Paw-sitive partnership helps animals

Wayne County’s ability to help neglected and stray animals is far better today than it was a year ago.

That results from the partnership between the county and the HELP the Animals shelter on West Main Street in Richmond. The two entities are completing the first year of a contract that HELP would accept animals from the county’s animal control officer, Jesse Moore.

Last year, Moore had nowhere to place animals, she said as part of a partnership update during the Wayne County commissioners’ Dec. 11 meeting. This year, she’s placed 160 animals with HELP.

“This year has been fantastic,” Moore said, noting that HELP has even assisted on scenes when multiple animals needed to be confiscated.

The county pays $200 per dog that HELP receives from Moore. It also started paying another $100 for the placed animals to be spayed or neutered and ease their adoption. The two sides are finalizing their contract for 2025 that keeps the same $200 fee and $100 spay/neuter payment.

Commissioner Jeff Plasterer said the county has made strides this year with its treatment of animals. The county and city of Richmond each invested $50,000 in American Rescue Plan Act dollars through the Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program. That money was used for a study by national consultant Sara Pizano and implementation of ideas headed by local vet Dr. Stacy Kostiuk. It’s also paid for spaying and neutering clinics as well as trap-spay/neuter-release of cat colonies.

The commissioners voted during the meeting to donate the remaining $8,593.26 from their $50,000 commitment to HELP the Animals. Commissioner Mary Anne Butters hoped that more ARPA money would have been spent on animal welfare, saying it will take much more to solve the animal problem.

Nichole Kanney, the director of HELP, said the shelter’s at 150% of capacity with 170 animals, including 41 animals the county has placed. The shelter has about 20 dogs sponsored, which means adopting them is free.

The shelter has adopted out 89 of the county-placed animals, and another 17 were reclaimed by owners. Thirteen of the animals died through euthanasia or natural causes.

Moore said it’s been an extremely busy year. More than half the placed animals were victims of neglect, and she has filed or is filing cases with the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office.

Commissioner Brad Dwenger said Moore is good with the necessary paperwork to enable prosecution of animal cruelty cases.

Kanney said some pets are placed because the owners cannot afford their care — despite HELP offering a food bank — or the owners have moved and the pets are not permitted in the new living space. Also, some owners find themselves in over their heads if animals have litters.

With found animals, Moore said county residents are good about trying to locate owners before calling animal control. She and HELP have found, however, that located owners have too often declined to reclaim their pets.

Kanney said she anticipated snafus with the HELP-county partnership, but the shelter and Moore have a great relationship. Moore, who herself has nine foster dogs at home in addition to her own five dogs, has been great to work with, Kanney said.

Richmond Police Department will continue in 2025 its contract with the Henry County Humane Society. The city pays $41,200 for placement of up to 400 animals with the New Castle facility, with each additional animal costing $103.

The county and RPD both previously took animals to Animal Welfare League. Because of its high animal numbers, RPD switched to HELP the Animals, then to Henry County. The county withdrew its annual financial support from Animal Welfare League because the shelter often lacked space to accept the county’s animals.

On Dec. 12, Animal Welfare League announced a going-out-of-business sale, citing lack of funding as the reason for closing.