While attending the Grand Opening and Adoption Event at the new Sapulpa Animal Shelter, Saturday, July 20th, The Sapulpa Times spoke with Mary Ruhl, Shelter Supervisor, and Joan Riley, Sapulpa City Manager.
The Sapulpa Times asked Mary Ruhl if it was true that Sapulpa Furry Friends was “not welcome” at the new animal shelter. “That is a complete rumor, it has been miscommunicated somehow and it all got jumbled up…Me, as shelter supervisor, will never cut my ties with Sapulpa Furry Friends, because they are a big part of this community, and this shelter, and how we help the animals here.”
When asked if there was an “edict” from City Hall, Ruhl emphatically said no. “We are here for the animals and Sapulpa Furry Friends will always be part of the animal shelter.” Ruhl said. “We will always need them…Our euthenasia rate here dropped dramatically with Sapulpa Furry Friends coming onboard.”
In a separate conversation with City Manager Joan Riley, Sapulpa Times asked her directly about the rumors on social media. “The City has always supported and been very thankful for Furry Friends,” Riley said.
When asked specifically why Sapulpa Furry Friends was not at the adoption event, she responded, “It was a misunderstanding. The City had made the decision to do half-priced adoptions. We wanted people to come out to see the shelter and to adopt. It was my understanding they (SFF) did not want the pets they have for half-price adoption, so the conclusion was then, let’s don’t mix them, don’t mix the two because then there would be, ‘these are half price and these are different.’ So therefore, the comment was made, ‘let’s don’t bring them at all.’”
When asked about “new rules coming,” Riley said there were no new rules she knew of. She stated there would be different protocols. “It was never intended that there would be no Furry Friends.”
Riley lamented that the information was disseminated by the City via messaging and social media. She felt that had there been actual verbal communication, the misunderstanding would not have taken place. “It is unfortunate, and I hate it. I also offered to Furry Friends if they want to bring their Corporate [sic] together, I will sit down with them and go over anything concerning the new shelter. Then again, nothing has changed in our relationship, as far as the city is concerned. It is just a misunderstanding that took off.”
