From Chameleons to Canines: How Community Support Powers Sarasota’s Animal Shelter
Sarasota County (FL) Sheriff's Office Animal Shelter handles about 2300 animals a year, mainly cats and dogs, but at the time of our visit included a small pig, a chameleon, and a tank of tropical fish. Kristen, the Volunteer and Rescue Coordinator, has worked at the shelter for 14 years, but compared to others on staff, she hasn’t been there long.
Solid staff equals solid sheltering
The longevity of many of the 12 staff members creates a solid system of sheltering. The county really supports its employees, and they have a highly trained and experienced staff that works well together. Too often, animal shelter employees burn out because they can’t put boundaries on their work, but as Kristen says, “We keep each other in check.”
Here is a recent post in our blog addressing compassion fatigue with information on addressing it in the shelter setting.
It’s not easy to stick around in a job that can be hard emotionally. Kristen says she likes that every day is different in her job, and while the confiscations and cruelty cases are hard, the outcomes are usually good.
I asked Brett, one of the three kennel staff, if he liked his job, and he nodded enthusiastically as he showed off Josh, one of their longest-stay dogs, running him through an impressive repertoire of commands. Brett used to work at another county shelter but likes the Sarasota shelter because it is well organized. He told me that the staff's experience and knowledge make it a great place to work.
“We have a lot of resources,” Kristen says when I ask her what is special about the shelter.
Those resources come in the form of help and donations from local residents and businesses, plus 120 regular volunteers and 20 foster families. While the shelter doesn’t have a vet on staff, they do have access to a local veterinary office that offers them rescue prices and regular access for spay/neuter surgeries.
Rescue support critical to saving lives
The most helpful resource they have is access to so many rescue organizations that not only pull dogs but also support the shelter with critical supplies and things that make life better for the animals, like the agility equipment donated by the Humane Society.
Animals arrive at the shelter, primarily as strays, through the 13 Animal Control Officers. People wishing to surrender their pets are given a list of the 63 rescues in the county and surrounding areas that accept owner-surrendered animals. There seems to be a rescue for just about any kind of dog, cat, bunny, or bird.
That kind of rescue support allows the shelter to focus on stray animals and those seized for legal reasons. It also makes the market very competitive for adopters. The shelter would love for more people to think of the shelter when looking to adopt their next pet, so that amazing dogs like Josh aren’t overlooked for so long.
It was refreshing to hear that the stray population has held pretty steady, not grown hugely as it has recently in so many parts of this country. That is likely due to the large number of rescues and to a shelter that has consistently provided high-quality care for so long. It’s also because their Animal Control Staff are proactive in enforcing ordinances and keeping tabs on backyard breeders. Plus, “People are really good at telling on people around here,” Kristen told us.
Facilities and volunteers make all the difference.
The facility is sprawling with many play yards, including one with a pool built and maintained by a local pool company that donated it. Volunteers have plenty of space to walk dogs on the expansive county-owned property adjacent to the shelter, which the county maintains and mows. Dog walkers carry walkie-talkies so they can reach staff even when they are out of sight next door.
The shelter can hold 100-150 pets at any time, but when they get close to 120 or more, they reach out for rescue help and usually find it. The relationship with the rescues is a good one. Kristen meets with many of them each month as part of the Suncoast Animal Alliance. Together, they are tackling animal welfare challenges in Sarasota County, working together to address feral cats and other issues.
The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office Animal Shelter is a wonderful example of what sheltering can look like when you have a supportive municipal government, a community engaged in the work of the shelter, plenty of resources and rescue partnerships, and a trained and dedicated staff who truly care about saving lives.
To learn more about this outstanding shelter, visit https://www.sarasotasheriff.org/programs.../animal_services