Escambia, AL, Animal Shelter Closing

The Humane Society of Escambia County (Ala.) has announced that it will no longer be operating an animal shelter or providing field services.

The organization’s directors said they can’t “humanely operate” on the $120,000 per year budget proposed by the Escambia County (Ala.) Commission. Doing so, according to Director Renee Jones, would force the shelter to bring in animals and hold them for the minimum required seven day period before euthanizing them at the shelter in Flomaton.

She said the Humane Society of Escambia County “has never operated that way and to do so would be completely contrary to our mission.”

“Although we completely understand that the commissioners have the task of responsibly allocating taxpayer dollars, we believe that our role in the community is to work toward the long term goal of a more humane community,” she wrote. “As an organization, we are refocusing and believe that we will be able to better support the needs of the animals and the people who love them, as well as staying true to our mission, by working toward a spay/neuter assistance and humane education program.”

The group will work through August to move animals housed in the shelter to guaranteed adoption shelters and rescues.

For more information on how you can adopt an animal, contact the Humane Society of Escambia County in Flomaton, Ala., at (251) 296-2275 or email hsescambia@gmail.com.