Sunday, December 30

Hardin Metro SPCA - Year in Review 2007

Year (Actually 8 Months) in Review - 2007

During the last eight months, Hardin Metro SPCA, Inc. was brought to life by an excellent eight (8) member Board of Directors and a group of committed officers, by completing and approving a comprehensive three to five year business development plan.

Early on the group applied for, qualified for, and received all of their required state and federal permits and approvals to be a Tennessee For-Public Benefit, Non-Profit Corporation and a IRS 501(c)(3) public charity. They close the year with having made very good progress in all of their first year goals and money in the bank, from donations and grants, to start 2008.

The three major goals for 2007 were, 1.) to complete all the required paperwork for approval as 501(c)(3) with the IRS and develop and fund a 3-5 year model business plan; 2.) stand up the Animal Cruelty Investigation mission with law enforcement and the Courts; and 3.) become, and be, reliable and effective spokespersons for humane animal welfare in Hardin County, in both the public and private sectors.

Animal Cruelty Investigations

Animal cruelty investigations and prosecutions have had a busy eight months. They nailed the alleged puppy chunker and several others individuals, while counseling numerous irresponsible pet owners, who were borderline negligent.

Our folks have been involved with investigations of alleged puppy-mills operations and provided services to several law enforcement agencies and groups, on a local, state and federal level. The cruelty investigation personnel and their efforts have received high marks for their knowledge, professionalism, and thoroughness in pursuing their cases and in their dealings with the Sheriff's Department, the District Attorney’s Office, and the General Sessions Court.

Every case that has been submitted to the courts has either been admitted to or bound over to the grand jury. Four cases are currently pending with Grand Jury, but to date their conviction or confession rate is 100%. Several animals have made the long trip through the system, from seizer through vetting and fostering to adoption, and their forever homes, or to rescue groups around the region and one as far away as New York.

Reliable and Effective Spokespersons

HMSPCA and it’s pro-active Board Members have been very reliable and effective spokespersons for animal welfare in the County, having successfully lobbied for start-up funds in the current county budget and participated with the Hardin County Animal Control Committee in the planning and presentation of a study/review for an Animal Services Department and facility for Hardin County Government, parts of which have already been acted on by the Board of County Commissioners.

It is being said, in quiet voices in the community, that the active participation of HMSPCA and it's respected Officers and Board Members have accomplished, with our local government and community, in six months what would, and normally does, take a year and a half to two year to get accompished by a newly formed non-profit.

What they are learning is, it’s not by accident. HMSPCA is not your normal newly formed non-profit. The difference begins with who they really are. Individually, each Board Member and Officer contribute a required, yet different, set of professional skills and expertise to the overall effort.

  • From the business management sector, they have the services of Mr. J. Stanley Shaw, MBA and Purchasing Agent for PCA (aka the paper mill), to serve as President.

  • From the finance sector, they have the services of Mr. Chris Jerrolds, CPA, President of Central Bank and former City Commissioner of Savannah, TN, to serve as Treasurer.

  • For the Animal Welfare expertise, they have Ms. Susan Brown, a long time respected advocate for animal rights and welfare management in the mid-south region.

  • From the media sector, they have the services of Mr. Brad Silliman, a former writer at the Courier and much respected for the quality of his work. In addition, they have the services of Mr. Jim Thompson, Editor of The Courier, as a member/advisor.

  • From the legal community, they have had the services of Mr. Vance Dennis, Attorney at Law and former County Attorney for a small rural Tennessee County.

  • From the veterinarian service sector, they have the expertise of Dr. Don Edwards, Veterinarian, who also works closely with the cruelty investigators.

  • For their Animal Cruelty Investigation Mission, to head up the program, they have Ms. Jerrilove Crockett and her husband, Mr. Peter Westrick, as their Chief Investigator, both retired San Diego police officers, one provides field services training expertise and the other investigations and prosecutions.

  • For their membership and fund-raising programs, they have Ms. Peggy Seaton of Seaton Boat Sales in Pickwick and her volunteers.

  • Last, but hopefully not least, for their day to day planning and organization efforts, they have Mr. Ted G. Cook, The Maverick Entrepreneur and a former Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy with a ‘won’t quit’, community activist, reputation, to serve as their Interim Executive Director.

Develop and Fund a 3-5 year Model Business Plan

HMSPCA applied for, qualified for, and receive a Community Assistance Grant from the State of Tennessee to purchase necessary operational equipment for their Cruelty Investigations mission. That kinda answers the question, do they know how to get grants?

HMSPCA put on it’s first fund-raiser/membership event at Victorian Christmas with the Chamber of Commerce, selling the first sweat shirts and signed up several new members, one being a current member of the Hardin County Board of Commissioners. That kinda answers the question, do they know how to do fund-raisers?

In addition to the grant for operational equipment, HMSPCA was the beneficiary of a significant foundation donation to establish a spay/neuter & vetting fund and another individually significant donation to establishing a World Wide Web presence and to purchase donation boxes for area businesses fund-raising efforts.

HMSPCA closes the year with thirty-one (31) dues paying and donating members. In addition, they have received cash donations from 4 non-members and a foundation and have also received significant in-kind contributions and support from several business, including The Courier, Rapid-Print, Wal-Mart, and the Hardin County Veterinary Hospital.

All in all, it's been a good eight months. Having said that, the planning is already well underway for 2008, but in order to continue Saving Lives and Stopping Cruelty to best of their ability, they will need broad community support.
If your reading this, you can help by joining them in the fight to stop animal cruelty.

Respectfully submitted for your consideration,

Hardin Metro SPCA, Inc.
December 2007
hmspca@charter.net

Thursday, December 20

Commissioners Who Voted Against Animal Control Program

At the County Commissioner's meeting last Monday night, the Commissioners listed below voted against taking the first step in establishing a Animal Care and Control program in Hardin County, by voting against recruiting and hiring a Director of the proposed Animal Services Department, as recommended by the Animal Control Committee.

If you get a chance, and any of the folks represent your District, would you please help me find out the reasoning behind their vote by calling or contacting them over the next few days and let me know the results.

They made no comments about their vote at the meeting except for Commissioner Jenkins who expressed his position that he thought the public needed to have an opportunity to comment on the overall plan that had been submitted by the Committee even though the point was made that the overall plan was not before the Commission for approval or disapproval, at this time.

Commissioner Tracy Grisham, Chief of Police for Crump, did comment, after the meeting, that he didn’t understand what was being voted on and never votes for anything he doesn’t understand. There was a third option called, I pass.


Your help in contacting these folks, as soon as possible, would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Ted



Commissioner / Home Phone Number /District
  • Roger Jenkins / 731-689-3829 / Three - Counce/Southside

  • Tracey Grisham / 731-632-0288 / Four - Shiloh/Crump

  • Jimmy G. Grisham /731-687-0154 / Five - Saltillo/Morris Chap

  • Nickie L. Cagle / 731-925-8022 / Six - Cerro Gordo/Rhodes/Olive Hill

  • Gene Bryant / 731-925-2092 / Seven - Whites/Walnut Grove

  • Mike Jerrolds / 731-925-2747 / Seven - Whites/Walnut Grove

  • Tom Haggard / 731-925-5720 / Nine - Courthouse

$2,500.00 Donation to Hardin Metro SPCA

Hardin Metro SPCA has received a $2,500.00 donation designated for 'Spay/Neuter and Veterinary Care' from Pete H. Brown and Mildred F. Brown Foundation, Inc., with an acknowledgment that "Your important work in protecting Hardin County animals is very much appreciated."

As you may know, as a 501(c)(3) Corporation, HMSPCA is not eligible for the Horse Creek CAP program, for dogs, and we have had to fund the spay/neutering and veterinary care of the animal we rescue and process for adoption with our limited general/operating funds.

This generous donation will not only allow us to establish a Spay/Neuter Fund, but will also allow us to apply for other federal, state and other non-profit grants, that require such specific and designated Spay/Neuter Fund, to supplement our efforts to rescue and adopt the animals, dogs and cats, we process in our animal cruelty investigations program.

An acknowledgment and appreciation letter will be prepared and sent to the Foundation and it’s Trustees. FYI the Trustees for Pete H. Brown and Mildred F. Brown Foundation, Inc. are: Jack L. Adams; J. Matthew Brown; Michael N. Brown; and our own Vice-President and Board Member, Susan A. Brown.
Thank you, would be an understatement.

Respectfully submitted,
Ted

Thursday, December 6

Time To Stand Up

For you folks who don't get The Courier, the following is my Reader's Write this week.

The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in our power. If we have made mistakes, if we have tried and failed again and again, there is always another chance for us. We may have a fresh start any moment we choose, for this thing we call 'failure' is not the falling down, but the staying down. (Mary Pickford (1893-1979))

After almost a year of hard work, months of debates and hours of discussions, the long awaited public safety and welfare issues of the over-population of stray animals and animal control in the community will be on the Board of County Commissions’ planning session agenda on December 13th, to begin the next meaningful discussion, and the regular meeting agenda on December 17th for action, on a solution to the problems associated with animal control, stray animals and irresponsible pet ownership in Hardin County.

This is no longer just a problem, it is a dilemma and headed for being a tragedy. To our local government, I would say, you now have the opportunity to do something, either lead or follow!!!!! To the pet owners of Hardin County, I would say, if you are going to have pets, your going to have to be responsible pet owners!!!!

To the non-pet owners, I would say, be responsible citizens and show your support for immediate action on this public safety and welfare issue. The next person to have a problem with, or be bitten by, that at-large or stray animal, could be you or yours!!!

For all of you folks who have needed, wanted or demanded something be done about this issue over the last several years, I would say to you, now is the time to get off of your couches, show up at 6:30 pm on Thursday, December 13th and Monday December 17th, to show your individual support, and our collective community support, for immediate, if not sooner, action on this dilemma.

I look forward to a standing room only group of concerned citizens on both nights. As most of you may know, I can and have stood up for my family for some time now, but we really need, want and gotta have you show up and stand up for yourselves, for us and to demonstrate broad community support.

I know we are all busy this time of year but this is a very important step for our collective futures. Hope to see you there.

Respectfully submitted for your consideration,
Ted G. Cook
Savannah, TN