BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – The Brevard County Commission on Tuesday unanimously approved a series of changes to the county's animal control ordinance, according to News 6 partner Florida Today.
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey, whose agency operates animal services, said he proposed the changes as a way to "incorporate best-management practices to better address issues related to animal control."
He also removed or modified some of the more controversial aspects of his original plan, based on feedback from members of the public and animal welfare organizations.
Read the full Florida Today report here.
Among the changes Ivey proposed and commissioners approved:
Establishing spay/neuter trust fund.
Establishing a new public education program.
Establishing restrictions on feeding outdoor animals.
Establishing tethering guidelines for dogs left outside.
Updating "dangerous dog protocols," as well as creating a magistrate process to hear complaints related to aggressive or dangerous dogs.
Among the provisions that Ivey removed from his initial proposal were increases in fees for registration of dogs and cats, as well as a requirement that veterinarians sell animal registration tags.
"It's always great to have a unanimous decision," Ivey said after the meeting, adding that the feedback from members of the public was important in arriving at the final version of the ordinance.
County Commission Vice Chair Kristine Isnardi complimented Ivey for "addressing many of the concerns about animal services since the Brevard County Sheriff's Office took over its operations in October 2014, Florida Today reported.
Since Ivey began running animal services, the "live release rate" of animals that enter the shelter has risen from about 55 percent to about 95 percent. That categorizes the operation as a "no-kill" facility, since it has a live release rate of 90 percent of higher.
Ivey told commissioners that the number of animals euthanized in the county has dropped steadily — from 4,869 in in 2013; to 2,109 in 2014; 1,219 in 2015; 317 in 2016; and 160 in 2017.
Ivey vowed to keep euthanasia rates low.
"As I stand before you today, I'm telling you, we will maintain being a no-kill community," Ivey said. "It's extremely important to me. Quite frankly, it's extremely important to my wife."
Isnardi said, when the county was running the facility before Ivey took over, some people would say "it was an absolute disaster," according to Florida Today.
Commissioner Jim Barfield said, with Ivey in charge, "we definitely have a champion there to protect the animals."
Fourteen members of the public addressed commissioners before their vote, as about two dozen deputies in green uniforms looked on from the back of the commission chambers.
Some of the speakers were supportive of the changes, while others had concerns about one or more of the proposals.
Some suggested that commissioners table the vote to give members of the public more time to study Ivey's latest proposal, which he presented at Tuesday's meeting. An older version of the proposed ordinance was posted with the rest of the County Commission agenda package on the County Commission website, and some of the speakers were concerned that the public did not have access to details of the modified proposal until Tuesday.
Debbie Rich, an animal advocate from Melbourne, said she supports returning free-roaming cats near where they were found, as long as they first are treated back to health and any kittens are put up for adoptions at the shelter, not just released.
"No-kill is not a number," Rich told commissioners. "It is not killing any animal that can be treated or rehabilitated. There are many saving up to 100 percent in this nation. But we’re still killing some for some crazy ideas."
Rich fears the county’s new policy potentially could allow immediate euthanasia of cats deemed feral or unsocialized, with no required holding period. Typically, it takes three days for an animal to calm after being brought to a shelter, she added.
Rich also worries the ordinance would allow euthanasia of animals with treatable contagious disease, but does not specifically define which diseases.
"You wouldn't kill a human with ringworm, which is the same as athlete's foot, so it shouldn't be a death sentence for animals," Rich said.
Ivey said the shelter does not release kittens or sick cats, Florida today reported.
David Grant, of Viera, who volunteers at the shelter, touted the sheriff's improvement of how animal are treated.
"I think the animals are well taken care of here," Grant said, adding that the shelter kittens are kept for adoption. "They aren't just thrown out to the wild after the spay and neuter."
He credited Ivey for the turnaround with animal services.
"It's great what Sheriff Ivey has done," Grant said. "Nothing's perfect in this world but it's certainly a good start."
Pam LaSalle of Viera said she had public health, property rights and animal cruelty concerns about letting cats roam free.
"I wholeheartedly support any homes that can be found for these animals, but dumping them back into the community is not a viable solution, when considered in regards to public health," LaSalle said.
Denise Van Cleef, a Melbourne veterinarian, who led the county's dangerous dog council for the past 14 years, wanted more opportunity for public input and debate.
Van Cleef said she wanted the ordinance tabled, "because I believe that public comment has been restricted on this."
Specifically, she wanted more time to learn about and openly debate provisions governing how dogs are declared dangerous.
Theresa Clifton, executive director of the Central Brevard Humane Society, said her organization is not for or against animals outside, but just wants them spayed or neutered. Education is key, she said.
"Personally, I'm opposed to cats being outside, because I think they deserve a better life," Clifton told commissioners. "I can't oppose him (Ivey) putting them back out when I don't have a better answer. If you have a better answer, then bring it forward. Otherwise, the only other answer is to kill them in the shelter."
The Humane Society's shelter takes in about 900 stray animals a year, Clifton said, more than half the animals they take in.
Ivey compared the process of modifying the ordinance into what was presented Tuesday to chipping away at an ice sculpture until arriving at a final product of "what we really needed and what the community could support."