Madison County Interim Animal Services Director Cash optimistic about future, partnerships

MARSHALL - The Madison County Animal Services department is in full makeover mode.

After longtime director Angela Davis stepped down May 26, a majority of the staff left with her.

The county hired Pia Cash to serve as interim director. Cash has been working in animal welfare for 17 years, including at Asheville Humane Society and its community outreach department.

Cash and her family live in Marshall. She has been a Madison resident for 14 years.

"I'm definitely invested in making sure that this transition is successful and that there's not any interruption as providing services for the animals of this county," Cash said.

While the department is experiencing a reboot of nearly its entire staff, Nevaeh Rice, a Mars Hill University student who has been assisting the department through the university's Bonners Scholar program and works roughly 20 volunteer hours per week, will remain on board, along with Shelby Jenkins, a part-time animal care technician.

Joining Rice is the Animal Services department's new veterinary assistant, Cedes Oswald, and Billy Davis, the department's lone animal control officer.

In the midst of this turnover, the building itself is also undergoing a transformation. As of June 15, the department was resurfacing the kennel walls.

Due to the building maintenance and to allow staff to get up to speed, the Animal Services department is diverting intakes, though the shelter has accepted emergency and stray animal intakes throughout that time frame.

When The News-Record paid a visit to the building June 14, the Animal Services department was caring for six dogs - a malamute mix and five hound/shepherd mix siblings.

Cash said she expected the building maintenance to be finished by July 1. After that period, the shelter can begin the process of moving away from its "emergency only" status.

"After 'emergency only,' we will have to look at what the previous leadership had in place, because they had a waiting list," Cash said. "We'll just make sure we contact all those folks. We'll be prioritizing strays of course."

Optimism moving forward

Prior to leaving the department on May 26, Davis said the Animal Services shelter had experienced "chronic understaffing" since 2020.

But Cash said she and the staff are optimistic about the new era of Madison County Animal Services.

Oswald's hiring marks the first time in the department's history in which a veterinary assistant has been on staff. Oswald previously worked for five years with a private veterinary clinic.

"She's moving over here to shelter medicine, which is a little bit different, but she's learning quickly and she's moving into a full time position starting next week," Cash said.

Oswald said the team has been working well together so far.

"Since I started working, the new staff and myself love working together with animals and serving our community," Oswald said. "I love this job and especially love seeing how much of a difference we made in such a short amount of time."

According to the interim director, the department will add an additional full-time coordinator and two part-time animal care positions in the near future.

"We feel that with the opening doors for volunteers and having the volunteers' support, that we'll be able to operate with that staff," Cash said.

"Things are going well. It's a transition, but all the staff are on board. We're all sharing the same vision of how we want this shelter to look moving forward, and how it interacts with the community."

More: Madison County addresses rumors of animal shelter's closure amid staff resignations

Partnerships in the future

According to Cash, the interim director title will be in place for her throughout the first 90 days while she, the department staff and county management seek out additional services from nonprofit organizations.

"At this point, I am interim just for this initial 90 days because the county and I are talking and assessing and discussing partnerships to potentially expand operations and services for the county," Cash said. "Partnering with nonprofit agencies would allow us to apply for grant funding that's only available for a nonprofit agency. It would allow us to attract larger donors to help expand services here at the shelter.

"The hope is that these partnership discussions will allow us to have a larger foster program, with more volunteers helping so that we can serve more animals beyond the walls of the shelter."

Additionally, the department is expanding services, as it is now open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

"It's really critical that we're open on the weekend, so we're really prioritizing that, so people can get here if they work 9-to-5 jobs," Cash said. "So, yes, we're kind of assessing what our capacity is at this point. But so far, so good."

On June 10, the department hosted a community work party for which more than 20 volunteers who assisted with painting the foundation, walking dogs and cleaning the building.

"It was great," Cash said. "We had a lot of support. We also had some volunteers come in and put these posts in so we could put a sunshade into the play yard. We have a lot of animal lovers in the community and they definitely want to help. We have welcomed them in - whether they want to socialize an animal, paint or clean."

A Facebook group, Madison Mutts, was started to help organize a weekly walk where residents come in and get the shelter animals some exercise.

The department also has a donations box for after hours when the facility is closed. The staff has roughly a trailer full of supplies thanks to the donations of charitable local residents.

"We really rely on those donations," Cash said. "Pet food, cat litter, all that stuff can expand our budget and what we can do within our budget. We get a lot of community support. I've had a lot of folks stop by and say, 'I've been dropping off newspaper for like 10 years.'"

Cash said Billy Davis' knowledge of the department has been instrumental in helping lay the groundwork as well.

Davis previously worked for the department from 2008-16 and was transferred to a different county department after his wife, Angela, was named the Animal Services director.

"He's been super helpful, and I'm very thankful for him," she said. "He knows the county and he knows the shelter. We're working really well together."

Davis said he had a feeling he would return to the Animal Services department at some point.

"I had enough confidence whenever I left the first time that I would at some point in time end up back here, that I had all my uniforms boxed up and sitting on top of the cat room waiting for me whenever I came back," Davis said.

According to Davis, one of the department's goals is to maintain as high a release rate as possible. He said the shelter typically maintains a 98%-99% release rate. A shelter must operate at least a 90% release rate to be considered a "no-kill shelter."

"We're adamant that we're going to continue with pushing that," Davis said.

With the help of community volunteers and the potential partnerships with nonprofit organizations, Cash said the department staff is going to do the best it can for all Madison County animals.

"We do everything we can for every animal that comes in this door, or even outside of our doors, if they're asking for help within our resources," Cash said. "The partnerships that we're discussing with nonprofits, that might help us expand our services. That's kind of the focus right now."

Madison County Animal Services is located at 389 Long Branch Road in Marshall and is open by appointment Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and is open for walk-ins on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

To schedule an appointment, visit the department's Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/MadisonCountyAnimalServices) or call 828-649-3531.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Madison Animal Services director optimistic about future, partnerships