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September 20, 2010 (Regular Meeting) Page 110 The process of looking at our animal control operations has reached a five -month anniversary. Although we are here tonight to vote on hiring an adoption coordinator and to appoint new members to the task force, it is imperative that we revisit the facts. You, the members of the Board of Commissioners, our elected representatives, have the final say in what changes are ultimately made. You have heard speeches from dozens of the community members during the last five meetings, you have received hundreds of emails. There have been thousands of signatures on petitions both local and nationally. There have been over forty stories in media both locally and nationally. While I do believe we are heading in the right direction, I applaud the leadership and comments of many of the Board and citizens of Cabarrus County. Their beloved pet members, loving companions, other family are no safer today than they were five months ago. As community leaders and elected representatives it is imperative that serious research be undertaken to get beyond semantics and get into the nuts and bolts of what makes a good animal shelter tick. Concerned community members have gathered to compile much of the necessary information and have saved all of you a lot of time by providing you with countless hours of research on what success looks like and how it has to be achieved. The Board has been given plenty of resources along with the hundred and fifteen page "no- kill" implementation plan. And I have to say it sometimes seems that the information that has been given, is not getting the attention it deserves by every member of the Board. If it was, comments supporting Karen Britt's statement at the last meeting referring to the members of our community that have signed the petition - "those one thousand people should just step up" - would not have been made if you thoroughly read what has been provided. Everyone should understand that you have to stop blaming the public. It is counterproductive and self defeating. When we wag our fingers at the community because they are not stepping up to adopt from a high -kill shelter or if you wag your fingers at owners who do not neuter their pets or owners that let their dogs loose and feel that they are the reason we must have shelters that in turn must kill pets, then you are catching ill will in both potential adopters and the shelter themselves. More education, assistance and understanding and less judgment must begin now. We have provided you with tangible proof of how to solve the problem, a problem that you all have publically recognized as unacceptable. It should not be the job of the community to fix this problem and spend countless hours of research to solve it. This is a business model we need to follow. It is not hard to implement. You could also go and visit one of these progressive shelters to see success first hand and if not make a visit, pick up a phone and call some of these successful directors. Saying we just want to reduce the killing does not inspire the public, shelter staff or volunteers. Mattie's Fund, a $300 million non - profit that gives money to help "no- kill" communities will not give money to Cabarrus County unless the "no- kill" concept is its vision. So what is it I am asking you to do? Read over what we have given you. The community has done the leg work with the help of input of "no- kill" experts around the country and has put a lot of time and effort into making Cabarrus County a better place for our animals. Contact other successful "no- kill" communities. Do not set us up to fail. We have been failing long enough. We need you to educate yourselves, support the mission and put these plans into action today. Bobbi Parke, resident of 175 Farmer Street in Concord, compared setting up a successful "no- kill" shelter to baking a great cake; the only way to ensure success is to find a recipe that has been proven to work and to include the exact amounts of every single ingredient, not compromising on quality. She stated creating a successful "no- kill" community is not achievable without including each and every one of the following ingredients: a compassionate director, a feral cat trap neuter /release program, high volume low cost spay /neuter, rescue groups, foster care, comprehensive adoption programs, pet retention, medical behavior programs, public relations community involvement, volunteers, and proactive redemptions. She expressed frustration, disappointment and confusion in regards to the Animal Protection and Preservation Advisory Committee meetings and the Board's motives. Judy Sims, resident of 2296 Jon Chris Drive in Harrisburg and new Executive Director and CEO of the Cabarrus Humane Society, stated she is one