Humane Society in Warren County Elects New Board Members, Announces Another Year of ‘No Kill’ Status

Last Tuesday, April 9, became an evening of “hellos”, “goodbyes” and “good jobs” at the annual meeting of the Humane Society of Warren County (HSWC), where two new board members were elected; a longtime board member and treasurer announced her retirement; and volunteers were recognized for their outstanding work at the Julia Wagner Animal Shelter.

Martha Buracker and Ally Ryder were voted on to the board; Katrina Meade, treasurer, was recognized for her nine years of service with HSWC upon her retirement; and Jess and Joe Pully, newcomers to the animal shelter’s army of volunteers, received the HSWC outstanding service award for the weekends they spent during the past year entertaining the resident dogs during “playtime”.

Volunteers Joe and Jess Pully acknowledged for weekend ‘playtimes’ with shelter dogs. Below, Shelter Manager Kristin Palmer and happy canine friend. Courtesy Photos HSWC

Kristen Palmer, current shelter manager, and previous canine kennel manager, received a certificate of achievement for her tremendous role in maintaining the shelter’s no-kill status and her effort in reuniting stray dogs with their owners. Gillian Crowe, current feline kennel manager, also received a certificate of achievement for reaching the highest live release rate for cats in HSWC history at 97%. In addition, Gillian was recognized for her 5 years of service with the society and her dedication to the homeless animals of Warren County.

Feline Kennel Manager Gillian Crowe and one of her charges.

Only a tiny fraction of the 164 volunteers on the shelter rolls turned out for this year’s meeting. The low turnout was explained away by two previous HSWC board chairs, who cited overall satisfaction with the way things have been run since Kayla Wines was appointed the new HSWC executive director, interim since last summer, then made permanent in January 2024. Wines was congratulated on her decade of work at the shelter and her ascension to the executive position, to which it was said she “grew into the job.”

Reports from board members, headed by president Amanda Kindall, who continues in her current position during 2024, generally spoke in positive terms about the year’s activities, including excellent reports on the two newest additions to the shelter responsibilities — the offsite spay/neuter clinic and the newest offsite enterprise, the Pick of the Litter thrift store at 450 South Commerce Avenue that opened for business in November 2022. Wines reported an extra day of business was to be introduced at the already fully-stocked shop – Sundays from noon until 5 p.m.

HSWC Executive Director Kayla Wines, Board President Amanda Kindall, and Treasurer Katrina Meade celebrate a successful annual report.

The high point of Wines’s report came with the recitation of her goals for 2024 – maintenance of the Front Royal shelter’s “no-kill” status as the main objective, along with a reduction of length of stays at the shelter for both dogs and cats; a program to increase the number of dog adoptions throughout the year; and a bid to increase the thrift store presence in the downtown community.

She reported on 26 volunteer foster families that helped 211 animals during 2023 and on 619 pets that were returned home or adopted out during the period. Of the 619 housed animals, 247 were reunited with their owners. Some 11,300 pounds of dog and cat food were distributed to owners who could ill afford sufficient food and veterinary care for their pets, and more than $5,000 was spent on providing emergency veterinary treatment for 47 families with dogs or cats.

A few words say a lot about the human-animal equation.

During the year, some $26,000 was spent on spaying or neutering 368 feral cats. Wines noted that since the offsite clinic opened in 2021, 10,000 total surgeries have been completed.

Total income for the shelter, including $37,500 in awarded grants, was $715,000 in 2023, with expenditures of $748,000.

(Malcolm Barr Sr., author of this article, is a member and former president of the HSWC and a contributor to the Royal Examiner.)