MCLENNAN COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — It's been more than three weeks since the Humane Society of Central Texas split from the Pet Circle Regional Animal Shelter, and several community members got to voice their concerns at Wednesday's Animal Welfare Advisory Board Meeting.
- The community has raised concerns regarding how animals are doing at the Pet Circle and when they can come back to volunteer
- The Pet Circle said they’ve had less euthanasia so far in September than they’ve had in August with a live exit rate of 96 percent
- Animal Welfare Board Chair Cheryl Foster said the volunteer process and procedures will be a priority in what they look at in the coming month
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
“I’ve spent so much time with these dogs treating them like family loving them and they just don’t care, you just don’t understand,” said a local community member.
Emotions were riding high at the Animal Welfare Board Meeting as the community called on the board for action.
“This board needs to ask the city questions why it will not commit to being a no kill shelter,” said one former humane society volunteer.
Several poeple walked out of the meeting while the city spoke of the shelter’s successes — some of the points they mentioned, they’ve had less euthanasia so far in September than they’ve had in August with a live exit rate of 96 percent.
The city has hired 18 positions since the transition without the Humane Society, and they have 150 volunteer applications background checked and ready to be trained.
Some of those who have been cleared have concerns about a new policy asking volunteers not to post pictures or videos that have not been cleared by the city.
“Is that a way to hide the dirty laundry and keeping it out of the eyes of the community?” asked another former humane society volunteer.
But the city says it’s not a gag order.
“If we have volunteers who see concerns with conditions and animals we want to be a best in class best practices facility, as far as public commenting as a volunteer people view that as a spokesperson for the city and that’s why we have to have a clear understanding,” said Ashley Nystrom with the City of Waco said.
Rgarding the shelter’s no kill status, Nystrom calls that accusation a rumor.
“One of the goals at the pet circle regional animal center is to eliminate euthanasia for healthy adoptable animals,” she said.
Animal Welfare Board Chair Cheryl Foster says the volunteer process and procedures will be a priority in what they look at in the coming month.
"We the board the animal welfare board and I believe the city of Waco is absolutely committed to keeping that no kill shelter status — that said euthanasia will never be zero,” Cheryl Foster said.
The Animal Welfare Board did ask the city for clarity and transparency regarding animal intake, outtakes, and euthanasia — the city agreed to post that information moving forward.
