Minutes of February 23,2010
General Membership meeting
The meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. by Janie Withers, president. There were 18 people present. The January minutes were presented and approved by Evelyn Wooten and seconded by Katie Wallace.
The treasurer’s report by Cindy Tarantino included the following:
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Since the beginning of the year, we collected over $5,000 which includes golf tournament, membership and donations. Expenses are around $500 which is mostly golf tournament expenses. Our ending balance is around $15,000 which includes restricted funds of $9,000.
Since the beginning of the year, we collected over $5,000 which includes golf tournament, membership and donations. Expenses are around $500 which is mostly golf tournament expenses. Our ending balance is around $15,000 which includes restricted funds of $9,000.•Janie added the following financial news: Paws-Ability received $200 from the Sea Trail Garden Club to continue our ‘Pet Me Safely’ book program.
Janie added the following financial news: Paws-Ability received $200 from the Sea Trail Garden Club to continue our ‘Pet Me Safely’ book program.•The February 14th Valentine’s breakfast at Applebee’s in Leland Furever Friends benefit raised over $2,000.
The February 14th Valentine’s breakfast at Applebee’s in Leland Furever Friends benefit raised over $2,000.•The Health Department Advisory Board meeting updates will be posted on our website for those interested in the progress of this group in bringing about change at Animal Control.
The Health Department Advisory Board meeting updates will be posted on our website for those interested in the progress of this group in bringing about change at Animal Control.The following new business was discussed:
•Our membership drive chaired by Kathy Cyrulik reported 116 renewals with 39 family memberships included in this number, 35 new memberships of which 10 are family memberships and 5 business memberships as of February, 2010. Membership renewals continue to arrive each week.
Our membership drive chaired by Kathy Cyrulik reported 116 renewals with 39 family memberships included in this number, 35 new memberships of which 10 are family memberships and 5 business memberships as of February, 2010. Membership renewals continue to arrive each week. •We’ve received over $8,000 from a grant for the TNR program on Ocean Isle Beach. This program is funded by the Property Owners Association of OIB, the Town of Ocean Isle Beach and a grantor. It is a pilot program that once completed, assessed and quantified, can be replicated in other communities of Brunswick County. The funds are for the spay/neuter of 125 cats which will then be returned to their colony and won’t be able to reproduce to add more cats to the colony. All cats will have a clipped ear so residents will be able to know which cats have been spayed/neutered. Since the weather has been so cold, only two cats have had surgery. Once the weather cooperates, the numbers will increase to four cats a week.
We’ve received over $8,000 from a grant for the TNR program on Ocean Isle Beach. This program is funded by the Property Owners Association of OIB, the Town of Ocean Isle Beach and a grantor. It is a pilot program that once completed, assessed and quantified, can be replicated in other communities of Brunswick County. The funds are for the spay/neuter of 125 cats which will then be returned to their colony and won’t be able to reproduce to add more cats to the colony. All cats will have a clipped ear so residents will be able to know which cats have been spayed/neutered. Since the weather has been so cold, only two cats have had surgery. Once the weather cooperates, the numbers will increase to four cats a week.•The Domestic Violence Advisory Board met last week with the Domestic Violence Shelter director. This group will be a liaison between the Shelter, Animal Control and the Brunswick sheriff’s office. The 2009 statistics showed that over 458 women were helped through the Shelter last year. It’s been informative trying to place our first set of animals belonging to a woman seeking shelter. The call came in around 9 p.m. and all the animals were placed that night allowing the woman to go to the shelter knowing her animals were out of the home and into foster homes. It’s a work in progress but very satisfying. There is an opportunity for corporate sponsorship of this program for 2010.
The Domestic Violence Advisory Board met last week with the Domestic Violence Shelter director. This group will be a liaison between the Shelter, Animal Control and the Brunswick sheriff’s office. The 2009 statistics showed that over 458 women were helped through the Shelter last year. It’s been informative trying to place our first set of animals belonging to a woman seeking shelter. The call came in around 9 p.m. and all the animals were placed that night allowing the woman to go to the shelter knowing her animals were out of the home and into foster homes. It’s a work in progress but very satisfying. There is an opportunity for corporate sponsorship of this program for 2010. •Health Department Advisory Board will begin a dialogue to develop change for our animal shelter. The next meeting will be March 1 at 6:00 at the Health Department.
Health Department Advisory Board will begin a dialogue to develop change for our animal shelter. The next meeting will be March 1 at 6:00 at the Health Department.•Memorial Program Coordinator Needed: We need someone to help with expanding our memorial program. We have someone who writes the notes but need someone who will coordinate the expansion to local vets. Don’t forget, donations for our memorial/gift program for birthdays, and other occasions (Paws-Ability logo’d cards with party hats for birthdays are available). Paws-Ability also needs a person to chair the Gift/Memorial program. We’ve already collected $1200 from this program and there is great potential for this to become a money maker for our organization. Letters have been sent to local veterinarians to use this service to mark the adoption or loss of their clients’ pets. Follow-up is what we need from the chairman. Contact Janie Withers if interested.
Memorial Program Coordinator Needed: We need someone to help with expanding our memorial program. We have someone who writes the notes but need someone who will coordinate the expansion to local vets. Don’t forget, donations for our memorial/gift program for birthdays, and other occasions (Paws-Ability logo’d cards with party hats for birthdays are available). Paws-Ability also needs a person to chair the Gift/Memorial program. We’ve already collected $1200 from this program and there is great potential for this to become a money maker for our organization. Letters have been sent to local veterinarians to use this service to mark the adoption or loss of their clients’ pets. Follow-up is what we need from the chairman. Contact Janie Withers if interested.•Advisory Board for the elementary school program: this new endeavor is being Chaired by Cameron Brand. The Advisory Board will create and implement lesson plans to young children for proper care of their pets eg: spay/neuter, shots, proper shelter and feeding.
Advisory Board for the elementary school program: this new endeavor is being Chaired by Cameron Brand. The Advisory Board will create and implement lesson plans to young children for proper care of their pets eg: spay/neuter, shots, proper shelter and feeding.•Paws-Ability will be hosting the Paws-Ability Celebrity Golf Tournament: Sat, April 24 at St. James Plantation.
We need help soliciting sponsorships, door prizes and silent auction items. Please call Janie 579-4707, Ellen 575-7566 or Cindy 575-8430 to let us know where you can help. Remember that the animals of Brunswick County will be the beneficiaries of funds we raise. Sponsorships are the key to raising the maximum funds and ensuring a successful fundraiser.
•Adoption Fair: date set for May 8, 2010 at Green-up.
Adoption Fair: date set for May 8, 2010 at Green-up.Our Speaker: Don Yousey, Director, Brunswick County Health Department
Mr. Yousey was raised on a dairy farm and enlisted at the age of 17. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.
Mr. Yousey gave us an overview of the Animal Shelter from the time he started working until present. He said he started with two dilapidated buildings and wanted to build a new shelter. With much rankling, he received $350,000 to buy land, building and equipment. Much less than he needed but he did what he could and that’s what you see today. The Commissioners have given him a directive: Rabies control and bite investigations. Those are the only things he is directed to do. Everything else is above that directive. There are 6,000 animals taken into the shelter yearly, with only 1,000 adopted. He is hoping that since he can’t have volunteers in the shelter area (per County Legal Counsel) volunteers could track and convince adoptees to spay/neuter their new pet, as they agreed to do upon adopting from Animal Control. Each adoptor receives a certificate upon adoption that will pays for the spay or neuter of the pet.. In 2009, only 300 of the 1000 adopted pets were spayed or neutered. The Health Department has used $40,000 of county funds to help low income families pay for spay/neuter.
Mr. Yousey noted that New Hanover County has licensure for the animals in New Hanover County that charges more for un-spayed or un-neutered animals. He wants Brunswick County to have this licensure to insure more animals are spayed and neutered. This will lower the number of animals that must be euthanized by Animal Control. He has met with some opposition and is hoping that a referendum can be on the ballot in the fall to pass this issue and decrease the tax burden on homeowners of the county. Everyone pays for the shelter through their property taxes.
He hopes that people will want to come to the next meeting of the Advisory meeting on March 1, 6:00 at the Health Department. .
He made mention that because of the outbreaks at Animal Control, the Board of Health have approved distemper and parvo shots and a new $26,000 outside kennel as a holding area. He said one new bad thing is the new law that states all animals have to be held for five days. This includes owner surrendered and vicious animals. This new law means that they have to put down possible adoptable animals to make room for animals that need to be held for five days. He’s hoping that it can be amended to help keep the animals that can be adopted around for a little longer.
Mr. Yousey hopes to see a non profit take over the operation of Animal Control. All funds that are currently being used to run the shelter would be given to this group. The Health Department would still have the responsibility to pick up dangerous and rabid animals. Janie Withers stated if there is a group that does form to run Animal Control, Paws-Ability would do fundraising for them to help raise additional funds that will be needed to run the facility in a more humane manner.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:45 p.m.
Paws-Ability’s next meeting will be held on March 30, 2010, 6:30 p.m. at Ocean Isle Beach Town Hall and the speaker will be Dr. Pamela Owens speaking on pet chiropractic care.
