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    Copied below is a letter to the editor submitted to the Delaware State News. You can post your opinions by clicking on "Reply."

Letter to the editor from KCSPCA executive director
    Wow, is the storm over yet? What a year we have had at the Kent County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
    The former director of 18 years resigned, and I was hired and in place within 60 days, despite the meddling and accusations from politicians and other animal-welfare agencies, who claimed that the board’s efforts were not adequate” to find a qualified director.
   All kinds of investigations were started against us, using the Department of Agriculture, the Attorney General’s office and New Castle County government. They continue to find no infractions. The strange part of this whole thing is that there is great fanfare when the investigations start, but never an acknowledgement when there is no evidence of malfeasance.
    The worst nightmare occurred when attempting to discuss the Kent County Dog Control contract with Kent County Levy Court commissioners. They had no desire to discuss any details of the current scope of service we provide to county residents, or the reason why we were asking for an increase in our fee to meet the state’s new code. Now, Kent County residents are paying for dog control under a contract, as well as utilizing county personnel for the same service.
    You may have read that our shelter filed for bankruptcy. This was news to us, who work endlessly to provide necessary resources for the animals in our care. It’s always challenging to ensure adequate funding is available in an ongoing capacity, but we recognize the need for a strong financial foundation. Our year-end financial numbers will reflect that we are in the black due to unflagging community support.
    The KCSPCA has survived the most concerted attack on animal welfare in the history of our organization, and we have come out as a much-stronger agency. This could never have happened without the dedication of our shelter staff, and the substantial financial and moral support from our board of directors and community. Our shelter is comprised of individuals who hold the welfare of animals in their hearts. We continue to do what is necessary to protect all of Delaware’s homeless animals and help those who care about them.
    In the coming year, we will face many challenges. The present system where individual counties negotiate separate contracts has proven unmanageable.
    The annual dog-control contracts are an important part of government services, and they are expected by the public. The fate of this program is in the hands of the Governor’s Animal Welfare Task Force.
    We will continue to accept unwanted owner-surrendered animals statewide and make them available for adoption in our state. Our clinics are well-received by residents, as evidenced by their overwhelming participation. Our summer camps will continue under our leadership, helping Delaware’s youth understand humane animal care. And those who want to go unscathed after abusing animals will find that the KCSPCA has zero tolerance for their behavior, and we will work diligently to enforce Delaware’s animal-cruelty laws.
    We are pledged to continue doing what we have always done in the best interest of the animals in our care and the people who live in The First State.
    Kevin Usilton
    Executive director, Kent County SPCA
    Camden

Wow, what a bunch on lies.  paragraph-by-paragraph:

P1, the storm will be over when you step down or are removed, and the SPCA is able to get back to doing their job instead of attacking others who are concerned over animal welfare.

P2, We accepted your hiring and were very hopeful that many changes would take place.  YOU ASKED us to be patient while you implemented change at the SPCA.  I never thought I would hear myself say this, "Murray, where are you?"

P3, The investigations continue.  You have not heard the results because now everyone is waiting for the Animal Welfare Task Force to implement changes that YOUR organization's actions require.

P4, Levy Court tried to negotiate.  We chose not to sue you for breach of contract because you were supposed to be a charity.  In retrospect, we should have sued.  Funny how the very same funding offers we made to you, are now part of the record for the Sussex County contract!  Funny how the $1,340,000, funding you wanted from Levy Court and was rejected, resulted in a $1,400,000 offer to Sussex County, which was rejected too!  When they told you no, you caved and settled on $660,000, in a county with 400 more square miles and 40,000 more people.  Too bad you did not ask for that contract to be sealed. 

P5, YOUR Board Member said that the SPCA was close to going under in 2010.  I have the proof of what she said.  let me know if you want me to make that proof public, I would be happy to.

P6, The attacks are NOT on Animal Welfare, they are on the shelter conditions, mismagement practices, Animal Control officer violations, and lack of oversight at the SPCA.  We are all about Animal Welfare, especially Dog Control, and have taken great strides to improve those services to Kent County residents with our contract with Safe Haven.

P7, The present system may end up being the permanent solution.  My suggestion to you is to back off of the rhetoric and start working with all shelters and kennels, and all public officials, to put a good permanent solution in place.

P8, Dog Control in Kent County is going very well.  No roving bands of dogs, only one dog bite in 6 months, and no dead dogs lying in the streets.

P9, You will continue to accept owner-surrendered dogs, but as a punishment to Kent County residents, you will charge them double for surrendering their dogs.   And clinics are free only to Camden and Dover residents, because Camden gave you considerations for your location and Dover gave you a contract for taking their Dogs.  And is fyou are truly going to go after those who would abuse animals, then you should stop waiting for everyone else to investigate it first, and be the first responder to those complaints.  Every minute you try to get someone else to do that job is another minute that the animals are being abused.

p10, You threat that you will bill Levy Court for picking up animals in Kent County is unacceptable.  It would be illegal to provide a service that no one wants you to do, then to bill someone for doing it.  That would be inane. 

I continue to fight for the rights of animals in Kent County, and against organizations like the SPCA who have no oversight on what they do and how they do it. 

Jody Sweeney

Commissioner

Kent County Levy Court

And the children rage on and on.  He said, she said, you lie, you're wrong.  Grow up Sweeney.