Manatee County Animal Services volunteers merit voice in fate of dogs

Thank you, Lisa Williams, for your recent letter regarding the killing of our beloved dogs and cats at Manatee County Animal Services.

I feel fortunate to be a volunteer at the Palmetto facility and work closely with many of the staff and most work very hard. They appreciate what we volunteers are able to do to help make the dogs and cats lives a little better while in the shelter.

We, the volunteers, are never asked about any of the animals we interact with on a daily basis.

As of Oct. 1 MCAS is now under Public Safety Department Director Bob Smith. The former director who was for the "no-kill" retired, not sure if it was voluntary but things have changed and not for the betterment of our animals.

There were five put down this past weekend, Wawa was one along with Kobe, Sarge, my favorite Cairo and Goober. Kobe was up for the Good Citizenship Award.

One volunteer had devoted so many hours to Kobe and began to work with a difficult dog, Cairo, and he was coming around. Then there was Sarge, a beautiful black and white dog who had been taken to events and was well mannered.

Several of the experienced volunteers had worked very hard with him, working hours with Sarge. Now Sarge is dead.

Not one volunteer was asked our opinion regarding these animals. We are not bleeding hearts, we understand situations. We are asking for communication and some compassion for those of us who truly love these animals; that is why we spend the time we do, trying to make their live better, in hopes they will find their "fur-ever" home ... not a trip over the Rainbow Bridge much too soon.

Pat Gilliam

Palmetto

This story was originally published November 4, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Manatee County Animal Services volunteers merit voice in fate of dogs ."