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Animal services director urges funding after describing 10–12 daily calls, shelter strain
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Summary
Jefferson County’s animal services director told commissioners she has handled 21 dog intakes since March 23 and is operating alone through a heavy caseload, prompting discussion of adding an officer or kennel technician and of pursuing a joint city–county agreement for cost sharing.
The Jefferson County animal services director told the board on Monday evening that the department lacks the staff and resources to meet current demand, urging commissioners to support additional personnel and clearer city–county cost‑sharing before the county’s animal program expands.
“Since March 23, my start date, working alone for both the county and the city, we’ve taken in 21 dogs … I’m currently averaging 10 to 12 calls for service a day,” the director said, adding that she has not had “a single day off in 25 days.” The director said enforcement, shelter operations, investigations and administration have fallen to a single person and argued that “adequate funding is not just about supporting animals. It’s about protecting citizens, improving public safety, reducing liability…”
The staff presentation earlier laid out budget options ranging from maintaining the existing two full‑time equivalent positions to adding a kennel technician (which would raise the proposed animal budget toward roughly $273,000) or adding an additional officer. Commissioners and residents pressed for additional data on past performance and asked the city’s share of intakes; staff and the director said historical reporting is incomplete but that recent estimates put intake splits near 50/50 or weighted toward the city in some updates.
Several residents and volunteers urged the board to act quickly. Andrew Fisher, a resident who reviewed statewide spending benchmarks, asked the board to consider enforcement tools and to fund sufficient staffing to allow officers to enforce animal laws. Volunteer Rachel Herman said kennel cleaning and daily operations are too much for two people and asked for at least another officer plus assistance for kennel maintenance.
Commissioners discussed short‑term fixes — hiring a part‑time or OPS (other personnel services) worker to avoid benefit costs, using Department of Corrections crews for kennel work, and seeking community‑service labor — as well as longer-term choices such as adding one officer now and revisiting a second position once better data are available. One commissioner said she is “leaning toward getting an officer” as an initial priority.
Staff said they are scheduling a joint meeting with the city (noted for May 21) to negotiate a formal agreement for operations and cost sharing. No formal, final appropriation was recorded at the meeting; commissioners asked staff to return with more precise performance numbers and implementation details.
The board did not adopt a final budget amendment on the floor but directed staff to pursue city engagement, consider short‑term hires and report back with clarified statistics and a proposed staffing plan.
