Jacksonville staff propose shortening stray hold to three days; residents warn of reunification risks

City animal-control officials presented a plan to shorten the stray-hold period for unidentified animals from six days to three at a public-notice meeting called to gather community input. Michael Bricker, division chief, family care and protective services, said the change is intended "to reduce overcrowding and improve welfare" at the Animal Care and Protective Services (ACPS) facility, which he described as frequently operating "anywhere from 40 to 60 dogs over capacity in a building designed for 264." Bricker cited national data that "70 to 80%" of returns to owners occur within 48 hours and said ACPS tracks intake and outcomes for each animal.

Why it matters: City staff said longer stays worsen sanitation, disease risk and behavioral decline, and that shortening the hold for unidentified animals would free kennel space and speed recoveries for adoptable pets. Bricker said animals with verifiable identification — a registered microchip, a readable…