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Residents and animal-welfare advocates press Benzie County to change shelter practices; county cites state quarantine rules
Summary
Public commenters urged reinstating an advisory board, improving training and hiring an independent expert to evaluate operations at the Benzie County Animal Shelter; County Administrator Katie Zeits said state law and quarantine protocols limit volunteer interactions and that a new Animal Control Director will start June 1, 2026.
Public commenters at the Benzie County Board of Commissioners meeting on May 26 urged county leaders to improve care at the county animal shelter and reinstate an advisory board; county staff responded that state quarantine rules and disease-control protocols limit volunteer interaction with certain animals.
At 9:03 a.m. Carol McKee of Lake Township asked the board to consider bringing in an independent expert to evaluate shelter operations, volunteers and procedures. Michelle Tinoco, president of Community Cats (Manistee County), and Kenzie Long, vice president of Community Cats (City of Frankfort), both urged reinstating the advisory board and additional training for staff and volunteers.
County Administrator Katie Zeits addressed those comments later in the meeting. "If they are in quarantine, we cannot let the volunteers interact with them, this is State law," Zeits said, explaining that quarantine and vaccination status can limit who may handle animals. She added, "People carry diseases on their hands, and it can be passed on to the animals by handling them, so this is to protect the animals," and noted that if a dog becomes ill the shelter can be shut down for a mandatory 14 days. Zeits said the shelter staff will receive additional training, a new shelter webpage design is forthcoming and animals can now be posted on Petfinder.
Speakers representing Community Cats recommended reinstating the Advisory Board to provide oversight and volunteer coordination; they also suggested more training and that the county consider outside expertise to review operations. The comments emphasized animal care standards and volunteer access policies rather than any single incident.
Administrators also announced operational steps: a new Animal Control Director, Joe Duncan, is scheduled to begin work on June 1, 2026, and county staff said they will implement additional training and website updates to improve intake and adoption visibility. The board did not take formal action on the shelter during the meeting.
The board heard additional public comments later in the meeting on the Headlee/General Operating Millage outreach materials and other matters. The meeting adjourned at 11:59 a.m.
