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Columbia County to build county kennels as humane society and county debate shelter role
Summary
At a budget workshop, Lake City Humane Society urged continuation of its contract while county staff outlined a faster, county-run kennel plan and a $300,000 annual private contractor option to rehome animals; commissioners directed staff to move forward with county kennels and keep current contracts through their term.
Columbia County commissioners heard competing proposals Tuesday over how to handle a surge in strays and public-safety animal calls, directing county staff to proceed with building a county kennel facility while continuing the existing contract with the Lake City Humane Society through its current term.
The dispute stems from a change in the Humane Society’s operating stance earlier this year to a largely no-kill policy, which county staff say reduced space for animals the county must pick up during public-safety calls. At the workshop, Humane Society representatives asked the county to maintain the society’s current contract and negotiate terms rather than immediately replace its role for animal handling.
The debate matters because the county must respond to public-safety calls whether or not an outside agency can accept animals. County staff presented staffing and cost estimates that show the county and contracted services currently spend roughly $900,000 annually on animal services. Staff also described two paths forward: build county-owned kennel capacity…
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