Jones County hears two applicants describe shelter turnarounds, SOP fixes and outreach push

Two applicants for Jones County’s animal services director job told the county board during interviews that they have focused on stricter standard operating procedures, stronger partnerships with rescues and visible community outreach to reduce euthanasia and improve shelter operations.

The applicants described similar priorities: screening owner surrenders to avoid unnecessary intake; working with rescues and programs such as Pets for Life to keep pets with owners when possible; and adopting more aggressive vaccination and testing policies at intake. One candidate said the shelter’s live-release metrics improved dramatically after staff and community coordination, saying, "Within a year, we got it down to 14%." The candidate added, "it's not a job. It's a lifestyle." (Applicant identified in the meeting as Kimberly.)

Why it matters: Commissioners pressed both candidates about whether animal services should sit under the sheriff’s office so cruelty investigations and prosecutions proceed more smoothly, and about the department’s ability to operate within budget and staffing limits. Commissioners also requested clarity about a prior external report and the shelter’s readiness to sustain the operational changes candidates described.

What candidates told the board

Kimberly described being hired as an officer in February 2014 and quickly taking on director-level responsibilities rebuilding an under-resourced shelter. She said she trained deputies and prosecutors to improve cruelty enforcement and developed local rescue partnerships to increase adoptions and reduce euthanasia. On intake practices, she described use of a “cost of care” approach enacted in 2016 to discourage casual surrenders and to recover shelter expenses when appropriate, and promoted offering resources such as food, supplies or rescue referrals before accepting an owner surrender.

On operations and animal health, candidates said they implemented intake heartworm testing and a tighter vaccination schedule created with the county veterinarian (referred to in the interview as Dr. Gad). One applicant described a new filing method to track shot series and credited the changes with halting recurring respiratory outbreaks among shelter animals.

Both applicants emphasized outreach and marketing. One said she handles shelter PR and social media and reported a "150% increase in activity" after increasing video content and direct responses to residents online; both urged attending community events and school visits as ways to change perceptions of animal control.

Board questions and clarifications

Commissioners asked whether placing animal services under the sheriff’s office would improve investigations and prosecutions; both candidates said closer alignment with law enforcement had helped in their past experience because deputies and prosecutors were more engaged on cruelty cases when animal services reported to the sheriff. Commissioners also pressed on staffing and burnout in kennel/kennel-tech positions; candidates said the kennel work is arduous, that morning briefings and staff recognition (including weekly lunches) help morale, and that hiring to full strength is important to avoid overload.

Commissioners also raised budget items. The transcript shows an impound fee previously at $15 that a candidate said had been increased during her interim tenure; the board noted a standard boarding fee of $30 in the region and suggested the county consider aligning fees with peers. Regarding cleaning protocols, candidates said bleach was reintroduced after a prior change.

Claims and operational corrections noted in the interviews

- Candidates reported earlier problems at the shelter, including inconsistent vaccination/testing practices and operational lapses; both described steps taken to correct those failures (heartworm testing on intake, vaccination schedules, quarantine procedures and closer work with the county vet).

- Candidates credited rescue groups and volunteers with enabling adoptions and reducing euthanasia.

What the board did next

At the end of the session a commissioner moved for a short five-minute break; the motion was seconded and called, but a roll-call tally for the break was not recorded in the transcript.

The board is expected to continue the selection process. The interviews focused on candidates’ operational experience and immediate fixes to stabilize shelter health and staffing; commissioners repeatedly sought more detail on budget and long-term staffing plans before making a hiring decision.