Fields retiring from animal control

Animal control may no longer be available in Jay County next year.

Bill and Kathy Fields, the county’s animal control officers, will not be renewing their contract with Jay County for 2021, leaving the county to look for another option.

Jay County Commissioners briefly discussed the news of Fields’ intention not to renew their contract at an emergency meeting Monday, during which they also implemented various coronavirus-related restrictions for county government (see related story).

Commissioner Chuck Huffman said the commissioners don’t have any solid plans for the future of animal control, but they’re looking at potential options. They’re also working with the animal control task force for long-term action.

The Fields have worked as animal control officers for nearly 30 years. They are contracted with the county and City of Portland and use their own property to house animals as needed. Their annual intakes — they are estimated in a report from the Jay County Animal Control Task Force with 2018 numbers — approximately 280 dogs and nearly 200 cats.

Kathy Fields explained in a phone interview after the meeting that she and her husband are both in their 70s and need to focus on their own health.

“(We’ve been) putting it off for the last couple years, but it’s gotten to the point that we just can’t do it anymore,” she said. “We hate to give it up, and we will surely miss it, but due to health reasons we just can’t do it anymore.”

Absent a county animal control officer, Jay County Humane Society and Midwest Pet Refuge would be left to handle animal-related issues.

Midwest Pet Refuge executive director Tara Drumm said the not-for-profit organization would likely need to shelter a few more cats.

So far, the facility in Portland has taken in nearly 293 cats this year and adopted out about 220 cats, she said. The organization houses or finds foster homes for the animals that don’t do well in the shelter environment.

Without an animal control officer, she said she would expect to get a lot more calls.

The same would likely be true of Jay County Humane Society.

The humane society, a not-for-profit organization with a 10-member board, has served Jay County since 1975. As estimated by the task force report, its annual intakes average about 60 dogs and 60 cats. The facility has about 1,500 square feet for animals.

Both Drumm and Huffman voiced concerns about finding space for stray dogs.

Animal control has been an ongoing topic of conversation for several years as a task force, which serves as an advisory committee, was formed in late 2018 to study the issue and make recommendations.

Julie Forcum, the committee’s chair, said the Fields’ departure will not impact the task force’s mission. The group has been developing a plan for county-wide animal control, presenting its proposal to Jay County Commissioners in November. It recommended constructing or repurposing a building for Jay County Humane Society, which would head animal care and control in the county. The cost of such a project is estimated at $1 million.

Both Drumm and Mindy Weaver, president of the humane society board, have been members of the task force and are working to implement future plans for the county.

“We’re all trying to work together as much as possible to basically help animals,” Drumm said.