Residents, council press city over temporary Kenai Animal Shelter closure and staffing shortages

Ellen Sheehan, a Kenai resident and former shelter volunteer, told the Kenai City Council on Aug. 6 that the Kenai Animal Shelter is "once again without permanent leadership" and is scheduled to be closed for 12 full days in August while the city accommodates an employee leave and continues recruitment.

Sheehan said the shelter is supposed to be staffed with two animal control officers but currently has only one, and she said the most recent job posting closed June 18 with no announced hires. She added that rescue groups are at capacity taking animals from outside city limits and urged the council to prioritize hiring and support for shelter staff.

City Manager Eubank responded that the temporary closure is intended to preserve existing staff and allow management of a scheduled leave. "I can absolutely assure the council and the public that no animals were euthanized in order to accommodate this temporary closure," Eubank said. He said the facility is closed to the public for adoptions and owner surrenders during the shutdown but that staff continue to provide daily care to animals in custody and that the city remains available for animal emergencies.

Eubank said the shelter currently houses one animal that will be transferred to a rescue later, and he gave an approximate reopening date of Aug. 11 or Aug. 12. He said the city has extended recruitment for the chief animal control officer position and is continuing to look for candidates.

Council members and staff encouraged residents to document problems and submit written complaints or photos through the city's online systems so planning, code and public-safety staff can open formal case files. Eubank said long vacancies and staffing instability were the reason for the short closure and that the city is working to return full services as soon as practicable.

The public comment and the manager's report together left open several operational questions: Sheehan asked what specific steps the council will take to support retention and how the city will coordinate with rescue groups and the Kenai Peninsula Borough; the city manager described recruitment steps but did not provide a specific retention package or timeline beyond the extended posting and the stated reopening dates.

The council meeting record shows the shelter staffing and temporary closure were raised during the unscheduled public comment period and addressed during the city manager's administrative report.

Kenai residents who raised concerns were advised to continue documenting incidents and submit them to planning and code or animal control so staff have dated, written evidence to open files and follow up.