The Online Reflector

By JP Sinclair

Editorial Assistant

Two campus organizations, Promotion of Animal Welfare and Safety (PAWS) and Circle K, both volunteer at the Indianapolis Animal Care and Control Center. The animal shelter on the city’s Southside is under scrutiny following allegations by the Feral Bureau of Indiana about the conditions of the shelter.

The allegations included lack of sanitation to the kennels and receiving rooms, along with claims that animals were placed for adoption before the standard investigation time for the animal was complete.

Circle K President and PAWS activities co-chair Shelby Beeler has not observed supporting evidence for the allegations from the Feral Bureau.

“Sick animals are all on antibiotics. They don’t advertise that,” Beeler said. “I have never seen neglect. They don’t have an option on overcrowding. You look at the Humane Society closing; it left IACC to be the last option for homeless animals. They are trying the best they can.”

Seven measures for improvement were suggested in a July 4 letter from Greg Brush, CEO of the Feral Bureau of Indiana, to Warren Patitz, chairman of the IACC Advisory Board and from volunteers to the center. This included a zero-tolerance policy for mistreatment of animals by staff or volunteers and adaptation of adoption policies.

On Oct. 8, the IACC advisory board took action and laid out a series of proposals to overhaul operations at the facility. At the meeting, some employees even stood out against the shelter, according to an Oct. 9 article of The Indianapolis Star.

It was the first meeting of the advisory board since Administrator Steve Talley stepped down in September. He agreed to stay at the center until the end of October.

During the advisory board meeting, the board agreed to provide an anonymous tip line, clean kennels better and provide additional staffing.

“The more volunteers to help supplement staff or replace staff for cleaning duties, and the more they can visit the animals, the more the animals do better on the adoption floor,” said Adam Garrett, volunteer coordinator of IACC.

The facility has implemented other changes, including new employees to take training and better regimenting the application of euthanasia.

With both PAWS and Circle K volunteering at the shelter, along with organizations like the Feral Bureau, steps are being taken by the community to ensure the health and well-being of the animals at this shelter.

Money becomes an issue, with the shelter operating on a $3.7 million dollar budget (according to The Star article) and it takes in more than 18,000 animals a year.

“It’s totally unrealistic to have someone come and be the person to handle one animal. One person per animal is unrealistic,” Beeler said. “They are trying to keep animals alive. What they are doing with what they have is phenomenal.”

Overall this problem is one that resides in the community at large. With the overwhelming number of animals coming into the shelter, and the short-handed staff, it puts volunteers at a premium.

“People that work there are really great. They care about the animals,” Beeler said. “They just don’t have enough money coming in.”

Beeler also said that the not-for-profit organization Friends of Indianapolis Animal Care and Control Foundation has been instrumental in helping fund the operations and procedures.