Our purpose is to save the King County Animal Care and Control shelter, which Executive Kurt Triplett has proposed shutting down.

KCACC takes in approximately 12,000 animals a year. It is the only open-admission shelter in the county, meaning that no animals are turned away regardless of condition/adoptability. KCACC is responsible for animal control in 34 cities and all of the unincorporated areas of King County.

While nothing has been decided yet, Triplett has made it clear that he would like King County to get out of the “animal sheltering business.” This is a sentiment shared by several King County Councilmembers.

In addition, the Howard Hanson Dam was weakened by last winter’s storms. As part of the county’s Emergency Preparedness Plan, some county facilities, including the Kent shelter, are mandated to move by Nov. 1. There is no public-available plan in place for this move. A very real possibility exists that the county will end its sheltering service.

With no place to take the animals, the future of homeless animals in King County is uncertain. Triplett has said that other animal organizations could take over sheltering and adoption activities, although this does not appear feasible.

What can we do? Contact County Councilmembers. Tell them you are against closing the shelter and/or cutting the funding for animal services. As a taxpayer, demand that the county not get out of its responsibility to provide sheltering services.

– Lisa Wohler, Save King County Animal Care and Control Shelter (http://savekcacc.blogspot.com/)