TUNICA, MS (abc24.com) - A budget battle is taking a bite out of the funding for Tunica's only animal shelter. The county is slashing the Tunica Humane Society's money in half this year, from $50,000 to $25,000.
"It literally knocks our feet out from under us," says shelter director Sandy Williams. "This has been an ongoing battle with Tunica County."
Williams says struggles are nothing new. Tunica has no animal control and just this one agency to care for all of the county's animals.
There is no room to cut a single penny, according to her, let alone the $25,000 the county's cut this year.
"If we didn't go pick these puppies up we don't know what would happen to them," says volunteer Melissa Allen.
"I just want to ask them (the board of supervisors) what is their plan if we're not here? What will happen to those animals if we're not here to take them in," asks Williams.
Tunica supervisors and the county administrator refused to talk with ABC24 News about the shelter. They say they're cutting $2 million from the budget, and nine other departments also face cuts.
To resolve the money problems, supervisors propose a 30 percent hike in property taxes. The final budget will be approved in the next two weeks.
