FLEMINGSBURG — A local animal shelter broke off its relationship with Fleming County recently and is no longer operating a rescue for stray dogs.
Fleming County Judge-Executive Larry Foxworthy confirmed Monday that the animal shelter located in Wallingford, Fleming Rescue will no longer be accepting the dogs picked up as strays around the county.
Efforts to find a more permanent home for the hounds began in January when, after more than a decade, Mason County Animal Shelter discontinued its agreement with Fleming County. Discussion then began with the county considering two possibilities, including a shelter in Lewis County and working with Fleming Rescue, which ultimately won the bid and was selected to receive the contract.
A recent decision was made by Fleming Rescue to cancel its involvement with Fleming County before a contract could be signed. Although there has been speculation as to the cause of the rift, Tim Stamper, who headed up the rescue operation, said the group and the county worked well together.
“It was great working with Fleming County, we are thankful for that opportunity,” Stamper said. “We just have to focus on what is more important here, and that is the spaying and neutering of the animals.”
Aside from running the shelter, which was out of their home, the Stampers also run a spay and neutering clinic in the area. While the shelter is no longer operational, the clinic used for spaying and neutering will remain opened for business. The spaying and neutering of the animals is more important right now because by keeping populations down, it keeps more dogs from being neglected and becoming stray, according to Stamper.
There still are a few dogs left at the shelter and those will be cared for until a permanent home can be found.
“We are not going to euthanize them,” Stamper said. They couple will continue to house the dogs until a nice home is found for adoption.
Long-time Fleming County Dog Warden, Andy Allen took 35 or 40 dogs to the shelter last month alone, and in a year can take anywhere between 800 and 1,000 dogs to a shelter.
A new contract with a kennel in Lewis County is currently in the works, according to Foxworthy. Although nothing official has been drawn up, Allen has been transporting dogs to the location since the Fleming shelter closed earlier this month.
For information on how to adopt the remaining dogs at the Fleming shelter or have your pet spayed or neutered contact Tim or Stephanie Stamper at 606-845-7387.
