Penny Volosin

Sherwood

I am writing a letter to the editor regarding the animal care practices involving Souris Valley Animal Shelter. There have been many concerns by me and hundreds of others over the last few years, however this year, there are growing great concerns, not only to the community of Minot, but North Dakota’s animal populations.  I feel compelled to speak for those who cannot, both furry and human.

There is an animal population crisis all over this country including North Dakota. 35 of the 38 North Dakota animal welfare groups/shelters/pounds/rescues are in dire need of help with animals’ intakes from our state to be adopted/rescued while Souris Valley Animal Shelter continues to transport more animals in from other states. North Dakota’s feral/dumped animal population needs help from all organizations to save as many as we can before they freeze during our winters. Adding to the issue, the number of animals listed on Facebook “giveaway” pages is at an all-time high with hundreds of animals looking for new homes/rescue. 

As a longtime advocate and rescuer in this state within the range of Minot, I have witnessed many triumphs of citizens and the animal welfare groups/shelters/pounds/rescues work together to benefit this states feral/surrendered animal population. With this being said, this organizations priorities have changed significantly from being an excellent community shelter resource to a “pet store.” This change has had a significant impact on our community’s animal population as well as the states animal population. 

This change has also impacted the veterinary services. 

The multiple transports from other states, primarily Oklahoma, has increased our population by at least 350 animals per their own posts on Facebook in the last 2 years. While this number does not seem incredibly high, the lack of spay and neutering and proper vetting all these animals has increased the population even more with unwanted litters and unwanted diseases. This concern of unwanted diseases has increased significantly recently as SVAS no longer has in house veterinarian and the transports are continuing. 

All the complaints by citizens/adopters/fosters in Minot area are falling on deaf ears by SVAS staff as well by the Board of Directors. There are multiple complaints about lack of veterinary services from SVAS  after an animal is placed in foster, lack of communication with SVAS after adoption/foster, lack of contractual return by SVAS after foster/adoption/found animals, lack of search of lost animals from SVAS property or fosters, use of specific grant money for transport vehicle /vaccine clinics /TNR services/spay and neuter clinics /homeless humans and animals(emergency housing services) /DV cases /neonatal kittens, lack of use of county/MAFB/municipal contracts to help the citizens of Ward County with dumped/feral animals or lost/found animals in county/MAFB or municipalities, lack of promised vouchers for spay/neuter services, and many other complaints. To compound the problem, the Board of Directors allows the Executive Director to live out of state. This makes direct resolution to these complaints impossible as the staff direct you to email the Executive Director and then get you receive no response or resolution to issue. 

Some of the questions that have arisen by the public that we would like answered are as follows: 

— Where are our local donations being used? 

— Why are they making significant profit since the new ED came onboard and then begging for cat litter?

— Why are many donators banned from building and banned from asking questions?

— Why is it ok for them to bash/harass other rescues and the Minot pound?

— Why are other rescues/shelters intaking known SVAS transport animals (known=microchips registered to SVAS) that are turned away from SVAS because they are full of out of state transported animals?

— Why does our feral/dumped animal population have to suffer and wait for a spot that is taken from out of state transport animal? 

— What happened to the headstones in the pet cemetery and why are they exercising animals on top of the headstones that are left desecrating them? 

— Where exactly are the grant dollars going because we do not see them being used for what they are designated for?  

— Why do they continue to irresponsibly transport animals from other states as well as not properly vet them that impacts the whole state?

— Why is the Executive Director allowed to live out of state and run a community shelter? 

— Why is the board not listening to all these complaints?

— Why are they trying to silence people that speak out with cease-and-desist orders?

These are questions presented to them in open forum from the public that used to support them.  

In closing, I would like to thank you for the continuing support. To all the ND animal advocates to the Minot citizens that wish to see change and the people who are boots on the ground every day in our severely dog/cat overpopulated state, THANK YOU!!!!! The citizens of this state see you all and your hard work to keep local North Dakota animals out of harm’s way as well as picking up the slack and added population issues created by Souris Valley Animal Shelter.