At the Dec. 13 meeting of the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees, Police Chief Eric Luke said he was shocked by a notice from the Michigan Humane Society that it is cancelling its contract to take of Sumpter’s stray dogs.
It gave Sumpter until the end of January to find another place to take its dogs.
Chief Luke said he contacted them and asked if Sumpter had done anything wrong and he was told they didn’t but they are changing their structure. He said officials were very short with him which he couldn’t understand because the Humane Society has been working with Sumpter for many years.
“We have to have somewhere to take our dogs,” Chief Luke said. He said police try to get strays back to their owners. And, Pete and Marcie from Friends of Michigan Animals Rescue, a non-kill shelter, have helped by coming in and taking dogs that were adoptable. Pit bulls are taken to pit bull rescue groups. And, that leaves some for the Humane Society.
The Humane Society is not a no-kill shelter and Luke said it is more than likely the new place to take Sumpter dogs will be a euthanasia type of situation. Last year Sumpter took only 10 dogs to the Humane Society and the cost had been $50 each. This year the price was raised to $100 each. Luke said he didn’t think a month and a half was enough of a heads up, but he’ll be working on it and report back to the board. Some Christmas present.
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Sumpter s planing board is to blame for being harsh for the building permit FMAR needed to expand their dog kennel so they can take in more strays! Sorry what comes around goes around !
What was wrong with their plan to expand that made the planning department refuse their permits?
Sumpter insisted on a drawing by an architect and a seal for the few additions of kennels to the building. FMAR was told by a township official that they could just draw it themselves, as they had in the past. But, their new planning consultant insisted on the sealed drawing. (Actually, he has been replaced by another consultant now.) The new requirement is very costly and so the project is on hold until more funds can be raised. Also, several members of the planning commission were quite hostile to the plans.
FMAR is a worthy, well-run, humane operation and we in Sumpter are very luck to have them. I hope the elected officials will see to it that everything is done to make this process easier for the sake of the animals if nothing else. Recognize what they do all day, every day and do your best to help them expand. We want FMAR to continue to be successful in Sumpter Township!!
Is it true that at one time they intended to build this shelter in Van Buren?
GOD BLESS FMAR !!!