GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colorado - This is the time of the year that Colorado Animal Rescue (CARE) calls "the puppy and kitten season."

"Now is the time to spay and neuter pets," said Leslie Rockey, director of CARE.

So shelter officials on Monday sought county commissioner approval to redirect $6,000 from a $75,000 contract the shelter received from the county last year, for a "three-month" educational blitz about CARE's spay-and-neutering program.

"A lot of people still don't know about us," said Cindy Crandell, founder of CARE who also sits on its board of directors.

Commissioners approved the move on a unanimous vote.

Shelter officials are looking to use the $6,000 for radio and newspaper advertisements about the importance of spaying and neutering pets and about CARE's services, Crandell said. About $2,000 is expected to be spent each month during the education program.

Commissioner Trési Houpt spoke in favor of redirecting the money, saying that "it doesn't make sense to give money to a spay-and-neuter program if there isn't any money for public education."

But Commissioner Larry McCown wondered why CARE needed to spend money on advertising when the Garfield County Sheriff's Office came to commissioners last week to ask for another $20,000 for its spay-and-neuter program - a sum the county commissioners approved for the program. Crandell responded that CARE doesn't have money or staff to go around the community to make people aware of its services.

CARE has used $11,000 out of its $75,000 contract for its spay-and-neutering program, according to CARE officials.

Following the commissioners' vote Monday, Crandell said the commissioners "obviously understand" the need for spay-and-neutering in the community and CARE's ability to assist the county.

"I think this is so good," she said.

• Also on Monday the county commissioners voted in favor of supporting the naming of a lake on the Flat Tops north of Glenwood Springs. The commissioners voted to support the family of P.J. Gallagher, who was a longtime Garfield County resident, in their request to the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Forest Service to have the unnamed lake branded as Gallagher Lake in his honor, said Commissioner John Martin.

Contact Phillip Yates: 384-9117pyates@postindependent.com



Post Independent, Glenwood Springs, Colorado CO