Animal shelter plan protested by residents

By D.A. Wilkinson

SALEM — More than 40 people have signed a petition asking a government agency not to fund a request for a proposed animal sanctuary.

Robert Saunier of McCracken Road in Salem Township gathered the signatures this week.

“People don’t want to hear the dogs barking,” Saunier said.

Alchemy Acres, 1859 Depot Road, Perry Township, is asking for $472,000 for the animal shelter from the Clean Ohio Fund that uses state funds to protect rural areas.

Under the application, Alchemy would contribute about $70,000 in various ways.

The proposed site is off McCracken Road in Salem Township.

The Natural Resources Assistance Council that distributes money is to meet on the request Thursday.

Commissioner Jim Hoppel, the commissioners’ representative on the council, declined to comment on the petition. A group of counties will evaluate funding proposals and vote on which ones should be funded, he added.

Saunier said he didn’t bother to go all the way down McCracken Road to get more signatures in opposition to the application.

The petition said the neighbors were expressing “our concern and protest the approval” of the grant money for Alchemy Acres or the Sacco family.

Emily Sacco, president of the nonprofit organization, said she was unaware of the petition.

“I’m shocked. I’m shocked,” she said Friday.

Alchemy has a “no-kill” policy unlike other animal shelters that may euthanize sick or injured animals.

Sacco said the grant application would provide about 80 acres that could be used for walking trails and other outdoor activities that people would enjoy. A building would be erected on the property, she added.

Brenda Austin is the humane agent who investigates animal-cruelty complaints for Columbiana County, and Jenny Pike is the president of the Humane Society of Columbiana County, which also is a nonprofit agency shelter.

The humane society recently purchased a former veterinarian clinic a short distance from Alchemy Acres’ Perry Township facility.

Austin and Pike could not comment on whether there had been an agreement reached with Alchemy Acres over its operations, much less any details.

County Prosecutor Robert Herron also could not be reached.

Perry Township Police Chief Ray Stone said he had handled one complaint about dogs barking from a resident near Alchemy’s facility.

But Saunier said the McCracken Road project would result in neighbors having to listen to a large number of barking dogs.

wilkinson@vindy.com