A new chapter has been opened at the Hancock County Animal Shelter.

Following a contract signing Friday morning, operations at the shelter, located near New Manchester, will be overseen by the nonprofit Jefferson County Humane Society, which oversees the Jefferson County Animal Shelter in Wintersville.

There will be some changes as part of the transition. Humane society managers will be working with existing animal shelter staff to review the operations at the facility and finding out what works and what improvements can be made, sharing ideas and making upgrades to the shelter itself, including installation of a dedicated medical room.

Overall, the mission will not change: The care for the animals of Hancock County who are searching for their forever homes.

This isn’t the first time a nonprofit has operated Hancock County’s animal shelter. It had been managed by the Hancock County Animal Shelter Foundation for 19 years, with a group of dedicated volunteer residents providing care for the animals until 2016, when the group and county commissioners came to an impasse while negotiating terms on a contract renewal.

The Hancock County Commission will continue to provide tax dollars to be put toward operations of the shelter, and its members have discussed the possibility of putting a new animal shelter levy on the ballot for county voters to consider next year.

Having the nonprofit entity on hand, though, will provide other opportunities for fundraising, which should provide additional benefits for the animals.

There has been much made about the way the shelter has been run during the last year, with staff members coming and going, criticism of public officials and numerous accusations spread across social media.

As changes with the shelter continue to evolve, everyone involved should be mindful of the need to put aside all of the concerns and negative comments and focus on what matters — the welfare of the county’s homeless animals and the effort to find them a safe and permanent place of love.