Politics & Government

'Chain Reaction' Caused Problems at Animal Services

Hillsborough County Commissioners will hear a presentation from Ian Hallett, Animals Services' director, during their regular meeting Wednesday, July 17.

series of problems at Hillsborough County Animal Services that sparked a petition from the public asking for help turning the agency around has also caught the attention of elected officials.

Hillsborough County Commissioners will hear a presentation from Ian Hallett, Animals Services’ director, during their regular meeting Wednesday, July 17.

Hallett is expected to give commissioners an update on the county’s Be the Way Home planwhich was launched in an effort to reduce animal euthanasia rates in Hillsborough. He’s also expected to brief commissioners on recent problems at Animal Services that have led to complaints about overcrowding and increased risk of disease for creatures in the county’s care.

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Those problems have captured the public’s attention and they’ve also landed on the County Commission’s radar.

During a 10:15 a.m. presentation, Hallett will go over a report that not only explains the recent problems – and his explanation for them – but also details wins the agency has experienced since moving toward a no-kill model.

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As for those problems, a county report said a number of factors came into play to foster overcrowding and other issues at the shelter. They include:

  • Growing pains with the Be the Way Home plan’s implementation as the county transitions into reducing kill rates and increasing adoptions;
  • Two abuse cases that “resulted in large numbers of confiscated animals;”
  • Increases in the number of lost, surrendered pets brought into the shelter;
  • “The loss of two Shelter veterinarians. The loss of these veterinarians caused a chain reaction that resulted in an increased length of time to complete spay/neuter procedures; thereby, leading to more cramped housing conditions, which then had the consequence of increasing the risk that the animals in the shelter would be exposed to infection. These infections could not be addressed quickly enough due to the fact that there were fewer veterinarians on staff,” the report said.

While the report highlights recent problems at the agency, it also points out some successes the agency has experienced. Most notably, the agency’s adoption and rescue numbers are up by about 2,000 year-over-year .

Commissioners are expected to hear from Hallett around 10:15 a.m. Wednesday. They meet at County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd.

How would you address problems at Animal Services? Tell us by commenting below!


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