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The county vs. KCSPA

I just wanted to toss out my two cents on the recent developments between
Kent County and the Kent County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals over the contract for dog-control services. Many readers are not
going to like what I have to say, but here goes anyway: the KCSPCA should
have no business doing animal control for Kent County. It is evident, from
what I have witnessed and experienced in dealing with the KCSPCA, that this
is an organization that has no regard for the people of Kent County.
Keep in mind that, for years, whether intentional or not, the KCSPCA has
been misleading the people of Kent County. Most people think that Animal
Control and the KCSPCA are two separate entities, when, in fact, they are one
and the same. In addition to that is the fact that although they investigate (and
I use this word loosely here) complaints of animal neglect and abuse, and
issue citations and fines for violations of the countys code regarding animals,
they are not, despite the conception of most people, official code enforcement
for the county. Despite the fact that animal-control officers hold rank and
issue and collect fines, they are not law enforcement, and so far as I can tell,
are not required to take any form of law-enforcement training.
No matter what any of the ACOs from the KCSPCA may say about vicious
dogs and no matter how many animals have been put down because an ACO
has deemed them vicious, in Kent County, no ACO has the authority to deem
a dog vicious. That authority lies in the hands of a panel established in the
state code.
The power of the KCSPCA has gone unfettered, unchecked and unbalanced
for far too long. Now, they are claiming that, although the organization has
been poorly managed for several years now, it is the county government here
inKentCountyand the government of the State ofDelawarethat caused them to
go bankrupt last year because the two governments didnt give them all the
money they wanted. [Kent SPCA spars with county over money, role
Agency seeks more funds while questions grow over its business
performance, article, June 10] To me, this is much akin to a child that spends
all his weekly allowance on candy, then begs his parents for more money to

buy something else. At what point is it time to put the foot down and say,
Enough is enough? I say, now is the time. If any of our county
commissioners happen to read this, I beg you, please DO NOT renew the
KCSPCAs contract for dog control; tell them enough is enough.
Ricky Shehorn
Hartly