THOMASVILLE — If Thomas County government continues cuts to the Thomasville-Thomas County Humane Society animal control division, the state-mandated service could revert to county government.

That was the message from Edward Williams, president of the Humane Society Board of Directors, to Thomas County commissioners during a Monday budget hearing.

Animal control requested $284,640. Commissioners approved $246,975, the county manager’s recommended 2010 amount, in a 6-2 vote.

Commission Vice Chairman Elaine Mays made a motion to increase the amount by $10,000. The second was by Commissioner Merrill Baker. Mays and Baker voted for the increase, with the remainder of the board casting nay votes.

Commission Chairman Josh Herring told Williams the county contracts with the Humane Society for animal control, because the service is mandated by state government.

“There is a point where the county commission must consider if it is cost-efficient,” Herring told Williams. “When you pay too much for a service, it might be a business we have to get into.”

Commissioner Claud Davis said the Humane Society does a “great” job, but he could not vote for giving the agency more money.

“I think you deserve a hell of a lot more that you’re getting here,” he said.

“Every one of you on the commission needs to spend a day at the shelter,” Mays, a Humane Society board member, told fellow commissioners. She suggested commissioners visit the shelter on a Monday, the day euthanizations are done. Shelter personnel euthanize about 300 dogs and cats a month.

Williams, a Thomasville architect, told commissioners the Humane Society raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in private donations to construct the Big Star Drive shelter on donated land. County government is not charged a fee for use of the building, he added.

Animal shelter employees have no benefits, and no raises are included in the 2010 request.

“You guys tell me. Is that comparable to a county employee?” Williams asked. “ ... My feeling is that we’re not comparable with what a county employee is making.”

The failing economy has hit the Humane Society hard. “The voluntary surrenders (of animals) at the shelter have been much greater,” Williams said.

The shelter takes in about 5,000 animals annually. As of Monday, the facility had received 4,850 animals this year.

Prior to the vote on an increase in the budget, Williams told commissioners county government animal control funding — for the past three to four years — has been the same or less than the previous year. He asked commissioners to consider additional funding.

“If you don’t, we’re going to the route that we have to give up the county contract,” Williams said. “If it keeps going in this direction, we’re not going to be able to do it anymore.”

Mays agreed.