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Spencer County court approves short-term hire after hoarding case strains shelter
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Summary
The fiscal court agreed to offer full‑time, short-term employment to an animal-shelter co-op student after a hoarding case raised intake to roughly 70 animals and stretched staff and budget capacity, and directed staff to include a longer-term staffing solution in the July budget.
The Spencer County Fiscal Court voted to offer short-term full-time employment to Audrey Humphrey after an ongoing hoarding case has pushed intake at the county shelter to about 70 animals, officials said.
Judge Executive (chair) moved that Humphrey be hired full time beginning the first Monday after her May 21 graduation at $18 an hour through June 30, with benefits for that interval. The motion passed after a second; the court instructed staff to identify budget transfers to cover the additional cost until the next fiscal-year budget is adopted.
Shelter staff described an unusually large caseload tied to one hoarding investigation: "51 of these dogs currently belongs to the same person," Ashley said, noting the shelter typically runs closer to 30 animals. Staff warned that the extra animals require more transport, veterinary care and one-to-one handling for animals needing grooming or medical attention.
Animal-control staff and the judge executive told the court volunteers are helpful but inconsistent and that an additional paid employee is needed to ensure daily kennel cleaning, transport runs and after-hours responses. "We can't adequately run the shelter with just two people," a shelter supervisor said during the discussion.
Court members asked that funding for the temporary hire be handled by reallocating existing lines if necessary; the judge executive said he had identified a line that could be used short term and that the court would address permanent staffing decisions during the July 1 budget process.
The court also directed staff to continue efforts to transfer animals to rescues and adopters where possible and to return with cost estimates and any required policy changes at a future meeting.
