Committee: no new deal for R&R research

STANTON, Mich. (WOOD) - An advisory committee has voted 4-3 to recommend ending a controversial contract between Montcalm County and a company called R&R Research.

R&R Research has been the focus of much of the attention the committee has been giving the treatment of unwanted animals in the county.

Two weeks ago panel members questioned the head of R&R, who is also on the advisory board by appointment of the county commission, about his practices and how he dealt with animals he picked up from the animal shelter. He refused to answer most of the questions leading some committee members to question the advisability of entering into a new contract that they believe does not have enough transparency. Of 50 or so people in the audience, none spoke in favor of R&R but many spoke against the company with varying degrees of passion.

One central complaint for those who attended the meeting was their assertion that R& R was taking animals that had already been spoken for by rescue groups and others and selling them for research. They said that many of the animals that R&R sold for a profit were quite adoptable and that in some cases people had requested the animals but when they showed up at the Montcalm County Animal Shelter they had already been taken away.

After continued on-again, off-again discussions Wednesday, the advisory committee finally voted for the recommendation, which ends the contract by April 30. The committee acquired funding for collection and cremation of animals that were euthanized at no cost to the county.

Another major announcement that came out of the meeting is that animals will now be euthanized by injection rather than by methods considered less humane - which will happen no matter what.

The committee will now send the recommendation to the full county commission, which will have the final say. A county commissioner told 24 hour News 8 two weeks ago the committee's decision was not binding and the commissioners would not necessarily follow the group's wishes.