A recent article in the Tampa Bay Times revealed serious issues with Pinellas County Animal Services, including kennels where the temperature regularly soars to unhealthy levels, understaffing, and lack of written policies for after-hours and emergency care. A required audit of the county facility also cited inadequate accounting procedures and lack of financial transparency.
Dusty and nonfunctioning ceiling fans and torn window screens were also noted as potential contributors to disease and declining health in the shelter.
Citizens and previous volunteers have complained about incidents of cruelty at PCAS, distorted death records, an increase in killing and a decrease in adoptions, as well as low morale and fewer volunteers. These complaints were also examined.
Since 2011, PCAS has lost three directors and the staff veterinarian. A search is currently underway to fill the director’s position.
County figures show that in 2014, PCAS took in 4,801 dogs and 8,107 cats. Of those, 1,132 dogs and 3,529 cats were adopted. 1,586 dogs and 4,105 cats were killed.
Put another way, many more dogs and cats were killed at PCAS than found new homes. Sound familiar? Many former SPCA Tampa Bay volunteers say it sounds just like what’s been going on there over the past couple of years:
“This could easily be the audit report for SPCA, verbatim. All the allegations are the same. The one problem, we can’t get SPCA audited because they are not a county facility. If they were subject to an audit, they would find these exact same transgressions and reported by former volunteers and staff”.
Mismanagement and abdication of responsibility seem to be rampant in Pinellas County. mtA stands with our Florida friends who truly care about animal welfare as they continue to fight for the animals who have no voice.
Read more at SPCA Tampa Bay Behind the Kennel Doors