There has been a lot on the news lately surrounding local SPCA's and local governments terminating their long-standing relationships. Augusta County SPCA recently severed contractual ties to operate the "pound" for several local governments.
Now the Fluvanna SPCA and their county government may also be following suit.
I wish there was a quick and easy explanation about what this all means, but unfortunately that is not the case. Often these relationships are complicated. Contractual relationships work best when all the parties work together towards the same goal for the benefit of the community and the animals.
Nonetheless there is often one fundamental issue still at the heart of these relationships -- $Money$.
What is a local government's obligation respecting the lost or abandoned animals in its communities? Do they have a moral obligation to allocate some resources (i.e. money) to attempt to save some of these animals instead of expeditiously killing every animal after a stray hold period? Let's look at other communities, where the local governments run the pounds. Do they kill every animal or do they provide some resources (again, money) to attempt to save the animals.
- The Madison County shelter
adopted out 20% of the animals and transferred another 15% to other animal welfare organization resulting in a save rate of 59%.
- The Louisa shelter
adopted out 19% and transferred another 19% resulting in a save rate of 50%.
- The Culpeper shelter
adopted out 55% and transferred another 15% resulting in a save rate of 87%.
- The Orange County shelter
adopted out 39% and transferred another 9% resulting in a save rate of 85%.
Clearly the Madison, Louisa, Culpeper and Orange communities do not think killing all the animals immediately after a short stray hold period is acceptable.
But another community bordering Fluvanna thinks differently -- the Buckingham County government operates its pound and adopted only 1% of the animals, transferred 5%, resulting in a save rate of only 8% (meaning 92% of the animals brought into the Buckingham shelter were euthanized).
As things change in Augusta County and Fluvanna County, the citizens of these communities must let their local governments know what they believe should happen to the animals. Is it acceptable to kill all the animals entering the government "shelter." Or do County Government shelters have an obligation to allocate some resources to put the animals up for adoption and attempt to save them.
The Fluvanna SPCA has been operating the Fluvanna pound, and under the direction of Tricia Johnson, Fluvanna County has been saving an incredible 92% of the animals. Will the citizens of Fluvanna accept a county government operated pound killing all of the animals directly after the legal hold period? Or will the citizens of Fluvanna speak up to help the animals?
Finally, we must ask ourselves a question, if all the animals are killed, is this really a "shelter" at all?"
Franklins for Franklin is a campaign to raise 16 One hundred dollar bills ($1,600) for a little dog named Franklin.
Franklin is very thankful that Drs. Beichel and Wheeler are on his side, and now he is hoping he can find more friends to help him out. In the words of Benjamin Franklin, "There are three faithful friends - an old wife, an old dog, and ready money." 
