E-mail him at paul.leach.press@gmail.com.