Small Business Lifestyle

FOLLOWING A FAILED INSPECTION, THE DIRECTOR OF THE STOKES COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER IS SPEAKING OUT. SARAH SOWERS EXPLAINS THE IMPROVEMENTS STAFF MEMBERS HAVE BEEN MAKING AFTER GETTING NOTICE FROM THE STATE ABOUT SOME COMPLIANCE ISSUES. THE STOKES COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER IS WORKING TO MAKE THEIR FACILITY BETTER. THE SHELTER SEES, ON AVERAGE, 200 ANIMALS, A MONTH EARLIER IN AUGUST, THE SHELTER FAILED TO PASS INSPECTION ON CERTAIN METRICS PERTAINING TO DOCUMENTATION OF TREATMENT FOR SICK ANIMALS. THE SHELTERS DIRECTOR, WHO IS ALSO THE DIRECTOR OF ANIMAL CONTROL FOR THE COUNTY, SAYS DOGS HAD NOT BEEN QUARANTINED PROPERLY WHEN TEY HAD A COUGH, BUT NO OTHER ANIMALS GOT SICK DUE TO THESE VIOLATIONS. THE SHELTER RECEIVED A $500 CIVIL PENALTY, WHICH HAS BEEN PAID. TOMMY REEVES SAYS SOME OF THESE ISSUES ARE THINGS HES TRIED TO RECTIFY SINCE STARTING IN DECEMBER. SINCE THEN, REEVES SAYS HIS TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING TO FOLLOW NEW GUIDELINES. HE SET FOR THEIR OPERATIONS. I MEAN, WE WHEN WE LOOK BACK OVER PAST INSPECTIONS, WE HAD SOME OF THE SAME ISSUES IN THE PAST 2 OR 3 YEARS. SO IT WAS ONE OF THOSE THAT WE MESSED UP AND WE OWN IT. HE SAYS MOST OF THE STAFF HAS ONLY BEEN WORKING AT THE SHELTER FOR ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS, SO THERES STILL ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. ONE OF THE RECENT PROJECTS WAS REDOING THE PLAY YARD ON THE SIDE TO REACH STATE COMPLIANCE. SOME OF THE BIGGEST HELP THEYVE RECEIVED. REEVES SAID, HAS COME FROM THE COUNTY COMMISSION. NOT AN EASY JOB TO DO AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, AND THEYVE STUCK IT OUT AND THROUGH IT ALL AND HAVE HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB SO FAR. AND THEYVE MADE A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS TO, TO THE TO THE SHELTER. THEY FIXED THE PLAY YARD. THEYVE GOTTEN A LOT MORE ORGANIZED AND THEY CONTINUE TO DO SO. REEVES ALSO MENTIONED THEIR MOVE TO A NEW FACILITY NEXT YEAR WILL ALLOW THEM TO CONTINUE HELPING ANIMALS LIKE GOATS AND LIVESTOCK. REPORTING IN STOKES COUNTY, SARA