SUMMERS COUNTY W.Va. (Hinton News) – Extreme cold weather and an ongoing parvovirus outbreak have forced a shutdown of the Summers County Sheriff Department’s temporary holding facility for neglected, abused and surrendered dogs. Help is needed while County Commissioners, the sheriff’s department and humane society members huddle to address necessary changes.
Hinton native Jeff Mann was among the first to respond to a recent appeal for assistance on a new Summers County Humane Society/ACWP social media post. Volunteer Steve Lilly presented Mann with a Certificate of Appreciation which reads, “On behalf of the ACWP volunteer team, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your generosity. Every dollar donated to our organization goes directly to the animals and their care, and we have had several complex and heartbreaking medical cases lately. Caring, giving community members like you make it possible for us to continue to answer the calls and needs in the community.” Mann is an author and creative writing teacher at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, and Lilly, a neighbor, says, “He thanks us often for caring for what Jeff refers to as the “wolfies” we have fostered this past year. He has been very supportive of our efforts as foster volunteers with ACWP. His moral support has been unwavering.”
Mann’s neighbors have helped foster rescued strays and surrendered dogs through the humane society’s efforts since Summers County Sheriff and County Commissioners opened a temporary shelter in Hinton.
“Our neighbor has been a major source of moral support as our family signed on with nearly a dozen other foster volunteer families, doing as much as we can and as rapidly as we can to bring dogs into warm and loving families as we keep them safe and healthy awaiting adoption or transfer to rescues devoted to securing forever homes for Summers County dogs.” Lilly’s home opens its doors to mostly pregnant dogs in animal control or brought into the foster program through ACWP, and assists with whelping, nurturing, socializing and weaning puppies until they are vaccinated and spayed or neutered and ready to be adopted or transferred.
Fundraising efforts are ongoing in Hinton and Summers County, through dog walks and parades, presence at fairs and festivals and, of late, an increasing number of adoption parties. Mann’s donation has added to many more small, medium and larger donations throughout the year, through grants to spay and neuter, trap and release for cats, online and in-person, to address specific needs or emergencies. This year parvovirus has caused many dogs to become ill, receive treatment and, in several cases, dogs have died. His recent generosity came in response to the newest ACWP social media post:
“We are excited to share our 2023 LIFESAVING ACCOMPLISHMENTS!
“Thanks to our dedicated team of unpaid volunteers, we have been able to save 245 lives by placing these pets in permanent homes. We have also covered the cost of 656 spay and neuter surgeries for Summers County dogs and cats. Spaying and neutering is the KEY to preventing pet overpopulation in our community. Thank you to our donors, volunteers, supporters, and adopters for your support of our efforts in 2023. Now it’s time to continue to save lives in 2024! Any and all donations to our cause are appreciated!”
“We find ourselves in need of community support for a permanent Animal Control facility, which will be comfortable for animals in custody of the Sheriff’s Dept and easily sanitized between residents,” according to Christina Cochran. “We issued a plea for donations,” Cochran continues, “so that construction on this project can begin sooner rather than later. We can say that Summers County government has partnered with ACWP to plan for a permanent facility, and we need the community’s help to make it happen.” The parvovirus and extreme cold forced the closure of the animal control temporary shelter facility last week.
According to Cochran, “ACWP has been able to continue our services to the community for so many years because of the dedicated volunteers and generous members of the Summers County community who come together to make our life-saving work possible. Without community donors, we would not have been able to save 245 lives in 2023. In March 2023 when the Summers Co Sheriffs Dept hired a full-time Animal Control Officer, ACWP began working in concert with county representatives on a permanent solution for a home for animal control. It is now time to put that plan into motion.”
For more information or to make donations contact www.acwp-wv.org and follow updates on Facebook at Summers County Humane Society/ACWP. Donations of $25 or more can request a thank you copy of the recently published “Just for Pets” or a CD recording of “Old Dogs & Young ups” by local musicians.
