Contract negotiations between the Forsyth County Government and the Forsyth County Humanitarian Society have concluded. As a result, the county government will once again operate the county animal shelter. The county will reopen the county’s only animal shelter starting April 1, after months of negotiations with the county’s humanitarian association. The organization will continue to serve him until March 31st. The nonprofit has been helping run the shelter since 2018. It offers services such as shelter, adoption, foster care and euthanasia. In 2022, the organization’s leadership exercised his right to terminate her five-year contract with the county on December 31, 2022, and he requested a new $1.85 million contract. The nonprofit has since lowered his request to $1.5 million after speaking with county leaders. County leaders ultimately put forward a counter-offer of $1.2 million.The Humanitarian Society did not accept it.Forsyth County Government: Deputy Mayor Damon Sanders-Pratt said the county will prepare a financial budget for next year. “Making a final midterm adjustment of 200% this summer is difficult to achieve, even with personal spending.” Sanders Pratt “The board committed it at this time going into next year’s budget, unaware of all the other obligations competing for the same dollar, including paramedic salaries, nurse salaries, and school funds. “We may not want to,” he added. New financial demands from nonprofits could have an impact on tax rates. He said, “Next year, this additional 1.2 million will probably represent a quarter of a cent of the tax rate.” He said the government’s main focus is public safety and health. Animals within the community that may interact with walkers, bikers, joggers, and children playing in the park may be exposed to interaction with rabbits, dog-biting raccoons, especially dogs and humans. As a result, we adopt many stray animals. We accept voluntary surrender of animals.We try not to euthanize many animals, but our primary mission is public health. , public safety and rabies control,” said Sanders Pratt. Services After Shelter Opens Sanders Pratt hopes to outsource adoption and foster care services to local agencies again on April 1. FORSYTH HUMANE SOCIETY: WXII 12 News the county humanitarian association on Friday. We spoke with Mark Neff, President and CEO of Animal Shelter, who said the COVID-19 pandemic and inflation have increased the cost of many resources to help run animal shelters. Veterinary care, medical costs, neutering costs and basic food costs have all increased significantly based on our country’s economic hardships, which is directly reflected in animal welfare,” Neff added. I was. The -19 pandemic has left many businesses and non-profits out of business, and as a result, many dogs and cats have started breeding, and there is now a massive influx of pets in need of homes and assistance. The county’s final proposal “will put us at risk of going out of business,” Neff said. , we wanted to show that we were not charging them or making any profit for these services,” Neff said. It is necessary to best support the animals in our communities in the long term.” “It is very important that the Forsyth Humane Society remains open. We are a non-profit animal welfare organisation.Staying in this partnership will bankrupt this organisation.Stay in this partnership for 9 months or finally stay open and reach our full potential. Whether or not you can keep doing that will ultimately be the outcome,” he said. The Forsyth County Government shared the following: 2013 Euthanasia rate: 68% Conservation rate (return to new owner or original owner): 32% 2016 Euthanasia rate: 62% Conservation rate (new owner or return to original owner) Return to Owner): 38% 2017 Euthanasia Rate: 55% Preservation Rate (Return to New Owner or Original Owner): 45% Forsyth Humane Society shared: 2018 Euthanasia Rate: 29% Preservation rate (to new owner or return to original owner): 71%2021 Euthanasia rate: 24% Preservation rate (to new owner or return to original owner): 76%2022 Euthanasia rate: 23% preservation Rate (new owner or back to original owner): 77%
Contract negotiations between the Forsyth County Government and the Forsyth County Humanitarian Society have concluded. As a result, the county government will once again operate the county animal shelter.
Contract Negotiation:
A county spokesperson made the announcement Thursday night.
The county plans to reopen the county’s only animal shelter beginning April 1, after months of negotiations with the county’s humanitarian association have concluded.
The organization will continue to provide services through March 31st.
The nonprofit has been helping run shelters since 2018, providing services such as shelter, adoption, foster care and euthanasia.
In 2022, organization leaders exercised their right to terminate their five-year contract with the county on December 31, 2022, and requested a new $1.85 million contract.
The nonprofit has since lowered its request to $1.5 million after speaking with county leaders.
County leaders ultimately offered a consideration of $1.2 million.
The Humanitarian Society did not accept it.
Forsyth County Government:
Deputy County Mayor Damon Sanders-Pratt said the county would not be willing to provide any more money until it prepares next year’s financial budget this summer.
“Doing 200% final-year midterm adjustment is hard to get there, even at personal expense,” he said. We are unaware of all the other obligations that are competing for the same dollar, such as the funding of , so we may not want to commit to it at this point in next year’s budget.”
Sanders-Pratt added that new financial demands from nonprofits could affect tax rates.
“That’s a big difference that could affect the tax rate that comes mid-year that will affect next year’s budget.” It will be equivalent to cents,” he said.
Sanders Pratt said the county government’s main focus is public safety and health.
“We try to minimize the number of feral animals in our community. Our job is to minimize their interaction.As a result, we pick up many stray animals. We accept surrenders, and as a by-product of that, we have animal stables. The mission is public health, public safety and rabies control,” said Sanders Pratt.
Sanders Pratt said their final proposal is still under consideration.
The county hopes to provide shelter and euthanasia services and outsource adoption and foster care services to local agencies after shelter operations resume on April 1.
Forsythe Human Society:
WXII 12 News spoke with Mark Neff, president and CEO of the county’s humanitarian association, on Friday.
Neff said the COVID-19 pandemic and inflation have increased the cost of many resources to help run animal shelters.
“We have seen a huge increase in the cost of doing business. Your veterinary care, medical costs, neutering costs, basic food costs are all things our country faces. “It has increased significantly based on the economic hardships we are experiencing. It is reflected in animal welfare,” Neff said.
He said many businesses and nonprofits were unable to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in many dogs and cats breeding, leading to a massive influx of pets who now need homes and assistance. I added that there are.
Because of the economic challenges, accepting the county’s final proposal “would put us at risk of going out of business,” he said.
Neff said the nonprofit’s proposal is strictly to run the county’s facility.
“These animals came through your system and we credited them with every dollar we made at this place. So we wanted to show fairness that we weren’t charging them.” .
Neff said the nonprofit’s main focus is animal welfare.
He said the decision was difficult, but necessary to best support the animals in the community in the long term.
“It is extremely important that the Forsyth Humane Society remains open. We are a non-profit animal welfare organization with over 80 years of history. Staying in this partnership for nine months or ultimately staying open and pushing our full potential will ultimately pay off,” he said. rice field.
Animal shelter data:
WXII 12 News requested data on when both sides operated animal shelters.
The Forsyth County Government shared:
- 2013
- Euthanasia rate: 68%
- Retention rate (new owner or back to original owner): 32%
- 2016
- Euthanasia rate: 62%
- Retention rate (new owner or back to original owner): 38%
- 2017
- Euthanasia rate: 55%
- Retention rate (new owner or back to original owner): 45%
The Forsyth Humane Society shared:
- 2018
- Euthanasia rate: 29%
- Retention rate (new owner or back to original owner): 71%
- 2021
- Euthanasia rate: 24%
- Retention rate (new owner or back to original owner): 76%
- 2022
- Euthanasia rate: 23%
- Retention rate (new owner or back to original owner): 77%
