By Rupert Howell

Asking for supervisors to name a committee to assist decision makers with steps to deal with the county’s animal problems, Margaret Eubanks told supervisors, “We are going to work with the board of supervisors to find a solution.”

“Somebody has got to be in charge rather than eight people in charge,” Sheriff Dennis Darby told Eubanks and supervisors.

Eubanks told supervisors at their Monday meeting, “These animals are the responsibility of the county. The Humane Society’s purpose is to help and assist, not to become primary caretakers, or bear the majority of the financial burden.”

Sheriff Dennis Darby spoke up during Eubanks’ presentation and also let it be known that his department had a $4,000 grant to help get pets spayed or neutered.

He also noted that bad and abused dogs are getting priority. He explained that animals in kennels at the Panola County Jail were considered vicious.

Darby also shared that counties of Desoto, Tate and Lafayette had made strides in dealing with unwanted or abandoned pets stating, “We don’t need to bombard Lafayette (County with our animals). We need to take care of our own.”

“It starts with a facility,” Eubanks said noting that the local Humane Society has used agencies such as Homeward Bound, a pet placing service, that takes animals meeting their criteria to homes in Northern states. 

But that approach calls for volunteers to “foster” the pets and have them spayed or neutered and the volunteer output has reached its maximum according to Eubanks who also said, “Money is the thing.”

“Spaying and neutering is the way to go,” Darby said.