By: Jennifer Britt
The Parsons Advocate
The Tucker County Animal Shelter Director Bailey Falls reported to the Tucker County Commission that the animal shelter was in need of volunteers. Volunteers are needed to walk the dogs, pet the cats, fold laundry or anything to help with the massive load of intake animals. Volunteers also need help at the off-site adoption location in Davis and operated by Friends of the Tucker County Animal Shelter.
Falls reported that the animal shelter submitted the Petco Love grant application at the end of August and expects a response around the holidays. They have also submitted applications to the Milan Puskar LOI, Rachel Ray Grant, and the Guinness Dunn Grant.
Along with the grant applications, the animal shelter has received approval from their advisory board to purchase transportable kennels for dogs that will allow them to quarantine dangerous dogs safely. These kennels will be purchased with funds from the Stanton Foundation Grant.
Falls said, “We have reviewed and are finetuning our standard operating procedures to make sure that we are keeping things sanitary and stimulating for the animals in our care. We are working extremely hard to get movement at the shelter. We are very full, with adoptions slowing and rescue partners completely overwhelmed with no space or ability to pull from our shelter. We are hoping to get a transport scheduled for the middle of October.
We desperately need people to adopt cats and dogs. If folks are unable to adopt, we could really use people to come in and volunteer at the shelter to walk and play with dogs, help us with laundry, and to photograph our adoptable animals and write descriptions for Petfinder.”
Falls reminded the commissioners that rabies vaccinations are available for $10 at the shelter. Bailey is unable to do a mobile rabies clinic due to the lack of available veterinarians.
During the Commission meeting Kevin White was also present and informed the commissioners that the annex for the Emergency Operations Plan for hazardous materials will need to be approved by the commission before the state will approve it.
White explained the annex by saying, “We have a plan in place in case we have a major hazardous event such as an oil truck spills over in Davis, Thomas, or Parsons or even on route 219, we have a plan of attack on how we will manage that. For small counties like us you do not have a hazmat team. Most fire departments do not have a hazmat team. So, we would use regional and state response.
The reason most do not have hazmat teams is because the equipment is very, very expensive. It can range up in the million plus dollars. There has to be special vehicles and suits that only last a couple of years whether you them or not. So, most places have a regional response team instead.”
The Commission motioned and approved for adding the Hazardous Materials annex to the Emergency Operations Plan.
The Commission then voted to approve a motion to upgrade the security system at the courthouse for the amount of $13,133. A grant was applied for to cover the cost of the upgrades, but it was not awarded.
The next regular Tucker County Commission meeting will be held on October 12, 2022, at 9 a.m. in the Tucker County Courthouse Courtroom located at 211 First Street.