Leaving the shelter in good hands
Elizabeth Bailey,
Greensburg Daily
News
Greensburg — After 26 years of service to the Greensburg/Decatur County
Animal Control Board, Dr. Paul Hirt has retired.
In 1982, stray animals became a significant issue for the county, pushing
leaders to create a way to manage the problem. As a veterinarian Hirt was there
with the skills to start bringing things under control.
“At first, we had nothing but a shack,” he said.
From the beginning, Hirt knew it was important to spay and neuter pet animals.
However, the board did not agree. The fear was that people would not want to pay
the extra money for the surgery, which would reduce the number of adoptions. For
a period of time, the board even offered up shelter animals free of charge.
However, that proved to be a mistake. The animals would often have to be
returned or meet otherwise unfortunate ends, Hirt noted.
“People have gotten more educated now,” he said.
He believes the addition of Dr. Michelle Sweet to the board has brought the
shelter and the protection of Decatur County’s animals to a level of
professionalism and success. With Laura Johnston as the shelter manager and
Aaron Acton as the animal control officer, Hirt feels things are in good hands.
Now, the shelter has begun requiring all adopted pets be spayed or neutered.
Contrary to past fears, Sweet said the shelter has seen no reduction in
adoptions.
“The public has responded really well to it,” said Acton.
Johnston went further by noting cat adoption rates have risen since the policy
went into effect.
Hirt said he would have stayed on the board for as long as it took to ensure
pets leaving the shelter would be spayed or neutered. He feels it is worth the
cost, and a higher adoption fee can help people understand the responsibility
they have for their pets.
“Animals our ours to use but not abuse,” he said.
Hirt knows first hand the expense of caring for animals. He raises black angus
cattle and recognizes the difference it makes when the price of feed goes up.
Still, he knows if he couldn’t care for them properly, he wouldn’t have them.
“You gotta have morals,” he said.
Although the welfare of all animals will always be important to him, he will
retire from civil service and spend time on his own pursuits. He plans to
continue working with his cattle and helping others with bovine reproductive
evaluations, hoof trimming and other small care-taking tasks. He is also
involved with his church and has been a lifelong proponent of the 4-H program.
Return to the Animal Shelter Page