News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Alpena County Animal Control Officer Michelle Reid, left, and Alpena Police Officer Linnessa Mellberg give some attention to a dog that just had recent medical treatment while at the animal control building on Tuesday.

ALPENA — Alpena County Sheriff Erik Smith on Monday recommended to county commissioners on the Courts and Public Safety Committee that commissioners allow the animal control shelter at the Alpena County Fairgrounds to move forward as is.

Smith said the county needs to collect data and create new policy and procedures before deciding the best path forward for animal control’s future.

The county is considering how to best serve and care for animals in the county while lowering costs. Considerations include hiring a private entity to take over at least some of what the county Animal Control agency does now, slashing services, or moving forward as-is.

Smith said he supports working with other animal shelters, but only when needed.

“I don’t think contracting with a nonprofit like the (Huron) Humane Society or Second Chance Animal Shelter is the most appropriate, because I don’t think they have the capacity of care that the county is going to need,” Smith said. “What I’m asking you to do is maybe we just fix the shelter as it is, create an advisory board, get the policies set, and review this down the road, but let’s get concrete numbers before we go any further.”

Commissioner John Kozlowski said he recently visited the shelter at the fairgrounds — which Smith and the commissioners say isn’t adequate — and there were 12 dogs, some of which have been there for a year because they are evidence in a criminal case. He said he felt pity for the animals and urged Smith to work with other partners to help house animals when the county’s facility is at capacity.

“There were 12 dogs there and there were zero at the Humane Society,” Kozlowski said. “Why can’t we work with them, or Second Chance Animal Shelter? We have three shelters and there is no reason we can’t work together.”

The shelter at the fairgrounds has crates and cages in it for the animals and the facility has little storage, but there is a fenced area where the animals can run and play for a while.

Smith told the commissioners the sooner expansion of the shelter is done, or a new facility is built from the ground up, the better.

“Everybody in this room knows the current shelter is not adequate. It is just not the right facility,” Smith said. “I think we can live with it for the time being until we get things ironed about, and then maybe down the road, the best place for the shelter would be a new facility next to the sheriff’s office.”

Results from a survey that began in May seeking public input on what services residents want from the county’s Animal Control agency were made public on Monday.

According to County Administrator Mary Catherine Hannah, there were 232 responses and she described the responses as well-balanced. Among the chief desires from residents who filled out the survey was to hold cats that are picked up at the shelter.

Currently, the county only deals with dogs, although there can be cats at the shelter if they are being used as evidence for a crime or dropped off unexpectedly.

Smith said the animal control issue has created a divide between its supporters and others who think the county needs a new direction to save money. He said everyone needs to get on the same page so the best route to take for the best outcomes for the animals can be taken.

“Let’s get this fixed, because I’m tired of talking about it,” Smith said.