Columbia County commissioners voted to build and staff a county-run kennel and to reallocate county funds that previously flowed to the Lake City Humane Society, the board decided during an August discussion on animal control and sheltering.

County officials said the move is intended to ensure there is county-owned shelter space for animals picked up by animal control, which they described as a public-safety and enforcement concern. The board approved two separate operational motions: one to build and staff a county kennel and a second to reallocate funding that the county has previously provided to the humane society.

Why it matters: Commissioners and staff said the county currently lacks dedicated kennel space to remove dangerous or stray animals from neighborhoods and argued having a county-operated facility would support enforcement and public-safety work. The change also alters the contract relationship with the Lake City Humane Society, which staff described as a separate organization that can request county funding going forward but will not be contractually obligated to perform sheltering services for the county.

County staff member Kevin Currier told the board he and operations staff are ready to begin the work if the board authorizes it. "Part a, part b. And before you vote, most of y'all know I want to make sure the public knows. Kevin Currier owns over 20 dogs," Currier said during the discussion, framing his personal experience as background for the proposal. Currier and other county speakers said building and staffing a facility will require capital outlays and operational funding, and he asked for the board to reallocate money in the upcoming budget cycle so staff can begin permitting and construction work promptly.

Public commenters urged a combination of prevention and transparency. Taylor Tillotson, who identified herself during public comment, urged the county to emphasize prevention through a low-cost or donated spay-and-neuter program as a long-term strategy: "We're asking them to deal with the aftermath of a problem instead of helping to prevent it in the first place," she said. Pamela Lear, a new county resident and donor to the humane society, cautioned against moving quickly without transparency and said she feared a county pound could lead to increased euthanasia unless safeguards and public oversight are clear. She said, "But let's not just be so quick to just move forward with this, put a number to it, and then just start killing all these dogs." Elizabeth Halloran, executive director and CEO of the Lake City's Humane Society, told the board the shelter had worked to achieve no-kill status and asked the county to consider operational costs before making final contract or funding changes: "It has been a long hard road to be a recognized as a no kill status," Halloran said.

Board action and next steps: The board voted to approve the construction and staffing motion and then voted to reallocate the currently budgeted funds previously directed to the humane society toward the county facility, with commissioners saying the humane society could still request funding as a 501(c)(3) in the future. County staff said the existing contract with the Lake City Humane Society remains in force through Sept. 30 and that any future contracts or changes would be presented to the board for approval and be subject to public records requirements. Staff said the county will develop an operational plan and present a transparent plan and any needed contracts to the board for review.

The board directed staff to proceed with operational planning; staff said they will return with a detailed plan, cost estimates and any contract documents for public review and board approval. Officials said they will also use public information channels to post animals the county picks up and to seek coordination with the humane society on adoptability and rehoming when feasible.

The discussion included questions about timing and budget allocation; staff said they will begin permitting and site work if the board confirms the funding reallocation in the coming budget process.