The City of Selma is rallying for someone to pay for its pets, but instead of asking others for money, perhaps the city should invest more itself.

The shelter is funded by both city and county governments at different amounts, both through in-kind services and cash, but for months the city has tried to get other Dallas County municipalities to help fund the shelter.

An increase in funding would likely help pay for medical bills, which can quickly become expensive when paying for dozens of animals.

Ward 2 councilwoman Susan Keith makes a valid point when saying that most of the animals aren’t found within the city limits, but if collecting animals from outside of the city limits is making daily operations difficult, then the city should simply only collect animals within the police jurisdiction.

The shelter already deals with overcrowding and low adoption rates. Thankfully, organizations such as Wannabe Rescued are able to ease overcrowding by transporting animals to loving homes in other states.

The city already has more than enough stray animals roaming its streets to fill the shelter. A quick glance through Old Town reveals dozens of stray cats. Stray dogs can be found throughout the city.

The animal shelter is a city-owned facility, meaning the city can change operational procedures. Though, to an extent, county government has a say in daily operation because of its contributions.

Perhaps the answer is to just exclude Orrville and Valley Grande if costs are truly an issue.

The issue at hand isn’t about finding homes for animals, but rather ensuring the city can effectively and efficiently run its facilities.

Before the city continues begging for donations, it should look for internal ways to improve the shelter. If costs are an issue, the answer is simply to cut back services and ensure every animal is receiving adequate care.