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Resident urges Louisa supervisors to reverse delay on animal shelter expansion
Summary
A lifelong Louisa County resident urged the board to reconsider postponing an approved animal shelter expansion, saying the facility has reached critical capacity multiple times this year and that postponement would harm animals and enforcement outcomes.
At the public-comment portion of the Louisa County Board of Supervisors meeting on April 28, lifelong resident Matthew Craig urged supervisors to reverse a proposal to postpone a previously approved animal shelter expansion until 2027.
Craig said the county shelter opened about 30 years ago after conversion from a former slaughterhouse and that the county’s population has increased by about 15,000 in that time. He told the board the shelter had reached “critical status” more than four times this year, meaning it had no available space for additional animals brought in by animal control or surrendered by owners.
"If the state and the county both have issued legal precedent to state that neglect or abuse of domestic animals constitutes felony ... then euthanizing otherwise healthy, adoptable animals due to lack of space in our county's animal shelter is equally criminal in nature," Craig said, attributing the statement to his view expressed in public comment.
Craig asked the board to reconsider postponing construction of the shelter expansion, saying the facility is an important county resource that should match population growth. The board did not take a formal vote on the shelter expansion during the meeting; the remark was made during public comment and referenced a staff/board proposal to delay the project to 2027.
