THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, March 29, 1995 TAG: 9503290440
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY ANNE SAITA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MAPLE LENGTH: Medium: 51 lines
Howls of protest are liable to erupt this afternoon when Humane Society members meet with Currituck County officials over dog pens that may be hazardous to the animals' health.
``The wooden dog houses have to come out because they're creating a problem,'' said Currituck County Humane Society President W.D. ``Bill'' Neff.
Animals could contract the deadly disease known as parvo through infected dogs that slobber or chew on the wood, he said.
About half a dozen Humane Society members, Currituck County Public Works Director Frank Bray and Animal Control Officer Joann Snowden will meet at 1 p.m. today at the county animal shelter to discuss replacing the dog houses with plastic shelters.
Neff said he has priced some igloo-style houses at a discount warehouse in Chesapeake and believes about $350 will be needed to buy seven units to replace current pens.
The Humane Society, which plans to officially take over the Maple shelter in July, wants the county to pay half the expense.
``But I've been told the commissioners do not plan to spend any more money on the shelter,'' Neff said.
The two groups were at odds last year when the Humane Society asked the county to heat the cinder-block building before the animal rights group would take it over.
While some commissioners favored the move, others found heating the facility frivolous.
Eventually a Moyock area man donated the money for a heating system, and shortly afterward the Humane Society voted to take over the shelter.
A membership drive is currently under way to recruit more volunteers to help run the place after June 30. Ten volunteers have signed up, but at least 10 more are needed.
``If we don't get volunteers and we take it over, what we're going to have to do is pay someone at least three hours in the morning and three hours in the evening to clean and feed the animals,'' Neff said. ``That could hurt us financially.''
After the takeover, animal control officers will continue to patrol for stray or vicious animals but will then turn the animals over to the Humane Society.
Since taking over the shelter's adoption program in October, almost 100 animals have been given homes - more than double the number adopted out by animal control officers from January 1994 until then. by CNB