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County staff report surge of volunteers, staffing strains and high census at animal shelter
Summary
County staff and shelter leadership told commissioners the shelter has active staff and an influx of volunteers but remains overcrowded; Jody reported 124 dogs and 249 cats on site and asked to hire two kennel technicians while adoptions and rescue partnerships continue.
Allegany County commissioners heard an update on animal shelter operations and short-term steps to stabilize care and reduce an overcrowded population.
Jody, who briefed the board, said a full complement of shelter staff has been on duty since last week and that volunteer support has surged after media attention. "There was a full staff in place. I know there's been a lot in the media and especially on social media that this shelter has been being run by volunteers, and that is absolutely not the case," Jody said.
County staff framed the briefing as an interim management update while longer-term governance and asset questions are resolved. The shelter has received a wide range of community help, including people who cleaned kennel areas, painted the lobby, repaired fencing, provided social-media support and offered grooming services. Jody said volunteers are scheduled for a community cleanup day and a 20-ton gravel delivery to improve outdoor kennels.
The shelter census remains high. "So we're down to a 124 dogs, and that's too many," Jody said, adding that the shelter had been near 160 earlier this summer. Jody reported 67 adoptions between July 1 and Oct. 1 and said the current cat census is 249. She identified working goals of reducing the dog population to about 90 and the cat population to about 150.
Staff and Jody described multiple operational challenges: two employees resigned without giving two weeks' notice, several fundraising events were canceled, and three grant applications are now ineligible because the shelter is not a 501(c)(3). Jody said the shelter is asking the county to hire two kennel technicians to replace departed employees and maintain daily operations.
The county has already signed several shelter workers to temporary county employment to stabilize operations while a longer-term plan is developed. Staff also noted partnerships with rescue groups that can take animals—Jody named a group called Focus that handles special-needs animals and covers specialized treatment costs, though drivers are needed to transport animals to Hagerstown.
Jody said adoptions are currently being offered free with an approved application and cautioned that the economic conditions in the community complicate placement. "We're hoping that will pull a few more people in," she said about the free-adoption approach.
Commissioners asked about reasonable target populations and staffing; Jody reiterated the 90-dog target and the need to eliminate the use of crates where possible. The county intends to continue temporary staffing, pursue rescue partnerships and encourage donation and volunteer activity while it develops longer-term governance and funding options.
Looking ahead, staff said they will stabilize daily operations, continue outreach to rescue partners, and report back with recommendations for hiring and fundraising channels.
