The parking lot at Allen County Animal Rescue Facility’s headquarters at the east edge of LaHarpe will be improved by Allen County’s Public Works crew — even though county commissioners failed to approve the project on Tuesday.
Sheriff Bryan Murphy stepped in to help, with money from his department’s VIN account. The account is fattened each time sheriff’s officers check vehicle identification numbers. In the past Murphy and Williams, when he was sheriff, have dipped into VIN coffers to help local groups and organizations.
Commissioners had been asked to have Mitch Garner, director of Public Works, send crushed rock to ACARF along U.S. 54, and also dispatch a road maintainer to level the rock, filling a few potholes along the way.
Commissioner Tom Williams agreed and moved for the county to come to the aid of ACARF. Commissioner Jim Talkington was opposed, saying he did not want to spend county money to help ACARF, a non-profit.
Chairman Jerry Daniels declined to second Williams’ motion, and it died.
Daniels said it might be good to table the discussion and look into an in-kind service from ACARF to justify the expense, perhaps by giving the county a break when it brings animals to the facility. ACARF charges to take in unclaimed pets, a means to finance its no-kill facility.
Murphy said the last time his officers delivered any animals to ACARF was about six years ago, two puppies for which it paid $75 each for admission.
Reality is, Murphy added, the county has no responsibility to collect animals that are a nuisance or seen as having been abandoned in unincorporated areas.
“When we get a call, we tell people they need to take care of the animals (usually dogs),” he said. If they pose a threat to livestock, “then we point out they have the right to destroy the animals.”
LATER TUESDAY, Garner surveyed the parking lot and figured cost of upgrade would be about $900. Murphy allowed he had enough in the VIN account to reimburse Public Works to bring the parking area up to snuff.
“It’s a go,” Murphy told the Register by telephone.
