Vance County SPCA, Peggy Satterwhite: Vance Animals are Dying; Whose Responsibility?


As I write this, animals in Vance County are suffering and dying.

This is not meant to judge anyone, but to explain some hard facts about what’s happening to cats and dogs in Vance County and what you might do to help.

1)      The oft criticized Vance County Animal Shelter is bursting at the seams, last week holding over 150 in a facility built for a third of that many animals.  Although our devoted local volunteer rescue, Ruin Creek Animal Protection Society pulled around 50 animals Friday and carried them to safety to NEW YORK, I guarantee by the time this letter is roughly drafted the shelter will be full again.  If you think a new shelter will solve the problems, it’s in the works, but take a look at Franklin County which has a much newer, larger shelter. Since the county instituted no policy changes, such as mandatory spay/neuter, they face the same problems they did before.

2)      Want to blame the shelter?  You will not find a more dedicated and passionate group of people working with Animal Control than our county staff and the few volunteers that give their time there.

3)      Some people call them “murderers” because sometimes animals have to be euthanized, (which is a polite word for “killed”)  That happens when animals are too sick or aggressive to be saved, and when the shelter, rescues and fosters can’t squeeze in one more last kitten, cat, dog or puppy.  “No excuse”, I’ve heard, “they didn’t ask to be born.”  The Alternative?  Many say “Let them run free, turn them loose!”  Drop them off somewhere, someone will take care of them or they’ll take care of themselves.”  Anyone involved in animal welfare has seen the results…that’s when the county goes out and picks up the dead from the road, Animal Control has to try and catch or trap the terrified ones that survive and go feral, have litters, have been torn up by wildlife or other dogs, been shot,  or are just starving…they depended on the owners they loved and trusted to care for them; they don’t know how to care for themselves.  Only because of our rescue, Ruin Creek Animal Protection Society, is the euthanasia rate in Vance County significantly lower than surrounding counties, which run in the 80%-90% plus kill rate.

4)      You may be tired of hearing about spaying and neutering, but it’s a major responsibility of pet owners.  It cannot be stressed enough, not only for overpopulation control, but for the health benefits for your pet.  If you’ve had it done, GREAT!!!  It’s time to tell your neighbors, friends, and family as well.  And when you’re told “Oh, we found homes for our puppies/kittens” please nicely tell them they need to allow no more litters as the ones they found homes for will be having their own young within six months.  Once you start extrapolating out how many litters those young and their young can have in a year, five years, the numbers are staggering.  And no slack for the people who own males; an un-neutered male can impregnate countless females in a short period of time.  You can have the surgery done at your vet, and we have a low-cost mobile spay/neuter unit called SNAP-NC that comes to Vance County at least once a month.  Check out their web site; they also have a more reduced cost program for pet owners on government assisted programs.  If you can afford to keep feeding them and their young, you can afford to neuter them. If your pet is already pregnant she call still br spayed.  If you already have kittens or puppies, please find them homes with people that will spay or neuter them.

5)      Some pet owners drop off or surrender their pets at the shelter; the cute kitten grew up to be a cat, they’re just tired of him, or just plain don’t want them anymore.  Animals have feelings; they can be happy, scared, depressed, and they love you for life.  So if you’re going to adopt a pet let it be for the life of the animal if at all possible.  Consider they may be with you for 15-18 years, the time and expense involved.  If you have no choice but to get rid of a pet, please try re-homing them first. Until Vance County SPCA gets an informative web-site going you can find good re-homing information at SPCA of Franklin County (spcafc.org).  And by the way, if you must surrender your pet to the shelter, PLEASE don’t go visit them…it may make you feel good, but your pet goes through the hope of going home with you and the despair and re-adjusting once more that it’s not going to happen.

6)      By the way, if you’re angry at Animal Control because you’ve called them to trap cats or dogs and nobody’s come, be aware that they’ve received over 90 calls in 2 weeks alone for people needing animals trapped, mostly cats.  You can purchase a trap inexpensively for cats, trap them and take them to the shelter.  There is also a small group of folks here that help with the trap-neuter-return program where cats are trapped and sterilized, then returned to live out their lives.  But they must be fed by a responsible person.  SNAP-NC also gives a discount for neutering ferals.

Yes, as I am writing this, animals in our county are suffering and dying.  This isn’t just Animal Control’s problem, it’s a community problem; a community with a lot of caring people that don’t know how to help. And a community responsibility.  These are God’s creatures being tossed aside like yesterday’s garbage.  So how can you help?

VOLUNTEER/DONATE.  You don’t have to work at the shelter; some folks can’t deal with that and that’s OK.  But do have room in your life to foster one cat, one puppy until homes can be found? Can you go to the shelter and walk a dog, play with a kitten and help socialize these animals to help rid them of their fear and make them more adoptable? Can you donate ANYTHING-the shelter needs non-clumping cat litter, disposable litter pans, fish flavored canned cat food, newspapers, and bleach.  If you can donate a few dollars the money goes into Vance County’s General Fund where it is earmarked for the shelter, but be sure to make a check out to Vance County Animal[i]Shelter, 165 Vance Academy Road, Henderson NC  27536.

If you’d rather donate to Ruin Creek Animal Protection Society, please go to their Facebook Page for information on helping to chip-in on animals that are sick, or to help cover the costs of their weekly transport of shelter animals to other rescues.  On their page you can also see pictures and descriptions of dogs and cats needing adoption.  There is indeed something special about rescuing an unwanted animal; often incredibly strong bonds are formed.  Or just visit at the shelter.  Shelter animals have an undeserved stigma.  Most just need loving homes.  Many are simply scared, confused or depressed, waiting for their owner to return.

If you want a purebred dog please check with the shelter first. There are also rescues online for every breed of dog. 

If you witness an act of cruelty, please report it.  This includes pit bull and cock fighting and puppy mills. The Humane Society of the United State offers a $5,000 reward for information on any of these illegal activities.. If you don’t like the fact there is no leash law in Henderson or Vance, or that chaining dogs is legal within certain restrictions, contact your county commissioner; they make the policies here.

GET INVOLVED! The shelter staff, the volunteers, and mostly, the discarded cats and dogs need you.  Please contact  the shelter or Ruin Creek for questions, or you can go to the Vance County SPCA Facebook page.  Only with your action will better lives for the animal become available.

Peggy Satterwhite

Vance County SPCA;  Vance County Leader for the Humane Society of the United States