Pets Could Bear Brunt of Humane Society Crime - Valley News Live - KVLY/KXJB - Fargo/Grand Forks

Pets Could Bear Brunt of Humane Society Crime

  Every year the Polk County Humane Society cares for hundreds of homeless dogs and cats.

  It's 50-thousand dollar a year budget depends almost entirely on donations. But now, it's alleged the Society's former manager, Tracy Janisch pocketed thousands of dollars of those cash donations.

Reporter: "The statements you got as a board didn't match what was actually in the bank?"

Toby Solberg, Board of Directors: "Absolutely not. It was so far off."

    Now with news that 30-thousand dollars in donations has been stolen, Solberg worries that those donations they depend on to operate… could dry up.

Toby Solberg:  "I don't know how some people are going to accept giving money to us and it went someplace else. I…. we appreciate all those that have in the past. I hope they still do continue to."

  There are few places to trim the budget, since they operate with almost an entirely volunteer staff. And they have a no kill policy here. So, they need to feed and care for dogs and cats, until they're adopted.

John Shaver, Humane Society: "Sometimes a dog will stay here for six months."

Reporter: "So there can be a lot of food and care given before they're adopted?"

Shaver: "That's correct. Yes, it is."

  Time will tell whether the donations continue, and whether the Humane Society here will continue to operate.