February 14, 2018
Jim Evancho
There has been a verbal battle going on between Cheaha Regional Humane Society (CRHS) and the Calhoun County Commissioners office regarding the operational control of the county animal shelter. The Calhoun County Commissioners voted 3-2 to end the service contract between them and CRHS creating a hard division between supporters of the private business and the county.
On February 13 at approximately 7:00 pm a supporter shared a personal photo belonging to one of the County Commissioners, Eli Henderson, with some computer generated handwriting on it (NOTE: due to the personal nature of the photograph, The Jacksonville Journal will not display it for public viewing). The photograph was of Commissioner Henderson walking with a small child and holding his hand. The caption that was written across the photo was “Paw-Paw, why you want to kill all the doggies?”. The photograph displayed appeared to be a personal picture of the commissioner with his family walking towards a residential home.
Posted on a social media platform, the photograph was accompanied by an attached post from the person that submitted it [Tina at a glance]. The post read:
“I know there is a stray problem in Calhoun County. I know that CRHS does what they can to help alleviate the issue because I’ve seen it with my own eyes. I also know that killing them is not the answer. There are more options. Mainly education of proper animal stewardship and spay neuter programs or requirements.
I don’t like the he said she said BS either. However my friend was sent this picture from an unknown user and I pondered weather [sic] or not to share it because I don’t know if it’s legit.
After a few days of contemplating, I’ve decided to share it asking is it real?
Below the initial post were some comments left by other people discussing the photograph in question. One comment was from the CRHS Chairperson, Jane Cunningham. She appeared to be responding to the question asked in the original posting regarding if the photo was real. The comment left by Cunningham was “Looks like him to me”, there were no other comments from Cunningham to request the personal photo be taken down. A second comment left was by a Georgia McRae (directed towards Cunningham) which stated “Jane Cunningham he blocked me after the first meeting i went to so i cant see anything on his page…”. A third comment left was by a Diane West Harris (also directed towards Jane Cunningham) “Jane Cunningham it’s Eli. He actually tagged me in it when he posted It”.
Earlier this morning a Calhoun County Judge and sitting board member of the Cheaha Regional Humane Society, Tom Wright, made a public post regarding the photograph of the commissioner. The statement, also found on social media, was as follows:
“I have been made aware of a horribly nasty meme involving a person on the opposite side of the debate regarding CRHS. It is tasteless, disgusting and I want no part of it.
Don’t dare share or tag me with it. If you do, you will be immediately unfriended from my Facebook and my life.
Children and families are off limits. This debate is about the welfare of animals in our community. Some persons on the opposite side of this debate have chosen to attack MY family and have distributed horrible material about my family. I’m pissed and I’m hurt but that doesn’t justify ANYONE doing the same, regardless of their feelings.
Persons involved in this debate, especially elected officials, may be game, but their family absolutely isn’t, whether they are still with us or not.
Rise above it people. Don’t lower yourself to the same tactics.
Good always wins.”
The photograph and additional writing appears to coincide with Cheaha Regional Humane Society’s billboard campaign that depicts a young dog in a cage with the caption “My life is worth saving, please be my voice” to the left, and on the right side the caption states “Don’t let the County Commission KILL our contract”, the word kill was emphasized in a horror movie type font with the depiction of blood spatter around it.
Cheaha Regional Humane Society, a kill shelter, has been recently embroiled in a public battle against the Calhoun County Commissioners after the contract for services was cancelled. It has been the position of the board of directors of Cheaha that the County will begin mass euthanizations of animals effective March 1st when they take over.
In January the County Commission issued a press release responding to numerous points with one of them being the 7 day law. The County Commissioner’s stated “Although State of Alabama law requires animals to be held a minimum of 7 days, it is the intention of the County to hold animals for some additional period of time while rescue/adoption efforts are explored/exhausted”.
On March 1st the County will assume full control of the shelter.
