Robbinsville – A groundswell movement to create a sustainable, local solution for quality animal control added multiple layers to its narrative Tuesday.
The Graham County Board of Commissioners heard from Graham County Animal Refuge President Brittney Holder – as well as several local and regional advocates – about the need for a viable system that locals can depend on. It is a discussion heard before and for many years at commissioner meetings, but Tuesday’s pitch added a new twist: the Valley River Humane Society is asking for $221,000, or it will stop taking animals from Graham County when 2025 begins.
Deemed a “short-term solution” by newly-elected, commission chair Meggan Smith, the board unanimously approved the creation of a committee – which will serve strictly as a liaison between the county and regional agencies on how to best curb the animal-control issues in Graham County. After closed session, the board agreed to compile a questionnaire that the committee would complete.
The asking price of $221,000 is up from when society president Don Reynolds asked for at consecutive meetings in August and September. During both appearances, Reynolds asked the board about a 61% cut in funding from 2023-24 to 2024-25 and also noted that Graham County makes up around 16% of the Marble-based shelter’s monthly intake (Clay County is responsible for 11%; Cherokee County covers the remaining 72).
Reynolds also estimated that an annual $153,000 was necessary to care for animals strictly from Graham County, and that 75% of the society’s $1.2 million budget was funded by donations. Additionally, the shelter cited a 41% increase between 2023 and 2024 on the number of animals taken in from the county: 241 was the intake as of Tuesday for 2024, compared to 171 last year.
Also the owner/operator of B’s Pet Grooming, Holder has long fought for a full-time animal control officer in the county, as well as leash laws.
The county does have an animal control officer in Harold Millsaps, but the position is restricted to only assist with dangerous animals (such as one that bites an individual, or one that is suspected to have rabies). Currently, there are no leash laws in the county – but an ordinance does exist for animals considered a “nuisance” within the Robbinsville city limits.
Holder recently collected 336 signatures through an online petition for a full-time animal control officer and presented that figure to the board Tuesday. She also expressed her concern about what was going to happen to animals that would otherwise be taken from the county to the shelter, should the funding not be awarded by commissioners.
“We really need something now, not later,” Holder said, referring to budget discussions for 2025-26 beginning in May.
Speaking on behalf of the board, Smith countered with some realities about the potential of a shelter being constructed in the county – as well as the idea of providing $221,000 in yearly funding.
A contract was in place between the shelter and the county until 2019, when it was not renewed. The reasons for a renewal are unclear, but both operated on more of a handshake agreement thereafter at the terms of the original deal ($20,000 a year). The county supplied $19,000 in 2020-21; $20,880 in 2021-22; $24,012 in 2022-23; $51,356 in 2023-24; and $20,000 in 2024-25.
The reason for the sudden uptick in funding last year was cited as an oversight, due to personnel transitions in the finance department.
The dip back to $20,000 – or $1,666.67 a month – is what recently brought Reynolds to meetings, as the request for 2024-25 was $107,942.
“The $221,000, that’s not feasible,” Smith said. “Are we willing to negotiate? Absolutely. It’s going to take teamwork and I’ve said that from the beginning.
“We’re not going to be able to build a shelter tomorrow. We’re not going to be able to pay $221,000 tomorrow. We’re going to have to work toward that. I love that you guys are so passionate; I wish we had that many people that was as passionate about helping other people.”