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Johnson County advances animal-shelter fee changes and approves outreach campaign to boost adoptions
Summary
Commissioners granted first reading of an animal-shelter ordinance to raise some adoption fees, approved staff travel to a national conference and backed a local outreach “Pit Stop” campaign and several grant applications to increase adoptions and sponsorships.
Johnson County commissioners on May 12 gave first reading to an animal-shelter ordinance (Ordinance 02/2025‑O‑9) to raise certain adoption fees and approved related measures including grant applications, staff travel to a June conference and a local outreach campaign designed to boost adoptions.
The actions matter because shelter officials said adoption fees have been below the cost of care, and the changes are intended to reduce net losses while keeping adoption fees competitive with other regional shelters.
Carrie Kletchy, director of the Johnson County Animal Shelter and Animal Control, told commissioners the proposed ordinance would raise some adoption fees because "we're losing money with every animal even when we adopt them. We pay more for spay and neuter than what we get." Kletchy said the increase would not fully cover costs but would give the shelter more flexibility to run specials and offer discounts for long-term residents: "If I have a dog there for a year, I can do $50 off the adoption price, and it still goes down to what we're currently charging. It gives us a little bit more leeway to try to do specials."
Kletchy said the shelter's adoption rate has improved to about 19% from roughly 7% a year earlier and that the shelter's goal is a 30% adoption rate by the end of the year. She also said the shelter currently houses about 250 animals. The director said many adoptions are sponsored by businesses or individuals that pay adoption fees for long-resident animals, and outreach helps create free-adoption opportunities despite higher fees.
Commissioners approved multiple related items by voice vote: authority to apply for several animal-shelter grants (including Petfinder Foundation grants and others listed at the meeting), authorization for staff to attend the Animal Welfare Conference June 1–3 in Bloomington, Illinois, and approval of the “Pit Stop” outreach campaign that places flyers with QR codes at local businesses to direct the public to adoptable pets and volunteer/foster information.
Kletchy said the outreach flyers will include two QR codes: one linking to adoptable pets and the other to volunteer and foster sign-ups. The shelter plans to pair the Pit Stop campaign with media outreach and monthly features in the local paper to highlight animals and sponsors.
The ordinance was presented for first reading (title: Title 15 of the Johnson County Code of Ordinances); the commission carried the item forward with a vote but did not adopt the ordinance on final reading at the May 12 meeting. Other approvals made that day included routine travel and contract awards unrelated to the ordinance.
County staff did not provide a full fee schedule or the exact increased amounts during the May 12 discussion; the ordinance text and final fee table will be considered as the item moves through additional readings and administrative steps.
