HUMANE SOCIETY’S PRESIDENT/CEO ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT COLORADO SPRINGS – Dr. Wes Metzler, longtime President/CEO of the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region (HSPPR), has announced his intention to retire in 2010. The Humane Society’s Board of Directors has initiated a search for his replacement.
“We are terribly sad to see Dr. Metzler step down, but we wish him all the best in his retirement,” said Daniel O’Rear, Chairman of the Board of Directors. “It will be a real challenge to find a leader who can fill his shoes.” Metzler took the helm at HSPPR in September of 1993, and during his tenure has helped the Society progress in leaps and bounds. When he first joined the organization, it was housed in a collection of cinder-block buildings, with only outdoor dog kennels. During snowstorms, drifts would pile up to the point that it was difficult to open the doors. Metzler led a major capital campaign to raise funds for a new shelter. Voters approved a bond referendum that made the endeavor a public-private partnership, and in 2000, a state-of-the-art animal shelter was built. “That was important, because the animals were then able to be housed much more comfortably and safely, and it was a much more pleasant experience for the public coming in to adopt or to look for their lost pet,” Metzler said. The Humane Society, which also provides Animal Control services, expanded in more than just building size. The City and County of Pueblo solicited HSPPR to provide Animal Control for their communities, and officers were soon responding to more than 20,000 calls a year. Faced with another deteriorating animal shelter, Metzler led another capital campaign that resulted in a superb new facility for the animals of Pueblo and Pueblo County. HSPPR also provides Animal Control to Douglas County, where the organization has now worked in partnership with the Douglas County Sherriff’s Office and the Buddy Center for more than 10 years. Last year, HSPPR also expanded from the Front Range into the Denver metro area, providing Animal Control to the City of Centennial. In recent months, HSPPR has completed a renovation to add a surgery center to its Colorado Springs operation, so that the shelter animals can receive immediate veterinary treatment and spay-neuter surgeries can be performed onsite for adopted animals. The shelter housed nearly 23,000 animals in 2008. “As the years go by, we’ve really seen the needs of the community evolve, and have worked to meet those needs,” Metzler said. “Providing spay-neuter surgeries for the adopted shelter animals is a crucial need, and this new addition is essential in the ongoing fight against pet overpopulation. We believe this step forward will have a wide-reaching and very positive impact on the pets in the Pikes Peak Region.” Also during Metzler’s tenure, HSPPR requested an audit from the National Animal Control Association (NACA) to determine where its operations could be improved. The organization received the highest rating NACA has ever awarded. “It has been a real honor serving the people and pets of this community, and I have enjoyed my time at the Humane Society more than I can say,” said Metzler. “I am so proud of this organization and what our staff and volunteers have achieved. I know the Humane Society will continue to excel in addressing animal welfare issues in the Pikes Peak Region.”
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