Commissioners temporarily lower kennel adoption fees, approve spring adoption events

Clermont County Kennel Administrator Kira Swartz told the Board of County Commissioners on April 30 about a series of adoption events in May and June and the kennel's request to temporarily lower county-imposed adoption fees for dogs 12 months and older at those events.

The change matters because a reduced adoption fee is intended to increase adoptions during events and help lower shelter population pressure.

Swartz said staff and volunteers will attend adoption events at Feeders Pet Supply (Eastgate) on May 3 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Pet Supplies Plus in Milford on May 17 from noon to 3 p.m., My Pets Vet on Eastgate South Drive on May 31 from noon to 3 p.m., and the Clermont parks district Summer Solstice event June 21. She said the May 31 event has a partner veterinary clinic that offered to sponsor adoption fees at that location. "As of right now, we're taking five of our dogs," Swartz said of the May events.

Commissioners moved to prepare a resolution and then adopted Resolution 048-25 temporarily lowering county-imposed dog adoption fees to $60 for dogs aged 12 months and older at the specified events. The board discussed the prior March reduced-fee pilot and a recent period when overall shelter population dropped; shelter staff said the reduced fee had helped drive higher weekend adoption counts in previous events.

The board directed staff to prepare the resolution language and brought the item back for formal approval the same meeting. The resolution passed on a roll-call vote with Commissioners David L. Painter, Bonnie Bachelor and Claire Corcoran voting yes.

Kennel staff also noted volunteer appreciation and said they expected to bring more dogs to events if additional volunteers are available.