I have some questions about our animal shelter situation. First, there is Troy Animal Coalition, who calls themselves Pike Animal Shelter Coalition. They want to build a state-of-the-art shelter. Has anyone heard the cost of this shelter? Over $400,000. As a taxpayer, I am with the city in saying taxpayer money cannot be used this way. The coalition says it is all about the animals. Well, why didn’t they just update the current shelter a year ago besides getting them cots to sleep on? Did anyone else see the article about the new public works department being built where the city dump used to be? The city is going to build a better shelter on that property. It won’t cost $400,000 but it will certainly be better than what we have now.

Then there is the Pike Humane Society. They spend half their money every year on the spay/neuter and feral cat programs, so they can’t get enough money to open up. Why can’t these two groups get together? Troy and Pike County have money, and a lot of people with time on their hands. Seems to me that the Troy Coalition needs to work with the city on the shelter that will be built in 2011. Then the Coalition and Pike Humane Society could pool money-raising efforts to fund the spay/neuter and feral cat programs, allowing the county shelter to open also. County enforcement could bring county animals to the Humane Society and the Troy Animal Shelter volunteers would have an alternate place to take pets that are not moving, or if the shelter is full. Is it “all about the animals” or not?

Ellen Ratliff

Troy