Residents, volunteers urge Cleveland council to address conditions and staffing at city animal pound

Dozens of Cleveland residents and volunteer rescuers used the city council’s public-comment period on Sept. 16 to press elected officials for immediate action to improve conditions and oversight at the Cleveland municipal animal pound.

Speakers described repeated problems they said occur when volunteers are not on site: water and food not provided; kennels left uncleaned; dogs arriving sick with parasites and parvovirus; and animals arriving with no intake information or medical history. Several volunteers said they personally have paid veterinary bills and supplied food, and that they sometimes remove animals to foster or rescue placements to prevent euthanasia.

The comments came from a string of residents and volunteers including Donna Oliver, Lisa Noble, Tammy Bradford, Lydia Martinez, Tracy Spears, Anna Kadani and Lut Miller (each identified during the meeting as a resident or volunteer). Their remarks were given during the council’s public-comment period, which the presiding officer opened after routine recognitions and announcements.

“Water for dogs in the summer outside is not happening. Food,” volunteer Tammy Bradford said. “We supply all the food. We beg. We beg people for food.”

Volunteer Lisa Noble said the pound previously hosted a mobile spay/neuter clinic but those services stopped and need to be restarted: “If we could invite some of the big spay and neuter projects to come in and they can do, like, 400 or 500 animals a day, that would make a big difference.”

Lydia Martinez, who said she is co‑owner of Alaska’s Hope Bridal Rescue, pressed the council to enforce existing ordinances and to clarify enforcement and structure: “The laws are only as strong as the system in place to uphold them…we need your help, and we need it now.” Martinez said she has paid vet bills for animals that arrived injured or suffering.

Volunteers described specific operational gaps they want the city to fix: intake forms or documented information for surrendered animals; consistent food and water; timely cleaning between kennels to reduce disease spread; plumbing repairs at the facility; and clearer accountability for the animal control officer (ACO). Anna Kadani, who said she has applied for the ACO position, told the council she could help bridge communications between volunteers and city staff.

“We moved 49 dogs out of there last month,” Bradford said. “How are we bringing so many dogs in and the person bringing them in is not even able to water them?”

Multiple volunteers said private donors and rescues are funding vaccinations, heartworm preventatives and emergency veterinary care. Tracy Spears said one organization spent more than $100,000 last year on animal care for Cleveland animals and has begun to reduce its support because of “the lack of accountability by the city.”

Mayor (presiding officer) acknowledged the passion of the volunteers and encouraged people to contact city staff directly: “As far as the city limits of Cleveland, we are gonna get a handle on this…feel free to reach out to myself, to our city manager, Lee Tipton, Chief Darryl Broussard.” The mayor also said some issues fall outside city jurisdiction and pledged the city will address what it can inside city limits.

Volunteers recommended concrete next steps for the council to consider: require a standard intake form for surrendered animals; restore or fund periodic low‑cost spay/neuter clinics; repair the pound’s plumbing and obtain basic supplies; and clarify the ACO’s duties and accountability mechanisms so volunteers are not performing the core responsibilities paid for by taxpayer dollars.

The city did not take any formal action during the public-comment period. Council members and staff listened to remarks and the meeting record shows staff and the mayor invited volunteers to follow up with city manager Lee Tipton and police chief Darryl Broussard.

The remarks were made during the scheduled public-comment agenda item and consist of citizen testimony; the council did not discuss or vote on a pound‑specific ordinance or contract at that time.