Cumberland County reports improved shelter outcomes, seeks sworn authority for two animal officers

Cumberland County Animal Services reported improved shelter outcomes and outlined a plan to expand enforcement authority for field officers during a March agenda session.

Elaine Smith, director of Cumberland County Animal Services, told commissioners the department's mission is enforcement of state and local laws, humane sheltering and promoting responsible pet ownership. Smith said the department's 56.5 full-time equivalents handle more than 24,000 calls per year and care for roughly 7,500 animals annually; staff said the shelter typically houses about 300 animals at a time and that shelter phone lines handle roughly 50 calls and 50 to 60 walk-in customers a day.

Smith said outcomes have improved substantially over the past decade. In 2012, fewer than 10% of cats entering the shelter left alive; in calendar year 2024 more than 86% of cats leaving the shelter had positive outcomes. Dog outcomes improved as well; Smith said the shelter saved over 81% of dogs in 2024. Overall outcomes for 2024 included about 52% of animals adopted and roughly 18% placed with rescue groups; the director said approximately 20% of outcomes in that year were euthanasia, and later provided a more detailed 2024 breakdown: 779 dogs, 37 puppies, 310 cats and 218 kittens were euthanized in 2024 (the sum of those figures is 1,344 animals), with many euthanasias attributed to severe medical or behavioral issues and a portion attributed to space constraints.

Smith emphasized that the department's community cat trap-neuter-vaccinate-return (TNR) program has driven reductions in kitten intake. She said the program sterilized 2,631 cats in the last two years through grant-funded partnerships; Smith estimated that sterilizing that number of adults prevents roughly 10,000 kittens from being born over time, reducing long-term intake and taxpayer cost. The director said TNR is frequently lower-cost than trapping and euthanizing: she cited an estimated veterinary cost of about $55 per TNR cat, versus more than $100 per cat for trapping, transport, housing and euthanasia when county staff perform those tasks.

Smith also described operational limits in field enforcement. Animal services officers are not sworn law-enforcement officers and have only civil enforcement authority. Smith said that limitation hampers officers' ability to enforce certain statutes, including taking property (animals) from noncompliant owners in some circumstances. She announced a planned meeting with the sheriff to propose a pilot to send two animal services officers to be deputized so they can enforce applicable general statutes and local ordinances; Smith said the change aims to increase effectiveness in the field and improve officer morale.

Commissioners asked for more granular data on euthanasia reasons and rabies trends. Smith said euthanasia reasons include severe medical conditions and behavioral concerns; she provided the 2024 numeric breakdown above and said that space-based euthanasia numbers were smaller (33 dogs and 18 cats euthanized for space in 2024). On rabies, Smith said cases remained low and "held very steady," typically one to three cases per year, and that positive tests have been among wildlife (bats, foxes, raccoons). She noted the department offers $5 rabies vaccinations and conducts public education and press releases when a positive case is detected in a neighborhood.

Smith told commissioners the department faces staffing vacancies that reduce field capacity; she said, for example, she sometimes has only one officer available because of leave and vacancies. She asked for commissioner support on strategic priorities including the deputization pilot and continued grant support for the TNR program.

Quotes in this article come from Animal Services Director Elaine Smith and county commissioners during the March agenda session and are attributed to meeting speakers by name and role where provided in the transcript.