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Public questions Animal Services’ records policy after euthanasia report; resident urges more transparency
Summary
A public commenter raised concerns about Lee County Animal Services’ handling of a stray cat adoption that ended in euthanasia and criticized the department’s practice of charging $32/hour to redact records for public‑records requests, calling for proactive online publication.
At the county’s public comment period April 7, Joyce Campagna raised concerns about a recent news report that a stray cat brought to Lee County Domestic Animal Services was euthanized during a mid‑adoption quarantine and said the department’s records‑release policy contributes to a lack of transparency.
Campagna summarized the news report’s account that the couple who sought to adopt the cat had been told it would be held for 24 hours for an owner check, then learned it would be a 10‑day quarantine, and later discovered through a voicemail that the animal had been euthanized after staff said the cat was lethargic and not eating. She said staff had previously administered medicine and taken photos and that the case appeared to show a breakdown in communication.
Campagna also criticized the department’s current practice of invoicing the public at $32 an hour to assemble and redact documents for public‑records requests and urged that case documents be released proactively online with minimal redaction under open‑records law.
County officials acknowledged the comment; the board heard the concern and a commissioner said the remark was taken seriously and noted staff would follow up. No formal action was taken at the meeting; the comment was entered into the public record for follow‑up by county staff.
