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Residents urge changes to Manatee County animal shelter kennels; commission expands advisory board seats
Summary
Public commenters and volunteers criticized the size and layout of new kennels at Manatee County's shelter project, prompting commissioners to defend procurement choices and expand the Animal Services Citizens Advisory Committee to add four additional volunteer citizen seats.
Residents and volunteers told the Board of County Commissioners on Dec. 16 they are concerned the county's new animal shelter kennels are too small and the facility layout will hamper safe handling and feeding. Joyce Jordan told the board she was "brokenhearted" after seeing photos and said, "These kennels don't even leave room for a person to get in there with them," adding that dogs need beds and space to move.
Commissioner George Cruz, who led the board discussion, said the county procured prefab kennels used nationally and that staff had inspected the site. "The smallest kennels are 3 times larger than the recommended allowable minimum size," he said, and noted the project includes larger dog runs and an adoption center with additional larger kennels to open in spring/summer.
The issue carried into a related agenda item: commissioners debated and ultimately directed staff to amend Resolution R-15-165 to expand the Animal Services Citizens Advisory Committee by adding four county-resident volunteer seats (increasing the pool of volunteer-representative seats to five). Staff said the goal is to encourage more hands-on volunteers to have access to advisory roles and to pair the citizens' advisory board with a separate technical task force that can provide veterinary and operational expertise.
Dr. Saina Johnson, Manatee County Chief Veterinarian, told the board staff developed two options for the advisory board and recommended increasing volunteer membership to ensure the volunteer perspective is represented. Commissioners discussed balancing specific technical seats with more at-large volunteer seats and directed staff to draft a resolution to amend the board membership.
Ending: The board approved direction to staff to draft and return with revised advisory-board language and to proceed with outreach for appointments. County staff said they will continue to evaluate kennel operations during initial opening and consider modest adjustments where feasible.
