The Potomac Highlands Dispatch - the online newspaper

Open house serves as call for animal shelter volunteers
DeVore: Turnout 'amazing'
Summers: 'We have so many wonderful animals who just need taken care of'

By The Potomac Highlands Dispatch
CUMBERLAND, Dec. 15 -- More than 30 people attended a hastily scheduled open house on Wednesday at the Allegany County Animal Shelter.

The goal? Save lives. Volunteers are now key to reversing a reported 85 percent euthanasia rate.

The Furnace Street facility has come under fire in recent weeks after a Thanksgiving weekend incident during which animal control found several dogs locked inside a home on Raven Drive just east of Cumberland.

The dogs has apparently been abandoned. Later, however, interviews with the property owner said she feared taking them to the local animal shelter for fear of the animals being euthanized without a chance for a better life.

The alleged actions of Camille Carrico, shelter manager, came under intense scrutiny. Within the past week, Carrico has submitted her resignation to Allegany County government. She'll leave the job, which pays nearly $41,000, on Friday.

"We're working to make some changes," said Dick DeVore, chief of Allegany County's emergency management services and Carrico's immediate supervisor. "We've already seen a difference" since Thanksgiving.

DeVore said the shelter is looking to reach out and accept about as many volunteers as will come. The question, then, is why they haven't been welcomed before now.

"I have no idea," said Commissioner-elect Bill Valentine, of Little Orleans. "It's my understanding volunteers have routinely been turned away."

One volunteer said she was asked some seven years ago to serve as the shelter's volunteer coordinator. Staff at the time said they didn't have the manpower to handle such activity. There is little, if any, finger-pointing going on, however. The focus instead is on helping the animals live a better life and become more adoptable.

Beginning this past Monday, volunteers have been walking dogs, cleaning cages and helping to recruit new volunteers. Jodi Sweitzer, of Mount Savage, is getting some help from former Cumberland resident Michelle Ingrodi - of Charm City Animal Rescue - to open up the new Queen City Animal Rescue.

Hours available for volunteers to help are still being worked out. However, volunteer Gail Hall, of Cumberland, said there is a strong demand for help with a variety of tasks during the day.

"We need people here during the day to help," Hall said.

"Even an hour or two," said Holly McGraw, who is teaming up with Tracy Summers to coordinate volunteer schedules.

"We have so many wonderful animals who need taken care of," said Summers, of Oldtown. "We need walkers to give them some exercise. There's a lot of work involved here."

For more information on volunteering, call the shelter at 301-777-5930.