Greenbrier County’s animals are in crisis, and the clock is ticking.

Our county’s only animal shelter is severely underfunded—receiving approximately $200,000 annually from the county, even though it costs over $500,000 per year to operate. This massive funding gap means the Greenbrier Humane Society is constantly running on fumes—scrambling to buy food, cover veterinary bills, repair kennels, pay utilities, and respond to emergencies.

This is not just a “tight budget.” It’s a life-or-death situation.

What This Means for Animals

When funding falls short:

• Injured and sick animals wait longer—or go without—veterinary care.
  
  
• Stray and abandoned dogs are left roaming because there’s no space or resources to house them.
  
  
• Overcrowded kennels create unsafe, stressful conditions that increase illness and aggression.
  
  
• Spay/neuter programs stall, which means more unwanted litters and a cycle of neglect that repeats itself year after year.

I’ve seen this with my own eyes.  In June, I spent a week trying to help catch a dumped dog near the Greenbrier River Trail. Citizens called Animal Control. We left food. I set humane traps. But no one from the county came to help. That dog spent days in 90-degree heat—alone, scared, and waiting for an owner who never came back. A week later, he was hit and killed on Route 60.

In March, I tried to help rescue four abandoned Dalmatians in Renick, left behind in the dead of winter without food or shelter. Despite repeated calls to authorities, no one came. One dog was shot. The rest disappeared into the woods before help could arrive.

These are not isolated incidents. They are symptoms of a system that is stretched past the breaking point.

Why This Is a County Responsibility?

Greenbrier County has a legal and moral obligation to ensure the humane treatment of animals. We fund tourism. Corrections alone cost the county residents $7 MILLION. We fund administrative departments that never face the same “do more with less” demands placed on our Humane Society.

The Greenbrier Humane Society doesn’t have the luxury of turning anyone away. If they run out of money, animals die. What We’re Asking For

We demand that the Greenbrier County Commission take immediate emergency action:

1. Allocate supplemental funding to the Humane Society to cover the current budget shortfall.
2. Commit to reviewing and adjusting the shelter’s annual budget so it reflects actual operating needs—not a decades-old figure.
3. Provide transparency on how county animal control and shelter funds are used, so taxpayers can see exactly where their money goes.

Why This Matters Now

Every day that passes without action means more animals suffer and more community members are forced to step in where the county has failed.

Emergency funding would mean:

1. More kennel space to prevent overcrowding.
2. Expanded spay/neuter services to reduce stray populations long-term.
3. Adequate staffing and resources to respond to animal control calls promptly.
4. Life-saving medical care for animals in urgent need

If we claim to be a compassionate, responsible community, then funding animal welfare is not optional—it’s a moral obligation.

Please sign and share this petition. Together, we can tell the Greenbrier County Commission that emergency funding for our Humane Society is not just necessary—it’s overdue.