Just to clarify, the “exercise area” of the Highland County Dog Pound is indeed a fenced-in area, though the gates need repair, but the dogs cannot get to it. The pound is locked and the dogs are locked in when no employee is present.

Dogs are not routinely “exercised.” Two Saturdays a month, volunteer walkers come to walk the dogs while two incredible volunteers clean the cages to relieve some burden on the dog warden. Unless a pound employee is present or a pound employee and a volunteer are present, dogs do not have access to the “exercise area,” which is searingly hot in the summer and totally unprotected in winter or any bad weather.

There is no place inside the pound for a potential adopter to meet with a dog except in their cage. Adopters must make an appointment with a pound employee to see the dogs or just hope to find someone in the office. There are no designated hours for visitors.

There is currently one pound employee, on call 24-7, staffing the pound, collecting problem dogs and answering calls from the community. The pound itself is across a street from the office.

The recently purchased new vehicle for the pound was a necessity to meet the county mandate about stray dogs in the 500 square mile area that is Highland County. It’s essential that the dog warden have a working, safe vehicle to do the job, but the purchase did nothing for the conditions at the pound.

Attention and expenditures that are being extended by the commission are appreciated.

Pat Lawrence

Hillsboro