LEWISBURG, Tenn. (WTVF) — Volunteers at the Lewisburg Animal Shelter are upset with how the shelter is being managed.
They feel there’s lack of communication between volunteers, the county, the city, and the committee that supervises the shelter. An upset volunteer posted a Facebook video on Tuesday when she couldn’t get into the building, and no manager was there. According to city officials, there was a dog fight and the manager was injured trying to break up the fight alone.
"Who is taking care of my furr babies? Who is going to adopt these babies out? Somebody enlighten me," Jett said.
On Wednesday she found out the shelter was closed part of yesterday due to the dog fight.
Jett said, "Somebody could have picked up the phone called our coordinator, and she would have called one of us! The dogs would have been taken care of!"
Susan Ragsdale said things have gone downhill at the Lewisburg Animal Shelter too. She used to manage it before she retired in March due to a death in the family.
Ragsdale said, "It's almost been like the attitude is 'Thank you for all your help over the past few years but we've got this now,' and obviously they don't."
Lewisburg Mayor Jim Bingham said they’re in a transition period, so they’re trying to work out the issues. He along with the Marshall County Mayor appointed a committee to help with concerns.
"We have faith in the committee and we believe that given time in this transition period that in the long run, the shelter is going to be better off," Bingham said, "There's going to be some transition times where there's some problems to be worked out."
Committee member Tony Nichols issued a statement:
There has never been a day since the Animal Shelter Board took over that the animals at the Lewisburg Animal Shelter have not been fed, watered, and cared for.
As far as communication with the Volunteers, the only number and contact we have had was for Brandy Fox who was the Volunteer coordinator. Brandy resigned her position on November 12, 2019 and we have no-one to contact when we do need assistance.
As you know we are in a transition period with the new management at the Shelter and things haven't been easy. We look forward to working with the Volunteers and greatly need their help if they can provide us with a contact person we will gladly use them as needed.
Ragsdale said when emergencies arise, she wants access to the shelter so dogs aren't there alone, in what she said are deteriorating conditions.
Ragsdale said, "It's a catch 22. If we can't be here when a manager is not present, how can we come in and help that?"
In addition, the shelter no longer takes cats. Volunteers want to invite the public to attend the next board meeting on December 11th at 6:30p.m. at the court house in Lewisburg.
