Save The Shelter Begins
BOBBY ARDOIN
St. Landry Now.com Editor
While the future of the St. Landry Animal Shelter is uncertain, public opinion is requesting strategies to continue operating a facility which is jeopardized by what parish officials say is insufficient funding.
Parish president Jessie Bellard told parish council members at a special budget meeting on Tuesday night that the shelter would have to be closed and the remaining animals adopted out in order to save operational money for other state-required agencies.
After experiencing a day of public push back, Bellard issued a Thursday morning reversal on his Facebook page in which he said the parish would continue operating the shelter until help from unspecified non-profits can assist with the costs of operating the facility.
Belllard said he is respecting public opinion.
“Your voices were heard. You explained to me how you felt and I intend to find a way to make things happen,” Bellard. said.
Since Wednesday Bellard said he has been approached by representatives of unidentified non-profits that have expressed interest in providing assistance.
Organizations including the Bissell Foundation have routinely taken dogs from the parish shelter and moved the animals to other states in order to facilitate adoptions.
Recent social media posts favor maintaining a shelter which emphasizes adoptions seemed to approve the decision Bellard announced on Thursday..
“I’m grateful for the reprieve. Now let’s make this happen,” wrote Judy Burleigh Crews.
Many of the social media comments pointed to ongoing problems associated with negligent pet owners..
There were also fears expressed on social media that if the facility kennels were opened due to costs, some dogs would fall into the hands of unscrupulous owners who would use them as dog fighting bait or allow the animals to be further neglected or abused.
Bellard said he doesn’t want the facility to resemble the parish shelter he once observed over 20 years ago where dogs were loaded into a gas chamber and euthanized on Fridays.
The shelter Bellard said, is costing the parish $600,000 a year.
Shelter funding comes from a renewable Health Unit Tax, although Bellard has said financial assistance has come from the Bissell Foundation, which paid for shelter modifications and provided money.
If the shelter closes, Bellard said St. Landry municipalities would have to shoulder the burden of animal intakes.
According to a state law posted on the Louisiana Society For the Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals website, it is the responsibility of each parish to provide “suitable shelter” or facilities for dogs that are picked up.
The statute does not say how parishes should pay to operate the facilities.
Opelousas officials have opened a city shelter that is expected to be expanded at some point, while Port Barre police chief Deon Boudreaux has told St. Landry Now.com that the town operates a facility for handling stray small animals.
