Timeline 1962 APS founded ---- 1978 Animal Shelter constructed 2926 sq feet to house 32 ---- dogs and 30 cats 1983 Pat Sanford named Director $30,000 in Bank ---- 2001 ---- Oct Sanford resigns but agrees to stay on temporarily. Walters is Associate director and is in charge 2002 ---- Jan 31 Pat Sanford retires March Walters appointed Permanent Director. June 30 APS Assets $1,556,587 July 16 Bobby Schopler fired. Aug 19 Casey: pet of week killed Sept 25 Cramer joins APS Oct 14 Cramer submits nominations to APS Board and speaks to Board about secret agenda item taking voting rights away from Membership Oct 15 Cramer Statement to Orange Board BOCC about democracy at APS. Oct 24 Announcement of APS election Oct 27 Cramer nomination list approved. Cramer asks for membership list in writing and fax to Merritt. Oct 28 Orange County Meeting public hearing on APS Nov 4 APS bylaws changed at so-called "open meeting". notice of meeting posted on APS bulletin board. Letter to Cramer from nominating committee accepting nomination. Nov 5 "Mr. Cramer: To follow up on our communication of last week, the Animal Protection Society of Orange County membership list is not available. Virginia T. Ellington, Secretary Nov 6 Letter from Walters to Beyle saying Cramer was trying to get into shelter at 5:15 when it was closed. He was there to obtain the revised bylaws. Nov 7 Demand letter sent to Merritt citing statute a. Opportunity to inspect of alphabetical APS membership list b. Opportunity to inspect a computer file of this list c. Opportunity to inspect other APS records Nov 11 APS Board meeting where nominees (including Cramer) are introduced. Nov 17 Pat Beyle invites Cramer to make an appointment to tour shelter Dec 9 Annual APS membership meeting held as Board meeting with election by Board after voting rights are taken from the Membership in an unpublicized "special meeting". Dec 12 letter to Merritt for articles of Incorporation and financial statements. 2003 ---- Jan 10 Cramer inspects shelter and inadvertently goes into red wing. ACO officer Mike Hess says that he forgot to close gate. Jan 14 trespass letter sent to Cramer from APS by certified mail Feb 4 Peterson Letter - Walters to sue Smith and Singer APS may or may not join Feb 10 fax: Peterson recommends joining Laura and suing Cramer and Reitman Feb 10 Pam Bayne and Sandy Payne resign from APS Board Feb 11 Cramer attends APS Board meeting and police are called. Police report says that he was sitting quietly. They have no record of trespass order. Feb 10 letter from Peterson to Beyle recommending suing Cramer and Reitman Feb 18 APS Board votes to sue Cramer and Reitman Feb 20 Lawsuit against APS filed and accepted on February 21. March 12 Virginia Ellington resigns from APS Board April 1 Statement to Orange Board by Kendall Page suggesting that Cramer stalked a "Board member who tries capital offences" April 23-25 Humane Society of US (HSUS) evaluates shelter April 25 Counterclaim for slander filed by APS May 9 letter from Merritt filing Motion for Walters counterclaim for slander June 17 BOCC refuses to renew APS contract for six months June 27 interim HSUS report released June 30 APS Assets $1,298,272 Aug 28 BOCC Work session on APS Final HSUS Report received Sept 2 The commissioners extend the contract with APS on a monthly basis. APS says it can't continue running the shelter without an additional $10,000 each month. Oct 20 County commissioners decide to accept proposals for an interim animal shelter operator. Oct 28 APS Executive Director Laura Walters and Associate Director Darra Das announce their resignations. Nov 19 Susan Cooke, an APS board member, is named interim director of the organization. Nov 20 Commissioners decide APS will continue to run the shelter only through June 30, Dec 9 The commissioners form The Animal Shelter Operations Task Force, 2004 ---- Jan 27 APS lifts a year-old trespass order barring Cramer from the shelter. March 23 The task force recommends the county manage the facility by creating a new "animal services bureau." April 6 Judge dismisses most of claims April 24 APS proposes to take animals, all equipment, security system with it. April 20 The commissioners unanimously decide the county will run its own animal shelter starting July 1. June 26 APS Directors and Laura Walters drop slander suit three days before trial June 30 APS Assets $1,162,418 July 1 Orange County assumes operation of the county animal shelter. Oct 24 APS opens new shelter, built at cost of about $500,000 2005 ---- June 30, 2005 APS Assets $755,948 2006 ---- June 30, 2006 APS Assets $586,741 Net liquid Assets $-178,834 ________________________________________________________________ APS Financial Stuation Assets June 30, 2002 $1,556,587 Assets June 30, 2003 $1,298,272 Assets June 30, 2004 $1,162,418 Assets June 30, 2005 $755,948 Assets June 30, 2006 $586,741 Assets June 30, 2007 ? 2002-3 loss $257,915 2003-4 loss $270,685 2004-5 loss $396,214 2005-6 loss $169,207 2006-7 loss ? ________________________________________________________________ Lead of News articles on APS 2001 - 2003 Chapel Hill Herald March 31, 2001 aps breaks ground today on new adoption center The Animal Protection Society of Orange County will break groun on its new adoption center from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. today at the Felicite Lantane Wildlife Sanctuary. Note: As the footings were about to be poured, APS asked the contractor to halt work and the project was abandoned. They had paid $39,600 for the initial work. APS started anew after losing the County contract several years later. ________________________________________________________________ The News & Observer July 28, 2001 Animal haven raises money to grow The 48-acre compound, owned by the nonprofit Animal Protection Society of Orange County and named after the woman who donated the land, has quietly evolved into a cutting-edge facility that offers comprehensive care for injured wildlife and will soon offer last-chance housing for stray and abandoned pets. ________________________________________________________________ The Chapel Hill News January 30, 2002 Roses & Raspberries Roses to Pat Sanford upon her retirement as head of the AnimalProtection Society of Orange County. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald January 31, 2002 Director leaving shelter program CHAPEL HILL - After 17 years as director of the Orange County Animal Protection Society, Pat Sanford is calling it quits, but she's not saying goodbye to the animals she loves. ________________________________________________________________ The Chapel Hill News April 10, 2002 New leader of shelter is a watchdog for animal safety Early last year, Laura Walters was packing up her household and readying her three children, three dogs and three cats for the move from Greenwood, Ark., to the Triangle. ________________________________________________________________ The Chapel Hill News July 21, 2002 Wildlife center director leaves APS CHAPEL HILL -- Bobby Schopler, the veterinarian who was director of the Animal Protection Society's Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Orange County since its inception five years ago, was out of a job last week after he and the APS leadership were unable to agree on a new contract. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald Friday, July 26, 2002 APS CONTROVERSY After nine months, time to move on Unfortunately, for all parties involved, the contract squabble between veterinarian Bobby Schopler and the Animal Protection Society is a lose-lose situation. ... Schopler obviously is a loser in this game of chicken because he has lost his employment. It was a position he clearly loved and one that he did, by all accounts, remarkably well. Although he undoubtedly will find a new post - or go into private practice - he would have preferred to stay where he was. The APS is a loser because it has lost a dedicated, skilled practitioner who brought much acclaim to the organization and brought unique talents - such as treating wild birds - that few in this area possess. Most importantly, the public and area wildlife are the biggest losers, deprived of the skill of a committed, accomplished pro fessional who, in a sense, worked for us all. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald July 31, 2002 Wildlife vet post planned at shelter APS board reveals plans after meeting about dispute with former veterinarian CHAPEL HILL - The Animal Protection Society of Orange County plans to establish a part-time wildlife veterinarian position, with a vision to one day turn that into a full-time position, the APS board of directors announced Tuesday. ________________________________________________________________ The Chapel Hill News August 18, 2002 APS adoption policies face new challenge CHAPEL HILL -- At the center of a gathering storm at the Orange County Animal Shelter is a cocker spaniel mix dog named Casey. Questions over whether the 2-year-old stray is adoptable could lead to a larger debate over adoption policies at the county shelter, which is run by the private, nonprofit Animal Protection Society. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald August 25, 2002 Questions dog 'Pet of the Week' Spaniel mix was destroyed after problems found CHAPEL HILL - Casey the dog is dead, and people on both sides of issues surrounding this fact offered views on the male Spaniel mix. ________________________________________________________________ The Chapel Hill News September 1, 2002 APS's policy stirs emotional response ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald Tuesday, September 03, 2002 Dog's death prompts complaint Spurned would-be owner wants APS to open records CHAPEL HILL - Judith Reitman said she plans to go before the Orange County Commissioners tonight to raise issues concerning the Animal Protection Society's operation of the shelter for the county. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald September 05, 2002 APS probe to address concerns Questions on adoptions and wildlife center have emerged CHAPEL HILL - Orange County Manager John Link and his staff will look into concerns raised about the Animal Protection Society of Orange County and report back to the County Commissioners on Oct. 1. ________________________________________________________________ The Chapel Hill News September 8, 2002 Others step up to question APS procedures Author: Jonnelle Davis; Staff Writer CHAPEL HILL -- Kris Bergstrand has been a veterinarian for 22 years and has been volunteering at the Animal Protection Society's Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Mebane for nearly a year. ________________________________________________________________ The Chapel Hill News September 22, 2002 Wildlife sanctuary to close; staff fired MEBANE -- The Animal Protection Society will no longer take in injured wildlife at its animal sanctuary while it reorganizes the program, officials said Friday. ________________________________________________________________ The Chapel Hill News September 29, 2002 Deja vu all over again at APS The Animal Protection Society wants to start a wildlife sanctuary in Orange County. The APS plans to hire a wildlife expert, build a staff of employees and volunteers and begin taking in birds and animals by the time young critters are being born next spring. Sound familiar? It should, because the APS already had such a wildlife center in Orange County before July 17, when its now- famous blowup with wildlife veterinarian Bobby Schopler occurred. Now, the agency essentially is talking about starting over. The APS recently laid off its staff and is removing to other locations all the birds, squirrels, possums and turtles now receiving care at the wildlife center on Nicks Road in western Orange County. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald September 30, 2002 Wildlife specialists asked to take up slack as APS closes center CHAPEL HILL - The Animal Protection Society of Orange County will be looking to area wildlife rehabilitation specialists to care for injured wild mammals and birds now that the APS has decided to temporarily close its Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. But people who nurse ailing or injured critters say they already have their hands full and don't know how they can take on more. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald October 01, 2002 Ex-APS vet plans wildlife center CHAPEL HILL - Former APS veterinarian Bobby Schopler plans to have his own wildlife rehabilitation center. Schopler and supporters have announced the formation of The Piedmont Wildlife Center: ________________________________________________________________ The Chapel Hill News October 2, 2002 Shelter's disease management questioned CHAPEL HILL -- When Anne-Marie Meyer and her friends David and Colleen Jelley took two stray dogs that they found to the Orange County Animal Shelter, they said they expected the friendly pups to easily find new homes. Instead, Max, an 8-month-old Labrador Retriever-mix, died of the highly contagious parvovirus and his 4-month-old brother, Lucky, barely survived the disease. While Lucky recently found a home through the Chatham Animal Rescue and Education group, Meyer is left with $1,500 in vet bills to pay and a lingering frustration with her experience at the shelter. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald October 03, 2002 Outside review of animal shelter planned APS supports county move to review contract, procedures CHAPEL HILL - County officials will take an in-depth look at the animal shelter on Airport Road, even to the point of considering whether they want to continue hiring the Animal Protection Socie- ty to run the shelter. ________________________________________________________________ The Chapel Hill News October 6, 2002 Wildlife center closes its doors MEBANE -- Laura Kellner looked around the big recovery room in what had been the Animal Protection Society's Wildlife Rehabili- tation Center Friday afternoon. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald October 07, 2002 Review of the APS shelter warranted Though expensive, the cost of an outside assessment of the Orange County Animal Shelter would be money well spent. Year after year, the commissioners OK an agreement for the Animal Protection Society to run the shelter, which the county owns. The contract for the current fiscal year is $429,000, a not insub stantial figure. Every so often, the shelter also comes under fire for its practices and policies. This year has been particularly controversial, first with the abrupt departure/ejection of wildlife veterinarian Bobby Schopler, then complaints by resident Judith Reitman who was denied a dog the shelter ruled too aggres sive and euthanized. ________________________________________________________________ The Chapel Hill News October 27, 2002 County to review APS charges CHAPEL HILL -- Monday will be Critter Night for the Orange County Board of Commissioners. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald October 27, 2002 Commissioners to weigh shelter review, wildlife center Monday CHAPEL HILL - A Monday work session will give the Orange County Commissioners a chance to weigh the pros and cons of hiring an outside consultant to evaluate the county animal shelter. Commissioners also plan to discuss veterinarian Bobby Schopler's proposal that they contribute land, money or both to help establish a wildlife center capable of caring for wild animals from across the Triangle. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill News October 30, 2002 APS critics, supporters flock to meeting Commissioners hear proposal to open new, independent wildlife rehabilitation center as well as an evaluation of APS. ________________________________________________________________ Daily Tarheel October 30, 2002 Commissioners Decide on Independent APS Audit The Orange County Board of Commissioners, amid allegations of dishonesty and corruption within the county's Animal Protection Society, decided to begin negotiations for an independent audit of the APS. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald November 06, 2002 APS board changes bylaws on elections Members can offer nominations, but voting left to board ________________________________________________________________ APS a secret society now? Chapel Hill Herald November 10, 2002 BY ELLIOT M. CRAMER Guest columnist The Chapel Hill Herald has reported the recent action of the Animal Protection Society of Orange County's taking voting rights away from the APS membership and giving them to the APS board. The timing of this undemocratic action is very interesting. It took place the day before national elections, one week before a regularly scheduled APS board meeting, the same day that five nominations by the membership were officially accepted, and 10 days after notice of annual elections was sent out to the membership. ________________________________________________________________ The Chapel Hill News November 13, 2002 Roses & raspberries Raspberries to the board of the Animal Protection Society for its timing in making a procedural change that, at the very least, lends credence to some people's notion it is manipulating its membership. At a time when the animal shelter and its operations have come under attack with a variety of allegations, including secrecy, the board elected to change its procedures to allow only board members, and not the full membership, to elect new members. The change may make little appreciable difference, as board members say general members rarely voted anyway. But even if it had nothing to do with the recent controversies, it's difficult to see any compelling reason to do it now, when there's distrust in the air. ________________________________________________________________ The Chapel Hill News November 13, 2002 APS resumes spay/neuter program CHAPEL HILL -- The North Carolina Veterinary Medical Board has cleared the Animal Protection Society of Orange County to resume its low-cost spay/neuter program under a new format, ________________________________________________________________ The Chapel Hill News November 13, 2002 APS board hopefuls call for healing wounds CHAPEL HILL -- Five new candidates running for election to the Animal Protection Society's board of directors told the board that they wanted to help APS heal the wounds that have opened during four months of controversy. ... "It's utterly preposterous," said Elliott Cramer, a vocal critic of the APS leadership and a candidate for the board who said he regards his chances for election as essentially nil. "I think it's an example of them acting in bad faith, and it will generate a great deal of bad publicity." ________________________________________________________________ The Herald-Sun November 20, 2002 Orange County to pay for APS assessment Humane Society of U.S. will be hired for study of shelter HILLSBOROUGH - Orange County will put about $21,000 into an assessment of the animal shelter in Chapel Hill and its operation by the nonprofit Animal Protection Society of Orange County. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald January 12, 2003 New center's focus will be on rehabilitating wildlife CHAPEL HILL - The fledgling Piedmont Wildlife Center's first step was fund raising. So far, so good. With a good chunk of change in the bank and more on the way, center organizers now are looking to take the next step. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald February 11, 2003 Better disease management needed at APS JANA GLOTZER Guest columnist On Dec. 9, I went to the APS shelter in Chapel Hill in response to a plea for clean towels, blankets and foster families to keep animals until the electricity was restored. Within moments of arriving at the APS, I became concerned about the animals en- trusted to their care. Having more than 20 years' experience in critical care medicine and being a nurse practitioner, I understand how essential infectious disease management is to safe institutionalized care. It was apparent that infectious disease protocols either did not exist or were not being followed there. ___________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald Feb 20, 2003 Lawsuit filed against APS CHAPEL HILL -- Two members of the Animal Protection Society of Orange County have filed a lawsuit against the organization that accuses it of illegal activities. Retired UNC professor Elliot Cramer and activist Judith Reitman say the APS has refused to disclose documents, stripped members of their voting rights and impeded members' attempts to nominate people to serve on the APS board. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald February 13, 2003 APS critic asked not to come onto shelter property Elliot Cramer accuses group of retaliation CHAPEL HILL - A vocal critic of the Animal Protection Society of Orange County contends the group is unfairly singling him out for his campaign against the operators of the county animal shelter. Elliot Cramer, a retired UNC professor and APS member, received a warning not to come onto shelter property after he showed up for Monday's APS board meeting. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald March 03, 2003 Action on APS can't wait BY ELLIOT CRAMER Guest columnist The Animal Protection Society of Orange County has lost its way. In 15 years, under the leadership of Pat Sanford, APS grew from almost nothing to a million-dollar operation, greatly benefiting the Triangle community and deserving of its $400,000-plus in county support. Since last spring, many Orange County animal lovers have recognized problems with the APS management and its oversight of the Orange County Animal Shelter. Whatever the intentions of the APS management and board, we believe it's clear that animals are suffering, services have been cut, record-keeping is neglected, animal breeds are misrepresented, sick animals are adopted out and fostered out, while the concerns of employees and interested residents have been ignored. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald Monday, March 17, 2003 Written comments sought on animal shelter CHAPEL HILL - As part of its assessment of the animal shelter in Chapel Hill, the Humane Society of the United States is seeking written comments for the next month. The Orange County Commissioners have hired the HSUS to assess the shelter and its operation by the Animal Protection Society of Orange County. The nonprofit APS runs the shelter under a contract with the county, and the county agreed to bring in the HSUS after hearing harsh criticism of the APS and its shelter operations. ________________________________________________________________ The Daily TarHeel March 17, 2003 Critique of APS baseless, meant to spite shelter Laura Walters Guest Columnist In an ongoing effort by two new members to discredit Animal Protection Society and destroy the organization, Jude Reitman and Elliot Cramer have filed a lawsuit against the APS. The column was submitted by APS Executive Director Laura Walters on behalf of the APS board of directors and management staff. Contact Walters at lwaltersaps@aol.com. ___________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald Tuesday, March 25, 2003 APS must go on for the animals BY PAT BEYLE AND LAURA WALTERS Guest Columnists In an ongoing effort by two new members to discredit the Animal Protection Society and destroy the organization, Jude Reitman and Elliot Cramer have filed a lawsuit citing the APS board's refusal to provide them with the membership list, minutes of meetings and financial documents. In addition, they have charged that APS illegally changed the bylaws regarding how members are elected to the board of directors. The lawsuit is a culmination of events surrounding the departure of Dr. Bobby Schopler from the APS last July as the staff veterinarian. The APS is prepared to fight these charges, as all actions were legal and necessary for the protection of the organ- ization. ________________________________________________________________ Daily Tarheel March 31, 2003 Cramer denies APS leader's assertions Elliot Cramer Guest Columnist I was very interested to read the (March 17) guest column by Laura Walters, executive director of Animal Protection Society. As The Daily Tar Heel has noted, Ms. Walters has been under siege because of her (alleged) incompetence in mismanaging the Chapel Hill animal shelter and her well-documented history prior to coming to Chapel Hill. The DTH has reported that Ann Clark, South Sebastian County deputy sheriff and animal warden, concluded that "the condition of the shelter while supervised by Laura Walters was borderline cruelty to animals," while Tommy Young, Sebastian County Sheriff's Department chief deputy, said, "We realized we were being charged way more than the animal control officer was saying we should." Elliot Cramer is president of the board of directors for the Piedmont Animal Welfare Society. ___________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald April 2, 2003 Animal protection officials: No illegal action HILLSBOROUGH -- A dispute over the Animal Protection Society's operation of the county animal shelter carried over to the County Commissioners' meeting Tuesday night as APS officials rebutted allegations they'd acted illegally. In a lawsuit filed in February, retired UNC professor Elliot Cramer and activist Judith Reitman said the APS had refused to disclose documents, stripped members of their voting rights and blocked members' attempts to nominate people to serve on the APS board. "The allegations are false," and "simply not true," said Ann Peterson, chairwoman of the APS personnel committee that hired executive director Laura Walters. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald April 03, 2003 Commissioners hear war of words on aps Critics of animal shelter staff want county to run it HILLSBOROUGH - The two most vocal critics of the Animal Protection Society of Orange County's operation of the animal shelter now want the county to run it. Retired UNC professor Elliot cramer and activist Judith Reitman made the request to the Orange County Commissioners, who soon will begin deliberations about the fiscal 2003-04 budget. "In my 45 years as a statistician, I have seen stupidity, incompetence and fraud, but never in the combination I have seen at aps," cramer said. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald April 27, 2003 APS files lawsuit against 2 critics CHAPEL HILL -- Targeted by a lawsuit earlier this year, the Animal Protection Society of Orange County has responded with a counterclaim against the two vocal critics who filed the lawsuit. The response from the APS contends that Elliot Cramer and Judith Reitman have made slanderous and damaging statements about the society on several occasions since last year, both in spoken comments in public meetings and in written comments. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill News May 4, 2003 Editorial: Animal world What in the world, the animals must wonder, are the humans doing? Thats the thought that occurs to us as we regard the dueling lawsuits filed over the Animal Protection Society of Orange County. Last week, the APS sued gadflies Elliot Cramer and Judith Reitman for subjecting APS to ridicule, public hatred, contempt and disgrace by damaging its business and professional reputation in the community and business goodwill. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald May 09, 2003 APS critics want counterclaim dismissed Animal shelter charged pair has slandered them HILLSBOROUGH - Two vocal critics who earlier this year filed a lawsuit against the Animal Protection Society of Orange County have asked the courts to dismiss APS' counterclaim. ... The APS response, or counterclaim, contends that Cramer and Reitman have made slanderous and damaging statements about the society on several occasions since last year, both in spoken comments in public meetings and in written comments. Cramer denies that. "It is absolutely without any merit at all," he said. "It's just a blatant attempt to intimidate us and just a clear violation of our First Amendment rights." ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald June 17, 2003 Orange OKs 3-month extension with APS to run animal shelter CHAPEL HILL -- The Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 Tuesday night to extend Orange County's contract with the Animal Protection Society to run the county animal shelter for three more months followed by a monthly renewal option. ________________________________________________________________ APS hopes to continue service to public Chapel Hill Herald June 22, 2003 BY PAT BEYLE AND JOHN WISE Guest columnists Surprise and concern colored the mood at the Animal Protection Society after the Orange County Commissioners' vote last week to grant the APS only a 90-day contract to care for the community's animals. ... The APS has some zealous, energetic critics whom we cannot comment on because they have sued APS. However, there are some points we must make. Pat Beyle is president of the Animal Protection Society of Orange County. John Wise is the APS vice president. ___________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald June 28, 2003 Humane Society report critical of APS CHAPEL HILL -- Orange County's animal shelter has problems with disease control, procedures and animal management, according to a preliminary report released by an outside animal protection agency. The Humane Society of the United States' assessment cites unclean conditions, a lack of written records and the lack of a well- defined system for processing animals and managing their health. The shelter is managed by the Animal Protection Society of Orange County. One of the chief critics of the APS, Elliot Cramer, said the new report validates his long-standing concerns about shelter management. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald July 1, 2003 Editorial: Shelter report finds unacceptable problems Nearly a year after the squabbling began, the residents of Orange County finally can weigh an objective opinion about the Animal Protection Society's management of the county animal shelter. Thanks to a review team from the Humane Society of the United States, they have a lot to chew on. The Humane Society's team found fault with nearly every aspect of the operation. It's not going too far to say its preliminary report was scathing. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill News July 2, 2003 Editorial: Cleaning up animal shelter If anyone was looking to an evaluation by the national Humane Society for reassurance about the operations of the beleaguered Animal Protection Society of Orange County, the release of the Humane Society's preliminary report offers little encouragement. The report finds problems in every area of care examined, from health care to sanitation to disease control to ventilation. It's hard to find a good word about the animal shelter in the entirety of the 23-page report. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald July 3, 2003 Animal shelter adopting changes CHAPEL HILL -- A preliminary report from the Humane Society of the United States that found problems with disease control, procedures and animal management at Orange County's animal shelter has resulted in changes there, and more changes could be in store. The Humane Society's assessment cited unclean conditions, a lack of written records and the lack of a well-defined system for processing animals and supervising their health at the shelter, which is managed by the Animal Protection Society of Orange County. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald July 05, 2003 APS should cooperate about shelter BY ELLIOT CRAMER Like Animal Protection Society President Pat Beyle (The Chapel Hill Herald, June 22), I too hope that the APS continues its service to the public. Unfortunately, she and others at the APS have been telling us what they will not do if they lose the contract to operate Orange County's animal shelter rather than what they will do. She says "county staff, who are knowledgeable about APS operations, recommended the commissioners extend the contract six months." But County Manager John Link wrote Health Director Rosemary Summers on Feb. 3 to say, "We need to go ahead and provide the [county commissioners] with an interim plan for continuing our contract on a month-by-month basis after June 30 ... Rosie, you might be ready to take over the shelter." ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald July 7, 2003 Editorial: APS, county far from resolving shelter issues Understanding that its future is at stake, the Animal Protection Society moved quickly to answer a report that criticized its management of Orange County?s animal shelter. On the last day of June, APS leaders issued a statement that promised compliance with the preliminary recommendations of the Humane Society of the United States. They also previewed a series of policy changes that would affect the handling of animals at the shelter. Those moves are welcome, for there's no doubt the willingness of the APS to follow the Humane Society's advice will go far toward determining whether it retains a contract from Orange County to manage the shelter. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald July 12, 2003 Editorial: Shelter oversight should be considered Speedy action by the Animal Protection Society of Orange County and the Humane Society of the United States has nipped another public relations fiasco at Orange County's animal shelter in the bud. Facing pressure from the community (and, it's fair to note, this newspaper) to follow the advice of a Humane Society review team that inspected the shelter this spring, the APS announced a series of policy changes late last month that covered the gamut of its operations. ________________________________________________________________ News of Orange July 16, 2003 The Mess at APS: an Overview APS has been embroiled in controversy for almost two years. A July 2, 2002 headline (CH Herald) reads "APS CONTROVERSY - After nine months, time to move on". This involved APS Wildlife Direc- tor and veterinarian Bobby Schopler whose contract with APS was terminated. Despite this, APS has sued Judith Reitman and me for slander alleging that "Beginning in August, 2002 ... (they) have undertaken agreed, conspired and acted in concert to undermine and destroy the contractual relationship existing between Defend- ant APS and the County". ... Amazingly Laura Walters said (CH Herald June 28) "It's someth- ing that is exactly what we wanted." We wanted an independent organization (to) ... kind of get us on the right track". Unfor- tunately she immediately got on the wrong track again. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald Thursday, August 21, 2003 Creating a better animal shelter BY KENDALL H. PAGE Guest columnist The Humane Society has issued the first part of the evaluation of the Orange County Animal Shelter and the Animal Protection Society. This report will be used by the aps as a guidance tool in updating procedures and the facility itself. The aps Board and staff will review the final report in detail and look at the recommendations. We will also work with Orange County to implement physical improvements to the animal shelter. kendall H. page is an aps board member and lifelong resident of Orange County. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald August 30, 2003 U.S. Humane Society cites shelter woes CHAPEL HILL -- Inspectors from the Humane Society of the United States have elaborated on the findings of a preliminary report that was sharply critical of the management of the Orange County Animal Shelter. But the 156-page report -- released late Thursday night after being presented to the Orange County Commissioners -- also contained ammunition for the defenders of the nonprofit group the county pays to run the shelter, the Animal Protection Society. Laura Walters, director of the APS and the main target of some of the criticism, said she believes the Humane Society's report validates the way the shelter is being run and offers many suggestions for how it can be improved. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald August 31, 2003 APS lawsuit about improving shelter BY ELLIOT CRAMER Guest columnist Kendall Page, a new Animal Protection Society board member and "lifetime resident of Orange County," has written a guest column, "Creating a better animal shelter" (Chapel Hill Herald, Aug. 21). I support this goal and joined aps for this very reason. My lawsuit against aps has nothing to do with the shelter or the county, but with internal aps policies involving the rights of aps members. Page's column is replete with false statements and continues the pattern of misrepresentations by aps staff, board members and friends. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill News August 31, 2003 Editorial: Humane Society points way to change Anyone looking to the Humane Society to exonerate the animal shelter operations of the Orange County Animal Protection Society would have been disappointed by the long-awaited Humane Society report released last week. The report to the Orange County commissioners set out a long litany of ills at the shelter off Airport Road, among them: -- Poor cleaning and sanitation practices. -- Non-existent ventilation and air flow in animal areas. -- A badly designed system for receiving incoming animals and properly managing their health, resulting in excessively long average stays in the shelter. -- Lack of a standardized system for isolating sick or injured animals. -- Cluttered and poorly designed facilities. -- Poor building maintenance: "In general, it appeared as though maintenance issues were routinely ignored." -- A "disorganized and unstructured" animal flow process, lack of proper training for staff and lack of standard procedures for routine operations. The Humane Society didn't say so, but the general impression presented by the report is of an animal shelter that is dirty, poorly managed and unhealthy for animals. Clearly, there is a lot of room for improvement. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill News August 31, 2003 Humane Society says APS must define mission APS director says the staff will use the report to improve the operation. CHAPEL HILL -- After almost a year of controversy surrounding the operation of the Orange County Animal Shelter, shelter director Laura Walters says she feels vindicated by the recently released results of an evaluation conducted by the Humane Society of the United States. ________________________________________________________________ The Herald-Sun September 03, 2003 APS OK'd to run Chapel Hill shelter on monthly basis CHAPEL HILL -- The Orange County Board of Commissioners extended its contract Tuesday night with the Animal Protection Society, which will run the Chapel Hill shelter on a monthly basis until the board decides otherwise. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald September 04, 2003 Editorial: Oversight key to solving shelter's problems Now that the Humane Society of the United States has turned in its final report, it's up to the Orange County Commissioners to begin resolving the ongoing dispute about the management of the county animal shelter. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald September 17, 2003 More animal shelter funds sought APS wants $10K a month more or adios HILLSBOROUGH -- The Animal Protection Society of Orange County says it can't continue running the county animal shelter without an additional $10,000 each month. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill News September 24, 2003 Editorial: Strange demands by APS Curiouser things have happened, we suppose, but the Animal Protection Society's recent communication with the Orange County commissioners is cause for head-scratching. The commissioners, after receiving complaints from citizens and a critical report by the Humane Society of the United States, have been reviewing the county's contract with the APS to run the county animal shelter. The county has put the society on notice that it may end the contract and take over the shelter itself. You'd think, facing that kind of drastic outcome, that the APS would be looking for a way to persuade the commissioners to extend the contract, pretty please. Instead, the society sent an ultimatum to the county last week laying out a set of demands for its continued operation of the shelter. Among them: ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald October 3, 2003 APS to hand over records to critics HILLSBOROUGH -- A judge has ordered the Animal Protection Society to hand over its membership lists and two years of financial records to two critics, but he imposed 11 restrictions on what the critics can do with the information. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald October 4, 2003 Editorial: APS should shut down its court battle It's been an eventful week in the APS wars, but thanks to Superior Court Judge Ronald Stephens and the Orange County Commissioners, the end may be in sight. On Thursday, Stephens ruled the Animal Protection Society has to show its membership list and financial records to the critics who've sued it, Elliot Cramer and Judith Reitman. Meanwhile, county officials made it clear they won't be rushed into making decisions about how much money to spend on the local animal shelter, or whether to retain the APS as the shelter's manager. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald October 21, 2003 Request by APS on agenda tonight CHAPEL HILL -- The Animal Protection Society will not get an additional $10,636 per month it said it needed to continue running the county animal shelter if the county commissioners agree tonight with a staff recommendation. Three of the five commissioners -- Moses Carey, Alice Gordon and Barry Jacobs -- said Monday they concur with County Manager John Link's recommendation to deny APS' request for the additional funding. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald October 22, 2003 Interim operator for animal shelter sought CHAPEL HILL -- Orange County will accept proposals for an interim animal shelter operator, the Board of Commissioners decided Tuesday night during a meeting at the Southern Human Services Center. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald October 28, 2003 Embattled animal shelter director to resign CHAPEL HILL -- Laura Walters, whose 18-month tenure as head of the county's animal shelter has been marred by a lawsuit and some very public criticism by a vocal group of local activists, is resigning. Walters joined the Animal Protection Society of Orange County three years ago as its director of development and became its executive director in March 2002, replacing longtime executive director Pat Sanford. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald October 29, 2003 Animal shelter's associate director resigns CHAPEL HILL -- A day after the head of the county's animal shelter announced plans to resign, the associate director said Tuesday she too will leave the organization. Associate Director Darra Das informed the Animal Protection Society board that Nov. 14 would be her last day on the job. On Monday, the group's executive director, Laura Walters, said she was resigning. "They've both been fantastic employees," said APS Board President Pat Beyle, who added that she understood the decisions. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald October 30, 2003 Editorial: Resignation the right move for APS The Chapel Hill Herald The resignation Monday of Laura Walters, the executive director of the Animal Protection Society of Orange County, was unfortunate but necessary. Public confidence in the APS is low, and the group needed to undertake a leadership change to regain its standing. The impending departures of Walters and her associate director, Darra Das, begin that process. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald November 15, 2003 APS may operate shelter for now HILLSBOROUGH -- In the latest chapter of the animal-shelter saga, Orange County Manager John Link says the county should continue paying the APS to run the Airport Road shelter at least through June. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald November 18, 2003 Manager draws fire for APS advice HILLSBOROUGH -- Orange County Manager John Link's recommendation that the Animal Protection Society continue to run the Airport Road shelter at least through June is drawing criticism from the leader of the county commissioners. "I'm not supporting the manager's recommendation," commissioners Chairwoman Margaret Brown said Monday. "I don't see it as an improvement [for APS] to run the shelter, and I'm looking forward to the county taking it over." ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald November 19, 2003 APS to run shelter until July 1 HILLSBOROUGH -- The much-maligned Animal Protection Society of Orange County will continue to run the county's animal shelter through June 30, but then it will immediately become County Manager John Link's responsibility. The Orange County Commissioners voted 4-1 Tuesday night to award an interim contract to the APS, but it also instructed Link to propose alternatives if the county assumes responsibility for the shelter starting July 1, when the county's 2004-05 fiscal year begins. To run the shelter between February and June, the APS would be paid at least $247,350. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald November 20, 2003 APS aims to hire director by February Group will run animal shelter through June 30 HILLSBOROUGH -- The oft-criticized Animal Protection Society of Orange County, which will continue to run the county's animal shelter through June 30, hopes to have a new shelter director in place by February. Interim Director Susan Cooke said Wednesday that APS would proceed with its search for a new shelter director, after the county awarded the organization an interim contract to run the animal shelter on Airport Road in Chapel Hill through the end of the fiscal year. The commissioners, however, intend for the county to assume responsibility for shelter management July 1. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald November 21, 2003 Last chance for Animal Protection Society Editorial The Animal Protection Society will have an additional six months to show that it deserves to remain the steward of the local animal shelter or at least somehow be involved in the shelter's future. It will be an uphill battle. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald November 22, 2003 Judge gives APS critics OK to examine files at shelter HILLSBOROUGH -- The Animal Protection Society of Orange County must allow its two harshest critics to inspect financial statements, membership lists and accounting records at the county animal shelter, a Superior Court judge ruled Friday. ________________________________________________________________ The Chapel Hill Herald December 10, 2003 6 named to Orange animal shelter task force 12-member group to review operations, advise county CHAPEL HILL -- The Orange County Commissioners have appointed six people to a task force that will review operations at the much-maligned county animal shelter. The 12-member task force, to which the commissioners made half the appointments Tuesday, will study a series of recommendations from the Humane Society of the United States and make its own recommendations about animal-shelter operations. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald December 29, 2003 Top 10 stories of 2003 4. No shelter for the APS Criticism of the Animal Protection Society of Orange County's operation of the county animal shelter continued throughout the year. The shelter controversy resulted in a largely negative outside evaluation, the resignations of top APS officials, court victories allowing access to records, greater county oversight and the planned assumption by the county for shelter operation next year. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill News December 31, 2003 Newsmakers of 2003 are a diverse lot - Part 1 CHAPEL HILL -- Sure, the usual suspects made news this year. Elliot Cramer and Jude Reitman Police escorts, suits and counter-suits, resignations under fire, charges of stalking and slander -- animal welfare just doesn't get any better than this. Key characters in this year's Animal Protection Society serial drama were Elliot Cramer, a retired UNC professor banned from the shelter in January, and Jude Reitman, a writer who last year unsuccessfully attempted to adopt a dog from APS. The pair were vocal -- very vocal -- in their criticism of APS management and leadership. And they were diligent -- very diligent -- in keeping emerging details before the public, members of the press and their elected officials. County Commissioner Steven Halkiotis at one point responded to the voluminous e-mails Cramer sent him by saying in a public meeting, "I give up, Elliot! If you're out there, I surrender." ________________________________________________________________ The News of Orange County January 28, 2004 HILLSBOROUGH The watchdog is back on duty. One of the Orange County Animal Protection Society's harshest critics, Elliot Cramer, can once again roam the grounds of Chapel Hill's animal shelter. Last week, APS President Ann Petersen delivered a letter to Cramer stating that the trespass order levied against him a year ago had been lifted and that the APS board and Interim Shelter Director Suzy Cooke desire a "fresh start" between the two parties. ________________________________________________________________ The Daily Tarheel February 03, 2004 County enacts revised APS contract While the spat between the Animal Protection Society and animal rights advocate Elliot Cramer continues, APS members hope that the organization's new contract with Orange County will help them move on after a year of conflict and controversy. The contract, which took effect Sunday, extends APS's control of Orange County's animal shelter until June, when the county will determine whether it wants to leave the shelter in the hands of APS or another group or take control of it itself. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill News March 14, 2004 Work begins on new APS adoption center New 5,600-square-foot building will house animals that have been selected for adoption and will ease space crunch at shelter. By Dave Hart, Staff Writer CHAPEL HILL _ If all goes well and the weather holds up, the Animal Protection Society of Orange County expects to start moving dogs and cats into its new "halfway home" adoption center sometime this summer. Construction crews have begun work on the site off Nick's Road a few miles west of Carrboro, said APS board member John Wise, who is overseeing the project. Construction of the $550,000 building is expected to take 20 weeks, Wise said. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald March 19, 2004 Judge says APS case has become 'bloody thermonuclear war' HILLSBOROUGH -- In a case that the judge said has "erupted into a bloody thermonuclear war," attorneys on both sides of lawsuits involving the Animal Protection Society argued Thursday why the judge should dismiss the case against their clients. ... After he listened to arguments from each side, Jolly shook his head and asked the attorneys why the problems that were discussed in court couldn't have been worked out before it became a lawsuit. "I just can't understand why you people don't get together and work toward the good of the animals," he said. ________________________________________________________________ The News of Orange County March 24, 2004 END OF AN ERA NEAR? Task force decides it likes APS the least HILLSBOROUGH The Animal Protection Society's critics may have gotten what they wanted. The county-appointed animal shelter task force voted on two sheltering models Tuesday night - the odd one out was the APS. The recommendations will go before the Board of County Commissioners next week at its work session. It hasn't been determined when the board will vote on the preferred options. The vote by task force members was somewhat of landslide, with the APS coming in a distant third with just two votes. ________________________________________________________________ The News of Orange County March 24, 2004 TRIAL DATE SET BUT JUDGE BLASTS SIDES IN ONGOING APS SUIT HILLSBOROUGH While cats and dogs passed in and out of the county's animal shelter last week, litigation proceedings between the Animal Protection Society and its two critics waged on in the courtroom. Both attorneys in the case sought a dismissal of the lawsuits against their clients. As of Monday, Superior Court Judge John Jolly had yet to make a decision whether to dismiss all the claims or let the case go to trial. The trial is tentatively set for April 5. Jolly said both parties should be prepared to go forward with the case if the trial preceding the APS case ends early. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald March 24, 2004 Shelter group chooses county bureau over APS HILLSBOROUGH -- The Orange County citizens group appointed by the Orange County Commissioners to study operations at the local animal shelter has recommended that the county manage the facility by creating a new "animal services bureau." The Animal Shelter Operations Task Force chose not to recommend that the county continue working with the Animal Protection Society of Orange County, which has run the county-owned shelter off Airport Road in Chapel Hill for years. It currently has a short-term contract that expires June 30. ________________________________________________________________ Editorial: Animal shelter's buck stops at the top Chapel Hill Herald March 25, 2004 The future of Orange County's animal shelter is coming into focus as the task force county commissioners appointed to study the facility moves closer to filing its recommendations. It now appears certain the panel will support imposing a new management structure on the shelter, one that shoves the much-criticized Animal Protection Society to the side. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill News March 31, 2003 New APS director could run county shelter With Orange County set to create animal services bureau, Joe Pulcinella and others may be in position to work for county. CHAPEL HILL -- Although Orange County may sever its longstanding relationship with the Animal Protection Society, the APS's newly hired shelter director, Joe Pulcinella, could still end up running the county animal shelter. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald April 3, 2004 County rules out APS as animal shelter's future manager HILLSBOROUGH -- The Animal Protection Society of Orange County will no longer run the county-owned animal shelter off Airport Road in Chapel Hill after June 30. The Orange County Commissioners bounced the APS from its consideration of which organization in the future will run the shelter at a commissioners' work session this week. Commissioner Steve Halkiotis asked if any of the five-member board objected to removing the option that would have meant the county would continue its contract with APS. When no one did, Halkiotis instructed Greg Wilder, the assistant to County Manager John Link, to remove that particular poster display from sight. ________________________________________________________________ Daily Tarheel April 06, 2004 Judge dismisses two claims in APS battle An Orange County Superior Court judge threw out claims Monday by both sides of the ongoing legal battle between the Animal Protection Society and critics Judith Reitman and Elliot Cramer. Barry Nakell, attorney for Reitman and Cramer, said Jolly did not give any reason for the dismissal of the claims. Jolly did not dismiss the defamation countersuit filed by APS directors and Laura Walters but did acknowledge the difficulty the plaintiffs would encounter in proving their case. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald April 7, 2004 Altered APS suit gets trial date HILLSBOROUGH -- Superior Court Judge John Jolly on Monday dismissed most of the claims made by two vociferous critics of the Animal Protection Society as well as a counterclaim filed by the organization. A few remaining issues in the legal dispute between APS and critics Elliot Cramer and Judith Reitman likely will go to trial this summer. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill News April 7, 2004 Editorial: Next stage for animal shelter The residents at the APS animal shelter might be wondering: What are the humans out there doing now? After a year of hand-wringing over the shelter's future and three months of deliberations by a new task force, Orange County still doesn't know what it's going to do with the shelter after June 30, when the contract with the Animal Protection Society ends. That's a short time frame, and we don't even know what the cost will be, if the county does take over the shelter. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald April 13, 2004 APS readies exit from animal shelter helm CHAPEL HILL -- After three decades of running Orange County's animal shelter, the Animal Protection Society is making plans to part ways with the county after its contract expires June 30. "We assume we're out of the business of operating the [county's] shelter and we're going our own way," said APS board president Ann Petersen. More than two years of public controversy over the APS' operation of the county-owned facility on Airport Road in Chapel Hill led the County Commissioners earlier this month to bounce the nonprofit from its consideration of which organization in the future will run the shelter. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald April 19, 2004 APS to open its own shelter Spurned by county, nonprofit plans Mebane facility CHAPEL HILL -- The Animal Protection Society will no longer run Orange County's animal shelter on Airport Road after June 30, but that doesn't mean it will be out of the animal services business. The nonprofit organization plans to open its own shelter in Mebane, which means that Orange County will have two animal shelters for the first time in its history. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald April 21, 2004 Orange County will run own animal shelter CHAPEL HILL -- The Orange County Commissioners unanimously decided Tuesday night that the county will run its own animal shelter starting July 1. The board gave County Manager John Link the go-ahead to purchase $107,901 worth of necessary equipment to stock the shelter on Airport Road in Chapel Hill. Meanwhile, the Animal Protection Society, which the county has been contracting with to run the shelter for years, plans to take the existing equipment to a new shelter that it will open in Mebane. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill News April 25, 2004 County moves forward on animal shelter Discussions grow contentious as APS proposes to take animals, all equipment, security system with it. CHAPEL HILL _ Fur continues to fly over the upcoming transition of the Orange County animal shelter from the Animal Protection Society to county management. The Board of Commissioners last week made it official that it will create a new county department or bureau to administer the shelter beginning July 1. It also approved a staffing plan and some capital costs. But before it got that far, tempers rose over veterinary services, whether APS should be compensated for lost adoption revenue for the animals remaining at the shelter on June 30, and even over whether APS will tear out and take with it the security system in the shelter building on Airport Road. County staff members had been considering contracting with APS for veterinary services on a short-term basis until other arrangements could be made. But APS board president Ann Petersen told commissioners state law would require APS to charge the county double the price APS itself pays for vet services. APS critic Elliot Cramer disputed Petersen's assessment. Petersen wrote County Manager John Link before the meeting to say that APS wanted either to take with it any animals left at the shelter at the end of its contract or to receive financial compensation for them. County staff consulted Kate Pullen, who led the assessment of the shelter the Humane Society of the United States conducted last year. Pullen said she had never heard of such an arrangement. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill News April 28, 2004 Editorial: Raspberries to the Animal Protection Society for still not "getting it" as far as community relations goes. As it faced the reality of losing its contract to operate the county animal shelter, APS told the county commissioners last week that it would either take the animals in the shelter when its contract with the county ends June 30 or require compensation for them. An official of the Humane Society said she'd never heard of such a deal. APS also said it would charge the county double the amount for veterinary services that APS itself was paying, and that it would take with it the security system APS installed in the county-owned building. There are legalistic reasons, no doubt, for all these demands, but they add up to making APS look chintzy and vindictive. If any further justification was needed for ending the county's relations with APS, this was it. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill News May 26, 2004 Animal shelter jobs to cost $500,000 The county is firming up plans to take over the shelter July 1; APS manager will stay on with county shelter. CHAPEL HILL -- As Orange County prepares to take over the animal shelter July 1, it is firming up details on how to staff the shelter and provide veterinary services for the animals there. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill News, June 16, 2004 County signs on veterinarians Two area veterinarians will perform spay/neuter surgeries for animals adopted from the Orange County Animal Shelter beginning July 1. On that date, the county will take over management of the animal shelter from the Animal Protection Society. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald June 26, 2004 Dismissal quietly ends APS dogfight HILLSBOROUGH -- A lawsuit and counterclaim between the Animal Protection Society and two of its harshest critics ended in a whimper Friday after an attorney filed a voluntary dismissal on the final outstanding claims. No one really won the case since the judge threw out most of the claims before a trial occurred, and the others claims were voluntarily dropped, but the controversy eventually triggered the end of the relationship between APS and Orange County. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald June 26, 2004 APS Conflict: Timeline of Events February 2003: Two members of the Animal Protection Society of Orange County, retired UNC professor Elliot Cramer and activist Judith Reitman, file a lawsuit against the organization. It alleges that the APS refused to disclose documents, stripped members of their voting rights and impeded members' attempts to nominate people to serve on the APS board. April 2003: APS responds with a counterclaim against Cramer and Reitman that contends the pair made slanderous and damaging statements about the society. May 2003: Cramer and Reitman ask the courts to dismiss the APS counterclaim. June 2003: Superior Court Judge John Jolly refuses to dismiss the counterclaim. October 2003: Superior Court Judge Ronald Stephens orders the APS to hand over its membership lists and two years of financial records to Cramer and Reitman, but imposes 11 restrictions on what the critics can do with the information. October 2003: Stephens denies a request from Cramer and Reitman that would have allowed them to regain membership in the group. November 2003: Judge Judson DeRamus rules that APS must allow Cramer and Reitman to inspect financial statements, membership lists and accounting records at the county animal shelter. March 2004: Judge Jolly says the case has "erupted into a bloody thermonuclear war." Attorneys on both sides argue why the judge should dismiss the case against their clients. April 2004: Jolly dismisses most of the claims made by Cramer and Reitman, and a counterclaim filed by APS. The few remaining issues in the legal dispute between APS and Cramer and Reitman are scheduled to go to trial in June. June 2004: The APS board of directors and former executive director Laura Walters drop their libel and slander suit against Cramer and Reitman three days before the matter is scheduled to go to trial. ________________________________________________________________ The Chapel Hill Herald June 27, 2004 Long live the peace Those of us who are old enough might remember the feeling we had when the Vietnam War finally, officially, ended. After years of active combat, covert negotiations and diplomatic maneuvering, the legal end of the war felt somehow anti-climatic. It was, we felt then -- no matter which side we were on -- like the feeling you get when you stop hitting your head against the wall. That relief is brought to mind by the news that the lawsuits and counter lawsuits involving the Animal Protection Society and its two harshest critics are finally, blessedly over. After almost a year and a half of increasingly vituperative sniping that brought glory to neither side, it all ended quietly Friday with a voluntary dismissal of the final outstanding legal claims. Both sides, of course, are claiming victory, as both sides have done since this sordid escapade began. The legal actions, says critics Elliott Cramer and Judith Reitman, have opened up the workings of the APS and resulted in the county finally taking control of the operation of the Airport Road animal shelter. The legal actions, say the APS and its former executive director, Laura Walters, proved that the organization has the right to govern itself in the way it chooses and can defend itself against unreasonable criticism and takeover attempts. Both sides could have settled this a long time ago. Both sides could have saved much energy, much emotion and much time and money by being reasonable and working out their differences. But neither side chose to do that. With all the verbal and legal jousting that has taken place, it's hard, now, to even remember what the point of it all was supposed to be at the beginning. That's what happens when disputes become so personal; that's what happens when we prefer to litigate rather than negotiate. . Perhaps now, with the cases over (unless Cramer and Reitman decide to appeal, as their lawyer hints they may do), the APS -- on the way out this week at the animal shelter -- and its critics as well, can begin to tone down the fiery rhetoric. Perhaps they all can begin to remember why they got involved in this mess in the first place. Perhaps they all can realize that this was supposed to be about the animals. Maybe now it can be so again. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill News June 30, 2004 County takes over animal shelter APS, which has run the county shelter for 25 years, will open an adoption center at its Nicks Road location. CHAPEL HILL -- In Iraq this week, power was handed over in a hastily arranged back-room ceremony. It won't include any of that cloak-and-dagger stuff, but there's a fairly significant transition going on here, too. Today marks the end of the Animal Protection Society of Orange County's management of the animal shelter off Airport Road. Starting Thursday, Orange County will take on the management and operation of the shelter. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill News June 30, 2004 Roses to the Animal Protection Society of Orange County for dropping the last remaining legal actions in the long-standing court battle between the agency and its critics, ending an ugly court fight that benefited no one except the lawyers. The APS board and former Executive Director Laura Walters on Friday dropped counter-claims against APS critics Elliot Cramer and Judith Reitman, three days before they were scheduled to go to trial. Previously, a judge had thrown out Cramer and Reitman's lawsuit accusing the APS board of holding illegal elections and illegally changing its bylaws. Walters and the APS board are right to see that further legal jousting is unproductive. We hope the other parties see that as well. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald June 30, 2004 CONTROL OF THE ANIMAL SHELTER: A 2-YEAR-OLD SAGA July 2002: Bobby Schopler, the veterinarian/director for the Animal Protection Society of Orange County's Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, is fired following a contract dispute with Executive Director Laura Walters. Community members publicly protest the decision. September 2002: Writer Judith Reitman, whose adoption of a dog from the Orange County Animal Shelter was denied because officials said the animal was too dangerous, raises issues concerning APS' operation of the shelter during an Orange County Board of Commissioners meeting. October 2002: Schopler announces the formation of The Piedmont Wildlife Center, his own rehabilitation center. November 2002: Following criticisms of APS, the commissioners agree to an outside assessment of the animal shelter. The board hires Washington,D.C.-based Humane Society of the United States to study the shelter, which is run by the APS under a contract with the county that pays $429,000 annually. January 2003: APS critic Elliot Cramer receives a letter from organization officials warning him not to come on shelter premises. June 2003: After a motion for a six-month contract extension was recommended by County Manager John Link fails, the commissioners vote 3-2 to extend the county's contract with the APS to run the shelter for three more months followed by a monthly renewal option. June 2003: A preliminary report released by the Humane Society concludes the shelter has problems with disease control, procedures and animal management. The report cites unclean conditions, a lack of written records and the lack of a well-defined system for processing animals and managing their health. August 2003: HSUS releases its 156-page report on animal shelter management after a 21 hour presentation in which officials say APS could improve its record keeping as well as processes and procedures. September 2003: The commissioners extend the contract with APS on a monthly basis but in response the organization says it can't continue running the shelter without an additional $10,000 each month. October 2003: The commissioners decide to accept proposals for an interim animal shelter operator. October 2003: APS Executive Director Laura Walters and Associate Director Darra Das announce their resignations. November 2003: The APS, the Humane Society of Orange County and Animal Care Equipment & Services submit proposals to the county to run the shelter. November 2003: Susan Cooke, an APS board member, is named interim director of the organization. November 2003: The commissioners decide APS will continue to run the shelter through June 30, but then it will immediately become the county manager's responsibility. December 2003: The commissioners form The Animal Shelter Operations Task Force, a citizens group charged with reviewing animal shelter operations. January 2004: APS lifts a year-old trespass order barring Cramer from the shelter. February 2004: The task force decides it does not want to consider the county contracting with a for-profit corporation or for the shelter to be a separate entity under the public works department or sheriff's department. March 2004: The task force recommends the county manage the facility by creating a new "animal services bureau." April 2004: The commissioners unanimously decide the county will run its own animal shelter starting July 1. April 2004: Joe Pulcinella, former shelter manager of the Delaware County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, starts work for APS as the new director of the Orange County Animal Shelter. July 1, 2004: Orange County assumes operation of the county animal shelter. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald July 2, 2004 Orange County now operating shelter CHAPEL HILL -- Whether she knows it or not, Moonshine made history Thursday. The year-old brindle cattle mix formerly known as Tippy was one of the first animals to be adopted from the county-owned Orange County Animal Shelter. Orange County assumed control of the shelter, located off Airport Road, for the first time Thursday. Two years of public controversy over the Animal Protection Society's management prompted the county commissioners' decision earlier this year to no longer pay the nonprofit to manage the facility. ________________________________________________________________ Chapel Hill Herald July 19, 2004 Nonprofit group forms to support animal shelter Friends of the Orange County Animal Shelter CHAPEL HILL -- A new nonprofit group has formed to support the Orange County Animal Shelter. The Friends of the Orange County Animal Shelter -- also known as FOCAS -- plans to eventually file for tax-exempt status. ________________________________________________________________ The News of Orange County February 24, 2004 APS HALFWAY HOME ON ADOPTION CENTER HILLSBOROUGH After nearly five years of planning and one false start, an animal adoption center may finally be built in western Orange County. Since May 1999 the Animal Protection Society of Orange County has been planning to build a "halfway home" for adoptable animals to help ease overcrowding in the main shelter on Airport Road. Earlier this month during an animal shelter task force meeting, APS interim director Suzy Cooke announced that after the county's approval of a special-use permit the project may finally take flight. ________________________________________________________________ News of Orange June 30, 2004 APS hands over reigns HILLSBOROUGH - On July 1 the animal shelter in Orange County will changeover from Animal Protection Society (APS) of Orange County, a local non-profit shelter, to Orange County Animal Shelter, a county-run facility. "The County's immediate goal is to ensure a smooth and seamless transition with little or no inconvenience to the public and absolutely no risk of injury to the animals," Gwen Harvey, Assistant Manager of the shelter, said.