SAGINAW, MI (WNEM) -
A number of policies have been overturned at the Saginaw County Animal Care Center after some people said the dogs and cats were being mistreated.
Now, there are still lingering questions about the staff shortage and lack of funding for the facility.
Veterinarian Tina Roggenbeck, who donates her time at the center, will continue to work there and step up her efforts to oversee the health of the dogs and cats.
"I would like to get into the shelter and take a look at the areas where we can set up some temporary isolation rooms - I think that's really important - and get the shelter cleaned out," said Roggenbeck.
While concerns have been raised about the shelter's cleanliness, workers say - and showed us - that the cages are cleaned every day.
"You can spray the cages every day, but still a lot of the diseases are airborne," said Roggenbeck. "So being able to separate the sick animals from the healthy animals is where we need to go."
The Saginaw County board of commissioners voted Tuesday night to keep Roggenbeck on board, but they reversed seven policies put in place by the center's former director. That director stepped down last week amid the controversy.
Policies like euthanizing animals within 48 hours after their hold time expires, and putting tough regulations on volunteers.
While changes like adding isolation rooms at the shelter is welcomed news to some, others wonder if it's even possible."
"I just don't think there is enough room for all these changes, or money or staff," said Saginaw County Humane Society president Melanie Jungerheld.
The center only has three kennels aids who care for up to 200 animals at times.
Still, Roggenbeck thinks the changes taking place are for the better, for the animals and the community.
"I think the commissioners took a look at what the public was asking, and they gave the public what they were asking for."
An employee at the animal center says that job opening should be posted soon.
TV5 recieved the following post on our Facebook wall talking about one local woman's ordeal when adopting a pet from the shelter:
Hello... I'm writing in hopes of getting an important message out to the public. My boyfriend and I adopted a pup from the Saginaw county animal shelter last week. He was the cutest boxer-lab mix, and super friendly. We named him Diesel and instantly, you could tell he was thankful we rescued him. The first 3 days he was playful and acted like a normal, loving pup. On the 4th day he started acting depressed and wanted to sleep all day. We took him to the vet for 4 days straight, after finding out he was positive for parvovirus, which he was infected with from the animal shelter. He got fluids and antibiotics every day, and we tried to care for him and treated him as an outpatient.
Yesterday, his breathing became very abnormal and rapid so we took him to Great Lakes Pet Emergency Hospital and intended for him to stay overnight. We got a call around 10 saying his breathing became worse and he needed oxygen and possibly a ventilator. We raced to see him, because the vet said he wouldn't make it over night.
Diesel was the first pet I had I watch die, he was gasping for air right in front of us. After we said goodbye, he was put down and no longer was suffering.
I hope the public can be warned about how neglected the animals are at the shelter in Saginaw. This was a terrible experience for us, and I blame it on the poor care and cleanliness that the shelter has. All we wanted was to help save Diesel's life and Give him the life he never would have had at the shelter. I wouldn't want anyone to experience what we had to. --Brittney Julien
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