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Concerned Citizens Coalition –
Montcalm (CCC) is a non-profit Michigan corporation formed to work for positive changes within our community
that will lead to better services for our residents and improve the image of our county. Its membership is
comprised of diverse Montcalm county residents from all areas of the county and all walks of life -- people dedicated to making
our county better at every level! We have identified the Montcalm County Animal Control Department and Animal
Shelter as one of our county’s biggest concerns and one that could easily be remedied with a lot of work on our part
and a little cooperation on the part of County Commissioners.
The need for changes at the shelter has been
obvious to many people for many years. Over the past 30 years, various members of our community have worked to raise
shelter standards, provide humane euthanasia and stop pound release, all of which have served to diminish the trust and confidence
needed for effective animal control. However, these past efforts were always thwarted by the County Board of Commissioners.
Our commissioners have held fast to antiquated and, in our opinion, inhumane policies and practices regarding our
Animal Control Department. While the vast majority of Michigan’s animal control shelters have abandoned such outdated
practices, Montcalm County has stubbornly held on to them. At this writing only 4 of Michigan’s 83 counties practice
pound release – and Montcalm is one of them. The other counties who persist in operating in the past are Mecosta,
Gratiot, and Osceola. (Eaton County has recently imposed a moratorium on releasing animals to a class B dealer.) (see
map 1)
We checked with 184 shelters throughout the state and learned that 5 city shelters and ONLY 4 county shelters
kill animals in a barrel with carbon dioxide – and again, Montcalm County is one of them!!! The others are Mecosta,
Gratiot and Branch. The vast majority of shelters (166) euthanize animals by injecting a lethal solution such as sodium
pentobarbital. Of all the shelters in the state only 2 permit the class B dealer, a non-county employee to euthanize
their animals. Once again, you guessed it, Montcalm is one and Gratiot is the other. (see map 2)
The days
of the “County Pound” are long gone and those communities whose leaders refuse to understand the concept of humane
animal control will continue to operate sub-standard facilities with little or no community confidence or support!
CCC was organized after area residents volunteering at the shelter began to realize that animals coming into our shelter
stood little chance of being adopted or reclaimed and an excellent chance of being gassed with CO2 in a barrel or given to
a class B dealer who, in turn, sells them -- most often for use in live experimentation. These observant and compassionate
volunteers thought that these practices needed to be changed. At first, they thought that merely bringing this to the
attention of the Montcalm Board of Commissioners would solve the problem. It soon became all too apparent, that while
there were some commissioners who shared the concerns expressed by these residents, the majority of the board was simply
unable or unwilling to understand the need for change and the value of progress. Thus, a group of people, who for the
most part, had never spoken out for change before, found themselves organizing to speak on behalf of those who cannot speak
for themselves and to make their voices heard by those who claim to represent them. The anthropologist, Margaret Meade
once wrote, “Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the
only thing that has!” Edmund Burke wrote, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men
do nothing!” Join our committed group of citizens in doing something!
Our
Mission Statement
"To serve the greater good and enhance the quality of life for people and companion
animals."
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