WARRENSBURG, Mo. — Animal lovers in Warrensburg are outraged over the potential loss of their local animal shelter.
A budget proposal presented at the Warrensburg City Council meeting Monday night included closing Old Drum and Friends Animal Shelter in what the city – facing a $929,000 budget deficit – called a cost-saving measure.
“Ultimately, the council had to prioritize the impacts to the services throughout the community,” City Manager Harold Stewart said.
Council members, faced with the decision of cutting services by roughly $500,000, were presented with four options to reduce spending in the city’s general fund:
- Eliminate animal shelter services completely, do not fund the public information officer (PIO) position and reduce one to two general fund positions, saving roughly $554,800.
- Eliminate animal shelter services, leave the PIO position filled and reduce three to four general fund positions, saving roughly $541,000.
- Keep animal services and reduce seven general fund positions, saving $553,000.
- Keep the animal shelter open without a shelter manager or one position out there, keep the PIO officer, eliminate seven to eight general fund positions, saving $539,000.
While an official vote was not taken on Monday, council members were in agreement on which option they wanted to pursue going forward. Stewart said he didn’t think any council members or staff wanted to close the facility, which is named after a historical dog that is buried in nearby Kingsville.
Shelter manager Kayla Frank said that supporters showed Monday night how important the facility is to the community.
“Who are they going to turn to when a pregnant dog shows up on their property, or when a tenant moves out and leaves behind their cats and dogs?” Frank said, “Or with the passing of a resident who lived alone and had multiple pets and they need a safe place to go? Will they be destroyed?"
Council members, though sympathetic, argued that state statutes do not require the city to provide an animal shelter.
Frank, who spoke during the council meeting, said the area’s stray problem will not go away, and surrounding communities don’t have the space or funds to take in animals from Warrensburg.
“By closing the shelter, you're subjecting more animals to starve, be hit by cars or become a public safety concern,” Frank said.
The shelter takes in strays, pet surrenders and animals that must be quarantined for rabies testing. There currently are no plans for what will happen to the animals at the shelter and advocates are searching for private groups to save the shelter.
