The Athens County Dog Shelter is understaffed with overworked employees, and a lack of funding is to blame, county officials say.
We are aware that we're understaffed
County Commissioner Bill Theisen said. We have two and a half (employees) when we should have four.
Commissioner Mark Sullivan also said the shelter is short-handed.
With just two full-time employees it's difficult to schedule he said.
However, because of the recent flooding in Athens County, the shelter has not been a priority for the commissioners, Sullivan said.
The shelter, 13333 St. Rt.13 in Chauncey, provides housing and care for stray animals, said Lana Planisek, shelter supervisor. Last year at the shelter, 300 animals were adopted, 200 were reclaimed by owners and 1,068 were euthanized. Shelter employees also investigated between 250-300 animal welfare checks, which assess whether animals have water and shelter or are injured.
Planisek, who has worked at the shelter for 20 years, said she works there because she is interested in public service and working with animals.
Two county employees work full-time at the shelter. Planisek works a total of 40 hours there -25 hours a week as county humane officer and 15 hours for the Athens Police Department. The salaries of the full-time employees range from $8.90 to $10.90 an hour.
Our staff has always been two and one-third (people)
Planisek said. There's no money for more.
Their duties include caring for animals at the shelter, picking up stray dogs, investigating claims of livestock injuries and issuing citations for animals that are running loose or have no license.
The shelter is open weekday afternoons for a total 21.5 hours each week. Planisek said these hours work well for people who want to visit the shelter. She is unsure what impact the newly-opened Petland, 977 E State St., will have on the number of people who come to the shelter to adopt animals.
Athens County does not have a full-time dog warden. Theisen said they were planning to appoint someone but does not know when that will happen.
Along with the full-time employees, there are occasional volunteers who walk dogs or visit animals, Planisek said. Several people also work at the shelter so they can receive state benefits.
Funding comes from selling $10 dog-tag licenses and $50 kennel licenses. The shelter does not get tax money, but it does receive dog food donations from companies, Theisen said.
Unless the prices of the licenses are raised, the shelter will not have the funds to add employees, Planisek said. Some expenses of the dog shelter are gas, electricity, employee salaries and benefits, maintenance, uniforms and truck supplies such as capture equipment.
However, a fundraiser is being planned for the shelter. Wednesday from 12-4 p.m., a cornhole tournament outside McCracken Hall will raise money for the Athens County shelter and the Parkersburg, W.Va., shelter. The money will be used to help treat sick and injured animals, Planisek said.
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Ann Deaton
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Ellen Ward, left, and Nicole Calhoun, both Ohio University students, peruse the dogs at the Athens County Dog Shelter on May 17. Ward is looking for a small dog and Calhoun is searching for her mother's lost dog.
