New staff and policies: Nash County Animal Shelter reopens after closure
ON YOUTUBE TV AND THE WRAL APP
ON YOUR TV OR STREAMING DEVICE.
RIGHT NOW, OFFICIALS ARE
WORKING TO GET THE NASH COUNTY
ANIMAL SHELTER FULLY BACK UP
AND RUNNING AFTER A FAILED
INSPECTION, FORCED IT TO CLOSE.
>> THE FACILITY WAS FINED FOR
THINGS LIKE A DEAD KITTEN
DISCOVERED INSIDE DIRTY
CONDITIONS. NO VET ON SITE.
NEW TONIGHT. SINCE THEN,
OFFICIALS HAVE UPDATED THEIR
PROCEDURES HIRED NEW EMPLOYEES
AND ARE NOW TRAINING STAFF.
BUT AS WRAL'S HEIDI KIRK
EXPLAINS, THEY STILL HAVE WORK
TO DO.
>> OPEN FOR ADOPTIONS BUT NOT
TO SURRENDER. YS, THAT'S WHAT
YOU READ ON THE SIGN OUTSIDE
THE NASH COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER.
IT'S BEEN JUST ONE DAY SINCE
THE SHELTER OPENED BACK UP
AFTER A FAILED INSPECTION
FORCED MORE THAN A WEEK-LONG
CLOSURE. WE WANTED TO KNOW
WHERE THE SHELTER STANDS NOW.
SO WE REACHED OUT TO COUNTY
OFFICIALS ASKING FOR AN ON
CAMERA INTERVIEW. THEY
DECLINED, BUT THEY DIDN'T
ANSWER SOME OF OUR QUESTIONS,
WHICH INCLUDED WHAT STEPS HAVE
BEEN TAKEN TO ADDRESS THE
FINDINGS FROM THE INSPECTION
REPORTS.
>> AND WHAT IS THE CURRENT
STAFFING SITUATION AT THE
SHELTER? A SPOKESPERSON SAYS
SINCE THE CLOSURE THEY'VE HIRED
2 ADDITIONAL ANIMAL CONTROL
OFFICERS IN ONE OFFICE.
ASSISTANT.
>> LEAVING ONLY ONE POSITION
TO FILL BEFORE THE FACILITY
IS FULLY STAFFED. THEY'VE ALSO
UPDATED THEIR POLICIES TO
ENSURE BETTER DOCUMENTATION.
OFFICIALS ARE WORKING ON
GETTING TO A PLACE WHERE THEY
CAN EXCEPT SURRENDERS. BUT FOR
NOW, YOU CAN'T TAKE THEM THERE.
WE ASKED NEIGHBORING COUNTIES
IF THEY CAN HELP MEET THE MOST
AGENCIES DON'T TAKE ANIMALS
FROM OTHER COUNTIES SIMPLY
BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE SPACE
FOR THEM.
>> WE STRUGGLE DAY TO DAY JUST
TO HANDLE OUR OWN CITIZENS IN
OUR OWN COUNTIES.
>> TAYLOR SAYS IT'S JUST A
HARSH REALITY. NEVER ENOUGH
RESOURCES FOR THE AMOUNT OF
ANIMALS THAT NEED HELP.
>> I DON'T THINK A PERSON, ANY
COUNTY OUT HERE ANYWHERE IN
NORTH CAROLINA COULD BUILD A
SHELTER. MEGAN UP TO HANDLE
ALL THAT MEANS THAT ALL OF ALL
THE TIME IN NASH COUNTY THERE
SLOWLY BUT SURELY RECOVERING.
>> HEIDI KIRK, WRAL, NEWS NASH
COUNTY, NASH COUNTY OFFICIALS
SAY THEY HOPE TO BE ABLE TO
ACCEPT OWNER SURRENDERS
STARTING LATE NEXT WEEK.
>> TO HELP THEM DO THAT, THE
COUNTY IS HOSTING A SPECIAL
ADOPTION EVENT AT THE FACILITY
ON EASTERN AVENUE IN ROCKY