Officials gathered Friday to officially sign the contract transferring managerial oversight of the Hancock County Animal Shelter to the Jefferson County Humane Society. Taking part in the event were, from left, Hancock County Commissioner Tommy Ogden, County Clerk Karan Valenti, Commissioner Paul Cowey, Commission President Eron Chek, Sally Wehr and Lorianne Barbour, who will serve as the employer/operators on behalf of the humane society, and Jefferson County Humane Society Development Manager Brandi DeNoon-Damewood. (Photo by Craig Howell)

NEW CUMBERLAND – Showing the effort to help animals doesn’t have any borders, the Jefferson County Humane Society is officially overseeing management of the Hancock County Animal Shelter.

Hancock County commissioners and representatives of the Humane Society were joined by animal shelter staff and other guests Friday morning as they signed the contract making the transition official.

“Today is the day the Hancock County Commission would like to welcome the Jefferson County Humane Society as the new operator of the Hancock County Animal Shelter,” noted Commission President Eron Chek in opening the brief ceremony held at the animal shelter.

Commissioners selected the Ohio-based non-profit organization to manage the shelter following a three-month-long process which began in July

Sally Wehr and Lorianne Barbour have been named as the new employer/operators for the shelter, overseeing the management of existing county staff.

Acknowledging that running an animal shelter is not always easy, they thanked those who work at the Hancock County Animal Shelter and expressed hope for the future of the shelter and the animals in its care.

“We’re very excited to come in and help,” Barbour said.

JCHS Development Manager Brandi DeNoon-Damewood explained plans call for the Humane Society to begin training efforts with animal shelter staff in the coming weeks, working to see what has been effective in Hancock County and where new opportunities may be.

“We’ll mesh together the existing programs here with our programs,” she said. “The employees here are extremely valuable to our mission.”

Some of the plans also include adjusting methods of promoting the shelter through social media and establishing a dedicated medical room at the shelter with on-site veterinary care, similar to what is offered in Jefferson County.

“We are very excited, and I hope the community is as excited as we are,” DeNoon-Damewood said.

Founded in 1915, the Jefferson County Humane Society was formed to be an advocate for animals in Jefferson County, Ohio, and, originally, the county’s children. The organization has managed Jefferson County’s animal shelter since 2010, with the county employing dog wardens and the Humane Society providing for other employees, as well as all aspects of care and other programs for animals at the shelter. In recent years, it has launched a veterinarian medical program for animals at the shelter which also offers low-cost medical services to the public.

“We know you run a top-notch organization and you’ve been a great advocate for animals in Jefferson County, and we’re just really encouraged you’re going to do the same for us in Hancock County,” Commissioner Tommy Ogden said.

Ogden had been a proponent of searching for a non-profit managerial partner for the animal shelter following a series of personnel shifts and other issues there in recent months.

chowell@weirtondailytimes.com