Moore County, North Carolina residents only. Please!!!

We are deeply dismayed that the Moore County Board of Commissioners has endorsed Mary Jo Morris for a second term on the AOAB and that a more compatible defender of animal welfare issues has not been chosen.

Mary Jo Morris has, on numerous occasions, shown a lack of respect and willingness to work with the public. Ms. Morris proposed and strongly supported the elimination of the public comment period held prior to AOAB monthly meetings. She has questioned the integrity of several members of the public who have presented issues during this public comment period. She has referred to mountains of indisputable evidence pointing to the inadequate care and handling of animals housed at the Animal Center as "unfounded accusations." In reference to the concerns repeatedly brought to the AOAB by the citizens of Moore County, Ms. Morris states "I am deeply offended at how time-wasting this has been."

Ms. Morris has displayed her lack of concern for animals in at least two cases in which she has put the success of the Dog Tags program ahead of the welfare of a dog. One case involved a severely dysplastic German Shepherd Dog who was housed at the Animal Center without the benefit of medication or daily walks for the six week duration of the Dog Tags program. After the program ended, the dog was euthanized. Another case involved a mixed breed female who went through the program and shortly thereafter developed "kennel craze" a term which describes a dog that has undergone a complete personality change due to the stress and confinement of shelter life. Ms. Morris and her Dog Tags instructor at the time did nothing to intervene to retrain this dog. She was also euthanized.

Moore County citizens have worked tirelessly for years to bring about positive change at the Animal Center. Mary Jo Morris has not displayed a willingness to listen to or work with these citizens to create a better county shelter.

We urge you to not reappoint Mary Jo Morris for a second term on the AOAB.

Thank you for your time.