Animal Shelter Noncompliant After Arrests Of Most Of Its Employees

With eight of 13 employees having been arrested, the Columbus Animal Care & Control  (CACC) facility can’t operate in compliance with Department of Agriculture requirements, according to City Manager Isaiah Hugley. The facility has 25 paid positions funded.

Hugley reached out to PAWS Humane, an organization with an outstanding record, to seek their assistance. Hugley said he and PAWS representatives would work up a proposal to present to Mayor Skip Henderson and the Columbus Council.

In an Oct.1 press conference, Hugley said PAWS estimated approximately $3.5 million would be necessary to fund services and ensure “successful operations.” Hugley said the current budget for CACC is $2.1 million.

At the Oct. 8 council meeting, Hugley gave his report to the Council after Public Works Director Drale Short presented hers.

Short’s report included Hours of Operation: Sunday and  Monday: closed to the public; Tuesday: 1- 5 p.m.; Wednesday - Saturday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Animal Control Field Officers Hours of Operation: First Shift - 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. Monday – Friday; and Second Shift - 2 - 10 p.m. Monday – Friday. On Saturday and Sunday and anytime after 10 p.m. on call for emergency calls only.

The day-to-day operations of CACC are being overseen by Short and her deputy director. The shelter will continue to operate as a limited intake facility until negotiations are complete. 

The vacancy of critical positions and staffing shortages has required the change in operations from a full intake facility to a limited intake facility.

Though changes have been put in place because of the shortage of staff, some things remain the same. Volunteers are still needed and allowed to walk the animals, to work off-site adoptions, to assist customers with the selection of an animal, to assist with cleaning cat cages /puppy runs, and to assist with laundry and cleaning of the facility.  

After Hugley completed his report, the concerns expressed by Charmaine Crabb and Judy Thomas seemed to stem from a gross lack of trust of Short and Hugley.

“I have a concern also that the director of Public Works is in these negotiations,” Thomas said.

Crabb added, “I really don't want to give you and the City Manager the authority to negotiate this because you flat out, in public said that you didn’t know these things were going on. It’s part of your job. . . . I just feel that these negotiations will go faster and smoother if the City Manager and the director of Public Works  are not a part of it.”

Byron Hickey said, “There needs to be some additional oversight on this negotiation with PAWS.”

When Hickey said he and some other councilors could be part of the negotiations, the mayor gave him a quick rundown on conflict of interest.

The council finally passed a motion for the police chief and city manager to be involved in the contract negotiations involving CACC ands PAWS.