Levy County Animal Services (LCAS) is on a road to reformation with a new strategic plan and a new mission, approved by the Levy County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) during a regular meeting on Dec. 10. 

Commissioner Charlie Kennedy made the motion to approve, seconded by Commissioner Johnny Hiers, and approved unanimously by the board. 

The LCAS closed its shelter in mid-November after numerous complaints had led County Manager Mary-Ellen Harper to put Animal Services Manager Rod Hastings on administrative leave in October. 

According to Levy County meeting documents, a representative from the University of Florida stepped in to review LCAS as part of the Maddie’s Million Pet Challenge Program, a partnership between UF, the University of California at Davis’ Shelter Medicine Programs, Team Shelter USA, and the Open Door Veterinary Collective. 

In response to Harper’s request for assistance, Maddie’s awarded LCAS a pro bono consult, researching and conducting an onsite visit that resulted in a report with “a multitude of recommendations that could not all be implemented simultaneously.” 

Upon Harper’s recommendation, the BOCC approved a strategic planning workshop on the afternoon of Nov. 19 to “consider, prioritize, and implement” the UF consultant’s recommendations. 

Harper said during a Dec. 10 meeting that the workshop was well-attended, with about 60 participants, including LCAS staff and all county commissioners. 

Up until now, LCAS has been operating with the following mission: 

“The Levy County Animal Services is an animal shelter that takes in unwanted or stray pets.” 

LCAS volunteers had dwindled to one or two people, and there were no written policies or procedures. 

Harper told the board on Dec. 10 that the mission was a large part of the problem, as LCAS should not just take in unwanted animals, but should provide a public safety function, and a safe place for the animals it does take in. The proposed new mission, as drafted in the workshop, is as follows: 

“Through collaboration with community partners, Levy County Animal Services will ensure a safe environment for the public, dogs, and cats in Levy County through education, enforcement of state and local laws, providing temporary care, and uniting animals with loving homes.” 

Harper said LCAS should not just be available to feed dogs and cats but should be proactive in education and enforcement. 

The new strategic plan comes with a stakeholder-drafted vision for the future, to promote “an environment of responsible pet ownership through progressive animal welfare initiatives, community outreach, and humane education.”  

The organization’s values are to be defined as compassion, transparency, professionalism and responsibility. 

During a first reading of the draft strategic plan, Harper told the board there has already been much improvement at LCAS. In 45 days, the shelter went from 64 dogs to nine adoptable dogs. The windows have been opened, and volunteer groups are coming in to help. 

“It’s a different Levy County Animal Services,” Harper said. 

When the shelter closed, there was a desperate push to empty the dogs from the shelter, including seven that were considered unsafe for adoption, all of which were rescued, according to Brandy Cannon, interim animal services manager. 

Cannon said LCAS staff has been working hard to reestablish relationships with rescue groups and other counties. 

“We have a lot of new relationships growing, and there’s a lot of people helping us,” Cannon said. “Everything’s going as it should and changing every day for the better.” 

The strategic plan comes with a list of six strategic initiatives, each of which contains 1-3 more specific goals. The strategic initiatives are as follows: 

• Public relations and marketing
  • Create a more robust social media and website presence.
  • Increase community interactions with animals and animal services staff. 
  • Develop a community resource program. 

• Volunteer program 
  • Establish volunteer program. 
  • Develop a volunteer recruitment program. 
  • Develop a volunteer training program. 

• Facilities 
  • Determine the cost of renovating the kennels and administrative offices. 
  • Determine the cost of building new kennels and administrative offices. 
  • Solicit public input on renovating or building new kennels and administrative offices. 

• Code Enforcement 
  • Provide a safe environment for the public, dogs, and cats in Levy County through enforcement of state and local laws. 

• Administrative policies and procedures 
  • Create a system of current systems, policies, and procedures to guide the operations of Animal Services. 

• Clinical policies and procedures 
  • Create a current system, policies, and procedures to guide the clinical operations within Animal Services.