Society needs support

To the editor: The Pike County Humane Society, which serves all 13 townships and municipalities in Pike County, is in dire need of financial assistance to continue its fine work. In 2007 combined municipal and county support was woefully inadequate--amounting to less than three cents per resident! When the population swelled from 56,000 to 325,000 people in the summer last year, the County’s 2007 contribution amounted to just 1.2 cents per resident! Unfortunately, the shelter lacks adequate County support. While in recent years the shelter has increased the number of animals it handles by a whopping 3,000%, the County has increased its funding by a dismal 33%. The only equitable way to gauge the value of each municipal allocation is amount contributed per resident. Some municipalities pay their fair share. For example, Porter Township contributed only $250.00, but their township has only 385 residents. Its contribution equates to 64.9 cents per resident. The only municipality with a higher contribution per resident is Milford Borough. Based upon 1,104 residents, its $1,000.00 contribution equals 90.5 cents per resident. I applaud the leadership of Porter Township and Milford Borough for their support. Thankfully, a few municipalities have stepped up their 2008 contributions--Matamoras Borough, Lackawaxen Township, Shohola Township, and Blooming Grove Township. Lehman Township and Dingman Township have consistently been the shelter’s biggest municipal supporters. I thank all these municipalities for their generosity. In addition to operating a wonderful shelter for homeless, unwanted and abused animals--and doing a great job of finding so many of them good homes--PCHS is the only agency to investigate and prosecute cases of animal cruelty. It brings animal abusers to face justice in the court system, helps to uphold the law, making the county a better place to live as a result. PCHS provides rabies testing, humane education programs, and dog licensing. It even cares for pets left behind when our soldiers deploy to fight in the war in Iraq. In many ways PCHS serves the public health and safety of all residents. I encourage you to call the Pike County Commissioners today and ask them to pay their fair share. The County should increase funding to PCHS not only because the public health and safety demand it, but the outpouring of public sympathy for the shelter is so great. Commissioners Harry Forbes, Richard A. Caridi, and Karl A. Wagner, Jr. can be reached at 570-296-7613 or write to them at 506 Broad Street, Milford, PA 18337. Joan Eve Quinn Milford