PUTNAM COUNTY, WV (WOWK) — The embattled Putnam County Animal Shelter is now a no-kill facility.

The decision was made at Thursday’s animal control board meeting.

When Jon Rutherford, who previously worked with the Huntington Cabell Wayne Animal Shelter, was named Putnam County Animal Shelter’s chief humane officer and director, he said his first goal was to make it a no-kill facility.

This comes after the wrong dog was euthanized at the shelter in June. After this, the welfare of the animals and the overall shelter’s operations were called into question. The conditions at the shelter were described as not safe and unhealthy for the animals to live in, including unclean kennels and animals that needed medical attention.

After all of this, a new chief humane officer and director was named, a new set of by-laws were put in place, and an animal control board was named.

The board members include Commissioner Andy Skidmore, Previous Assessor Sherry Hayes, Attorney Bob Leslie, Veterinarian Dr. Jamie Totten, and volunteers Leslie Copely, Judy Pauley, and Tiffany Skaggs.

Skaggs, who was the person who brought in the dog – Eli – who was mistakenly euthanized, said in July that her main goal as a member of the board is simple: the animals’ well-being comes first.

“I’m just very honored to have been appointed as one of the board members and I’m really excited about all the positive changes that are happening and I’m really looking forward to getting to help implement more positive changes going forward,” Skaggs said.