The Chapel Hill News 
July 28, 2002 

APS focuses on welfare of all animals 
Author: Pat Beyle

While emotions are apparently running high in the community over 
the departure of veterinarian Bobby Schopler from the APS 
Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic, there are several areas of con
cern that need to be clarified. 

APS Executive Director Laura Walters was not acting alone in her 
decision to let Schopler go. When she was appointed in March, she 
was given the responsibility by the APS board to handle personnel 
matters. She has been working for months to resolve the issues 
facing the wildlife shelter and satisfy Schopler's ambitions, but 
the contract situation had been an ongoing issue long before she 
came to APS. 

Walters has been instrumental in making major improvements at the 
Orange County Animal Shelter, and the morale of staff and 
volunteers has risen dramatically under her leadership. I know 
from working closely with her how difficult it is to make the 
decisions that she does everyday, including what will live and 
what will die. She has worked tirelessly to bring the community 
into the shelter to increase the adoption rate and has investi
gated and won many animal cruelty cases. 

Walters has worked closely with the board, and she has my 
support. It is a real shame that a group of vocal people are 
driven by emotions to malign someone who has dedicated her life 
to all animals. 

Both the board and Walters have worked many hours to facilitate 
an agreement that would meet both Schopler's needs and those of 
the organization. It took many months of discussion to determine 
exactly what Schopler desired for himself and the Wildlife 
Rehabilitation Center. Last month, Schopler presented his re
quests to the board for consideration. 

A six-page report outlined his vision and personal ambitions. It 
included requests to increase funding of rehabilitation of 
wildlife, establishing veterinary internship programs, 
research/surveillance of diseases and bioterrorism, publishing 
wildlife papers and public health literature, and contributing to 
the scientific community. It goes on to request that he be 
appointed a full time wildlife veterinarian with funding for 
additional staff. 

We are a nonprofit animal-protection organization and not a 
university or research institution. While Schopler is certainly 
respected for his high-reaching dreams, the APS simply cannot 
fulfill them. 

As can be seen from the recent newspaper articles, there are 
clearly many dedicated lovers of wildlife. Remember that we also 
serve dogs and cats, which are equally important. Last year, 
5,117 dogs and cats were admitted to the animal shelter; 1,139 
wild animals including birds were admitted to our wildlife 
shelter. The staff veterinarian position of the APS is 
responsible for taking care of all APS animals, not just 
wildlife. It has been like that for the five years that Schopler 
has worked with APS. Our mission is the protection of all ani
mals. 

While I am sorry that Schopler chose not to sign his contract 
after we worked so hard to find common ground, the APS will 
continue our goals of protecting all animals in need. We are 
dependent on donations and volunteer support from the community. 
It would be a true shame if all of the animals, not just wil
dlife, suffered from this fallout. 

I have found it interesting that not one voice has risen in 
support of the thousands of dogs and cats at the animal shelter. 
How about the many that are euthanized every day because there is 
no room. Yet we are supposed to increase our funding to make room 
for more wildlife instead. It is the job of the APS board to 
balance all of the programs and not to overextend in one area to 
the detriment of the others. 

The APS of Orange County has been working for animal welfare for 
40 years. We will continue our efforts, and I urge the public to 
become more involved to help all animals, both domestic and 
wildlife, through volunteering, donations of goods, and financial 
support. We need all the dedicated and talented people we can get 
to work with all of the animals. The fate of these creatures is 
in your hands. 


Pat Beyle is president of APS of Orange County. The Chapel Hill News 

________________________________________________________________


The Chapel Hill News 
August 21, 2002 
Letters to the Editor 

Article Text:

Goal is to prevent animal suffering 

I wish to expand on the "preventionist" theme M. Ross Oglesbee 
raised in her Aug. 4 letter about the APS. 

Domestic animals differ importantly from wildlife, in that they 
need human attention to survive. They have been bred by humans to 
be dependent, or "companionate." 

The APS animal shelter staff must do heartbreaking work, 
euthanizing many domestic animals that, simply for want of a 
human home and love, have no place to call home. Though only a 
few courageous individuals actually carry out this overwhelming 
task of euthanization, the ultimate responsibility for the 
unwanted lives and sad deaths of shelter animals is shared by 
those of us who call ourselves "humane." 

The euthanization rate at the Orange County shelter has declined 
recently, partly through a decision on the part of management to 
kill healthy animals less frequently. (For this reason, the 
shelter can look a bit "messy" to visitors -- a lot of animals in 
cages can't possibly look as "tidy" as fewer animals in cages.) 

The solution to the needless deaths of companion animals is not 
increased adoption, though everyone loves adoption. The solution 
is prevention: preventing the birth of so many unwanted animals 
through education and widespread spay-neuter programs. This is a 
primary duty of an animal protection society. 

Compare this situation with that of prevention of wildlife injury 
and death. Much of this suffering can be attributed to expansion 
of human populations and destructive human activities like road 
building, rampant residential and commercial development, driving 
and even keeping domestic cats outdoors. The sad reality is that 
any wildlife that is fortunate enough to wind up at the wildlife 
center gets good care, and being released is merely the tip of 
the iceberg; for every bird or other wild animal so treated, it 
is likely that hundreds or thousands are killed, without our 
direct knowledge, through local loss of habitat and human 
activity. Of course, the wildlife that are rehabbed and released 
are beautiful and precious -- but so are the multitudes of unseen 
and unheard wild individuals. We can work for the unseen and 
unheard ones by working on prevention. 

While the current attention on domestic and wild animals is high, 
let those of us with a passion for domestic animals and/or 
wildlife come out strongly with a preventionist message. All of 
us who so care can educate others about prevention of tragic 
injuries and death, about the "facts" of euthanization and 
habitat disruption. We can commit ourselves to words and actions 
that lead to prevention of animal suffering, both domestic and 
wild. 


Beverly Rockhill 
________________________________________________________________
 
The Chapel Hill News 
September 1, 2002 

APS's policy stirs emotional response 

CHAPEL HILL -- A friend of Judith Reitman first told her about a 
black Cocker spaniel-mix dog at the Orange County Animal Shelter 
a few weeks ago and asked her to take a look. 
An animal lover with four already at home, Reitman found Casey to 
be a friendly dog who licked her hand when she went to his kennel 
to pet him. 

But the same dog she found so friendly growled and snapped during 
four temperament tests given by two different dog trainers at the 
shelter, and shelter director Laura Walters rejected Reitman's 
adoption request, saying Casey could be a danger to the communi
ty. 

An appeals board made up of board members of the Animal 
Protection Society, which manages the shelter under a contract 
with the county, also turned down Reitman's request after seeing 
a video of the dog aggressively guarding his food bowl. 
Casey was euthanized the week before last. 
Now Reitman is posting fliers around town bearing Casey's picture 
and questioning APS's adoption policies -- an act Walters calls a 
"disgusting display of ignorance." 
Everybody can agree that it's about the animals. 

But questions that still swirl about how choices and decisions 
are made at the Orange County Animal Shelter have pitted animal 
lovers against animal lovers over what is in the best interest of 
dogs and cats housed at the shelter. 

The latest controversy started with Casey, once promoted as "Pet 
of the Week" but then euthanized after shelter staff found him to 
be too unpredictable during temperament tests. 
Shelter officials say they handled the case according to their 
written policies, but Reitman and other residents who have had 
bad experiences at the shelter are asking whether policies should 
be changed. 

"This is not about this particular dog anymore, although APS's 
response certainly raised a lot of questions about how they make 
decisions," Reitman said. "This is about trying to improve the 
processes at APS. That will only happen by making the goings-on 
at APS more transparent to the public." 

Shelter officials counter by saying that, while a few people may 
have complaints about how adoption decisions are made, the po
licies make the process fair and open to many. 
"The APS has always been very open with its policies," said 
Walters, executive director of the Animal Protection Society, 
which manages the animal shelter under a contract with Orange 
County. "They are posted around the building and we are open to 
talking with anybody about them." 

Walters and Reitman stand at the heart of the debate over how to 
make the judgment calls that determine which animals of the 5,117 
that came into the shelter last year are adoptable. 
Reitman, who moved to Chapel Hill a year ago and taught classes 
at the UNC School of Journalism, is the author of several 
investigative articles and books, including "Stolen for Profit," 
about how animal dealers steal family pets to sell to research 
laboratories. 

The book won the Dog Writers Association of America Book of the 
Year award, and after writing it, Reitman testified before 
Congress on the Animal Welfare Act and lectures around the coun
try on animal rights issues. 

Walters, who moved from Arkansas in March 2001 to be the 
development director of the APS, became executive director of the 
nonprofit group in April. She has more than 20 years of 
experience in animal shelters, starting as a volunteer when she 
was 16. In Greenwood, Ark., she started the town's first animal 
shelter, acting as its executive director and primary fund-
raiser. 

In the Orange County Animal Shelter, a well-established program 
of spay-neuters for all adopted animals and other educational 
classes already has placed the facility at the top in the state. 
In 2001, of the 5,117 animals admitted to the shelter, 2,017, or 
40 percent, were adopted; 598, or 12 percent, were reclaimed by 
owners; and 2,282, or 45 percent, were euthanized, according to 
county records. 

While many applaud the shelter for the work it does, others see 
room for improvement, both in policies and attitude. 
"APS does a great service for this community," Flicka Bateman, a 
Town Council member, said. "The only thing I've ever heard as far 
as negative feedback is about the adoption process and the ap
peals process." 

Jean Meier of Colony Woods is one resident whose experience at 
the animal shelter turned her off adopting in Orange County. She 
and her husband started their search for a beagle mix dog at the 
Orange County shelter. 

"I made many trips over to the shelter, but I found them cold and 
uninterested as far as the staff was concerned, and it was 
difficult to get information from them about adoption 
procedures," Meier said. "We went to the Durham APS, and it was 
just the opposite story. They were very open, friendly and 
anxious to help, and we were met at the door by a volunteer each 
time." 

After a few weeks of waiting, Durham volunteers called the Meiers 
to let them know a dog matching the general description of what 
they wanted had come into the shelter. In April, they took home 
Pixie, a small beagle mix who Meier says is a little shy, but 
"the joy of our lives." 
"I'd go right straight back to Durham if I had to adopt again," 
Meier said. "And I would support their program first, which is 
sort of sad." 

Carla Shuford said she had a similar experience at the shelter 
last month as she monitored the adoptions of three kittens that 
friends had taken to the shelter. Phone messages weren't 
returned, some volunteers and staff members seemed hostile to 
questions, and she had trouble finding out information about the 
kittens' status, Shuford said. 

"It's almost like they want to have as little to do with the 
public as possible," Shuford said. "It's very, very un-user-
friendly. It makes people not want to go there to look for ani
mals because it's so frustrating." 

But both Walters and county Health Department officials, who 
oversee the contract with APS for operating the shelter, say 
those types of experiences are isolated. 

"There are always going to be people who are dissatisfied with 
procedures," Orange County Health Director Rosemary Summers said. 
"But when you have to tell people no, there is a positive way to 
tell people no, and you hope that can be done positively. There 
are always ways to improve on that." 
One way the county tried to improve on the "no" process was to 
organize a formal appeals process for people whose adoption 
requests were rejected. 

The appeals board was organized two years ago after a Mebane 
lawyer and his wife were not allowed to adopt a Labrador Retriev
er that they planned to keep outside. 

At the time, APS officials did not approve adoptions where the 
dog would be left outside for the majority of the time. After 
public outcry, APS changed its rules to allow adoptions of 
outdoor dogs and put in place a formal appeals process to hear 
potential adopters' arguments. 

Three members of the APS board of directors hear appeals of 
shelter officials' decisions. Orange County Animal Control Direc
tor John Sauls also sometimes sits on the appeals board. 
Claudia Sheppard, a member of the APS board for four years and a 
veterinarian practicing in Durham, chairs the shelter committee 
of the board that oversees the appeals process. 

"APS has done a really good job in trying to match animals with 
people," Sheppard said. "You're always going to get an individual 
upset with a decision. With animals, nothing is black and white. 
There are a lot of emotions involved because this is a living 
being we're dealing with." 

Sheppard said the appeals board has overruled Walters, letting 
nearly half of the rejected adoption requests go through on 
appeal. But she said that the appeals board also has denied an 
employee's adoption request in the past. 

"If the people make a really good case, and it seems like it's in 
the best interest of the animal... we look at those two things," 
Sheppard said. "We have to look at the good of society and 
adopters, and the good of the animal. We want adoptions to be 
permanent." 

Bill Reppy, a 31-year tenured professor specializing in animal 
law at Duke University, attended the appeals hearing about Casey 
with Reitman. He is one of the founding members and a vice 
president of the nonprofit group Justice for Animals, which 
advocates animal rights. 
Both he and Reitman say they felt the appeals process was 
hostile, and that the appeals board members had their minds made 
up before hearing Reitman's side of the case. 
"The atmosphere seemed like they were against us," Reppy said. 
"It was, 'You are the enemy, we are together.'" 
Reitman said she would petition the county commissioners, who 
approve the budget for shelter operations, to negotiate for an 
independent appeals board when the county's contract with APS 
comes due. 

The most recent contract between APS and the county was signed 
last month. 

"They couldn't be objective," Reitman said of the current appeals 
board. "I'd like to see a working group of residents that has no 
vested interest in who the APS executive director is or the board 
-- people who would lean on the side of caution to adopt the 
animal out and not just rubberstamp the shelter's decision." 
Walters and Sheppard say that an independent appeals board would 
not have the same understanding of liability and animal rights 
issues as the current makeup of the appeals board. 

"It has to be (part of APS) because lay people who are not part 
of APS will not understand the liability issues involved," 
Sheppard said. "I certainly hope people won't start running to 
the county every time they don't like a decision." 

Although county Animal Control Director Sauls sits on the appeals 
board, Orange County does not have any other kind of oversight on 
the board's decisions, a set-up that Walters and Sheppard said 
leaves the decision to people most familiar with shelter issues. 
"The reason it contains members of the APS board is because the 
APS has complete liability for the decision it makes," Walters 
said. "Say we had a dangerous dog, and we say no, it can't be 
adopted, but the appeals board says yes. The APS is liable. I 
just don't see how an independent board would work." 
But some argue that it doesn't take specific training in animal 
or liability issues to be able to hear appeals of shelter deci
sions. 

"Juries aren't trained in terms of legal issues, but those are 
still the ones the law charges with making decisions," Bateman 
said. "It needs to be a balance. Certainly, APS needs to be 
represented, but I think it would improve the standing with the 
community, it would make the appeals process less in-house and it 
would make it fairer if you had a broad base that included more 
than just APS representatives." 

Commissioner Barry Jacobs said he had heard from an even number 
of people who support the APS and those who have had problems at 
the shelter since Reitman started questioning shelter policies. 
"People have strong emotions about this, and as someone who lives 
with animals, I certainly understand the depth of feeling," 
Jacobs said. 

The Orange County Board of Commissioners funds the operations of 
the animal shelter -- $428,818 in this budget year -- and has 
contracted with the Animal Protection Society to run the shelter 
off Airport Road since it opened in 1979. Summers said the system 
of cooperation between APS and the county has worked well over 
the years. The balance of the shelter's $1 million-plus budget 
comes from private fund raising. 

"There are real benefits to having contracts with APS, but that's 
not to say the county couldn't do it," Summers said. "Overall 
though, the contracting method works well." 
Reitman, however, questioned whether the contract with the 
private, nonprofit APS allows policy decisions to be made behind 
closed doors instead of in open meetings, as would be required by 
any government agency. 

Walters said APS provides a budget and is fully accountable to 
the county Health Department for the shelter. But she added that 
the group also runs several other programs besides the shelter, 
including the animal emergency response team, dog-training 
courses, wildlife sanctuary, dog park, animal cruelty education 
classes and a regional task force on dog fighting. 

Reitman also said she would speak at the Board of Commissioners' 
Tuesday meeting to ask for a public forum on APS's adoption 
policies and management of the shelter because she said she did 
not feel staff members were open to comments from the public. 
"If APS were not so resistant to public suggestions we would not 
need to call a public forum, we would already have been in a 
productive dialogue," Reitman said. 

Summers said that Reitman and other members of the public are 
welcomed at Board of Health meetings. The Board of Health 
oversees the Animal Control Department, and indirectly, the 
shelter contract. She and Walters also said that customer 
satisfaction surveys are available at the animal shelter for 
people to make their feelings known. 

As some residents question the shelter's operations, county staff 
members are taking a closer look at the future of the shelter, 
too. 
The shelter's lease on the university-owned Horace Williams tract 
expires in 2006, and, as of now, the county will have to relocate 
the shelter when plans for a UNC satellite campus go forward. 
Jacobs said he has talked with county Manager John Link about 
including the shelter in an assessment of the county's space 
needs and looking at where the shelter can move and whether it 
needs to expand. 

"I hope we also can talk about developing a strategic plan that 
includes some discussion of what additional role, if any, the 
county should play in the operations of the shelter," Jacobs 
said. "It's just a question of identifying issues, creating a 
suitable forum aiming at some kind of tangible results and then 
moving the process forward." 

Summers said the county would like to co-locate animal control 
staff members with the shelter, but that does not mean the two 
would be completely integrated. 
"There aren't any plans to take over the operation of the 
shelter," Summers said. "It's something we can always look at, 
but it's not something the county Board of Health has talked 
about yet." 

Jacobs said he understands the heated emotions that surrounds the 
debate over shelter adoptions, but that the county needs to take 
a measured approach in conjunction with APS to look at how im
provements can be made. 

"They do an excellent job for the most part, and, in a lot of 
ways, it is a thankless job," Jacobs said. "I respect the 
sacrifice they make personally to do what they think is best for 
the animals. 

"But we need to look at what cost, and under what circumstances, 
can we ensure that we are the closest to perfection (in adoption 
rates) as we can possibly come?" 

________________________________________________________________

The Chapel Hill News 
September 4, 2002 
Letters to the Editor 

Animals deserve humane care 

I recently was involved in the welfare of three kittens that had 
inadvertently ended up in the hands of the APS. Although I had 
not had personal contact with the local APS for some time, I was 
dismayed by the innumerable glitches that involved what should 
have been a simple and straightforward procedure. 

However, my biggest concern was the APS's policy of not 
cooperating with other humane societies that offered assistance. 
The Humane Society of Alamance County is a no-kill organization 
that is run entirely by volunteers with full-time jobs. It had 
readily agreed to take all three kittens. 

But the APS, currently holding more than 100 cats and overcrowded 
by its own admission, refused to release them. Its reason was 
that the kittens "belonged to them." When I inquired further, I 
was told that this policy was in force "for disease purposes." 

What could be a more disease-susceptible climate than its own 
overcrowded shelter? Also, this explanation did not make sense 
since it was the same person at the same location whom the APS 
was willing to foster for them, yet unwilling to foster for the 
Humane Society of Alamance County. The only difference was which 
organization would receive the adoption fees. 

It is high time that we, who consider ourselves to live in a 
"progressive" community, demand that our animals receive humane, 
healthy and gentle care, free from politics, power and money. 
Perhaps, we should learn from the example of neighboring Alamance 
County, which has a thriving humane society that works in 
conjunction with, and in addition to, its respective local shelt
er. 
Carla Shuford Chapel Hill 

________________________________________________________________

APS could do a better job 

I would like to add my voice to those who have had negative 
experiences with the adoption process at the Orange County Animal 
Shelter. 

I adopted a kitten that had been fostered by a former APS 
veterinary technician, in an effort to save the little guy from 
death. It had a crooked left paw and was scheduled to be 
euthanized, having been deemed an unlikely candidate for 
adoption. Despite the discouraging sorts of behavior described by 
Jean Meier and others, I was finally able to adopt the kitten, 
which has become a loving and beautiful adult cat, with a bit of 
a distinctive gait, not at all disabling. 

I believe APS can do a much better job in community relations and 
outreach, having found them to be at best uninterested and 
defensive, explaining themselves to be under-staffed and 
unappreciated, and openly hostile, as evident in The Chapel News 
accounts of the Casey adoption mess, and the recent press regard
ing the Wildlife Center vet. 


Victoria Shields 

________________________________________________________________

The Chapel Hill News 
September 8, 2002 
Others step up to question APS procedures 

Author: Jonnelle Davis; Staff Writer 

CHAPEL HILL -- Kris Bergstrand has been a veterinarian for 22 
years and has been volunteering at the Animal Protection 
Society's Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Mebane for nearly a 
year. 


While she has enjoyed her volunteer experience there, she said 
she also has been troubled by what she deems problems at the 
center, including violations of state and federal regulations and 
policies regarding the adoption of sick animals. 

"I have heard from several volunteers involved in fostering APS 
dogs and cats, that they are very frustrated with the lack of 
clear policies regarding adoption of sick or potentially 
dangerous animals," Bergstrand said. "They fear that if they come 
forward publicly with their concerns that they will no longer be 
able to participate in the foster program. We need to be able to 
hear from these people in a situation where they can speak freely 
about their concerns." 

Bergstrand was one of several people who asked the Orange County 
Board of Commissioners on Tuesday night to form a task force that 
would investigate the Animal Protection Society's policies, as 
well as allow residents like herself to voice their concerns. 

While 13 citizens signed up to speak on the issue, board Chairman 
Barry Jacobs allowed only four to address the board, saying the 
meeting was not the place to have an in-depth discussion of APS 
policies. 

The four speakers, one of whom was an employee of the wildlife 
center, criticized many APS policies, including those on adoption 
and disease control within the shelter. 

Wildlife center volunteer Christy Dixon said several cats had 
been brought from the shelter to the wildlife center's spay and 
neuter clinic with high temperatures or suffering from panleuko
penia, which is spread by contact with diseased animals. 

Animals are sent to be spayed or neutered before they are adopt
ed. 

"I'm not sure if they're telling the prospective owners about 
these diseases or not," Dixon said. 

Dixon said the wildlife center was first told it could keep birds 
for a 24-hour period even though it lost its federal license to 
deal with wild birds when veterinarian Bobby Schopler left. She 
said the shelter stopped accepting birds after its manager, 
Melanie Piazza, discovered that the practice was illegal and 
staff members could be fined. 

APS shelter director Laura Walters, who did not speak at the 
meeting, said Friday she was not aware of the concerns voiced by 
wildlife center employees at the meeting. 

She said she was open to the public and their ideas concerning 
the shelter. But she did not second-guess any of the APS's prac
tices or policies. 

"I am very confident in operations of the Animal Shelter and our 
disease control being supervised by two different veterinarians 
that we have a lot of confidence in," she said. 

Concern over APS policies were raised last month when Chapel Hill 
resident Judith Reitman was denied a request to adopt a dog from 
the shelter because the dog failed temperament tests. Reitman 
appealed to the APS board, which upheld the shelter's decision. 
The dog was later euthanized. 

During Tuesday's meeting, commissioners also received a petition 
signed by nine of Reitman's neighbors in support of the APS 
decision to deny Reitman's adoption of the dog. The petition said 
Reitman owns four other dogs that have been a nuisance to the 
neighborhood. 

The board referred the matter to County Manager John Link's 
office for investigation. The manager's office will make a report 
to the board no later than Oct. 1. 

Commissioner Steve Halkiotis said he received numerous e-mails 
last weekend from residents concerned about APS practices and 
believed that the recent controversy warranted a closer look. 

"I'm just concerned," Halkiotis said. "I think the level of my 
concern is at an all time high, and I would like our inquiry to 
be as complete as possible." 
________________________________________________________________

The Chapel Hill News 
September 11, 2002 

Letters to the Editor 


A good start on examining APS 

I would like to thank the Orange County Board of Commissioners 
for their response to concerns raised about the APS. 

Some of the serious issues raised were the need for subjecting 
the APS to the Open Meetings Law, overhaul of the appeals 
process, written policies regarding dangerous dog designations, 
disease control, licensing and permit questions, and accountabil
ity problems. 

The commissioners addressed these and other issues by calling for 
an immediate assessment of the conditions at the shelter. They 
also asked for a report at the October meeting about the 
possibility of having a public forum and establishing a task 
force. 

This is a great start. It is a tribute to Orange County that the 
commissioners took these concerns seriously. I am confident that 
significant changes at APS will occur as a result. 


Margie Huggins 

Chapel Hill 
________________________________________________________________


Carrboro The Chapel Hill News 
October 2, 2002 
Shelter's disease management questioned 
Author: Virginia Knapp; Staff Writer 

CHAPEL HILL -- When Anne-Marie Meyer and her friends David and 
Colleen Jelley took two stray dogs that they found to the Orange 
County Animal Shelter, they said they expected the friendly pups 
to easily find new homes. 
Instead, Max, an 8-month-old Labrador Retriever-mix, died of the 
highly contagious parvovirus and his 4-month-old brother, Lucky, 
barely survived the disease. 

While Lucky recently found a home through the Chatham Animal 
Rescue and Education group, Meyer is left with $1,500 in vet 
bills to pay and a lingering frustration with her experience at 
the shelter. 

"I'm not trying to take down the shelter," Meyer said. "But the 
community needs to get behind the shelter and commit to a change 
there. It's easy to take potshots, but I'm more concerned that 
the whole system failed these dogs." 

Animal Protection Society Director Laura Walters defends the 
shelter's disease management practices, which Meyer blames for 
the dogs contracting parvo. 

"This isn't a pet shop, it's a public animal shelter," Walters 
said. "We can't choose which animals we take in. We take them 
all, and sometimes they're sick. 
"We just have to do the best we can with what comes in." 

Meyer's experience and others like it have sparked a level of 
interest in the operations of the shelter that hasn't been seen 
in a few years, said Orange County Commissioner Barry Jacobs. 

The Board of Commissioners, which owns the shelter building and 
contracts with the Animal Protection Society to run the facility, 
discussed the operations of the shelter at a meeting Tuesday 
night after the Chapel Hill News' deadline. 
But before the meeting, Jacobs said that he thought that the 
board would be interested in hiring an outside agency like the 
Humane Society of the United States or the American Humane 
Association to conduct an external assessment of the shelter if 
the APS board agreed. 

"We're partners with APS; we can't just dictate to them," Jacobs 
said. "Some of the things we've heard are alarming, and I don't 
think there are any of us that would be content to let the 
situation continue in an unsatisfactory way. I do think we are 
going to be more aggressive in getting answers than we have in 
the past. 

"It may just be time to do a thorough reappraisal in how we deal 
with the animal shelter, animal control, the facilities. It's all 
coming to a head." 

Complaints started in August when Chapel Hill resident Jude 
Reitman questioned the adoption policies at the shelter after she 
was not allowed to adopt Casey, a Cocker Spaniel-mix who was 
previously listed as Pet of the Week. 
Reitman and staff members at the APS Wildlife Sanctuary, who see 
shelter animals who come out to the sanctuary for vet treatment 
or spays and neuters, petitioned the county commissioners to 
examine APS's adoption policies and disease management practices 
at the shelter. 

An outbreak of panleukopenia, a highly contagious feline version 
of the parvovirus that appears in dogs, at the in-town shelter 
this summer helped spark wildlife sanctuary staff members' con
cerns. 

Walters said that the panleukopenia outbreak is fairly rare in 
shelters, and that the Orange County shelter got hit in July 
after the Buncombe County shelter warned APS officials the dis
ease was heading east. 

In July, 38 kittens died of the disease and 77 were euthanized, 
according to a shelter report. Walters said the shelter continued 
adopting cats out at the time, but informed adopters that the 
disease was in the shelter population. 
"It's fairly rare in shelters," Walters said. "Wake County is 
dealing with it right now, but we haven't seen any cases in about 
a month." 

Finding parvo in dogs at the shelter is slightly more common, 
Walters said, adding that one case will occur every three to four 
months. 
"When it pops up, we hit it hard," Walters said. "We go into 
immediate action." 

But Meyer said that the two dogs that she took in to the shelter 
contracted parvo from two dogs already at the shelter, and that 
shelter staff members told her that another dog also contracted 
parvo after Max and Lucky left the shelter. 
"I'm sure they got it there," Meyer said about the disease. 

Meyer, a doctoral student in epidemiology, found the two stray 
pups rooting in garbage along U.S. 15-501 the Friday before Labor 
Day. After taking them to the outdoor kennel of her friends, the 
Jelleys, she and the Jelleys called several rescue groups to see 
if anyone would take the dogs in. Both the Jelleys and Meyer have 
dogs of their own. 

They decided to take Max and Lucky to the Orange County Animal 
Shelter so that the dogs would get vet care and have an indoor 
place to stay. 
After visiting the dogs over the next week, Meyer and the Jelleys 
noticed them both getting sicker. The shelter staff notified them 
that the dogs had parvo, and that the shelter could not afford to 
treat them. 
Meyer took the dogs to Cole Park Veterinary Clinic, where Max and 
Lucky were treated, but only Lucky survived. 

Meyer and the Jelleys believe the dogs contracted the disease at 
the shelter and have questioned how the shelter staff manages 
disease in the animal population. 
"I would never have taken them there if I would have known," 
Meyer said. 

The three say they got contradictory information from shelter 
staff members about the dogs' vaccinations, whether the dogs 
would be euthanized and what the shelter's record-keeping po
licies are. 
Walters said that the shelter did all it could in Max and Lucky's 
case to ensure that they got the best treatment possible. 
"We make every effort to adopt out healthy animals and to prevent 
the spread of disease to others," Walters said. 
Walters said that the staff is hindered by the age and state of 
the county facility, which was built in 1979. 

The county commissioners received a report Tuesday from two vets 
from UNC and N.C. State who were hired to assess the facility. 
The report said that the facility needs additional quarantine 
space for incoming animals and repairs made to cracks in floors 
and countertops where diseases can lay dormant. 

Walters said that the report reflects the staff's concerns and 
that she would be interested in hearing an external auditor's 
reports of facility needs. 

"We'd be absolutely thrilled to have that done," Walters said of 
having an outside assessment from one of the national humane 
organizations. "We can only learn good things from that." 

Jacobs agreed, saying that the more information that becomes 
available to the public, the clearer the situation at the shelter 
would become. 

"This all involves well-meaning people trying to do good things 
and ending up at odds with one another," Jacobs said. "The sooner 
we can come to some improved understanding, the better." 

Caption:
Anne-Marie Meyer sits with Lucky, one of two stray dogs she found 
along the side of the road and took to the Orange County APS. 
Below, Lucky survived his bout with parvo and malnutrition, while 
his companion wasn't so lucky. 

________________________________________________________________


October 30, 2002
APS critics, supporters flock to meeting
Commissioners hear proposal to open new, independent wildlife
rehabilitation center as well as an evaluation of APS.

By DAVE HART, STAFF WRITER

CHAPEL HILL -- Near the end of a long evening full of impassioned and
sometimes bitter speeches by people on opposing sides of the Animal
Protection Society dispute, Orange County commissioner Steven
Halkiotis pleaded with everyone in the room to focus on what they have
in common rather than what separates them.

"It's hard, because emotion boils, but we are all adults who care
about animals," Halkiotis said. "There are a lot of gifted and
talented people in this room. And when you have this many gifted and
talented people who all care about the same thing, that demands that
representatives of the two groups sit down and talk. They should sit
down with the manager over some warm comfort food and talk, human
being to human being."

Nearly 30 people spoke amid a standing-room-only crowd at the Southern
Human Services Center Monday night. Two separate issues were on the
table: a proposal by former APS veterinarian Bobby Schopler to open a
new, independent wildlife rehabilitation center; and a county proposal
to contract for a comprehensive external evaluation of APS.

The board took no decisive action on either issue. The commissioners
encouraged Schopler, a licensed wildlife specialist, to seek financial
support from a wide range of sources and said they could consider his
request for $100,000 in county funds during the regular budget cycle
next spring. And they instructed County Manager John Link to gather
information, set a timetable and establish a cost estimate for the
evaluation of APS.

Although the two issues were distinct, there was -- considering the
evolution of the dispute and the individuals involved -- some
inevitable degree of overlap.

In virtually equal numbers, critics and supporters of APS painted
drastically different portraits of the same organization.

Detractors described an APS rife with mismanagement, faulty adoption
procedures, poor disease control, inaccurate record-keeping and
secrecy.

"I am here to express very serious concerns about the way APS
functions, showing disregard for its bylaws and basic democratic
procedures," said Elliott Cramer, an APS member. "Several long-time
supporters of APS have told me that this is not the APS they have
known and loved . . . APS has been acting like a secret society,
despite the fact that its funding is from the public and half its
funding is from Orange County.

"I speak for many APS members and animal lovers in asking you to
assert the full power of your authority, requiring that APS be held
accountable for its actions and be responsible and open to its
membership, the public, the county, and, most of all, the animals."

Supporters denied the accusations and countered that APS and its staff
and volunteers do a remarkable job under difficult circumstances. They
said recent inspections by three veterinarians, including the 
state Department of Agriculture's field veterinarian, found no serious 
problems.

"On not a daily basis, but an hourly basis, the staff and volunteers
do everything they can to serve the mission of APS," said Susie Cook,
a member of the APS board of directors. "It is obvious from the
controversy that has erupted that there are thousands of people who
care very much about animals. We encourage you to come to the shelter.
We encourage you to volunteer.

"This organization is strong and solid. The staff, volunteers and
policies are strong and solid. Is it imperfect? Yes. Show me the
organization that isn't. Is it willing to open itself to be evaluated?
Absolutely. Come on. We encourage you."

Yet another group pleaded with all parties to put aside suspicion and
resentment and work together toward the common goal of caring for the
animals, wild and domestic, that live in and around the community.

Commissioner Moses Carey echoed that sentiment. He said the county
should proceed with the Humane Society evaluation, because the county
needs it in helping to plan and fund the APS in the coming years.

"It's sad to hear the acrimony we've heard," Carey said. "People of
good will -- and I assume all the people involved are people of good
will -- ought to be able to compromise.

"A study can't mend the wounds. We can't mend the wounds. The people
in this room have to do that. I think we need the study because it's
Orange County's responsibility to come up with the vision we want to
pursue for mandated services. We need the study to give us guidance."

Regarding the treatment of wildlife, board chair Barry Jacobs noted
that Orange County suddenly has an embarrassment of riches -- albeit
without actual riches to fund them all.

"Few other places are blessed with two groups that want to do wildlife
rehabilitation, let alone just one," Jacobs said.

Schopler's proposed wildlife center would eventually include not only
a rehab center but educational and study facilities, outreach
programs, a nature trail and other facilities.

APS also plans to reopen its wildlife facility, which is closed for
renovations. Board members said the organization will begin a search
for a wildlife vet in December and plans to reopen the center by "baby
season" in the spring.

There is some disagreement within APS about the feasibility of doing
that. Pamela Bayne, a board member and chair of APS Wildlife
Committee, said the committee considers it unlikely that APS will be
in a position to reopen the wildlife center in the spring.

"While supporting the care of all animals, including wildlife, the
primary focus of the APS has traditionally been a dedication to the
welfare and care of domestic animals," she said in a statement of the
Wildlife Committee's position. "In October, the APS Wildlife Committee
presented to the board of directors our findings that the APS is not
in a position at this point, nor can it anticipate being in a position
in the near future, to operate a wildlife care facility. Wildlife care
is a specialized field with criteria not easily met. "The APS Wildlife
Committee fully supports any independent organization with the
expertise, necessary background and knowledge, along with dedication
and commitment, required to undertake the care and rehabilitation of
wildlife."

APS President Pat Beyle said the organization nevertheless plans to go
ahead with its wildlife plans. "We have a timeline the board adopted
to have the wildlife center open by baby season, in February or
March," she said. "Until things change, that's what we intend to do.
As of now, that is still the plan."

All of which left the commissioners puzzled as to why there should be
two wildlife facilities in the same county.

"Having two wildlife treatment centers in one county flies in the face
of common sense," Halkiotis said. "If one can do it better than the
other, then the one should cough it up and let that group do it. And
if one group's main job is running the shelter, than it should do
that."

Schopler said that was exactly what he would like to see.

"What I'm hoping is that APS and the Piedmont Wildlife Center can work
together," he said. "I'd love to see us have a positive relationship
where we could refer people with domestic animals to APS and, when
people bring wild animals to APS, they would say, Yes, there's a great
wildlife center just down the road.'"

Dave Hart can be reached at 932-8744 or [48]dhart@nando.com
________________________________________________________________



Chapel Hill News  November 10, 2002

Letters to the Editor

Changes needed in how APS operates
I appreciate your excellent coverage of the Orange County 
hearings that have brought APS irregularities and lack of 
democratic procedures to the attention of the public. As I told 
the county board, APS has used "executive session" proceedings to 
hide important matters from the membership and the public.

The APS president gave notice to the APS board of the intention 
to change the bylaws, removing voting rights from the membership. 
This was to take place in secret executive session without notice 
to the membership. Fortunately word got out and this was halted, 
although I have since learned that the board intends to consider 
such action in the future.

A group has been formed to nominate members to the APS board, in 
accordance with APS bylaws. The nominees include Bibb Latane, son 
of a prominent APS benefactor; UNC epidemiology professor Beverly 
Rockhill; prominent local lawyers Margie Huggins and Kendall 
Page; and me.

Although our efforts were impeded by APS management, I have been 
informed that we will be on the Dec. 9 ballot at APS. APS still 
refuses to provide access to the APS membership list as clearly 
allowed by state law.

At the Oct. 14 meeting of the APS board, I stated, "Given the 
suspicions of the general public as reported in community 
newspapers, I suggest that the board reconsider its board 
nominations and consider supporting five of us nominated by the 
membership. We would be eager to work with the current board to 
bring back community support and assure a bright future for APS."

Following the suggestions of the Orange County board, we are 
continuing our efforts to cooperate with the current APS board. 
Clearly things have to change there. -- Elliot M. Cramer, Chapel 
Hill 
________________________________________________________________

The Chapel Hill News 
November 13, 2002 
Roses & raspberries 

Raspberries to the board of the Animal Protection Society for its 
timing in making a procedural change that, at the very least, 
lends credence to some people's notion it is manipulating its 
membership. 

At a time when the animal shelter and its operations have come 
under attack with a variety of allegations, including secrecy, 
the board elected to change its procedures to allow only board 
members, and not the full membership, to elect new members. The 
change may make little appreciable difference, as board members 
say general members rarely voted anyway. But even if it had 
nothing to do with the recent controversies, it's difficult to 
see any compelling reason to do it now, when there's distrust in 
the air. 
________________________________________________________________



The Chapel Hill News 
November 13, 2002 
APS board hopefuls call for healing wounds 
Author: Dave Hart; Staff Writer 

CHAPEL HILL -- Five new candidates running for election to the 
Animal Protection Society's board of directors told the board 
that they wanted to help APS heal the wounds that have opened 
during four months of controversy. 


The five new candidates joined four incumbents Monday night in 
giving what amounted to brief campaign speeches at the regular 
monthly board meeting. There are five seats up for election next 
month. The candidates brought various levels and areas of 
expertise, experience and emphasis to the table, but the common 
theme was one of rebuilding a spirit of cooperation and trust 
between APS and the community after the recent run of disputes. 

"There's been a lot of bad blood, in the newspapers and 
elsewhere," said candidate Margie Huggins, a lawyer. "That's 
going to happen. We're all human. But you have to go forward. You 
do great things, but perception goes a long, long way, and if you 
ask somebody now what's going on at APS, the perception is, 'Oh, 
man, bad stuff.' 

"We have to get all the groups working together, not against each 
other. There has to be a way to come together, to cooperate and 
work through things." 

Kendall Page, a lawyer who also is candidate, echoed the call for 
unity. 

"Everybody in this room wants to help animals," said Page. "The 
community as a whole views the APS as a fabulous organization. 
That is still there. But everyone raised an eyebrow to see where 
we would go when there was trouble in the organization. 

"People want to see us get back on track. They want to be able to 
say, 'They're moving forward, and we don't have to worry about 
all that strife any more.' We've just gotten a little off-center. 
I'd like to see a little more harmony." 

At least a few eyebrows were raised when the board, by a 
unanimous vote, recently decided to amend the bylaws to give the 
board, rather than the general membership, the right to vote for 
new board members. Any general member of APS can become a 
candidate by submitting an application with the signatures of 10 
general members. Under the new bylaws, however, only the 15 board 
members vote. 

APS President Pat Beyle said the bylaw change had been under 
consideration since last spring and was done in order to 
streamline the voting process and bring APS in line with similar 
nonprofit organizations. 

"We regularly review and update our policies and bylaws," she 
said. "We did a lot of research, and we found that many non-
profits with a structure and size similar to ours do it this way. 

"The timing is probably poor. I understand that, and it's 
unfortunate. But sometimes you have to go forward anyway. We have 
a very diverse board, and we discussed it at great length. It 
certainly was not intended to keep people off the board. We want 
people to get involved." 

Coming on the heels of controversy, the decision struck some as 
questionable. Several general members were surprised by the 
timing of the decision, and at least one board candidate called 
it a blatant attempt to stifle critical voices. 

"It's utterly preposterous," said Elliott Cramer, a vocal critic 
of the APS leadership and a candidate for the board who said he 
regards his chances for election as essentially nil. "I think 
it's an example of them acting in bad faith, and it will generate 
a great deal of bad publicity." 

He called on the board to rescind the new policy and to dismiss 
Executive Director Laura Walters. 

Along with Huggins, Page and Cramer, new candidates Beverly 
Rockhill, an assistant professor of epidemiology at UNC, and Bibb 
Latane, a retired professor of social psychology, addressed the 
board. 

Rockhill said she hopes to work to reduce the number of animals 
coming into the shelter. 

"I'm very interested in making the low-cost spay/neuter program 
as widespread as possible," she said. "I want to get the message 
out that if we make spaying and neutering as simple and 
inexpensive as possible, we won't have all these animals coming 
into the shelter in the first place." 

Latane -- the APS Felicite Latane Wildlife Sanctuary was named 
for his mother -- said he would bring problem-solving experience 
to the board. 

"Almost any problem can be solved if you address it calmly and 
put passions down and figure out what needs to be done," he said. 

The board will vote in early December. 

"I am so impressed with the people here tonight," board member 
Dan Textoris told the candidates. "I wish we had 10 openings 
instead of five." 
________________________________________________________________

Chapel Hill News
November 20, 2002

Reader provides update on dogs 

As a follow-up to a front-page story that ran on Oct. 2, I'd like 
to give your readers an update and request some help. The article 
provided information on two dogs Anne-Marie Meyer found along 
U.S. 15-501. With the help of my husband, David, Anne-Marie took 
the dogs to the APS hoping the owner would come for them. 
Unfortunately, all signs pointed to abandonment. 

While in the shelter, both dogs contracted parvo. With the help 
of Dr. Pagel and her incredible staff at Cole Park Plaza Vet 
Hospital and Chatham Animal Rescue and Education Inc., Lucky 
survived his bout with parvo, was renourished and was adopted by 
a young, recently married couple. Max was not as fortunate. 
Concerned friends and neighbors sent donations to CARE for Lucky 
and Max's mounting vet bill while in isolation. 

Just recently, Lucky was diagnosed with severe pulmonic stenosis 
(basically, the valve that blood passes through to get from the 
heart to his lungs doesn't open as much as it should). Lucky had 
surgery at the NCSU vet clinic on Oct. 23 and the surgery went 
very well. Without the surgery, he would have had about a year to 
live due to the terrible pressure on his heart. He can now expect 
to lead a long, happy life. 

CARE had some remaining "lucky" funds to help out with his 
surgery, but his owners are faced with an additional $1,100 in 
recent surgery costs, as well as his upcoming sterilization 
surgery. If you would like to donate, I'm sure Lucky's family 
would greatly appreciate your kindness. All tax-deductible 
donations can be forwarded directly to CARE at P.O. Box 610, 
Pittsboro, NC 27312, 542-5757 (be sure to note Lucky's name on 
the check). Or you can donate online by visiting CARE's Web site 
at www.chathamanimalrescue.org/donate.shtml. 


Colleen Jolley 

Carrboro 

________________________________________________________________

Chapel Hill News November 24, 2002

County approves APS review by Humane Society

By KATHLEEN HUNTER, STAFF WRITER 

CHAPEL HILL _ Reactions are mixed about how effective a review of 
the Orange County Animal Shelter, spurred by months of criticism 
from community members, will be at providing accurate information 
about how the shelter is run.

Critics worry that the review will do little to uncover what they 
describe as systemic management problems at the shelter, while an 
Animal Protection Society representative says the effort will 
prove once and for all that concerns that have been raised in 
recent months are not valid.

County officials, meanwhile, are looking to the review as a way 
to cut through the vastly different accounts and to find out what 
is really going on at the Orange County Animal Shelter.

The Board of Orange County Commissioners voted unanimously 
Tuesday night to have the Humane Society of the United States 
conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the shelter.

Retired UNC professor Elliott Cramer has put forth a host of 
allegations against APS, ranging from animal mistreatment to 
executive mismanagement and said he fears that APS officials will 
not present an accurate portrait of how the shelter is being run 
to Humane Society officials. 

But APS board of directors chair Pat Beyle said public concern 
about the shelter is much less extensive than the most vocal 
critics have suggested. She said she hopes the review will help 
the APS do a better job, but she also anticipates it will prove 
that recent allegations are false.

"I don't think there is going to be a great uncovering," Beyle 
said, "because I don't think that there is anything to uncover."

County officials say they hope an independent operations review 
will shed light on the shelter's management practices.

"I think we need an outside evaluation and an outside 
recommendation about our animal control and animal protection in 
Orange County," Commissioner Margaret Brown said. "It's going to 
enable the commissioners to get an idea of how we think the 
shelter should operate."

Orange County contracts with the Animal Protection Society to run 
the shelter and the Wildlife Sanctuary. The APS also provides 
animal control services for Chapel Hill. 

The review, which will cost $21,000 and is to be completed by May 
or June, will result in a written report that several 
commissioners said they hope Humane Society officials would 
present firsthand to the county board.

Assistant County Manager Gwen Harvey said county officials 
recommended that the county contract with the Humane Society 
because that group's review process was the most extensive.

"Our full intent was to have a thoughtful and thorough evaluation 
to be conducted by an outside agency," she said. "So we believe 
that this is a very important step that our board has taken with 
the cooperation of APS to bring forward good information." 

The review will evaluate three main components of the shelter's 
services: operations and facilities, management and administra
tive practices, and animal care and control methods. 

The review will include an on-site visit that Krista Hughes, 
coordinator of the Humane Society's Professional Animal Services 
Consultation Program, said likely would last two or three days. 
The Humane Society also will be soliciting public comments about 
the animal shelter, Hughes said.

Most of the cost of the review _ about $18,500 _ will fund the 
contract with the Humane Society. The remaining $2,500 is slated 
to pay for public focus groups that will be held prior to the 
site visit to provide additional feedback about the shelter's 
operations from specific segments of the local population. The 
money will come from the county's general fund.

County officials have approached Andy Sachs at the Dispute 
Settlement Center in Carrboro about helping to facilitate the 
focus groups, but no official decision has been made.

Kathleen Hunter can be reached at 932-8742 or khunter@nando.com 
 
________________________________________________________________

Published: Sunday , February 16, 2003

Police escort APS member out of meeting, board members resign

By DAVE HART, STAFF WRITER

CHAPEL HILL Mondays meeting of the Board of Directors of the Animal
Protection Society of Orange County was interrupted by the arrival of
police officers summoned to remove an APS member who has been banned
from the premises.

Elliot Cramer, a retired UNC professor and an outspoken critic of the
APS management and leadership, was notified last month that he was not
to come onto APS property. The certified letter alleged that on three
separate occasions he had accessed or attempted to access areas of the
shelter clearly marked off-limits to the public. The letter warned him
that if he came onto APS property, police would be summoned to remove
him and legal action will be taken against you.

Cramer has denied the allegations contained in the letter. When he
showed up at Mondays meeting, APS President Pat Beyle asked him to
leave. Cramer said he replied that the meeting was open to the public,
that he was an APS member and that he was there to listen.

APS called the Chapel Hill Police Department. Officers responded, and
Cramer cooperated and left the property without incident. No charges
were filed.

Cramer said the trespassing claims against him were false and were
part of an effort by APS to retaliate against him for his vocal
criticism of the organizations leadership. He said he had only entered
a restricted area once, and that time inadvertently. On that occasion,
he said, he was looking for a staff member and walked through an open
door; when a staffer inside informed him he was in an off-limits area,
he said, he promptly left.

Beyle was not available for comment. APS Executive Director Laura
Walters referred questions to APS Attorney Ron Merritt; Merritt was
out of town and unavailable for comment Friday.

In other developments, two members of the APS board have reportedly
resigned in recent weeks.

Pamela Bayne and Sandy Green, both of whom served on the APS Wildlife
Committee, stepped down.

The current focus the APS management and leadership of the Board of
Directors insists on pursuing clearly indicates an inherent lack of
professionalism, and misdirection of the organization, Bayne wrote in
her resignation letter.

Dave Hart can be reached at 932-8744 or [56]dhart@nando.com