Shelter volunteers talk about the harsh reality at Animal Resources and Care

As Animal Resources and Care — formerly known as Alachua County Animal Services — becomes increasingly overcrowded and understaffed, more animals enter the shelter without killing than exit, have declared volunteers.

Alachua County Animal Resources and Care euthanized 168 animals in 2021, and they could have euthanized 149 more last year and still hold their “no-kill” title.

The goal of no-kill shelters is to only euthanize animals that are extremely unhealthy, according to Maddie’s Fund – a national no-kill advocacy organization. But this is not always the reality.

Shelters are still allowed to euthanize up to 10% of the animals they take in each year. It is not a government-regulated title, but rather an “honor code” that shelters are expected to follow with a 90% live exit rate.

Melanie Bracewell, a 44-year-old Gainesville resident, volunteered with ACAS from 2019-2020.

“I don’t think people understand that the kill ban means you’re still euthanizing hundreds of dogs a year at the shelter because of the overcrowding problem,” Bracewell said. “I just wish people knew that.”

The shelter euthanized 87 dogs and 81 cats, according to its 2021 report.

The recent outbreak of the distemper virus puts shelter dogs at increased risk of euthanasia, as those in quarantine are not eligible for adoption. Five dogs have been infected with distemper, according to a January 25 press release.

solitary confinement

The shelter has about 110 kennels, all in varying conditions. Some kennels include beds while other dogs sleep on the concrete floor. Three walls of the kennels are made of concrete, confining the dogs to see only those who walk past. When all the kennels are full, the staff places the remaining dogs in wire-mesh crates.

Bracewell compares concrete kennels to prison cells. Dogs’ mental health takes a toll in this stressful environment, she said.

“It’s almost like solitary confinement for every dog,” Bracewell said. “It’s just a really scary place for them because they’re constantly in a state of fuss and don’t really get to interact with other dogs in a positive way.”

The shelter’s limited staffing means workers let the dogs sit in their own feces, reducing their chances of going for walks, Bracewell said. Dogs can become aggressive in this type of confinement – a behavior that leads to euthanasia.

Dr. Amy Stone, assistant clinical professor at UF Small Animal Hospital, wrote in an email that isolation can stress animals and can lead to pacing or chewing.

“We don’t really understand all of the long-term behaviors that may stem from this stressful time,” Stone wrote. “Some dogs tolerate this very well. It’s going to depend on the dog and the dog’s experience.

“Who can help us save these dogs?

Bracewell’s first email to County Commissioner Anna Prizcia on May 23 was a plea for help. She asked officials to investigate the conditions at the shelter. She received no response.

“They don’t even care what the volunteers are thinking at the time,” Bracewell said. “They want volunteers to help them walk their dogs and clean up and do whatever, but they don’t really want the input of volunteers who can help us save these dogs.”

Animal Resources and Care is making little effort to reach out to the community for help, she said. There are only adoption events when the shelter is full. It does not encourage foster care opportunities and has yet to replace many of those who have quit over the past year, whether staff or volunteers.

“At that point, they just want everyone to be quiet and deal with it while that dog you fell in love with months ago is going to be killed,” Bracewell said.

Bracewell wrote to Prizzia again on January 5, asking for regular inspections of the shelter and its management. She pointed out that playgroups – which give dogs time to interact with each other outside of kennels – were not well run or maintained.

She again received no response from Prizcia. His message was passed on to Ed Williams, the director of animal resources and care on January 7. Bracewell found it counterproductive as Williams brushed off her concerns and said the playgroups continued until the dogs were quarantined. He also pointed to Bracewell’s absence from the shelter.

“I just felt like he seemed more concerned about how the shelter looked at the commissioners,” Bracewell said.

Bracewell has not volunteered since August after feeling the shelter was only looking for labor rather than caring for animal welfare. The shelter was making no effort to find foster families or homes for these dogs, she said.

On January 11, Prizcia asked the board for a review of the shelter’s standard operating procedures and policies.

Prizzia did not respond to The Alligator’s multiple phone and email requests for comment in time for publication.

“Adoptable one day, euthanized the next”

A current volunteer, who has worked there for five years, asked to remain anonymous, fearing Williams might kick her out of the shelter.

Despite Williams’ response to Bracewell’s email, playgroups have been erratic and messy, the volunteer said. Many of the staff who participated in the formation of the Animal Resources and Care playgroup in June have since quit for various reasons.

“Ed is good at making it look like progress is happening, but if you dig deeper, you realize it’s all just window dressing,” she said.

The shelter does not have the proper training to understand dog behavior, the volunteer said. Not all dogs are guaranteed to be out due to limited staff and disorganization.

The shelter is struggling to keep track of which dogs have been walked and which have not, as most are unregistered, she added. Now that the dogs sit at the shelter for months without being handled for days, there is an increase in behavioral issues.

“There are definitely dogs and cats being euthanized without the public knowing about it,” the volunteer said. “There are also dogs that were adopted one day and then euthanized the next.”

The volunteer emailed County Commissioners and spoke with County Executive Michele Lieberman about her concerns about the shelter and began contacting more frequently, sending one-page emails in October, November and December. The emails went unanswered except for one thanking her for her feedback and hard work.

“Volunteers and staff at the kennel were talking as early as mid-November that things at ACAS were the worst we’ve seen in years and yet the stewards seem to be ignoring our cries for help,” the volunteer said.

Williams encourages volunteers who have concerns or questions to speak to the volunteer coordinator, a supervisor, or himself.

“Things may feel a bit more disorganized for a volunteer right now than they normally would because different areas of the shelter are separated, having to separate the population,” Williams said.

The shelter attempted to transfer more than 40 dogs to partner rescue groups, but did not get a significant response. Only one or two dogs were removed from that group, Williams said.

“We see light at the end of the tunnel,” Williams said. “We just did another round of testing and we are starting to get results. We just want to make sure that before we reopen [dog adoptions] that we are completely rid of all distemper and any other respiratory problems that we may have from time to time.

cut ties

In 2019, two nationally awarded animal control experts from Hillsborough County Pet Resources, Director Scott Trebatoski and General Manager of Operations David Morton, conducted an assessment of the Alachua County shelter. They criticized Ed and said the shelter was poorly run.

“Ed lacks a clear sense of urgency and the drive to get things done now,” the two wrote in their final report. “His staff have little or no respect for him as they feel he lacks follow through and does not drive the necessary changes and improvements in a visible way.”

The Humane Society of North Central Florida severed ties with Alachua County Animal Services in 2020 after their 20+ year partnership due to multiple issues with dogs exiting ACAS.

The Humane Society was a place the shelter could transfer animals to once ACAS became overcrowded. That was stopped in part because many of the dogs the Humane Society was removing from the shelter got sick and endangered other dogs in their program, said Margot DeConna, director of advancement.

The company’s executive director, Heather Thomas, wrote an email to the county commission asking for an intervention.

“Our coalition has been fighting for years to create a higher standard of care for animals in our county shelter,” Thomas wrote. “Our cries were ignored and the most powerful thing we could do was stop taking in sick and mentally ill animals from Alachua County Animal Services.”

The county did not provide a direct response. Today, interactions between the two organizations are minimal, but still cause concern.

The Animal Resources and Care report in 2021 mentioned that 21 animals had been transferred to the Humane Society. However, DeConna said he only received seven.

“We’ve already pulled reports that were incorrect,” DeConna said.

The shelter hopes to open to dog adoptions no later than the second week of February.

Despite public concern, the Alachua County Shelter’s 2021 report says it killed no healthy animals. Until an intervention proves otherwise, the file of the shelter remains blank.

Contact Namari at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @namari_l.

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