Column by Mark Scheer — When I was a much younger and thinner reporter, I got a call one day from a particularly irate gentleman who asked me “if my newspaper knew what it was doing?”

At the time, I worked for the Journal-Register in Medina.

The guy on the phone was a surgeon with Orleans County’s only hospital.

He told me we were missing a big story inside his building, one involving financial problems.

I asked him for written proof.

He delivered it the next day.

A copy of minutes from internal meeting between hospital management and staff arrived in an unmarked envelope. It spelled out some not-so-pleasant details about the hospital’s finances.

Our front-page story that followed explained those details to the unsuspecting community.

The hospital’s CEO, who was already on his way out the door, moved a little faster.

Three hospital board members resigned within a week.

Remaining board members stepped forward to beg the community to help them get the hospital back on track.

In the end, the rally worked and the facility reversed its fortunes.

Some people may not want to hear this right now, but the same can happen at the SPCA of Niagara.

I know, a lot of you animal lovers out there have your ropes in hand and your looking for the nearest board member and the tallest tree you can find.

Believe me, I get it.

Stray dogs and cats in our neighborhood seem to be getting our address from the three wayward animals we have already.

As the SPCA story has unfolded, it’s become obvious that when it comes to protecting animals, Niagara County residents care a great deal.

Which is why they need to keep their emotions in check and focus on the main mission at hand — straightening out what ails the county’s primary animal shelter.

Based on the findings of Erie County SPCA Director Barbara Carr, there’s plenty of work to do.

Carr has called for current members of the board to be held accountable or replaced.

Many would no doubt agree with that recommendation.

On the bright side, the SPCA’s attorney, Paul Cambria, has already said his office has crafted new by-laws and the board will likely hold an election of new members in a matter of weeks.

Getting the right people in place will be key. Making sure there are procedures to follow and that they follow them will do wonders for the entire organization.

The basics are important, which is why reporters tend to get irritated when public entities fail to follow protocol, don’t keep a regular schedule of meetings or meet behind closed doors or in places where the press and the public are not present.

Operating in the light of day is always good policy — be it hospitals or animal shelters or any other entity that provides a vital service to the community.

Some may recall not so long ago when the Niagara Falls library took a big hit from the New York State Comptroller’s Office. Auditors found questionable management practices and a general lack of adherence to basic organizational rules. For example, the board overseeing the library wasn’t keeping to a regular schedule of meetings. A no no.

Isn’t this just common sense?

How can any organization function properly when the people in charge don’t get together as promised to conduct routine business?

It can’t.

The library learned this the hard way and because of the audit report and publicity on it the community got new leadership and a new direction.  

Credit goes to the board members who helped pick up the pieces and former interim Director Dan Killian who really pitched in to straighten things out. From all accounts, current library Director Michelle Petrazzoulo has continued to do a good job steering the ship.

As Carr noted, there’s plenty of blame to go around at the SPCA.

Blame won’t solve the problems.

Beyond the hierarchy, there’s serious questions to be asked about the way this community deals with stray and lost animals in general.

Can our shelter become a no-kill facility? Can the existing site be strengthened through better partnerships? What role should the municipalities that contribute funds for animal control play in all of this?

I’m struck by Carr’s suggestion that cities and towns and villages in Niagara should assume responsibility for their own animal control needs, a move she believes would help free up resources the Niagara County SPCA’s core mission — protecting animals from those who would abuse or neglect them.

Carr believes animal control is a municipal function and municipalities should be issuing licenses, dealing with dangerous animals and animal-related nuisances.

They used to back in the day when they could afford dog catchers.

Those were pulled out of the budget in most instances years ago.  

Which outraged political leader is going to suggest those communities get back into the animal control business?

The SPCA of Niagara has clearly reached a crisis point.

With the right help, like the hospital in Medina or the city’s library, it can survive, if not thrive.

It’s going to take the right people getting involved.

If you love animals, that means you.

“Citizens of Niagara County deserve to have great organization caring for animals,” Carr said. “In order to do so, they will have to take an active role in seeing that this happens and that it is sustainable. They can do this by adopting, supporting the organization financially, and volunteering and serving the NCSPCA whenever possible."

Under the circumstances, such actions may feel like a real tall order.

But, in desperate times the very best is required, from all of us.