Humane Society Participating In Spay Day USA

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Feb. 3, 2011

The Garrett County Humane Society will take part in the 17th annual Humane Society of the United States Spay Day USA, set for Tuesday, Feb. 22. Though only one day has been designated as Spay Day, activities will take place during the entire month of February at numerous locations across the United States.

"This event is to inspire people to save animals' lives by spaying and neutering pets and feral cats," said GC Humane Society president Lisa Baker. "To see what events are happening locally, go to www.humane-society.org/spaydayfind."

In conjunction with Spay Day, the GCHS will distribute spay/neuter discount vouchers to local residents later in the month. These vouchers are only valid at the three area veterinary hospitals in Garrett County and cannot be used at HART's low income spay/neuter clinic in McHenry.

"If your pet is not 'fixed' yet, please get a voucher and have it done," Baker said. "The procedure not only prevents unwanted litters from being born, but also helps with various health and behavioral issues your pet may have."

She noted that a "fun addition" to Spay Day is the HSUS Online Pet Photo Contest, which is in progress now.

"This event is a way to showcase your pet and raise money for your chosen organization," Baker said. "Tell all your friends to go online and vote for your or their favorite pet, which costs only $1 a vote. You can locate a photo by the pet's name or the benefiting organization's name."

She added that there are already hundreds of entries, and viewers can spend hours looking at the photos and reading the stories, which range from funny to heartbreaking

Baker will be entering a colorful, cheerful photo of a local miniature donkey wearing a sombrero. Interested persons may go online to www.humanesociety.org/photocontest to enter another photo or to vote for Baker's.

Read the full article here.

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Garrett Co. Humane Society Rescues 50 Starving Horses, Cows, And Goats

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May. 20, 2010

A rescue operation by the Garrett County Humane Society (GCHS) was conducted last Thursday, May 13, on a farm located along King Wildesen Road, in which 50 animals were removed and taken to rescue shelters.
The Garrett County Animal Shelter had received an anonymous call regarding thin horses and cows on the property, and all such calls are referred to the GCHS. The GCHS then dispatched Denise Lohr, animal control officer, and Deb Clatterbuck, investigator for the GCHS, to the site.

As in accordance with Maryland law, the animals were evaluated using a national standard. The examination determined that 26 horses, 18 cows, and six goats were identified as critical. The GCHS Emergency Action Plan was enacted, Clatterbuck said, and the animals were confiscated and relocated to rescue facilities outside of Garrett County.

The GCHS engaged 32 volunteers, 14 trucks and livestock trailers, three rescue facilities, a specially trained "cutting" horse [trained to herd other animals] with a roping rider, and a cattle dog to relocate the suffering animals. Concurrently, GCHS investigators searched for 16 hours, covering 378 miles, looking for additional animals that the owner allegedly purchased at area sales.

During the forensic investigation, it was discovered that these animals had died, Clatterbuck said.

"There were 17 carcass piles on the ground where they fell in the woods on the far side of their pasture," she said.

Clatterbuck said it is important to note that the rescue was not funded by county government, and that the work was completed by the GCHS.

"Not one red cent of Garrett County or Maryland tax dollars was spent on our rescue," she said. "With the assistance of Brooke Vrany from Days End Farm Horse Rescue in Woodbine, we were able to get an emergency rescue grant from the ASPCA [American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty Against Animals]."

While the local HART for Animals Inc. is in the process of constructing an adoption facility, it is not ready to receive animals. So Vrany was able to take the livestock to her facility in Woodbine. She placed the 18 cows at an adjacent farm, and one of her organization's members is fostering the goats.

The story of the rescue became national news last week, and Clatterbuck said it has been frustrating to hear a great deal of misinformation about the case. Many questions have been voiced as to why the situation at the farm was allowed to reach such a critical point.

Read the rest here.

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Animal Owners Schedule Meeting To Discuss Humane Society Issues

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Animal Owners Schedule Meeting To Discuss Humane Society Issues


Oct. 30, 2008

A group of local residents who want to change the way animal neglect cases are investigated will hold its second public meeting on Saturday, Nov. 15, at 1 p.m. in the Garrett College Auditorium in McHenry.
"There will be ample seating room, so we urge you to come to the meeting and make a difference," said group spokesperson Kermit Yoder.

He and seven livestock owners met earlier this month with the Garrett County commissioners to express their concerns about the Humane Society and its ability to investigate alleged neglect/abuse cases and to seize animals. Members of the Humane Society, HART, and PAWS (Partners for Animal Welfare & Safety) also attended.

A state law currently places most of the authority of investigation and seizure on "an officer of a humane society." The commissioners said at the October meeting that the county could not arbitrarily change the law. They suggested that the group and Humane Society meet again and come up with "good, legitimate changes" to the law that could be presented to the General Assembly.

"This [second] meeting will give concerned citizens a chance to participate that didn't know about the first meeting," Yoder said.

He will open the November meeting, then turn it over to Nevin Umbel to moderate the rest of the event. Persons attending the meeting are asked to sign in and to note if they plan to speak.

"The Humane Society members will be given an opportunity to speak and air their feelings," Yoder said.

He also asks that HART, PAWS, and the Garrett County Animal Shelter/Control have representatives at the meeting to help answer questions from the public.

Yoder cautioned that some of the statements made at the event and the way they are conveyed may not be appropriate for underage children.

Some of the current laws that the Humane Society operates under will be discussed at the meeting, as well as possible changes to those regulations. Yoder's group has suggested at least three items that it would like included in a new law. Those are as follows:

• The Humane Society must give pet or livestock owners a chance to correct problems before they seize the animals.

• All Humane Society members must educate themselves on animal health and behavior.

• Humane Society members should be required to pass drug tests so when they make a decision to seize an animal the public can be "confident that their judgment is not impaired."

Yoder's group has also discussed the idea of starting a winter food bank for animals. Owners who may have trouble feeding their livestock until spring would receive assistance.

A hotline may also be implemented. Owners whose animals are about to be seized by the Humane Society could call the hotline if they felt they were being treated unfairly.

"Our elected officials cannot make a judgment from hearsay," Yoder said. "That's why it's important for you to be at the meeting so they can hear it firsthand. It may be too late for your situation, but you can make a difference for someone in the future."


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GC Residents Question Humane Society's Method Of Operation

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GC Residents Question Humane Society's Method Of Operation


Oct. 9, 2008

Some local farmers are questioning the authority of the Garrett County Humane Society and the manner in which its members seize animals and investigate alleged abuse cases. Kermit Yoder of Accident, seven livestock owners, county officials, and members of the Humane Society, HART for Animals, and PAWS (Partners for Animal Welfare & Safety) met with the county commissioners on Tuesday to discuss the issue.
"My fear now is [with] how the Humane Society conducts its business, somebody is going to get injured; the signs are there," Yoder said. "All you have to do is open your eyes and see them. I've heard horror stories about someone close to getting shot."

He added that he has been told that the Humane Society coerces people into giving up their animals.

"It's either a threat or a $1,000 fine, or they'll take your animal," Yoder said.

An ambiguously written state law currently places most of the authority of investigating cases of abuse and neglect on "an officer of a humane society." Local Humane Society members asked the commissioners last month to draft legislation to enable the county's Animal Control to take over at least some of that responsibility.

Humane Society president Lisa Baker noted at the September meeting that investigation work is sometimes scary, "but someone had to do it."

Yoder invited persons who felt they were "victims" and "treated unfairly" by the Humane Society to join him at this week's meeting to tell "the other side of the story." He also called for changes in the law. He read a list of items that people wanted included in the possible legislation. Those are as follows:

• There should be a second-chance law. Yoder said owners should have a chance to correct problems before the Humane Society seizes an animal. If they are not corrected within a certain amount of time, then the animal could be taken, he noted.

• The Humane Society should be educated about animal health. "There is a big disagreement on what animal health is," Yoder said. "Apparently, the Humane Society is not educated in this line, because of the way they've taken animals. Some animals have been taken from one place and put into a worse place."

• Humane Society members should be required to pass drug tests. That way, Yoder said, people will know that a member's judgment is not impaired when he or she seizes an animal.

A member of the Amish community also suggested that animal owners be allowed to receive a second opinion from their veterinarian before the Humane Society can take an animal, as the organization appears to not have to answer to any other agency.

"I'm willing to wait until the county commissioners have a chance to work something out and get some laws changed," Yoder said. "If not, there will be another public meeting on a Saturday so that more farmers and animal caretakers can be here."

He said the current law should be more widely known and suggested that it be published so that residents could review it. He also asked that the Humane Society publish something stating its opinion of how animals should be fed and taken care of, as people have different opinions about that issue.

The Humane Society's Dee Dee Clatterbuck acknowledged that that law is very technical. "But when it comes to feeding a horse, it's not rocket science," she said. "If it's thin, it's not getting enough food, or it's some medical problem."

Commissioner Denny Glotfelty disagreed. "That's not always the truth," he said. "I've had horses all my life, and I've had some that are just like people; they're [naturally] thin. There are always problems that arise in any animal."

The commissioner asked what the protocols were for seizing and inspecting animals

Baker said the Humane Society does give an owner a chance to correct problems. "If the owner cooperates, we don't seize an animal," she said.

Baker said her group has a form stating the number of days an owner has to correct a situation. That number, however, depends on the severity of the problem.

"We follow the law," Baker said. "We get a call [about possible neglect]. We go on every call. We talk to the owners. Sometimes we talk to the neighbors. We look at the situation."

She said 90 percent of owners cooperate.

"The other 10 percent don't care, don't want us on their property, don't want to do it, and tell us to leave," Baker said. "Then if we have to go back, if the animal's bad, then we will take a vet, and then we use the vet's expertise in order to tell us that, 'Yes, this animal's really, really bad," and then we take it."

Baker said she could not count on one hand the number of animals the Humane Society has seized in its 25-year history.

"If we're asked to leave a property, we leave a property," Baker said.

She added that the Humane Society has a paper that it leaves with owners. "It says that we were there, why we were there, with the contact phone number on it, with the law on it," Baker said. "And people usually call us, and we discuss it and it's taken care of."

Glotfelty said both sides of the issue needed to use common sense. He suggested that the Humane Society and animal owners get together and review the current law and make suggestions together for revisions.

Commissioner Fred Holliday said the county could not just arbitrarily change the state law.

"But if you come in with good, legitimate changes that most can agree on and make recommendations," Holliday told Yoder, "then, if we feel it's warranted, we could ask our legislators to introduce legislation. It has to be approved by the 'big house' east of here."

Commissioner Ernie Gregg noted, however, that because it is a state law, there are no guarantees that the General Assembly will use any of the local suggestions.

Glotfelty said until the current law is changed, it has to be followed, whatever it says.

"That's what Maryland gave us," he said. "Right, wrong, or indifferent."


If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Long & Foster Real Estate for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350