Avery County is one of only a few counties in the Carolinas without taxpayer-funded animal services. Now, because of public outcry over a lack of support for neglected animals, Avery County has announced an agreement with Mitchell County Animal Rescue to provide animal welfare services.
The county, which has no publicly-funded animal control service, will start sending animals involved in cruelty cases to Mitchell County for housing. Eventually, the rescue will provide more animal services for Avery County. Avery County does have a Humane Society but not a way of handling abuse cases.
The county has long been under scrutiny for its lack of animal welfare programs. Nonprofit organizations like Avery County Animal Support have provided animal services on a volunteer basis in the absence of taxpayer-funded ones.
Volunteers with Avery County Animal Support are critical of the county’s new plan to contract services, rather than creating ones of their own. The organization claims cruelty cases represent a small portion of a vast amount of neglected animals.
In addition to the new agreement with Mitchell County Animal Rescue, Avery County plans to hire an animal cruelty investigator dedicated to cruelty cases.
A new animal shelter is also slated to be constructed on the Mayland Community College property with the purpose of allowing Mitchell County Animal Rescue to house animals in two locations. Avery County officials said this comes after a verbal agreement with the college’s board of trustees.
The county has not detailed a timeline for any action outlined in its plan.
