VALLEY, AL (WTVM) – As of today the Chattahoochee Humane Society in Valley, Alabama has taken in 2098 animals since January 1st.

The humane society went to the county earlier this month asking for more funding, without it they’ll have to shut down the facility September 30th and every animal that has not been adopted will be euthanized. Sharon Hawkins, President of the Board of Directors says, “we tried to present to them what it costs to do that and apparently our county feels that they can do it more affordably.”

Under U.S. law , an animal shelter is required in every county but what kind of shelter is not specified.

Hawkins says shelters are required to keep an animal for 7 days, after that, the humane society tries to get the animal adopted or fostered, but the county is proposing a pound.

“The difference in a pound is that they hold the animal for 7 days and they do not offer the option for adoption…so inevitably they’re euthanized” said Hawkins

Although the humane society needs more money, the board of directors has agreed to try a six month contract with the county that would prolong the closing, they are still waiting to hear if the county will accept.

Shon Sims, Director of the Humane Society is devastated…she feels like 6 years of hard work for the community has been wasted, “I’ve tried really hard to make sure the animals that leave our facility are healthy animals and that our cleaning structure and disease protocol changed so we didn’t have the disease presence we used too.”