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Animal Shelter and Fire & Rescue leaders outline staffing, no-kill goals and rebranding plans
Summary
Animal Shelter staff described efforts to curb pet overpopulation and maintain a No-Kill policy; Fire & Rescue Chief Hall said he shifted from an operations-focused 100-day plan to emphasize culture, values and rebranding while pursuing staffing and ambulance placement changes.
Shenandoah County's Animal Shelter and Fire & Rescue Department presented quarterly updates to the Board on April 14, 2026. Kattina Keywood, representing the Animal Shelter, described national trends in pet overpopulation, explained the shelter's adoption and euthanasia policies and said the shelter has worked to be a "No-Kill" facility since 2020 while still complying with laws and medical necessity in limited cases.
Chief Hall, representing Shenandoah County Fire & Rescue, reviewed his work since taking the position on Nov. 3 and described an early 100-day operational plan that he subsequently replaced with a focus on culture, values and rebranding. "After over a hundred introductions, conversations, and tours, the plan was thrown out the window," Chief Hall said, describing a pivot to working on a Human Dignity Statement, mission and revised patch design. He also said the department is exploring staffing options and ambulance placement changes in Woodstock, Edinburg and Toms Brook, and looking for diversified revenue and grants for civilian fire inspectors.
