Chester County animal shelter outlines heavy call volume, asks residents for donations and volunteers

Morgan Shirley, Chester County communications officer, interviewed Animal Control Director Jesse Ruth and Animal Control Supervisor Stacy Hodgkin about shelter operations, community needs and plans for a new facility.

"Chester County Animal Control has 7 employees," Ruth said, outlining staffing that includes two field officers, an on-site administrator, two kennel assistants, a director and a supervisor. He said the shelter operates weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and offers emergency, after-hours response through 911.

Ruth described call volume as a major challenge. "Last year, we received 1,772 animal control callouts," he said, adding that about "127, I believe," of those were after-hours calls. He asked residents to use 911 for emergencies outside normal hours.

Ruth and Hodgkin urged community support for the shelter's food bank, saying supplies are low. "We are running low in cat food right now," Ruth said, and the staff asked for donations of both wet and dry food to meet demand.

Hodgkin emphasized preventive programs the shelter promotes to reduce intake. "The other thing is just knowledge of spay and neuter programs that we have to offer the community to help the pet overpopulation that we've got going on," she said, urging residents to use available services.

The shelter staff described a new public-facing pilot using a donated DNA breed-identification kit from Chewy. "We got this in a donation from Chewy," Hodgkin said. Staff will swab animals to determine breed composition and said the results will be used to help adopters better understand an animal's likely size and care needs and to run community engagement around breed identification.

Hodgkin shared an adoption anecdote to illustrate why breed labels have limits: a recent adopter ran a commercial wisdom panel and found the dog was "56% staffy," yet remained committed to the pet. "Don't judge a dog by its cover or its breed," she said, urging prospective adopters to prioritize temperament and household fit.

Ruth clarified which incidents the county handles and where other agencies are responsible. For immediate threats from wildlife, residents should contact the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (DNR); Ruth said DNR responds when an animal is an immediate threat. He also recommended contacting the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) to remove deceased animals that create roadway hazards after shelter staff attempt owner reunification.

The shelter maintains a Linktree with links to adoptable animals, new intakes and rehoming resources; Ruth said the video will include that information. He also asked residents to report habitual problems: "If you see something, say something. Call the shelter," Hodgkin said, explaining the office logs complaints to identify recurring issues and follow up.

Short-term goals include completing the new shelter and integrating software ahead of a move. Ruth said staff are preparing transitions tied to the new facility and are building the volunteer program, which he expects to expand significantly once the new site opens. He added that many officers have pursued or obtained FEMA certification for disaster response following recent local disasters, and the team has focused on internal development and training.

Shirley noted the shelter will participate in Chester County's Citizens Academy, beginning Aug. 19, with a session offering tours and deeper explanations of animal-control operations.

The shelter did not announce formal funding amounts or a construction timeline for the new facility in the interview; Ruth said preparations are underway. The video will include contact links, the Linktree resource, and information on how residents can donate, foster or volunteer.