PASCO, Wash. —
A handful of residents from the Tri-Cities are asking the city council to consider establishing an independent advisory board for the Tri-Cities Animal Shelter (TCAS).
A few people who have previously volunteered with the shelter and currently own or volunteer for another foster dog program spoke at the Pasco City Council meeting on Monday, April 3.
Mary Mattox, Founder of Service Peace Warriors, trains dogs to become service animals for veterans and retired police officers. Mattox tells me she sometimes adopts dogs from shelters that might be labeled as too aggressive or there isn’t enough room for them in the animal shelter to train them for service responsibilities.
Mattox and the others that spoke at the city council meeting say the past experiences from TCAS have influenced the decision to ask city councils for this new board.
Mattox says this board could help TCAS as it transitions from a contractor-operated facility to a city-operated facility.
“Try and help with these dogs getting either placed or helping them with training,” says Mattox. “We want to find out if the dog is really aggressive or not.”
Mattox tells me she felt the need to support the idea of introducing a board after one of the dogs she was supposed to meet at the shelter was euthanized before she could meet it in person.
Mattox says the most recent dog she’s taken in from the shelter is Milton. Mattox says Milton was considered to be too aggressive by TCAS staff.
“I’m actually considering turning him out to be a service dog for the Service Peace Warriors,” Mattox says. “He apparently has bit four times and I think it was just a little bit of not understanding him and that he was a bit overly excited.”
Mattox tells me a board could provide more opportunities like Milton to dog trainers and help understand a dog before making a decision about its life.
Mattox wants the board to accomplish goals and not just talk about them.
“I’d like the board to be a working board,” Mattox says. “Where everyone on that board actually works on that board to get stuff done. I’ve served on a couple of boards where everyone sits around and makes decisions, but nothing gets done.”
Another resident who wants an independent board for TCAS, Carrie Deleon, also volunteers with Mikey’s Chance and says this board would rebuild trust between the community and the shelter.
“Please, we need an independent advisory board now more than ever,” Deleon says. “This will provide the transparency that is essential to rebuild trust and to provide our community with a shelter that we can be proud of.”
Jon Funfar with the City of Pasco tells me in order for the Animal Control Authority to change its structure and allow this board to form, all three city councils must agree on members for the board.
Deleon told me in a Facebook message that she has shared her message with all three city councils.
Mattox says we don’t need to focus on the past instances with TCAS because it’s behind us now.
“Yeah it’s had its bad raps and things haven’t been the best for them,” Mattox says. “Who cares? What’s done is done. Let’s make it better.”
There is no word yet if a board will be created, but Mattox and Deleon tell me they would like a board that would clearly communicate the shelter’s actions to the public, understands the challenges the shelter faces and creates better processes for transparency.
