It would be a shame if the public were to permanently avoid Howard County's Animal Welfare Society in the aftermath of last week's raid on the facility by Animal Control officers. The private, non-profit welfare society continues to provide housing and adoption services for unwanted pets. More important, it offers an alternative to Animal Control, a county-run facility that delivers similar services but also enforces cruelty laws and euthanizes pets when necessary.
Last week's search of Animal Welfare, which resulted in the removal of five cats and two birds, was prompted when the welfare society delivered several sick animals to Animal Control. The sickly condition of a dog was such that Animal Control officials felt that negligence or maltreatment may have been involved. With a search warrant in hand, officers in unmarked cars and two county vans descended on the welfare society the morning of Nov. 29, finding additional animals that appeared to be sick.
Animal Control officials have yet to present a detailed case against the welfare society, opting for now to work with the shelter to correct perceived problems. But the president of the welfare society's board blamed the search and seizure on "personalities and political stuff" between the two groups, who are neighbors in Columbia's Long Reach.
While it is unclear whether animosity fueled the dispute, stark differences separate the groups that might cause tempers to flare. The county-funded Animal Control building is basically a pristine facility staffed by uniformed officers; the welfare society's modest shelter is an older, wood-sided facility run by a family that lives in housing on the premises.
Beyond aesthetics, there are those who have a negative impression of Animal Control's enforcement role, while many prefer the welfare society because it appears more diligent about getting pets adopted. People also mistakenly believe the shelter opposes euthanasia. But while the shelter no longer euthanizes, it does turn over animals to Animal Control to be destroyed, officials said.
The bottom line is that having the welfare society guarantees a choice of facilities. While some residents may want to wait for the outcome of Animal Control's raid, we hope the shelter remains a viable option.