Comments by Leisa Moten (ALIVE Animal Services Group board member and co-founder) during the Mercer County Commissioners meeting concerning overcrowding of the Mercer County Animal Shelter.
For over 14 years, as a co-founder of Alive Animal Services Group, I have been an unwavering advocate for the animals of Mercer County. ALIVE has tirelessly worked with you—meeting, sharing vital information, and offering solutions to address the heart-wrenching issue of unwanted, abandoned, and stray dogs in our community. Even in the last six months, we have continued to offer guidance on how to implement the No Kill philosophy, demonstrating how each step works in harmony to create a sustainable, compassionate solution that eliminates the need to kill for space at our local shelter.
On several occasions, Commissioners have approached us, asking if ALIVE would take over the shelter. Each time, we have had to decline—not because we lack the desire to help, but because the foundation for a successful partnership was never established. The key factors, the critical infrastructure, were simply not in place. Now, once again, we find ourselves fighting to stop the Commission from euthanizing healthy, adoptable animals simply to make room. Let me be clear: this is a problem of your own making. By refusing to listen to the voices of those who care, by ignoring the sound advice we have given, and by failing to adopt the Spay and Neuter ordinance put before you in years past, you have chosen to bow to the interests of breeders and hunters instead of the well-being of our community’s animals. Now, instead of addressing the root causes, you seek to end the lives of innocent creatures to cover up your inaction. However, until you address the source of the problem, it will never end. For every life you take, another will take its place.
Currently, our shelter operates under a system called “managed intake.” People who wish to relinquish animals or who find strays are asked to hold onto them until space becomes available. They are placed on a waiting list and contacted when there is room. But the truth is, very few of them receive that call—because the empty spaces are quickly filled by animal control, the cities of Bluefield and Princeton (who use the shelter’s resources but contribute nothing to its budget), and the needs of court cases. We cannot continue down this path.
Today, I am here to propose that we move forward not by continuing to kill innocent animals, but by transforming our shelter into a true life-preserving facility, supported by a strong, enforceable spay and neuter ordinance. To achieve this, I believe our shelter needs the following:
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A Comprehensive Adoption Policy: You must work to make the shelter a welcoming, attractive, and clean place for potential adopters. It must be a space where families can meet and interact with animals in ways that foster connections and inspire love.
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Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Services: The Furever Fixed clinic has just opened its doors. We must support and subsidize this clinic to make spaying and neutering affordable for all, so that no one is priced out of preventing future overpopulation.
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Partnerships with Rescue Groups: This is one of the most critical needs. Managed intake can only work if animals are consistently adopted or transferred to rescue groups. We need passionate, full-time rescue coordinators dedicated to fostering relationships with reputable rescues. These coordinators must ensure that every animal is accurately photographed, have complete bios, be given a temperament tests, and be fully prepared for placement, with no other distractions or duties.
However, there is more. The shelter needs to develop foster care programs, pet retention efforts, and behavioral rehabilitation initiatives. They must engage the public and build a volunteer base that supports these efforts. There is need for a proactive redemption programs for dogs, ensuring that they will be returned to their families instead of being abandoned in the first place.
And above all, we need strong leadership. We need accountability from you and from those who are entrusted with the care of these animals. It is your responsibility as the Commission to provide the necessary oversight and funding to help accomplish these goals. The advocates here today—our community—will not back down. We stand firm in the belief that all life is valuable. Every animal that enters our shelter deserves compassion and a chance at a full life. We will continue to raise our voices, to push for change, and to demand that we do better by the animals of Mercer County.
Thank you for your time.