​News
Release
July 22, 2020

NEWS RELEASE                                     
Ontonagon County Animal Protection                    For release:  July 22, 2020
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OCAP CANCELS FUNDRAISER; ELECTS OFFICERS
 
ONTONAGON MI – Another annual event became a casualty to the COVID-19 virus when the OCAP board voted to cancel its 2020 dinner/auction fundraiser. “We first postponed it to June, then to August, hoping that things would be back to normal,” said President Lee McCaffery. “But it’s clear that we can’t hold an event that would bring together a large number of people with no way to properly socially distance. Our future 2020 fundraisers are also in jeopardy,” McCaffery continued, “which is very disheartening as we need the funds to continue our rescue work.”
 
OCAP will be on the November ballot to renew its 0.15 mills. “This millage will be more important than ever,” McCaffery said. “Without it we may have to close our doors some time in 2021. With no fundraisers this year, donations aren’t enough to pay the bills for maintaining a building and feeding and vetting the animals. Our volunteers work for free, but everything else costs money,” he concluded.
 
OCAP isn’t asking for a millage increase and hopes voters will agree to the same amount as the organization has been receiving. At 0.15 mills, a property owner with a $100,000.00 evaluation would contribute $15.00 a year toward the annual operation of the shelter. In an average year, the shelter serves around 35 dogs and 50 cats that otherwise would be homeless and possibly euthanized.
 
Elections are held at the July annual meeting each year and resulted in some changes to the board.  Dot Phillips declined to run again for president, and Vice President Lee McCaffery was elected to the position. Phillips was elected Vice President, and Jackie Dobbins and Jan Wolfe were reelected to their positions of Secretary and Trustee, respectively.
 
In animal issues, seven dogs were in the shelter at the time of the meeting, and one was  adopted since the June meeting. Eight cats are currently in the shelter, with 11 in foster homes due to age or illness.  OCAP is currently humanely trapping about 25 outdoor cats and relocating them to farms or other outdoor living situations. The property owner, who kept outdoor cats, passed away in June, and his family accepted OCAP’s offer to relocate the cats so they would not be killed.
 
OCAP’s next regular meeting will be held at 5:30 on August 16. Due to the need for social distancing, the meeting will be at the Cane Court community room instead of the shelter. The public is welcome at all OCAP meetings, but masks will be required in the building per state regulations 


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