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Large animal facilities needed in Anderson
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I am the chair of Palmetto Equine Awareness & Rescue League. We have assisted the sheriff with more than 20 horses and several veterinary field assessments in the past year. PEARL has paid all the costs for this community service. We have also provided training classes for cruelty investigations, safe capture and handling of horses and rescue training.
While the county is addressing the new animal shelter, it is time that the county provide space for all the animals in the county. My husband and I have offered a basic plan to the county for a small functional facility that will hold goats, cattle, llamas, sheep, horses, donkeys, mules and other animals that the sheriff’s office has had to deal with this past year. We are asking that 2.5 percent of the budgeted amount for the shelter be set aside and earmarked for a large animal facility.
The county has a great need to provide a place to bring the large animals the sheriff has to deal with. The South Carolina Code of laws says all animals must be protected from cruelty, abuse or abandonment.
If we expect the sheriff to do this with no additional funding, equipment and personnel, the county should at least provide him with a place to put the animals.
We have asked the County Council to amend the Ordinance for the General Obligation Bond 2008 so this is no longer something that might be done, but something that will be done.
Nicole Walukewicz, Anderson
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The officials that make the decisions for the people of Anderson County should spend some REAL time out in the field with our Sheriffs Dept chasing down livestock and trying to contain it, move it, find an owner, and getting appropriate care for the situation. Instead they all sit in their "higher up" chairs and assume that all citizens of Anderson County care about their animals and are providing all the necessities needed. FAR from the truth. Our Sheriffs Dept needs help. They need funding, they need a place to take any and all animals. They can't do it without the county council backing them. Its a sad day when the officials in charge pick and choose as they want and leave the people who work for them and the VOLUNTEERS holding the baggage with no place to go.
Not all animals are small and cuddly. Not all animals are safe to be around.
ALL animals need to be included in the counties plans for the 3.2 million PET shelter.
If anyone who reads this knows of a situation where there is an animal in need of care or better confinement you can call the Sheriffs Dept and report it.They are doing a jam up job with what little help they are getting from the county. All calls are responded to and action taken as needed. Complaintants can be kept annonymous.
Complaints can also be called into PEARL and PEARL will call in the sheriffs department.
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