Humane Society talks land

Published 1:38 pm Tuesday, September 20, 2011

The Butler County Commission has unofficially offered five acres of land to The Butler County Humane Society for them to build a second chance shelter. The red triangle represents an estimate of 5.67 acres mapped out on Google Maps.

The Butler County Commission has unofficially offered five acres of land to The Butler County Humane Society for them to build a second chance shelter. The red triangle represents an estimate of 5.67 acres mapped out on Google Maps.

The Butler County Humane Society may soon have a location for a Second Chance Shelter.

An unofficial proposition has arisen between the Butler County Commission and the Butler County Humane Society for a parcel of land owned by the county and located at the northwest corner of Highway 31 and Pettibone Road.

“We want a place that everyone in the county can access,” Tom Matthews, a Humane Society member, said. “They can offer us five acres of land on the northwest corner of Highway 31 and Pettibone Road. This is strictly unofficial. We have not been offered the land and we have not accepted the land.”

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On Sept. 8, the commissioners discussed the proposition but did not have a formal vote on the matter.

“It’s the piece I like the best, and I’m not going to do everything I can to make this happen,” Matthews said.

Herbert Morton, president of the Humane Society, said the location needs to be on a main road, easily accessibly to everyone the Society serves and it needs to be seen.

“It needs to also be separated from The Greenville Animal Shelter,” Morton said.

According to Matthews, there are two other locations that the county owns but this piece is their first choice.

“There’s not reason for us not to use the property,” Matthews said. “I fell in love with it. I think it’s a great location and a great piece of property.”

In Other News

– The Shelter Adoption Agreement has been signed between Greenville Police Chief Lonzo Ingram and Morton. It says that if an animal was in a shelter longer than a month, it will be sent to a second chance rescue. There are groups around the country that will rescue particular animals. The animal would be removed from Butler County and adopted somewhere else. This would open up areas in Butler County shelters.

– Kimberly Matthews is looking for mature, in-home cats that may have diabetes to start a cat sanctuary that are adoptable and kept forever. Matthews needs to speak with the Humane Society to see if the veterinarian bills can be covered. She hopes to hold a maximum of 40 to 50 cats in the sanctuary.

– The board approved paid help at second chance shelters. The position would pay minimum wage for 10 hours per week at minimum wage. The shelter can pay up to $75 per week.