Budget cutbacks affect humane society

BRAZIL, Ind. (WTHI) - In December, Brazil's city council cut 2009 budgets for all departments, from the city's street and water departments to the Humane Society.

Now, the humane society is speaking out, saying they can't operate on an allotment of just $12,500 a year, when in years past the city gave them an allotment $25,000.

The humane society has declined to accept the city's money this year.

They assured us they will be able to operate in Brazil, but the city will have to cover services previously provided by the Humane Society, like animal pick up.

"They'd have to have some type of transportation, which would mean purchasing a van and also probably building some type of facility to house the animals,” Ed Gallatin of the Humane Society said. “We have all that."

The humane society will continue to operate on funds from the county and private donors, but they too will have to make some cutbacks.

"Unfortunately we'll probably have to trim some payroll,” Gallatin said. “But other than that, we'll just have to make due."

There are no winners in this sad situation.

The city council said they simply don't have the money to match previous years funding.

"We're trying to hold the line,” city council member Sam Glover said. “At the end of the year, if we stay on budget, we'll have 89 dollars left."

The humane society assured us they are not closing their doors, and they will uphold their mission to provide animal adoption services for the county.

The city council is working to find another means of animal pick up.