SPCA needs municipalities' support

As a former shelter manager I like to keep abreast of the shelter world in York County. It is with great dismay that I read the lack of support the SPCA is getting from a few municipalities. I understand that for some municipalities the contract price has greatly increased. However what isn't being taken into consideration is what the SPCA does.

The SPCA is the only shelter in York County that accepts ALL stray animals. Stray animals include not only dogs and cats but: iguanas, birds, goats, fish, snakes, turtles, hamsters, rabbits, ducks, chickens, rats, and any other manor of living creature.

All the above specialty animals take special needs, which is not the same as what cats and dogs require. This is all hidden costs that no one sees.

They also run a low cost spay/neuter program for cats and dogs. They have a food program for low income families. They do low cost shot clinics for the public which includes regular yearly shots, rabies shots, and micro chipping. (Micro chips are a tremendous help in getting lost pets home.) You can't provide low cost help and not receive backing from the public.

When they receive an injured animal the vet care is tremendous. The bills can run several hundred dollars.

When you adopt an animal it is up to date on shots, spayed/neutered, micro chipped and has been checked by a vet. Try buying a puppy or kitten at a pet shop, breeder, or puppy mill and not end up with a big expense for the above services.

The SPCA also has the only sworn cruelty officer in the county. So on top of the animal cost they have legal costs to prosecute people who abuse animals.

They have training programs to help people better take care of their animals.

So when you add up all the little things, 50 cents a person based on a census taken in 2000 is not that bad when you consider the population explosion York County has undergone in the last 5 years.

Please encourage your municipality to help the SPCA help you and the unwanted, lost, and abandoned animals of the County. They need it.

Roxanne M. Smeltzer
Red Lion