For 5 ½ years a volunteer has gone to the Stanly County Animal Control shelter weekly to take pictures and make a list of the Lost and Found Shelter Animals. That list, along with pictures, has been published in the Stanly News and Press in the Sunday and Tuesday edition and on the www.stanlycountyonline.com website. This was done as a public service to the community to let the public know that their lost animals might be at the Animal Control shelter. That list has saved the lives of many animals that end up at Animal Control. At the request of the office of Animal Control, that list will no longer be published in the paper or on that website.

It is very sad that this public service won't be provided to the community any longer. If your animals are missing, please check with Animal Control immediately to see if they are there. They can be put down 3 days after being picked up. Owner surrendered animals do not have the same rights as the strays. If you surrender your own animal, it can be put down immediately. The Animal Control Ordinances give them that legal right. Maybe the ordinances should be changed to at least allow the owner surrendered animal's time to be adopted.

If you feel that this list was of any value to you, the community, and the lives of the many animals that were saved, then please express your opinion. Please let me hear from you either by phone call or e-mail. 704-982-7739 or bmorton@ctc.net .

Barbara Morton
Albemarle, NC
704-982-7739