AR-News: (US NC) Shelter conditions continue to worsen

[Animalara2003 at aol.com]

3/8/2004 9:46 AM
By: Brandi Davis & Web Staff

 

The people who take care of strays and unwanted pets in Hoke County are 
trying to cope with bigger problems than finding new homes for the animals.
The list of needed repairs is growing for the shelter run by the Hoke-Raeford 
Humane Society.
The dogs at the Sand Hills shelter have a reason to be barking these days.
"Everyday we come in there is mouse feces everywhere, in the dog bowls, just 
everywhere,” said shelter director Kim Shelton.
And that's just the start of it. The shelter has leaking pipes, rusting cages 
and cracked windows. Holes in cages have left dogs with their heads stuck and 
the set-up of the shelter is posing health risks for the animals.
"All shelters should have cinderblock between the cages so you don't have 
fence fighting, and the transfer of diseases from fecal matter going from one 
side to another,” Shelton continued.
To top it off, the shelter only has two full-time employees to watch the dogs 
and cats year round.
"We usually work alone,” said employee Michelle Queja. “Sometimes we have a 
volunteer that comes in and helps us. So we're answering phones, cleaning, and 
trying to get everything done before we open. It’s very stressful."
Adding to that stress is there's not even a bathroom in the shelter for the 
humans.





full story:

http://rdu.news14.com/content/headlines/?ArID=43988&SecID=2 
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