THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, December 21, 1994 TAG: 9412210234
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY ANNE SAITA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MAPLE LENGTH: Short : 47 lines
A Currituck County man has rescued the local animal shelter's furry occupants from freezing temperatures this winter by donating the money needed to heat the facility.
James E. Moore of rural Moyock has offered to pay $2,400 to install a heating system and insulate the attic at the 8-year-old shelter.
``He just read about it in the paper and decided he wanted to do something about it,'' Commissioner Paul O'Neal said Monday evening after he read aloud a brief letter from the publicity-shy Moore.
Moore's gift was accepted by the Currituck County Board of Commissioners, which had been asked by the local Humane Society chapter to provide warmer shelter for homeless cats and dogs.
The request sparked heated debate among commissioners and residents over using county funds to keep warm lost or stray animals.
Humane Society members have said they want to take over the shelter but first must have certain conditions met, including heat for the animals during the winter months.
During Monday's work session, County Manager Bill Richardson suggested that the local Humane Society operate the shelter. The county would make an annual donation of about $9,000, the amount currently spent on the facilities.
Currituck's two animal control officers would relinquish responsibility to Humane Society volunteers after captured animals were brought to the shelter.
``What I would envision would be you getting a higher level of patrolling and a quicker response to calls,'' Richardson told the commissioners.
The county manager noted that answering calls to Knotts Island can take up to a full day.
Currituck Humane Society President Bill Neff said his group must have more money and members before it can completely take over the shelter.
``We need more volunteers and more members so that we can get more money,'' he said, ``because right now we can't do much.''
Moore's gift Monday follows a string of other donations from area residents, including 260 pounds of dog food and bedding for animal cages, Humane Society members said.
The new heating system could be operational within a month. by CNB