MONROE - The Green County Board of Supervisors will pay the Green County Humane Society almost $48,000 for the months-long care of 46 dogs seized in May at a rural home near Brodhead.
The board approved the resolution with 22 in favor, four against, one abstaining and four not present.
Supervisors who voted against the money transfer raised concerns that the sheriff's department and county should have worked with the dogs' owners to resolve the situation.
Brian Bucholtz, corporation counsel for the county, defended the seizure and the county's payment to the Humane Society.
"We weren't getting any cooperation whatsoever from the owners," he told supervisors. He said the Humane Society "couldn't take the strain financially" of caring unexpectedly for so many dogs, most of them Great Danes, one of the largest and tallest breeds.
Four people were charged with animal mistreatment following the dog seizure. A jury trial is scheduled in February for Kathy J. Williams, 55, who is charged on seven counts. Allyson Williams, 24, and Donovan F. Williams, 45, have already been found guilty on animal mistreatment charges. Charges are still pending against a fourth, Melissa Harrel, 58.
Bucholtz said he is beginning the legal process to recoup the money for the county from the dogs' owners in fees, seized property and intercepted tax refunds.
"We believe there may be property," he said. But, he added later, "these are probably not very rich individuals."
Seventeen puppies were born into the shelter's care after the seizure, bringing the total number of dogs in the case to 63. Of those, only two remain. One is being held as evidence in court; the other, a Great Dane named Elle, was still available for adoption as of last week.
The board also passed resolutions to:
n Give 2-percent raise on Jan. 1 to nonunionized county employees, including department heads and elected officials, plus 1 more percent on July 1.
n Switch the county's 2012 insurance plans for worker's compensation from Wausau Insurance to Liberty Mutual and for liability from Aegis Corporation to Wisconsin County Mutual.
n Transfer $640,000 to the General Fund from the Self-Insurance Account to cover health-insurance claims made prior to April 1. On April 1, the county decided to move its employee health insurance from self-insurance to the State of Wisconsin Group Health Insurance Program.
n Transfer $17,477 to the Government Service Building for the completion of a maintenance project that included an upgrade to the heating and air-conditioning system and a removal of asbestos.
The board approved the resolution with 22 in favor, four against, one abstaining and four not present.
Supervisors who voted against the money transfer raised concerns that the sheriff's department and county should have worked with the dogs' owners to resolve the situation.
Brian Bucholtz, corporation counsel for the county, defended the seizure and the county's payment to the Humane Society.
"We weren't getting any cooperation whatsoever from the owners," he told supervisors. He said the Humane Society "couldn't take the strain financially" of caring unexpectedly for so many dogs, most of them Great Danes, one of the largest and tallest breeds.
Four people were charged with animal mistreatment following the dog seizure. A jury trial is scheduled in February for Kathy J. Williams, 55, who is charged on seven counts. Allyson Williams, 24, and Donovan F. Williams, 45, have already been found guilty on animal mistreatment charges. Charges are still pending against a fourth, Melissa Harrel, 58.
Bucholtz said he is beginning the legal process to recoup the money for the county from the dogs' owners in fees, seized property and intercepted tax refunds.
"We believe there may be property," he said. But, he added later, "these are probably not very rich individuals."
Seventeen puppies were born into the shelter's care after the seizure, bringing the total number of dogs in the case to 63. Of those, only two remain. One is being held as evidence in court; the other, a Great Dane named Elle, was still available for adoption as of last week.
The board also passed resolutions to:
n Give 2-percent raise on Jan. 1 to nonunionized county employees, including department heads and elected officials, plus 1 more percent on July 1.
n Switch the county's 2012 insurance plans for worker's compensation from Wausau Insurance to Liberty Mutual and for liability from Aegis Corporation to Wisconsin County Mutual.
n Transfer $640,000 to the General Fund from the Self-Insurance Account to cover health-insurance claims made prior to April 1. On April 1, the county decided to move its employee health insurance from self-insurance to the State of Wisconsin Group Health Insurance Program.
n Transfer $17,477 to the Government Service Building for the completion of a maintenance project that included an upgrade to the heating and air-conditioning system and a removal of asbestos.