February 8, 2008

SECAUCAUS, N.J. – An investigative report from a Kentucky news station has revealed that a number of state counties have not met the requirements of a law pertaining to animal shelters.

In 2004, WKLY revealed county shelters were in disrepair. Public outcry led to a legislative measure aimed at providing building requirements. The ordinance passed giving shelters until July of 2007 to comply.

The main element of ordinance 258.119 states shelters must, “Provide holding areas with protection from the weather, including heated quarters during cold weather. Holding areas shall be free of debris or standing water...”

The time limit set by the law has `passed, and upon revisiting the shelters, it's clear that little has changed. The Rowan County shelter facility in Morehead was the worst. Located on a flood plain, the building is ill equipped to handle inclement weather. In fact following a recent flood, all the animals had to be evacuated.

Images depicting the shelter show backed-up sewage flowing into kennels, lack of rain shelter and open passages between indoor and outdoor enclosures – allowing the weather to come right in.

The building itself was nearly destroyed by the rising waters. Animal warden Jimmy Hale said the damage was severe enough to deem the structure unsafe. But without housing alternatives, there is nowhere for the animals to go.

State financial support is available, but only if the requirements of statute 258.119 are met.

For now, it's volunteers' dedication that keeps the state's shelters running. In Rowan County's case, they cleaned up in the aftermath, even bleaching the shelter to make it sanitary again – even though it was still structurally unsafe.

For more information on the Rowan County Shelter, go to DogPoundKY.com. To learn about Kentucky's shelter laws, visit kyawa.org.

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