COLLINSVILLE, Okla. — During the Oct. 7 Collinsville City Commission meeting, commissioners discussed the future of the Ward Wiseman Animal Haven.
The city gave notice to Ward-Wiseman organizers to vacate by the end of the year. The shelter is privately funded but works in conjunction with the city and leases city property on the outskirts of town.
The shelter started 16 years ago. 2 News is told more than 90% of the animals it takes in are housed at the shelter or adopted. Organizers said they only euthanize those deemed to be too sick or too aggressive. Nearly all of the animals are quickly adopted, they say.
The facility is air-conditioned, sits in a quiet city corner, and has a play area replete with toys and ramps.
One dog, an outlier, has called Ward-Wiseman home for two years.
“In these cases, it may be more humane to euthanize the animal than to leave [it] in the shelter,” Collinsville City Manager Chuck Ralls said while addressing the meeting attendees.
That kind of thinking came to a head with a protest outside City Hall in the hour before the meeting.
Recently, the City of Collinsville told Ward-Wiseman it would not renew a long-held lease agreement with the shelter. According to the city, the relationship, which includes some freebies and subsidies, is illegal.
“We are unable to do that according to state statute,” Ralls said, “I have a legal opinion from the attorney.”
Ralls’ presentation lasted about 12minutes, ending with a meme, supposedly created by a Collinsville resident.
Ralls called the meme derogatory and defamatory.
Coza Huffman is president of the board for Ward-Wiseman. Barring an unforeseen change on the city’s part, the shelter must vacate the property by the end of the year. Huffman is not holding out hope.
“I think at this point we will start looking for other opportunities,” Huffman said, “We just kind of have to figure that out. It’s been kind of a short-notice kind of thing.”
WATCH: 2 News first talked to Huffman after learning about the issues from a viewer who reached out to us:
Rick Phillips, who participated in the protest, said the closure of the facility is detrimental to the city.
“There’s kids that go there just to visit and have fun and be with the animals and sit and read to them,” Phillips said, “It’s amazing what they can do.”
The city took no action during the meeting. Talks between it and the shelter are ongoing.
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