ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / April 26, 2000

LAPLACE – The St. John the Baptist Parish Animal Shelter has a new actingdirector.

In a letter dated April 24, 2000, St. John Parish President Nickie Monicanamed Lesley Spranley as interim director until permanent director is hired by the parish.

The St. John Parish Council voted earlier this month to terminate itscontract with the St. John Humane Society, which has been running theshelter for the past several years. The contract is to be terminated May 1.The parish plans to hire new shelter director and another animal control officer. In the meantime, Monica appointed Spranley to help in the transition.Spranley, a member of the St. John Animal Control advisory board, said, “I’mdoing this as a volunteer. I’m going to give them enough time to find a newdirector.”Monica’s letter was presented to the two shelter employees, Linda Allen and Melissa Vial, as they reported for work this morning.

The letter told all shelter employees to “turn in all keys to the parish shelter as well as the parish vehicles by the end of the day to Ms. Spranley.”Allen, who has worked at the shelter for seven years, was put out by the order.

“This letter could have been given to us before,” said Allen. “We knewabsolutely nothing about this until this morning.”The letter continues, “All contracted volunteers will sign in and out with Ms.

Spranley as well as document all trips made in parish vehicles. Mileage,designation and times will be included.”According to Councilwoman Melissa Faucheux, who was instrumental in getting the St. John Humane Society contract terminated, Spranley will takecare of records and paperwork.

Monica’s letter confirms this.

“Ms. Spranley will handle all money transactions in or out of the facility.Reports of adoptions, animals redeemed, brought in or destroyed will be turned into Ms. Spranley at the end of each day.” the letter reads.After the letter was presented to the workers Faucheux and several members of the St. John Animal Control Advisory Board entered the shelterto do an inventory and check out conditions.

Former shelter supervisor Heidi Hogan was not at the shelter, but when reached at her house, she said, “The St. John Humane Society is happy tohelp out with the transition.”According to Allen, Hogan has done a lot since the parish council terminated the contract.

“Heidi placed dogs all over the country using the internet,” claimed Allen.

The numerous “guard dogs” that ran around outside the shelter office are all gone.

“They were all adopted,” said Allen proudly.

There are 11 dogs left in the shelter. Five are to be euthanized, one wascaptured the night before, two are waiting for their new masters to come pick them up and two dogs are waiting to be adopted.

As Faucheux and others moved through the trailer offices of the shelter, Faucheux was not happy with what she saw. Despite some attempts atcleaning up, the smell was pretty bad. Empty dog and cat cages were piled upagainst walls, and the floors were stained and cracked.

However, Allen wanted to make sure there was still work to be done.

“The volunteers are coming out to help us clean up,” said Allen. “We still havea week to get this place cleaned up.”Faucheux and Spranley hope Allen and Vial will stay on as parish employees.

Vial confirmed that she had been offered a job but seemed skeptical.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” she said.

Allen had no doubts about her future.

“I’m not going to be working here, effective April 30,” Allen said. “I’m notgoing to work for the parish. It’s a sad thing; our philosophies are differenton running the animal shelter.”Allen said she plans to become a “stay-at-home mom and wife.”As the new team took inventory and stock of the records, they discussed how they could improve the shelter.

Faucheux thinks there should be fund-raisers and a Parish Open House Day where people could come and adopt animals.

Spranley said, “We have to come up with criteria for adoption of dogs.”She wants to educate the parish on how to be good and responsible pet owners.

“But I can’t be making drastic decisions right now,” said Spranley. “We haveto step back and assess the situation.”For right now, the shelter has two dogs up for adoption. Both are neuteredmales, very friendly and dying for human companionship. Randall is a black-and-gray mixed breed, and T.P. is a tan mixed-breed with a curly tail andfriendly disposition. Both have been at the shelter for eight months and needa home.

If anyone is interested, they can visit them at the corner of West Second and Water Plant Road or call 652-2082.

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